Event:Women of the World Fashion Show 03/05/15

"Kate Kopischke is a professional mediator who works with communities and companies who are in conflict over the impacts of large-scale development projects such as oil & gas development, mining and mineral extraction, large commercial agriculture, and infrastructure projects like dams, and highways."

For Tickets: Click Here

For More Information: Women of the World Website

Quote: Enemy of Women

Poem: Women Who Love

Treasure Cave by Lou Jordan

Manifesto: Let Us Be Women Who Love

by  Idelette McVicker on shelovesmagazine.com

Let us be women who Love.

Let us be women willing to lay down our sword words, our sharp looks, our ignorant silence and towering stance and fill the earth now with extravagant Love.

Let us be women who Love.

Let us be women who make room.

Let us be women who open our arms and invite others into an honest, spacious, glorious embrace.

Let us be women who carry each other.

Let us be women who give from what we have.

Let us be women who leap to do the difficult things, the unexpected things and the necessary things.

Let us be women who live for Peace.

Let us be women who breathe Hope.

Let us be women who create beauty.

Let us be women who Love.

Let us be a sanctuary where God may dwell.

Let us be a garden for tender souls.

Let us be a table where others may feast on the goodness of God.

Let us be a womb for Life to grow.

Let us be women who Love.

Let us rise to the questions of our time.

Let us speak to the injustices in our world.

Let us move the mountains of fear and intimidation.

Let us shout down the walls that separate and divide.

Let us fill the earth with the fragrance of Love.

Let us be women who Love.

Let us listen for those who have been silenced.

Let us honour those who have been devalued.

Let us say, Enough! with abuse, abandonment, diminishing and hiding.

Let us not rest until every person is free and equal.

Let us be women who Love.

Let us be women who are savvy, smart and wise.

Let us be women who shine with the light of God in us.

Let us be women who take courage and sing the song in our hearts.

Let us be women who say, Yes to the beautiful, unique purpose seeded in our souls.

Let us be women who call out the song in another’s heart.

Let us be women who teach our children to do the same.

Let us be women who Love.

Let us be women who Love, in spite of fear.

Let us be women who Love, in spite of our stories.

Let us be women who Love loudly, beautifully, Divinely.

Let us be women who Love.

Book Review: Walking With the Women of the New Testament

Walking With the Women of the New Testament by Heather Farrell is a touching tribute to the testimony, courage and charity of women who lived long ago. But it is much more than that. In a time when many are becoming aware of the need for more women's voices, this book offers the reader over 60 stories of faith, strength and courage from New Testament women.

Too often women's lives and contributions in the scriptures are overlooked or undervalued. I loved Heather's story illustrating this point. When speaking about women in the scriptures she often asks the audience how many women they think are in the scriptures. After allowing a few people to guess, she reveals the astonishing number: 500. I shared this story with a friend, who responded, "Yes, maybe that's true, but they don't do anything important." Unfortunately, I think that this is the message many women receive in the church. This book can open our eyes and our hearts to see and value women. In the New Testament women are there at every major event in the Savior's life and in the early church. Women were not merely present, but participated as well. Mary and Elisabeth were the first to know of the Savior's coming. Mary bravely carried and brought him into mortal life. The Woman at the Well was the first person we know of to whom the Savior revealed his mission as the Messiah. Women stood with him when he died and a woman was the first to testify of his resurrected body.

As Heather so beautifully described,

"In a time period when women's participation in religious life was limited to that of an observer, Christ invited them to be active participants in His church - learning, serving , teaching and leading … Jesus broke down barriers between people, especially between men and women, in an incredible way. He challenged the mentality and customs of a fallen world and elevated the status of women to the plane on which God sees them: a view of women that didn't base a woman's worth on her physical appearance, her marital status, her ability to bear children, or what she had done but instead celebrated her intrinsic worth as a daughter of God."

The book's layout is straightforward, addressing each woman's story in approximate chronological order. The chapters are short, perfect for a busy mom like me. I could pick the book up and read one or two chapters in the morning and spend the rest of the day pondering the lessons contained in each story. Even if the stories are brief, it is evident that Heather has thought deeply about each, for she brings each woman to life and gives her a voice.

