Maple Star

There’s a word: repent. What does the “re” in repent mean? It means you do it again: repeat, repent. And then you have to backtrack to the point where you went off track and go forward, free from the challenges that were with you then. The Atonement is the mighty healer; atone for the sins. Do you realize how marvelous it is that you can call upon the Atonement? The Lord effected the Atonement for our sakes. And there isn’t anything that you can’t repent from and that you can’t be rescued from if you will repent and be determined to make the decision. So, my counsel is simple. Just decide to do it right, decide to be better, decide to trust the scripture, and as you do, you’ll grow and the challenges you have will be for your good. - Boyd K. Packer

Comfort Block

Nine warning signs that you may be getting too much screen time: Do you turn down opportunities to go out because you’re afraid you’ll miss a show or a game? Do you have a long list of recorded programs you “have to” see? Is the upholstery getting a hollow spot where you sit? Is your butt beginning to look a little like a sofa? Do you become listless or bored when your favorite shows are in hiatus? Do most of your meals happen in front of a screen? When someone asks how you spent your weekend, do you tell them what you watched? Do thoughts of a power outage or battery failure cause panic attacks? Do your loved ones resort to desperate measures to get your attention? If you answered yes to two or more of these questions, don’t hesitate. Unplug, get up off the couch and go outside as quickly as you can; before it’s too late!

Double Four-Patch Top

When I finish a quilt there are always leftover scraps. Like most quilters, I hate to see good fabric go to waste. I like to challenge myself to find a use for even tiny scraps. I had a lot of blue-and-white bits left when I finished a Japanese quilt. (You can see it at http://mombowe.blogspot.com/2012/09/tea-in-garden.html if you’re interested.) I’d been using it as jumper scrap to avoid throat plate jams, and was left with a lot of blue-and-white 4-patches. I thought I’d use them to make a double 4-patch wall hanging or lap quilt. I started stitching them together and came to the conclusion that this pattern works much better with two nearly solid prints (one light, one dark) than it does with scraps. I could always put a border around it, quilt it and bind it. But I’m afraid it would prove to be a W.O.M.B.A.T. (A waste of money, batting and time.)

Stardust

When I was a girl my mother made scones (this word rhymes with bones) as a special treat. They were chunks of soft, yeasty dough; fried in an electric skillet full of vegetable oil. They weren’t the least bit good for you, but they tasted marvelous with honey or jam. When we moved to England we were introduced to scones (this time it rhymes with bronze). These are baked instead of fried, and are leavened with baking powder instead of yeast. They may be made with wheat flour, but also with barley or oatmeal. They may contain dried sultanas or currants. In fine tea houses, you often see them served with strawberry jam and clotted cream. The American food they most closely resemble are what we call biscuits. Of course, in England the word “biscuit” refers to a cookie. But that, as they say, is another story.

Crazy House

This week marks Utah’s neighborhood caucus meetings, perhaps the last to be held under the current system. If Senate Bill 54 passes, people unable to attend caucus meetings in the past will finally have a say. I think that’s a good thing, because when more people weigh in, everyone benefits. Either way the bill goes, it won’t affect this year’s caucus meetings; the Democratic party held theirs last night, and the Republicans will meet tomorrow. Thursday would have been a cast party for Heather’s Special Needs Activity Program road show. It was cancelled along with every other church activity that was scheduled for Tuesday or Thursday this week, because the church wanted to make sure everyone could attend. Ironically, if the party had gone on as planned, my husband and I could both have attended the caucus meeting. Now one of us will have to stay home and babysit.

Double Four-Patch

Ribbon Sandwiches

Ham Filling:

1/2 cup minced ham

2 tablespoons mayonnaise

2 tablespoons relish

1/2 teaspoon mustard

Egg Filling:

2 cooked eggs, chopped

2 tablespoons mayonnaise

2 tablespoons minced celery

1/4 teaspoon salt

Cream Cheese Spread:

3 ounces cream cheese

1 teaspoon each chopped parsley and chives

8 slices whole wheat bread

4 slices white bread

2 tablespoons butter

Cucumber slices

Combine ingredients for each filling in individual bowls; set aside. Stack wheat slices together; trim crusts so each slice is the same size and shape. Repeat with white bread. Butter top of each slice. Place 4 wheat slices buttered-side up on cutting board. Spread each with ham filling. Top each with one white slice, buttered-side down. Spread white bread with egg filling. Top each with one wheat slice, buttered-side down. Spread top of each sandwich with cream cheese spread. Seal each sandwich with plastic wrap; refrigerate an hour. Slice each sandwich into thirds. Garnish each slice with a cucumber slice.

Paper Dolls

In D&C 130 we read: “There is a law, irrevocably decreed in heaven before the foundations of this world, upon which all blessings are predicated. When we obtain any blessing from God it is by obedience to that law upon which it is predicated.” Surely there can be no doctrine more strongly expressed in the scriptures than the Lord’s unchanging commandments and their connection to our happiness and well-being. There are moral absolutes. Disobedience to the Lord’s commandments deprives us of His blessings. These things do not change. In a world where the moral compass of society is faltering, the restored gospel of Jesus Christ never wavers. We must not pick and choose which commandments we think are important to keep but acknowledge all of God’s commandments. We must stand firm and steadfast, having perfect confidence in the Lord’s consistency and perfect trust in His promises. - Elder L. Tom Perry