Time Out.

Life is telling me that it's time to take another blog break. Need to spend my energy focusing on family and some big changes. I wish you all a happy Fall. Enjoy! Later dudes...

Happily Haunted.

Here's a little piece of Halloween subway art for you. This design will be available as a rubber stamp next year, but I thought I'd share it now as a 5x7 color layout suitable for framing. If you'd rather have a pdf, or even an 8x10 layout, let me know and I would be happy to send it on over.

That's it for now. Lots going on this week. Hope you're having a good one!

The Word Is: Prayer

Have you heard of Bishop Higgins? Well, he is probably one of my favorite people named Higgins, and he also happens to be high-larious. The following is from his recent post on the Modern Mormon Men blog, and I just had to share it. Let us pray. Enjoy...

Our world is going to hell in a hand-basket, but that's no reason why we should stop going boating or learning a new skill, like whittling. But it is a reason why we should increase our prayers and give the people that need our help a gentle push from angels above.

I know what you're thinking. But Bishop, after we've asked for these donuts to nourish and strengthen our bodies, what else should we pray for? I'm so glad you asked because I have a mighty good list for you to consider.

1. Anyone who has fallen down a well and is still down there.
2. Not often, but every once in a while, you'll meet someone that still says, "You go girl." Let us pray for them.
3. I'm constantly praying that mosquitoes will become less "stingy." Won't you please join me in that prayer.
4. Let us pray that the U.S. continues to stockpile weapons just like Porter Rockwell and Jesus would want us to do.
5. Lazy people.
6. It's not a serious problem, but probably forgotten, so let us pray that very tall people (6 foot 5 inches and up) will be able to find attractive slacks -- without pleats -- without having to drive around to four different stores.
7. Let us pray for people that put sweaters on tiny dogs. They need our help.
8. Mitt Romney.
9. I think we should pray for limerick writers to come up with other things that rhyme with Nantucket.
10. Mitt Romney.

Skeletons & Spiders, Oh My!

It's getting a little spooky up in here...

Hope your October is off to a good start!

"When witches are riding and black cats are seen, the moon laughs and whispers, 'tis near Halloween!" —unknown

The Word is: Money

I try to make this blog an uplifting and inspiring place, so please forgive me if today's post is more of a downer but this is important information and I feel I should share it. I saw something this morning that made me queasy, and I had to turn off the television and put my head down on my pillow for a minute. According to the report I saw, our nation's government (the good old USA) spent nearly 1.3 trillion dollars more than it took in in the past twelve months, which translates to over $10,000 per American household. That's just this year. Alone. Spending so much more than the government takes in is a very dangerous trend. The total national debt is currently north of 16 trillion dollars. That's sixteen thousand-billion dollars (I think). Can you fathom that amount of money? I certainly can't. And I don't know about you, but this makes me completely sick. It does help me feel just a little better about my own family's financial health in comparison with our nation's, but people, we are all in this together and the fiscal path our country is on is simply not sustainable. Living within our means... what a concept. Makes sense to me. Just something to think about as the presidential election draws near... God bless (and God help) America!

"Our nation stands at the crossroads of liberty."  —James Lankford

"We must not let our rulers load us with perpetual debt."  —Thomas Jefferson

"It is a terrible situation when the government, to insure the national wealth, must go into debt and submit to ruinous interest charges, at the hands of men, who control the fictitious value of gold. Interest is the invention of Satan."  —Thomas Jefferson

"... What good is gold? You could not eat it, drink it, wear it, or carry it off where you could have something to eat. The time will come that gold will hold no comparison in value to a bushel of wheat. Gold is not to be compared with it in value... Gold is good for nothing, only as men value it. It is no better than a piece of iron."  —Brigham Young