The tone was so personal and tender that I felt as if I was talking to a dear friend or an older sister. Heather has a gift for taking modest narratives, many of which are a few lines at most, and give them life. I felt like she was describing people and events from firsthand experience. She sees applications and connections in small things that others may gloss over. Heather may not be an historian or a scholar, but her prayerful study and powerful testimony is evident on every page.

Walking With the Women of the New Testament also lends itself well to sharing with others. Next year, our adult Sunday School classes we will turn to the New Testament. This book would be a perfect companion for anyone looking to deepen their study or any teacher looking to breathe life into the text. Almost immediately after I received Walking With the Women of the New Testament I started using it in my youth Sunday School lessons. I teach three interesting and engaging young women and I found this book perfect for illustrating the gospel principles we are learning. I felt impressed that it was important for them to see and hear the stories of women who were close to the Savior.

Recently my spiritual life has been like a difficult journey in the wilderness. As I ponder my life I often think about the women who traveled with Nephi and Lehi on their journey. Like those women, I have been blessed to grow stronger, but along the way I have wandered, hungry and tired. I found in the pages of this book a spiritual abundance that I had been thirsting for. Heather brought these women to life and allowed me to see Christ through their eyes. Her blog and this book are a part of the ministry to which God has called her and I am glad she has responded to that call. For me, at least, Heather has achieved her stated purpose:

"… it is my hope that reading this book will spark a desire within you to open your own scriptures and to learn more about these women - and about God's plan for women - for yourself."

Motherhood

Motherhood: A Prose Poem
By Christianna Reed Maas

My willingness to carry life is the revenge, the antidote, the great rebuttal of every murder, every abortion, and every genocide. I sustain humanity. Deep inside of me, life grows.

I am death’s opposition.

I have pushed back the hand of darkness today. I have caused there to be a weakening tremor among the ranks of those set on earth’s destruction. Today a vibration that calls angels to attention echoed throughout time. Our laughter threatened hell today.

I dined with the greats of God’s army. I made their meals, and tied their shoes. Today, I walked with greatness, and when they were tired I carried them. I have poured myself out for the cause today.

It is finally quiet, but life stirs inside of me. Gaining strength, the pulse of life sends a constant reminder to both good and evil that I have yielded myself to Heaven and now carry its dream. No angel has ever had such a privilege, nor any man. I am humbled by the honor.

I am great with destiny.

I birth the freedom fighters. In the great war, I am a leader of the underground resistance. I smile at the disguise of my troops, surrounded by a host of warriors, destiny swirling, invisible yet tangible, and the anointing to alter history. Our footsteps marking land for conquest, we move undetected through the common places.

Today I was the barrier between evil and innocence. I was the gate-keeper, watching over the hope of mankind, and no intruder trespassed. There is not an hour of day or night when I turn from my post. The fierceness of my love is unmatched on earth.

And because I smiled instead of frowned, the world will know the power of grace. Hope has feet, and it will run to the corners of earth, because I stood up against destruction.

I am a woman. I am a mother. I am the keeper and sustainer of life here on earth. Heaven stands in honor of my mission. No one else can carry my call. I am the daughter of Eve. Eve has been redeemed. I am the opposition of death. I am woman.

http://podcasts.ibethel.org/en/podcasts/the-original-women-s-liberation-movement

Woman

Woman is the first to know sorrow and pain, last to be paid for her labor.

First in self-sacrifice, last to obtain justice, or even a favor.

First to greet lovingly man at his birth, last to forsake him when dying,

First to make sunshine around his hearth, last to lose heart and cease trying.
Last at the cross of her crucified Lord, first to behold him when risen,

First, to proclaim him to life restored, bursting from death's gloomy prison. 

First to seek knowledge, the God-like prize, last to gain credit for knowing.

First to call children a gift from the skies, last to enjoy their bestowing.

First to fall under the censure of God, last to receive a full pardon.

First to kiss meekly the chastening rod, thrust from her beautiful garden.

First to be sold for the wages of sin, last to be sought and forgiven.

First in the scorn of her dear brother, man, last in the kingdom of heaven.

So, a day cometh, glorious day, early perfection restoring.
Sin and its burdens shall be swept away, and love flow like rivers outpouring. 

