IN THE FACE OF HATRED

This article left me speechless. Please pass it on

http://meridianmagazine.com/ideas/081110hate.html#top

TOLERANCE???

I was so hopeful when the polls started looking up for McCain-Palin. Then watching the returns come in and seeing those states fall to Obama was the absolute worst. I was heartbroken. However, I have heard on the news that the large turnout for Obama also helped pass Prop 8. I was just beginning to reconcile with the fact that my team lost for the greater good of passing Prop 8 when the news flash hit about the protests at the LA Temple. It just makes me feel so sad. The proponents of Prop 8 insist that the vote was "too close" yet it is the same margin by which Obama was elected. Melissa has a great post on her blog about this with definitions of tolerance and bigotry. Good one, honey!

Craig shared this quote with me today by Bishop William Weigand, head of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Sacramento, California. He says it beautifully:

"Catholics stand in solidarity with our Mormon brothers and sisters in support of traditional marriage - the union of one man and one woman - THAT HAS BEEN THE MAJOR BUILDING BLOCK OF THE WESTERN CIVILIZATION FOR MILLENIA.

The ProtectMarriage coalition, which led the successful campaign to pass Prop 8, was an historic alliance of people form every faith and ethnicity. LDS were included - but so were Catholics and Jews, Evangelicals and Orthodox, African-American and Latinos, Asians and Anglos.

I call upon the supporters of same-sex marriage to LIVE BY THEIR OWN WORDS AND TO REFRAIN FROM DISCRIMINATION AGAINST RELIGION AND TO EXCERCISE TOLERANCE FOR THOSE WHO DIFFER FROM THEM. I call upon them to accept the will of the people of California in the passage of Proposition 8".

[Deseret News, Nov 8, 2008, Prop 8 protest draws thousands in Salt Lake City by Jared Page and Clayton Norien]

THREE GOOD BOOKS!

It seems like it's been a really long time since I've been able to sink my teeth into a book that I've really loved. I liked the Twilight series this summer but I didn't love them like I hoped I would. (sorry) This past month I've been able to read a lot, but nothing has been very satisfying or fulfilling --- just okay. Finally I found a new author I love, and also read two favorite authors that were wonderful:

"Sister's Choice" by Emilie Richards is #5 or #6 in the "Shenandoah Album Series". They are great books set in a small town in Virginia, and each title is a classic quilt block or design. You can read these books in any order and they are still just as good. I read her first few books and then I met Emilie Richards at a quilt show a few years ago. She was so normal and warm and down to earth, so now I buy her books in hardcover. My philosophy is that I want these great author's to keep writing, so I can't wait for the paperbacks. I wasn't sure if I would like this one, because the main character is a surrogate for her sister. It was surprisingly a great story and I highly recommend it.

"Thank You For All Things" by Sandra Kring is out in paperback now. I read about it in a magazine, and it sounded interesting and was blurbed by Luanne Rice, who is another author I enjoy, plus the title intriqued me because I love the topics of autumn and gratitude. I haven't read anything by her before. I LOVED THIS BOOK AND THIS NEW AUTHOR! It was such a great read it sucked me in and I could not put it down. I've been yearning for a good book like this that I could sink my teeth into. The story is told by an 11 year old girl, and the characters are so quirky but so realistic. I really loved it. (She drops the F-bomb towards the end which I hate, so beware, but I still think it's worthwhile). I fell in love with the characters, especially Oma, and I loved the ending of this book. I hope her other books are just as good.

I love Debbie Macomber's books. Sometimes her older novels are pretty sappy and romancey, but her recent books just keep getting better. She writes a new Christmas book every year, and they are such sweet stories. I first was introduced to her years ago by my friend, Cassandra Nightingale. At the time it was a cute Christmas series with 3 angels as the main characters whose names are Shirley, Justice and Mercy. Then I started reading more and more of her books. She has two series that I dearly love. One is about an area of Seattle, called the Blossom Street Series and the other is set in a small town in Washington state called the Cedar Cove Series. The Cedar Cove series is my favorite. Each fall she publishes a new paperbook, and the Title is an address, like #1 is "16 Lighthouse Road" #2 is "204 Rosewood Lane, etc. . . and the current #8 is "8 Sandpiper Way". "A Cedar Cove Christmas" is one of the sweetest Christmas stories I've ever read. You don't have to know the series to love the book, but knowing the setting and the characters made it even better. They have this all over at Costco, Sam's, Target, etc so you can save money on it. It's a small hardcover. Treat yourself to this one!

So, now that I've rambled on, what I'm trying to say is read these books and these wonderful authors. I'm always on the look out for a good new author so hopefully someone will read this post that feels the same! I am also realizing that I am enjoying historical novels much less than those that are contemporary, set in the present time. Am I just getting old?