What is Your "Hyde"?

Braedi and I recently read Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde by Robert Louis Stevenson.  It's a story about a doctor who experiments with the idea that people are really 2 (or maybe more) separate people.  The doctor was able to create a potion that turned him into his other self--Mr. Hyde.  As Mr. Hyde, the doctor was able to do the things that a person of his status wouldn't normally do--gamble, be rude, get drunk, etc.  Whenever Dr. Jekyll felt an urge to do those things, he would turn into Mr. Hyde.  Then he would take another potion and return to his respectable self.  After Mr. Hyde killed a man, Dr. Jekyll decided that he would have to git rid of Mr. Hyde and stay Dr. Jekyll.  But after a short period of time Dr. Jekyll found that Mr. Hyde could appear without the potion and that it was harder and harder for him to return to himself. 

This made me think of the temptations and sins that we struggle with.  We all have weaknesses that we are fighting daily to overcome.  They might be addictions to drugs or alcohol, pornography, same sex attraction, anger, over-eating, or any other thing.  Sometimes we give in to those weaknesses.  Sometimes we are able to fight them off. 

As Braedi and I read and discussed I compared our weaknesses to Mr. Hyde.  When Dr. Jekyll turned into Mr. Hyde he was giving into his weakness.  When he chose to never turn into Mr. Hyde again it was like he was fighting the weakness.  Unfortunately because he had given in to the temptation so many times before it was a lot harder for him to change and eventually it was impossible and Mr. Hyde won.  I told Braedi that when we continually give in to temptations it is harder to repent and change.  But,  unlike Dr. Jekyll, with Christ on our side we can win. 

Louis Pasteur

The kids are participating in a biography fair with our homeschool group next Thursday and have been working on their presentations all month. I had the urge to learn about someone, too. I mean, if they have to do it I should too, right? We've been learning about microscopes in science and some of the small things scientist could now see because of microscopes and Louis Pasteur and germs were mentioned. There was only a small tid-bit of information and I was intrigued. I decided to learn more and do my biography on him.  I read a simple book, did a simple summary (following what I've been learning from my new writing program), and presented what I learned to my kids.  I think he's a fascinating man. 

"Watch out! It's a mad wolf!"  Louis Pasteur heard this a lot as a young boy in Arbois, France.  Mad wolves were biting people and the people were dieing.  He never forgot the mad wolves. 

As a youth, Louis Pasteur wanted everything he did to go right.  He worked slowly and carefully.  He loved to draw and was good.  He thought he might be an artist, but his High School principal said he should be a professor. 

Louis attended a school and studied hard.  He liked science.  He still thought about the mad wolf. 

Pasteur was interested in crystals and how they grow.  He got a job teaching science at a University.  He studied crystals in the lab.  Then he met someone that he liked more that crystals--Marie Laurent.  They were soon married and had 4 girls and 1 boy. 

Guess what Louis studied next?  Beet juice!  Sometimes it turned to alcohol, sometimes it turned sour.  He found living things in the beet juice which are called microbes or germs.  He learned that different microbes act in different ways which caused the juice to act differently.  Scientist didn't know where microbes came from.  Louis found that they were in the air.  He learned that heat would kill the microbes.  People used his idea and killed microbes in milk.  This process is called pasteurization.  Louis' findings also helped dirty hospitals kill  microbes.  Louis told the doctors to boil their tools to kill the germs. 

Then 3 of Louis' daughters died.  He worked harder trying to find ways to help people. 

He studied sick silkworms next and found ways to keep them healthy.  After that he studied anthrax in sheep.  It was killing the sheep.  He injected a weak version of anthrax into healthy sheep and they didn't get sick.  These weakened versions of a disease are called vaccinations.  It's what you get when you go to the doctor for shots.  Lois Pasteur discovered this idea.

Remember the mad wolf?  So did Louis.  Now he decided to study rabies.  It was very hard and dangerous.  The rabies microbe is small and there was a chance that he would get bitten.  Bet he kept trying.  He gave infected animals a vaccine and cured them.  Now he wanted to try in on people but wondered if it would be safe.  He tried the vaccine on a boy bitten several times by a mad dog.  The boy got 13 shots and got well.  Pasteur gave the shot to many other people and save many lives.  He was a hero.

People donated money to Pasteur and he made the Pasteur Institute.  He was now too old to study, but he had a lot of helpers.  He died when he was 73 years old, but his work will never die.