Then woman who loves, through sorrow and shame, the crown of a queen will be wearing. And love, freed from lust, a divine pure flame, shall save our sad earth from despairing. 
That latter-day work is already begun, the good from the evil to sever.
The word has gone forth that when all is done, 

The last shall be first, forever.

"Woman," Woman's Exponent, 21 15 January 1893. By Sarah Lucinda Lee Dalton

http://www.daltondatabank.org/Chronicles/Sarah_Lucinda_Lee_Dalton.htm

Miriam Part One: Kate Kelly, a Modern Miriam?

Miriam: A Prophetess and Leader of Women

Earlier this week I was studying Miriam and wanted to write a blog post about her, but I didn't get around to it. Such is the life of a mother working full time and going to school. I promised myself I would not blog until all my homework for the week was done. So many of my thoughts and ideas for posts don't come to fruition. Anyhow, I then found and really enjoyed this post from Women in the Scriptures which is a brief overview of what we know of Miriam from the scriptures. It is the first in a series of two and I am interested to see what she says in the second one. 

The story I found most interesting is in Numbers 12. Miriam and Aaron complained about Moses choosing a "nonmember" or non-Israelite wife. When they complained God called all three of them out of the tent and chastised Aaron and Miriam. Then Miriam was struck with leprosy until Moses pleaded with God to heal her. God did, after a period of time. 

As I was reading the Seminary Old Testament Study Guide about Numbers 12 I found this statement about Miriam: 

"One question that arises is, Why was only Miriam, and not Aaron, punished with leprosy when both had participated in the opposition? There are two possible reasons. First, as Keil and Delitzsch pointed out, Miriam was the instigator of the attack on Moses’ right to preside. Thus, her sin was the more grievous. Second, for Aaron to seek priesthood leadership demonstrated pride and self-aggrandizement. He aspired to a position to which he had not been called. When Miriam sought that position, she not only demonstrated pride but also sought to set up an order contrary to God’s system of government. From the beginning, the priesthood callings and the right to preside were given to men. Miriam’s attempt to achieve equality with Moses was a serious breach of that divinely instituted system of order."

Sound familiar? 

Ordain Women Website

I couldn't help but think as I read Miriam's story that she and Kate Kelly had a lot in common. They both spoke up for what they believed in and both received serious punishment. Essentially they were both punished for their attempt to achieve their vision of equality. While I don't necessarily agree with Kate Kelly's quest or the methods of Ordain Women, I have developed a great deal of respect for her. I respect her courage and her integrity, the same courage and integrity I sensed in Miriam's story. 

Miriam's story struck me as a timely other reasons as well. In this season where many women are wondering what their place in the church and God's kingdom should be, Miriam stands as an example of a strong woman. She was labeled a "prophetess" and seems to have had that gift since childhood. Many Mormon feminist point to Miriam as an example of what women could be in this church.   

In Miriam, though, we find a woman who was not a prohetess because of any calling or authority given and she was most likely not ordained to the priesthood. However, Miriam possessed special spiritual gifts that set her apart and facilitated her leadership. That seems to be a common theme in the church when talking about men and women. While women do not hold the priesthood, they do have special spiritual gifts. 

Elder John A. Widstoe wrote in Priesthood and Church Government, "“Priesthood is to be used for the benefit of the entire human family, for the upbuilding of men, women, and children alike. There is indeed no privileged class or sex within the true Church of Christ. … Men have their work to do and their powers to exercise for the benefit of all the members of the Church. … So with woman: Her special gifts are to be exercised for the benefit and uplift of the race” 

This dynamic contrast is something I would like to delve into further. I find it personally meaningful as I have been blessed with a sense of some of my natural "special gifts" and the ways the Lord means for me to use them. I can see how my gifts could be viewed as equal in importance and influence as the power of the priesthood, even though I haven't yet reached the divine potential intended for me. But there are other aspects that are a little unsettling. 

I am thankful we have the stories of Miriam, illustrating her faithful and powerful leadership. I know that the Lord has a plan for women in his kingdom that has yet to be fully revealed. I hope that I can prepare myself for the great things he has in store of each of us in these rapidly changing times as he hastens his coming. 

My Journey to Mormon Feminism Part One: Discovery

A few days ago one of my dearest friends asked me to explain what Mormon Feminism was and why I identify with that label. I didn't have the time or words to answer her then, but I think that answering her question is an important opportunity for me to define and refine what I believe. I find that I often don't know what I believe until I write it down.

