The wonderful news of the birth of our Savior

As part of the holy scripture of the LDS Church the book of Mormon stands along side the Holy Bible as the word of God. The Ancient inhabitants of the Americas were awaiting a sign of the birth of our Savior. After much waiting and expectation, the prophet Nephi received a message of great joy unto all mankind...

13 Lift up your head and be of good cheer; for behold, the time is at hand, and on this night shall the sign be given, and on the morrow come I into the world, to show unto the world that I will fulfil all that which I have caused to be spoken by the mouth of my holy prophets.
14 Behold, I come unto my own, to fulfil all things which I have made known unto the children of men from the foundation of the world, and to do the will, both of the Father and of the Son—of the Father because of me, and of the Son because of my flesh. And behold, the time is at hand, and this night shall the sign be given. 3 Nephi 1:13-14

May this wonderful message of joy and of hope and love be with each of us during all of the year and all of our lives.

The Schmutz Family wishes all of the joy and live of the season to all, now and always.

I'm busted!

I've been out for awhile with a completely broken patella. One half retracted to the top of the tibia and the other fragment retracted to the bottom of my thigh. I'm doing better now and I'm writitng again. I have had a lot of thoughts while I've been down... I'll get them up soon.
Best Regards,
Jeff

Gratitude is an action word!

Yesterday was Sunday, November 22. Since it was the Sunday before Thanksgiving, I thought that it would be a nice opportunity for me to speak to the members of our congregation about ‘Gratitude’. So I was given the opportunity, and I did just that. In preparing, I directed my attention to the Book of Mormon Study Guide in my Spanish language copy of the 'Libro de Mormón'. Under the entry for 'Gratitude' there are only 5 words. It says, “Gratitud. Véase acción de gracia.” – In English, “Gratitude. See action of thankfulness.”

Gratitude is an action word!

What a wonderful concept! Gratitude is not simply a feeling. It is, at least as importantly, an action.

Then, looking under ‘Action of thankfulness,’ one is referred to Paul’s Epistle to the Ephesians. In Ephesians 1:15-16 it says:

15 Wherefore I also, after I heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus, and love unto all the saints,
16 Cease not to give thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers;

We are to be unceasing in giving of thanks! So Gratitude is a verb… an action verb. We should show gratitude in our prayers, in our conversations, and in our actions. We should express unceasing gratitude to our Heavenly Father, to our Savior Jesus Christ, and to one another. We can show gratitude in our loving expressions to one another. And, we can also show gratitude through our actions. As we lovingly serve one another, we are serving our Father in Heaven.

In the Book of Mormon, in Mosiah 2:17 we read:

17 And behold, I tell you these things that ye may learn wisdom; that ye may learn that when ye are in the service of your fellow beings ye are only in the service of your God.

We show gratitude by serving one another, and in doing so we are serving the Lord.

In this season in which we are reminded in our celebration of Thanksgiving Day to show gratitude, let us remember that gratitude is an action word. As we unceasingly show gratitude and love to others through our actions, we are giving thanks to our Father in Heaven.

May our Father in Heaven’s choicest blessings be showered upon each of you who read this, and your families.

With our gratitude, and love to all,
Jeff and Ruth Ellen and family

Apology to those who read this blog - From Jeff

In re-reading my letter to Gretchen Carlson of Fox News, I realized that I may have 'slighted' those who read these writings. I wrote :

"(Don't worry, hardly anyone reads my blog.;-)"

I was speaking in purly comparative numbers! Meaning in comparison to other monster blogs out there. That shot was intended to emphasize that I had just recently written about Ms. Carlson. Please know that I appreciate each person who reads my scratchings!

Thanks, again, for reading! -- Jeff

Open Letter To Gretchen Carlson at Fox News Channel

Dear Ms. Carlson,

I just heard your interview with Fox Business Employee, Carly Fiorina. Are You Kidding Me?

You twice characterized her as 'The Candidate' for California Senate, and made a declarative that 'You will be the Republican Candidate against Barbara Boxer for US. Senate next fall." (Forgive me if I didn't get the quote exactly' I haven't had the opportunity to review the video, yet.) Are you not aware that there is a primary election, and that she is running against Conservative Assemblyman Chuck DeVore for the Republican nomination? I know that Ms. Fiorina has been a FBN employee, and that she has, aparently, been nominated by Fox News, but does the primary process mean nothing to you? Is this 'Fair and Balanced?'

