Sixty-Four Jewel Boxes

 

“As the world fights to figure everything out, I’ll be holding doors for strangers, letting people cut in front of me in traffic, saying good morning, keeping babies entertained in grocery lines, stopping to talk to someone who is lonely, tipping generously, waving at police, sharing food, giving children a thumbs-up, being patient with sales clerks, smiling at passers-by, and buying a stranger a cup of coffee. Why? Because I will not stand to live in a world where love is invisible. Join me in showing kindness, understanding and judging less. Be kind to a stranger, give grace to friends who are having a bad day, and be forgiving with yourself. If you can’t find kindness, BE kindness.” – Chris Holifield

Twelve-Inch Flip-Flopped

 

“During the coming days, weeks, and months, may I invite you to spend time in a sincere, full-hearted effort to draw near to God, seek diligently for everyday moments of hope, peace, and joy, and bring joy to others around you. My dear brothers and sisters, dear friends, as you search the word of God for a deeper understanding of God’s eternal plan, accept these invitations, and strive to walk in His Way, you will experience ‘the peace of God, which passeth all understanding,’ even in the midst of sorrows. You will feel a greater measure of God’s unsurpassable love swelling within your heart. The dawn of celestial light will penetrate the shadows of your trials, and you will begin to taste the unspeakable glories and wonders of the unseen, perfect, heavenly sphere. You will feel your spirit lifting away from the gravity of this world.” – Elder Dieter F. Uchtdorf

One Dozen Pin Cushions

 

In the 1946 congressional race, a young John F. Kennedy ran against a man named Joe Russo. Joe was one of the first Italian immigrants to hold office in Boston. He’d been part of Boston’s political landscape since 1938, and he was popular among the locals. Kennedy, on the other hand, had never held public office. He had his daddy’s money, his experience as a World War II Navy vet, and not much else. Kennedy’s chances must have looked pretty shaky. But one of his campaign managers found another Joe Russo – a janitor – and bribed him to enter the race. Voters wouldn’t know which Joe Russo to vote for. As it happened, though, the shady deal wasn’t necessary. Joe the city councilor got 5,661 votes. Joe the janitor got 773. JFK won with 22,183 votes. He served in the U.S. House of Representatives in 1947, in the U.S. Senate in 1953, and as President in 1961.

More Square Pegs

 

You’d probably not be surprised if I told you the singer Johnny Cash didn’t go by his birth name. What might surprise you is that Cash was the name he was born with; Johnny wasn’t. His mom and dad couldn’t agree on a name, so he went by “J.R.” for years. When he joined the Air Force in 1950, the recruiter wouldn’t accept initials. That’s when he settled on the name John. Staff Sargeant Cash was serving at Lackland Air Force Base, transcribing Morse code messages when Joseph Stalin died. So, he was probably the first American to learn the Soviet leader was gone. He was arrested seven times, for public drunkenness, reckless driving, drug possession, and even for picking flowers. In the late 1970’s, "The Man in Black" received a degree in theology and became a minister. He never had his own congregation, but he did preside at his daughter’s wedding. 

Sweet Summer

 

It’s already more than warm enough for grilling. We doubled this recipe for Sunday dinner:

 

Italian Mixed Grill

 

1/2 cup olive oil

3 tablespoons lemon juice

1 tablespoon dried parsley

1 teaspoon dried rosemary leaves (I really should have crushed these first.)

1/2 teaspoon dried thyme

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper

2 large cloves garlic, crushed

5 sweet Italian sausages

1 yellow onion, chopped

4 boneless skinless chicken breasts (We added half a dozen chicken legs for the kids.)

1 pound boneless sirloin

 

Make a marinade from the first eight ingredients, set aside. Cut each piece of beef and chicken into halves or thirds. Marinate beef and chicken in fridge at least an hour. Simmer sausages and onion in water until completely cooked. Grill beef and chicken over direct heat until juices run clear. Halve sausages and add to grill about 10 minutes before serving.  

Square Pegs

 

“What I see the Church offering me is the opportunity to learn to follow Christ and participate in the redeeming processes of error, repentance, and growth, by engaging with my sisters and brothers in the gospel. It is the opportunity to think globally and act locally, to think locally and act globally. These networks of human bonds and collective action are as close at hand as my own home and neighborhood, and as far flung as the entire world. That is cool. We, the Latter-day Saints, are weird and small enough to really try to be sister and brother to each other, in our diverse and often contradictory circumstances around the world.” – Melissa Wei-Tsing Inouye

Six Ice Pops

 

In 1961, three teenage boys in Hertfordshire – Rod Argent, Paul Atkinson and Hugh Grundy – decided to form a band. They were actually choirboys, but they wanted to rock out. They added a couple more members – Paul Arnold and Colin Blunstone – and started rehearsing with borrowed instruments. At first, they called themselves the Mustangs, because they thought the name sounded really cool. But there were already several other groups using that name. Paul suggested they call themselves The Zombies, and the rest agreed, even though they really didn’t know what zombies were. The Zombies had a few big hits, like She’s Not There and Time of the Season, before they broke up in 1968. Shortly after the break-up, their music became insanely popular in the U.S. Several bands tried to capitalize on their success by “borrowing” their name. Two members of one of these “fake Zombie” bands, bassist Dusty Hill and drummer Frank Beard, would later become members of ZZ Top.