First, let me take you back in time. I have always loved being a woman in the church. While I there have always been little nagging things that bother me about the culture of the church and some doctrines that remain mysterious I have found joy, love and peace in my church membership. Through the scriptures and ordinances of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints I have found a relationship with the divine and that relationship is very precious to me. I truly believe, as I was taught in the Young Women Theme, that "I am a daughter of my Heavenly Father, who loves me and I love Him."

About two years ago I first heard about Mormon Feminism from a dear friend of mine. She told me about the blog Feminist Mormon Housewives and a woman named Joanna Brooks. What little I knew about them then made me alternate between loathing and pity. They must not understand the doctrine. They just wanted to change my church to match their liberal social views. They were just angry. They were victims of the rare abuse of power and authority that can happen in any organization.

I look back now and realize how arrogant and uncharitable my attitude was. I judged these women before I knew their stories or tried to understand their point of view. I felt so superior because I knew the true place of women in the church.

Over the next two years much happened in my personal life that turned my expectation of life and faith on its head. I wasn't living the perfect Mormon dream and was consumed with guilt.

All I had ever wanted was to be the perfect Molly Mormon wife depending on my Peter Priesthood husband with a clean, crafty home and a "quiver" full of children. As that dream became increasingly unlikely my guilt likewise increased. That guilt turned into anger. I was angry at family members, at God and at myself.

One day I was in my car on the way to work listening to our local public radio station and heard this episode of Radio West called The Evolving Role of Mormon Women. I started crying uncontrollably. I pulled into the parking structure and work and sat in my car for 10 minutes trying to compose myself. I was so angry. Who were these women who wanted to come in and take my church from me and turn it into something else? Why didn't they just leave?

After I calmed down I realized there was something seriously wrong inside me if a simple radio program brought such a violent emotional reaction. I decided I had to figure out why I was so angry. What was it about Mormon Feminism that was so threatening?

I prayed and pondered. I listened to the radio program again and again. I turned to a Facebook group for readers of a blog called Empowering LDS Women. One of the members of the Facebook group suggested I read a blog post titled "Why Do Some Members See Inequality?" As I read the blog post my anger slowly melted away and understanding washed over me.

Modern Woman Pleading and Praying by Brandy Cattor

While I didn't agree with every single thing in the blog post, I realized that for the most part, these could have been my words. I was a Mormon Feminist and I didn't even know it. I had been so angry because I was afraid. I was afraid, not of these women, but of being one of them. That would make me the "other."

In the weeks and months that have followed I have set out on a journey of self discovery. A whole new world has opened up to me. Sometimes frightening and overwhelming, this new world has forced me to grow up and choose who I will be. I have given up my former faith which was comparably narrow and linear. I have embraced a more living and fluid faith. In the process I have found great reservoirs of trust in God and compassion for others in myself. My relationship with my God has deepened and expanded. I would say I feel more "myself" today than at anytime in the past.

The path has also been a lonely one. While I have confided in a few trusted souls, no one really knows the depths of the transformation I have undergone and am still undergoing. I have been reluctant to share much of my heart with others for several reasons. I feel firstly that this is a very private matter, between me and God. I also feel I am still in a transforming state, like a butterfly still in chrysalis.

Chrysalis by Katy Bailey

I also still fear the judgement of others. I fear that others will view me as I once viewed Mormon feminists, or worse. I am afraid to speak up in church or to my friends for fear a church leader will get wind of something I said and call me in for a "talk." My church membership and community of saints are things I hold dear and the idea of anything or anyone threatening them fills my soul with fear.

And yet, I cannot turn away from this new path I have found. Something in my soul compels me on this journey and I feel deep down in my bones that this is the way God has laid out for me. I certainly would not have chosen this way. As I seek God in prayer and in my scripture study he answers with love and I pray for the strength to follow where he leads.

World Breastfeeding Week: Part 1

On Sunday I was sitting in the foyer of our church building watching Little E and over heard a conversation between a woman in her early 20s and a middle aged man with a new baby. The conversation went something like this:

Woman: Where's your wife? Is she here today?

Man: She's pumping some milk for the baby.

Woman: Gross! Don't tell me that.