I have been a Fox News and FBN viewer since the inception of each. In fact, you may be interested to know, that I recently wrote about your Monday interview with Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitino in my blog, "When in the course of human events..." (Don't worry, hardly anyone reads my blog.;-)

Would you please respond and let me know if Fox News is endorsing Ms. Fiorina against Assemblyman DeVore. If so I will act accordingly.


Sincerely,
Jeff Schmutz
jcschmutz@aol.com
http://jeffschmutz.blogspot.com/

'Bounce Back' from terrorist acts?

I saw an interesting interview Monday morning (17 November 2009) with Secretary of Homeland Security Janet Napolitano. She was being interviewed by Gretchen Carlson of Fox News. It was pursuant to the recent announcement by Attorney General Eric Holder that five men who have admitted to planning the atrocities of 11 September 2001 are to be tried in New York in a civilian court.

Carlson asked Napolitano if she is absolutely sure of a conviction in light procedures and rules of evidence in civilian courts.

Secretary Napolitano responded: “Well, first of all let me say to that to the survivors and 9/11. That I continue to, feel your… to feel what you're going through. This is a very tough situation. It's a tough situation whenever somebody who's had a loved one killed in a violent crime. Now we have to let the justice system run its course...”

Subsequently, Carlson asked: "Do you believe that there's still a war on terror Mrs. Secretary?"

Napolitano: "Um, I think terrorism is part of the environment in which we live. I’m the Homeland Security secretary. Homeland Security actually begins abroad; I do a lot of travel abroad. I’m talking with my colleagues in other countries. But it's part of our environment so we need to know how to respond to prepare to be resilient about it."

I must say that I was disappointed in the interviewer, Ms. Carlson, who did not question this response.

Homeland Security Secretary Napolitano says '[terrorism] is part of our environment... so we need to know how to respond... and be resilient about it.'

I can only say, “Huh?!”

Dictionary.com says: Resilient: returning to the original form or position after being bent, compressed, or stretched. Webster's Unabridged says: The act of bouncing or springing back to original form.

So Madam Secretary, are we to simply 'bounce back' after mass murder!?! Is this what we are to say to the families of so many victims of acts of terrorism… “Bounce back”?

How about stopping it in advance as we have been so greatly blessed to have been able to do for 8 years!

The attitude of treating acts of terrorism as an act of ‘violent crime’, and then expecting victims and their families to ‘bounce back’ will, in my opinion, never protect us from the vicious actions of ideological fanatics bent on producing the greatest effect through random and senseless violence. This is, after all, the definition of terrorism. Nor will giving these human pigs a platform from which to spew their illogical and hate filled ideologies advance the cause of freedom and harmony among thinking peoples of the world.

Mrs. Napolitano, as Secretary of Homeland Security of the greatest and most moral community in the history of the world, please rethink your definition of terrorism. Even more importantly, please rethink your duties… to be proactive. Please don’t ask those who have been viciously injured, or who have lost loved ones to be ‘RESILIENT’!

Mr. Holder, please rethink your politically motivated decision to give these men a platform from which to mock those who have given their lives and their families!

In a recent article, Columnist Peggy Noonan noted: “The biggest threat to America right now is not government spending, huge deficits, foreign ownership of our debt, world terrorism, two wars, potential epidemics or nuts with nukes. The biggest long-term threat is that people are becoming and have become disheartened…” (Thanks for the reference Bob.)

I hope I’m not becoming disheartened, but I’m not looking forward to the spectacle. And, I fear that we are in for quite a spectacle.

Please let me know what you think.

Thanks for reading!
Jeff

Health Care Reform

Health care reform? There is no indiacation or even a claim that premiums will go down, that total health care costs will be reduced, nor that healthcare will be improved! This is nothing more or less than a grab for power.

Veterens Day

On this beautiful Veteran's Day Morning I wand to thank all those who have served and are serving the cause of Freedom in this great country in our Armed Forces! It is only by your great and selfless sacrafice that this country, The United States of America, has been and, if Our Heavenly Father wishes, will continue to be a beacon of Liberty throughout the world. May our Heavenly Father's choicest blessings be showered down on all those who serve, and are in harm's way this day.