Nephi Gets the Plates

image source:
http://www.whatdomormonsbelieve.com/2008/07/shalt-thou-kill/ 

Nephi and his brothers were commanded to go back to Jerusalem and get the plates from Laban.  They make three attempts.  The first they leave the results up to fate by casting lots.  The second they try worldly things by hoping to trade all their riches for the plates.  Finally Nephi puts his faith in God and goes into the city trusting that God will guide him.  He finds Laban on the ground and the spirit tells Nephi to slay Laban.  Nephi hesitates, but eventually kills Laban and retrieves the plates and returns to his brothers outside the walls of the city. 

What did Nephi know after this experience? 

*Nephi learned that he could identify the spirit.  It was the spirit that told him to kill Laban, not his own emotions.  In 1 Ne. chapter 4 verse 11, Nephi writes all the bad things that Laban had done--all the things that make you think he deserved to be killed.  Then the spirit tells Nephi again to slay Laban and that the Lord delivered him into his hands.

*Nephi also understood the importance of the written word of God--that it was more important than Laban's life.  The spirit said that "it is better that one man should perish than that a nation should dwindle and perish in unbelief."  Along with that he also understood that the only way his people would be able to keep the commandments and prosper in the land would be if they had the commandments.  And the commandments (the Law of Moses) were written on the plates of brass.

*Nephi learned that he was obedient.  When the spirit first told Nephi to kill Laban, he "shrunk and would that [he] might not slay him."  This commandment was hard for Nephi to obey because he had never killed a man before and probably because of the commandment not to kill.  But after much pondering he understood the importance of the task. 

Nephi probably already new most of those things, but I think they were made stronger and he understood more Heavenly Father's plan for him. 

Tabitha/Dorcus

At Women's Conference this last April, I attended a class on women in the scriptures and it inspired me to study those women.  I began by reading the stories of the women I knew--Nephi's wife and mother, Mary the mother of Jesus, the mother's of the 2000 warriors and a few other well known women.  Then I got stuck.  I realized that I didn't know any other women or how to find them.  I got online and found a great blog.  She keeps a journal of all the women mentioned in the scriptures--named, unnamed and any other reference to women--and shares some of what she has learned.  She suggests reading all 5 books and doing the same, but for now I'm just taking her lists of women and studying them.  She also gives a list of questions that she recommends you ask yourself as you study.  The questions are great for me.  They force me to look deeper into the story.  My answers may be way off base, but that isn't the point of the asking.  All the questions aren't always applicable to each story/woman.

Questions:
1. What is unique about this woman her story?
2. How does she fit into the time period in which she lived?
3. What Christlike qualities does she exemplify?
4. What would I ask her if I could meet her?
5. How can I relate to her?
6. What can I (or someone else I know) learn from her experiences?
7. How are her trials similar to the spiritual battles I face today?

Yesterday I read about Tabitha/Dorcus in Acts 9:36-42. 
The story: The book says that Tabitha is a disciple (a student or learner/follower of Christ).  She is a good woman and is full of service.  She made clothes and coats.  Dorcus is the Greek translation of her name.  She gets sick and dies.  Peter comes and raises her from the dead. 
1. unique? She was a disciple. 
3. Christlike qualities? charity, faith, brotherly kindness, diligence
4. ask her?  I would probably ask her about death and what happened next?
6. learn from her?  how to be a disciple.

If nothing else I am learning more stories from the scriptures. 

I'm an Angry Person

Did you know that?  I sometimes get angry and  yell at my kids and use force out of anger.  I didn't used to be that way.  I used to be calm and patient.  But this new, angry mom is making my kids angry and it's making me feel bad.  I need to change. 

I read a book recommended by a friend: The Soft-Spoken Parent by H. Wallace Goddard.  It contains 50+ strategies to control anger.  There were several that I think I can apply.  I think the titles did little justice to the information in each strategy, but hopefully you get the idea.

#10 Put off 'til tomorrow what shouldn't be said today.  Sometimes we reply to behavior with sarcasm or we blame rather than take responsibility.  In times of frustration we should not speak.  Goddard shares "I only have the right to correct those I love.  Any time I am feeling impatient or judgemental, I am not prepared to correct."  He also says that when we truly love, the urge to correct evaporates.  So if you notice me talking less you'll understand why.

#11 Reprove betimes with sharpness.  Don't forget the parts that say "when moved upon  by the Holy Ghost" and then showing "forth afterwards an increase of love toward him who thou hast reproved."

