More on Hope

Learned something about the word "entice."  Nothing profound--just its definition: to attract by arousing hope or desire.  Lehi speaks of how we could not choose between good and evil unless we are enticed by one or the other. 2 Nephi 2:11,16.   So we can hope for things that lead to evil.  The devil plays upon our hopes to tempt us.  If our hopes and desires are for good, it is harder for him to tempt us.  But it does not make us invulnerable to temptation.  Hope and desire are linked.

 

Also learned that "hope" and "hop" come from the same Indo-European base - and they both involve the concept of bending or turning toward.

 

dORC of the Rings Con

Got back yesterday from the One Ring Convention. The theme of the weekend between Galadariel and I was "I'm surrounded by nerds!" and "I'd be so embarrassed to be seen with people like this." Recall, we say this while our ears are pointy. I'll have to type a bit more about it later, but for the time being, here are some pics.

I entered the costume contest, but my dress was just so obviously Queen Elizabeth that these supposedly imaginative people just couldn't see it as belonging in Middle Earth, so I didn't win. But when strangers bow to you as you walk down the hall, that's a winning feeling that I could get used to.

A very nice lady (I'll have to find her name) dressed in a fantastic hobbit costume applied my ears. They lasted for two days. Oh, the pointy joy.

My 2005 Halloween Costume

It's about time! Finally finished it, just in time for the Dorks of the Rings convention.








So, whadya think?

And Mom was so nice and fun taking all of these pictures. Thanks Mom!

Pirate Names

Mo, if you see this, thought you might like to find out your pirate name. Apparently, I am the Dread Pirate Cash. And I like to torture lawyers. Hmmmm. Masochism describes law practice well sometimes.

The Virgin Queen

Cool little show. I can'twait for my DVD.

Cutter

Is there a way
to say goodbye
hello at once?
A way to say
I love
when day to day
I feel I fail
and flee the feeling.
Far and away
Far far far
The essence of the moment
strung over weaks
strained and long-
What will come?
A change
A charge
And more than that -
A song.

Hope

Some thoughts about the nature of hope:

Hope based in the Atonement and Resurrection of Christ (just like faith and charity) is the only hope. All other hopes may fail, as their fulfillment is generally based upon the actions of fallible humans. But that hope based in Christ is the fire for all other hopes. It sustains faith and charity.

Hope is the balm that soothes the pain of faith and charity. It is the sugar that makes discipleship sweet. Gratitude and hope together is rejoicing and exultation - the kind that makes my heart feel like my body is too small to express my feeling.

Hope is independent of action - meaning that I don't have to physically do anything to have hope. This is in contrast to faith and charity which do require physical action in order to leave the realm of mere belief.

But there is a physical result to hope - hope makes me feel healthy and energized. Despair makes me feel lethargic.

Hope is forward looking.

Hope comes from learning about people in the past, hearing the words of prophets and then applying those stories to our own lives. 1 Nephi 19:22-24.

More thoughts to come as I study this more.

Scars

It seems as if this is turning into my complaining page.  So, I just totally biffed it in court.  And it costs the client 2 thousand bucks.  Lessons learned:  (1) Never assume anything, especially that people will stick by their word.  (2) Always know the facts of your case backwards and forwards.  The facts are everything.  If you don't know them it doesn't matter how much law you know. (3) Over preparation is far better than faking it.  Never, never fake it.  I'm not smart enough to get away with that.  (4) Mentally put on my battle gear before going into court.  I'm too easy going naturally that I have to toughen up my approach.  My conscience will tell me if I'm going too far in the nasty direction.

 

I'm turning in a real lawyer. 

 

I just don't want to turn into a Wemmick or a Jaggers.  I won't.  I refuse to.  But how do I avoid it?

 

The Queen and I

The Queen and I

Had a QEI nerd night last night - went to a lecture on The Woman from a literature professor at the U of U, followed by a tea with Herself. Can't imagine sitting in anything but a throne wearing that wagon wheel. It was a fun little evening. Saturday morning is a film festival - The Secret Lives of Elizabeth and Essex, The Sea Hawk and that abomination, Elizabeth. I won't bother to watch that again.