Man: What's gross?

Woman: I don't want to know what your wife does with her boobs.

Man: But, that's what you'll be doing one day if you have kids.

Woman: Maybe, but I won't talk about it.

That got me thinking about how much work there is to educate people about breastfeeding.

In our congregation women leave the worship service or class and go into a little room if they have to breastfeed. Many pump milk or bring formula if they want to stay in the meetings. I when I was breastfeeding I often chose to wear a cover-up or blanket and stay in the meeting while Little E ate. But I was one of the very few women who did so.

While I can see why some people, especially in a conservative Latter-day Saint area wouldn't want to see women exposing themselves all the time, it seems a little excessive to have to "hide" a normal function of life.

Not Just Another Blonde ...

... In Beijing!

Click on the button above to visit my friend Hao Danni's blog. Basically one of the most amazing people I know, Hao Danni and her husband both studied Chinese in Monterey, CA. She was in the same class as my husband. They are now living, traveling, and studying (and blogging!) in China.

Don't let this cute little blonde fool you with her love of fashion; she is one of the smartest, funniest people I know. It's no mystery why her blog, only launched this March, already has nearly 350 followers. (Including yours truly!) Hao Danni has a little something of everything. Amazing Pictures: check. Fashion and Beauty: check. Travel and Culture: check. Ethnic Cuisine: check.

Stop by, check it out, and I'm sure you'll want to stay for a while.

Women of the World

Looking for something different, I picked up this CD at the library. What a pleasant surprise. From the first song, I was in love. The world music/folk feel of this gentle CD was the perfect background for cooking dinner.

This CD features 11 tracks, each by a different female artist. The songs are from around the world and are sung in Spanish, French, and English. The quality of voices and recording is excellent. There was only one song that I didn't love.

True Courage

Do you ever find it hard to wake up in the morning and just get through your day? Do you ever feel like you have more trials than you can cope with? I know my life is so easy compared with most people in the world, but I don't always feel that way. It's nice to be reminded of the power of faith, hope, and courage.

You can find her blog at: http://nieniedialogues.blogspot.com/

May Book Reviews (part 1 of 2)

Nurturing Good Children Now - Dr. Ron Taffel

I picked up this little gem at a used bookstore in Long Beach at the beginning of the month, thinking it would be good to read on the deck of our cruise ship. I ended up devouring the information. Each chapter focuses on a concept that, if developed, will help kids develop a strong core and withstand destructive influences in our society. My favorite chapters included #1 Mood Mastery: Teach your child to soothe himself in healthy ways that match his temperament; #4 Passion: Protect your child's enthusiasm and love of life; and #6 Focus: Help your child pay attention and to love learning.

Dr. Taffel emphasizes each child's uniqueness and potential. Our job as parents is to provide a strong set of values as a framework, while respecting our children's individual temperaments and learning styles. The author gives us hope that we can (and indeed, must) have a powerful voice in our children's development.

Excerpt from the introduction:

"Given the conflicting messages and demands of our times, how can we make sure our children will turn out to be good solid kids who are strong enough to survive and thrive in the world? Even the parents of very young children increasingly fear that their skills and authority are being challenged by cultural influences outside the family. It used to be that mothers and fathers would focus exclusively on the 'best' parenting technique. Today, they frequently ask a question that reflects their additional concern: 'How can I keep and support my child's goodness in the face of what's going on out there?"

Wild Swans - Jung Chang

My grandmother gave me this book when Dan graduated from his Chinese program. I have hardly been able to put it down and just finished last night. I learned so much about China and the Chinese people. Covering nearly seventy years of volatile history, Wild Swans follows three generations of Chinese women, from the grandmother whose feet were bound and life was sold as a concubine to a powerful war-lord, to the mother who became a powerful communist official, and the daughter who saw everything she loved destroyed by Maoist thought.

I would highly recommend this book to everyone. There is no better way to learn history than through the eyes of those who lived it and this book paints the modern history of China in broad, passionate strokes. I was most moved by the descriptions of the Cultural Revolution, in which almost everything beautiful and praise worthy in China was destroyed. I gained deeper insight into the power of the mind in creating reality, as the Communist propaganda machine told the starving, tortured, war torn country, "Be grateful to live in our communist paradise; feel sorry for those living in the West."