#12 Take a mental vacation.  Just don't stew while taking the break.  Do something that takes your mind off the situation.

#14 Just listen.  I can't sort out someone else's life--I need to work on my own weaknesses.    This one really hit home the other day.  I'd been reading this book and trying hard to control my anger.  I done well all morning, but finally I exploded.  Then I got angry at myself and this book.  I said "It doesn't work.  I'm doing the strategies, but there is no change in the kids' behavior."  Then it hit me.  I can't control my kids' behavior.  I can just control mine.  I need to work at making myself a better person and hopefully being a better example will help my kids with their behavior. 

#15 Be on the same team.  This one made me think of Leadership and Self-Deception and how when were are "in the box" we see others as objects instead of people.  I need to see my kids more as children of God rather than as "aliens sent to torment" me. 

#26 Choose to see the good and #36 Keep the ratio right.  These were about looking for the good in the situation and in the child and being sure to have more good than bad.  I learned at a parenting class many years ago that the behavior you notice the most will be the behavior you see the most.  It's so hard for me not to point out the bad.  This goes back to the being quiet.  If I can't say something nice I won't say anything at all. 

There were a lot more good strategies about reading good books and talking to good parents and taking breaks and talking it out.  I liked what Goddard said:  I don't have to be angry; I don't have to rebuke my kids; I don't have to "get my anger out"; and getting angry doesn't help. 

The Lion

We are almost finished reading The Horse and His Boy from The Chronicles of Narnia.  It's the 5th book that CS Lewis wrote in that series, so we've been exposed to Aslan, the lion, and have had a lot of dialogue about him being a Christ figure.  Today was another testament to me about how Christ plays a roll in our lives.  Aslan is talking to Shasta about all the times he was present. 

I like this picture because it is from my favorite scene in the book.

"I was the lion who forced you to join with Aravis.  I was the cat who comforted you among the houses of the dead.  I was the lion who drove the jackals from you while you slept.  I was the lion who gave the Horses the new strength of fear for the last mile so that you should reach King Lune in time.  And I was the lion you do not remember who pushed the boat in which you lay, a child near death, so that it came to shore where a man sat, wakeful at midnight, to receive you." 


It made me think of all the times that Christ probably was there and I didn't realize or know.  When has he guided me to the right path?  When has he sat with me and comforted me?  When has he protected me?  When has he given me strength to go on? 

I know that Christ has often used other people to help me.  My friends and family have been my comfort and strength and protection while Jonathan has been in Uganda.  There have also been times when the conversations with friends about the scriptures and the gospel have guided me on my path.  I am grateful to those people and the experiences to remind of Christ's love for me. 

A Recipe for Success

Or is it?  I've been reading the Ingredients found in Leadership Education: The Phases of Learning.  At first I was upset and put the book down several times.  In fact this is the second time I've tried to read it.  I started about a year ago and had the same feeling.  To me Thomas Jefferson Education is a philosophy--there is no ONE way to do it.  But these ingredients made me feel that if I don't follow this recipe then I won't get a successful leadership education.  To me, the key to leadership education is the 7 keys and 5 pillars and following the phases.  The ingredients are just some ideas  on how to implement the philosophy in my home.  Once I figured that out I was able to enjoy the chapters.  There are 50 ingredients.  I'm already doing a lot of them, some I don't want to attempt and a few I'm ready to try.

1. Sundays: A time for Jonathan and I to meet with each other and talk about the kids and make a plan of the week.  Also when we can meet with the kids and talk about their goals.
2. Mornings: School time--in whatever form that may be.
3. Afternoons: A time for me to study and a time for the kids to get bored.
4. Evenings: For inspiring.  "Those with whom we spend our evening are those with whom we bond."  I love our time at home in the evening reading together.  I look forward to the cooler weather when we can spend our evenings outside.
5. The Bookshelf--Filled with books geared toward each phase.
6. The Weekly Lesson--I started my kids too early on weekly lessons and need to reevaluate.
7.  The Mom School--I can't wait to organize classes.
8. The Formal Ball--Oh how I hate dancing, but I agree that it is important to know how to act in different situations. 

Other random things I got: I want to live on a farm, "you, not them" is so important, I need to go slow to go fast, my kids need to be taught the phases and the keys, family socialization is how I want to make friends, I want to do a talent show with my homeschool group, and I love leadership education.