Oh.
My.
Gosh.
I am reading the BEST book right now!! Recommended reading for anyone LDS or not and you must read it before the next time you go to the temple. It's called "Eve and the Choice Made in Eden". This book will change your life. I just have to type out some of my many favorite excerpts from it for you.
Let me first set up this snippet:
Beverly Campbell (the author) wants to set straight once and for all the idea the world has about only men being valuable to the human race and that old tradition of passing on heritage and money to males only. She also talks about how in third world countries female babies are not worth anything and are killed shortly after birth because only males have value. Well this part just blew me away and the whole world needs to know this!! It would give true equal value to women. She also talks about how there is nothing really feminine at all about the so called "Feminists". Amen.
Anyway, here is the part:
"We know that the body has within it hundreds of mitochondria, which were once free, living cells. They contain their own genetic material distinct from the cell's DNA in the chromosomes. Scientists have found within the mitochondrial DNA thirteen tiny genomes, which have come to be known as powerhouse cells. These cells are the activators of life, for without the genomes, the body would exist but not live. "Mitochondria are only inherited from mothers; a father's mitochondria are never passed on. Only a daughter can pass her mother's mitochondria to the next generation. The mitochondrial genes of any woman who bears only sons are lost. Each genome bears a succession of mutations inherited from the foremothers in whom they have occured. Scientists tell us that it is thus possible to trace lineage back to the original mother of us all, Eve.
Based on this incredible finding, we not only call Eve "Mother" but we can be sure that Eve and Adam had many daughters. It was not until my husband gave me a book entitled The Seven Daughters of Eve, by world-reknowned geneticist Bryan Sykes, that I began to feel a compelling identity with these distant daughters. The introduction to the book started: 'After plotting thousands of DNA sequences from all over the world, Sykes found that they clustered around distinct groups...The conclusion was staggering. Almost all people of native European descent, wherever they may live throughout the world, can trace their ancestory back to one of seven women.'
Though Sykes's work is not completed, he has identified twenty-six other daughters, who tie the rest of the world's population together - all going back to the first mother, whom scientists call "Mitochondrial Eve"."
"How marvelous is the plan of God and His wonderful scales of justice as he places recognition of the linkage of humankind through the mother and the lineage of the priesthood through the father."
I LOVE IT when science can be used to prove spiritual things and vice versa. Here are some more good parts:
"The woman is not the villain of the story (the story of Adam and Eve), enslaved by appetite and bringing sin and death into the world. She can be seen as the heroine of the story, leading her husband into the brave new world of moral demands and moral decisions."
"Brother Nibley wrote that ancient lore held that Eve, 'outwits the serpent and trips him up with his own smartness.'...He [Satan] forgot, or did not know, that by [Adam and Eve's] very 'disobedience' the purposes of the Lord with respect to his spirit children would be accomplished."
Since then, Satan has had it in for women. No doubt there. No doubt.
She also goes on to say that woman was the crowning glory of the creation, God's best work made manifest. She also talks about how like Eve's decision, it is inherent in all our natures as women to contemplate more on how a decision will affect those within our circle of care than on just ourselves. Men see decisions mostly as black and white. Women see the entire picture.
Another thing she talks about is how many great and noble spirits were at the creation of the earth and that's what made me post the picture above. I get dibs on dragonfly creation.
And last but not least is another favorite quote of mine from this book. It is actually by C.S.Lewis:
"The homemaker has the ultimate career. All other careers...exist for one purpose only - and that is to support this ultimate career."
This weekend I went to a Deseret Book's "Time Out for Women". I thoroughly enjoyed it! The main reason I wanted to go was because Beverly Campbell was speaking. Most of her talk was from her new book, "Eve And The Mortal Journey". It was great. I soaked it all up! I even got to meet her and that is the picture below. I told her that this book should be required reading to everyone getting ready to attend the temple and she said that 500 copies have been sent out for the specific purpose of training new temple workers.
She signed my book:
"To Britten,
Glorious daughter of Eve.
Joy in your Journey.
-Beverly Campbell"
-Britten
My entry table last year and this year
The next two pictures of close-ups of the table decor. The base of this witch statue says: "She carried her pumpkin and whistled a tune
I love this Jack-o-Lantern Statue. He reminds me of The Nightmare Before Christmas. His base says:"Jack gave a grin as he flew out of sight on the wings of a raven on Halloween Night."
My front yard last year. This year it is much cuter with little spider web lanterns going up the walk, but I don't have a picture of those yet.
"Where are you going?
This close-up is my favorite of her that I've taken so far.
Clearly she is lacking in the "roughage" department. A little grass never hurt anyone.
So about a month ago Trooper ran in the Smokey Bear Run at Bass Lake. The boy is OBSESSED with running, people. Ever since he started toddling all he's ever wanted to do is run! We take him to the park and McDonald playlands and all he does is run around, but he's also deathly afraid of heights so that might have something to do with it too. I guess running around gave the illusion that he was playing with the other kids 2 stories above him in the giant Big Mac. He's actually only just conquered this fear in the last year or so.
The "Olympic-Sized Look of Determination".
Trooper's "jog".
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