Thanks for reading!
Jeff

Liberty
E Plurbus Unum
In God We Trust

'Fundamentally Transforming' Healthcare Measure Passes the House of Represtatives

This weekend the United States House of Representatives passed what, if it became law, would surely be the largest spending bill in history. And, this after a few previous ginormous spending bills. The healthcare bill passed by the house would have an immeasurable cost. Additionally, the effects would be so far reaching that they are currently impossible to imagine. It is undeniable that the end result desired by the Democratic leadership of this country is a complete take over of the healthcare system by the federal government (The so-called single payer option.)
This should not be seen as a surprise or an unforeseen actuality, however. On October 29 2008 Senator Barack Obama said, "We are just 5 days away from a fundamental transformation of the United States of America." This statement is on its way to becoming a fulfilled prophecy.
It now comes to the U.S. Senate either to stop it, or to ameliorate the potential damage that single payer health coverage will surely do to the greatest health care system in history.
Please don't misunderstand me! I fully recognize that the health care system in the United States of America circa 2009 is not without serious problems… even fundamental flaws. It is my contention that each of these flaws must be addressed and corrected. However, a complete takeover of the health system by a federal bureaucracy whose founding document is a 1990 page tome which was contrived in the back rooms of union offices around Washington, and has never even been read by the vast majority of our legislators.
The fact is that it was not our members of congress, nor even members of their staffs who wrote the majority of the language that appears in the bill Passed by our House of Representative at 11:30 on a Saturday night. But rather, it was largely written by lobbyists and 'community organizer' bosses at the behest of our newly elected administration.
Interestingly, when I called the office of Senator Barbra Boxer and suggested to her aid that perhaps the best course would be to fix the specific problems in the health system. He said, “You mean you want to do it ‘piece meal’?”
I said, “Well, you are right! When I took my car in to have the brakes worked on the mechanic said, ‘I can paint it, and put in an old motor that I have laying around. It won’t run very well. But, it will look good, and it won’t go very fast, so it won’t matter if your brakes don’t work so well’.”
This, it seems to me, is the track that we are barreling down. We are rushing headlong toward a ‘fundamental transformation’ of our health cars system. It won’t work very well, but at least it will look nice, and the federal government will have control of the complaint department, so it won’t matter (to them) that we, the people, won’t be able stop it.

Mission Statement:

"When in the course of human events..."


There is, reportedly, an ancient Chinese curse which says...'May you live in interesting times!'

One may ask, "Why would it be a curse to 'live in interesting times'?"

Let us consider...

1.) Our Federal and California State Governments are spending the taxpayers' money at completely unprecedented and entirely horrifying rates.a

2.) Our Federal Government has made purchases (in the form of secured loans) in the amount of trillions of dollars in the banking, insurance, and automotive (and probably other) industries.b Meanwhile, many of those companies and lawmakers treat non-union 'common folk' with utter contempt, in spite of the fact that it is they (or us) who pay for the huge majority of these purchases.

3.) Our Federal Government is now positioning itself to nationalize the best health-care system that has ever existed anywhere.c

4.) The Federal Government is poised to cede a significant measure of the sovereignty of this great country to a new world government at Copenhagen.d

These few examples serve illustrate how very interesting are the times in which we live. They, among so many other current events, also make me realize that I am no longer able to stand idly by without commenting or opining on these 'interesting' days.

Therein, my dear reader, lie the reasons behind these humble writings. For, I say, ‘when in the course of human events’ times become sufficiently ‘interesting’ it clearly behooves a man to speak up, from his heart. This then is the purpose of this Web Log.

Thank you for Reading,

Jeff




FOOTNOTES
a.) In a recent (5 Nov. 2009) conversation with a member of Senator Barbara Boxer's staff, the author was told that a monstrous energy legislation was passed out of her committee without regard to the cost. ("We really have no idea!" I was told.)
b.) The poignancy of these acts were underscored when President Obama noted that in some instances, 30% of some loans have been repaid. He continued that that represents a 30% return on investment, and that many of us would LOVE to have a 30% 'return on investment!' ... Note to President Obama... Sir, a payment of 30% of principal with no indication or promise of future payment represents a NEGATIVE 70% 'return on investment'.
c.) President Obama has said, "I favor the single payer option, but we will need to get there gradually."
d.) I refer here to the treaty which will be presented in December at Copenhagen regarding perceived global warming which gives sovereign powers to a ‘tribunal’ to dictate use of Carbon Dioxide and chloro fluorocarbon fuels to countries of the world.