Domestic Reading Society

More than Words

2011-04-22T10:03:00.002-07:00

This month for DRS I decided to take the ladies to the Carl Bloch exhibit down at the BYU Museum of Art. I have had a love for art since I was 13 and even minored in Art History at the Academy of Art University in San Francisco. My favorite period is the Renaissance and every time I look at a piece of work whether it's Baroque, Romanticism, or Impressionistic, I find myself staring, life standing still, and becoming a part of the art like in Ferris Beuler's Day Off where he gets deeper and deeper into the work of Seurat, A Sunday Afternoon on the Island of La Grande Jatte, which is one of my favorites.

Carl Bloch is no exception. Some of us are very familiar with his work from the foyers in the churches and articles in the Ensign. His use of color is beautiful and so submissive to the symbolism he portrays with the life of Christ. I highly recommend going down to the BYU MOA before it ends early next month.

I am always amazed at the beauty that art gives. Not only by what is seen but by what is felt. To me, Art feeds the soul and speaks without words to the part of you that no one can see.
Yesterday as I was driving down town, I saw a blind man attempting to cross the street. I wanted to jump out of my car and help him. How does he do that everyday? Then I started thinking about all the things I would miss if I was blind. Art, beautiful art, inspired art, the colors all around, green grass, blue skies, flowers, people. I immediately thanked my Heavenly Father for my sight. That I am able to see all the beauty around me and on this earth. And I got sad at the thought of not being able to see all these things, along with his hand in my life. The good in others, the good people have to offer.
Sometimes, it's not so much what you hear, but what you see.

So for today, show someone you care. Make someone's day a little brighter. Be the living art in someone's life and show them that there IS beauty- all around.

11 in 2011

2011-02-03T11:13:00.000-07:00

Has anyone ever seen The Buried Life? It's on MTV. No? Well let me just tell you a little bit about it. 4 friends from Canada have made a list of 100 things to do before they die. The drive all over the country checking things off the list. Here are some examples:

Ask out the girl of your dreams
Tell a joke on a late night talk show
Start a dance in a public place
Make a toast at a strangers wedding

You get the idea, and I think the idea is brilliant! When I was 20 I made a list of things to do before I die and have actually accomplished half of them. Sadly, I hadn't looked at the list in a while, nor had I thought of modifying the list to this time in my life, my new goals and asperations, my new initerestest and dreams....until Shanna Taggart came along.
I wouldn't go so far as to say she is obsessed with the show, but she's pretty darn close, and with her energy and excitement with this new view on life, she happily hosted DRS for the month of January.
What a perfect segway into the new year. Instead of focusing on resolutions, why not look at the positive, the exciting world, and make a list of things you have always wanted to do, thought would be fun, things to improve on, and even things that scare you? What was even better to the lists, is us girls found that we had several things on our lists that were the same. So instead of writing it down and tucking it away in your journal, we can now help each other accomplish some of those items.
Sneak into a private party - DONE
Send someone a love letter - In the works
Go Skydiving - This summer with the ladies!

Thank you Shanna for opening our minds, lighting a fire within to get out and do more things, be adventurous, take chances, and be "yes" girls. Life is too short to live in a world of "no's" or "i can't". Take everyday and ~~pretend~~ realize, the world is yours!

Octoberfest

2010-11-17T13:55:00.000-07:00

This summer flew by way too fast. Sadly, I wasn't able to catch the memories of DRS.

What do you do for DRS in October?

You have your own Octoberfest!

What does that consist of?

First we talked Football.

and by "talk football" I mean we named the top 5 HOTTEST football players

and anything we knew about them. I got the most points when I filled everyone in on the break up between Miles (Austin) and Kim (Kardashian)

Next we had our own version of a little german celebration-rootBEER.

We taste tested 4 kinds with score cards. How did they rank?

4. Thomas Kemper

3. Shasta

2. A&W

1. Henry Wienhard

And what is a celebration of fall with out some of these delicious treats to top off the night....

(for some reason blogger will not post this the right way, but it's still delicious either way!)

Have I mentioned how much I love DRS!?

Don't you?

May Flowers

2010-06-03T15:44:00.002-07:00

"The Cheaper Chic.....a garden soirée"

This months DRS was such a delight. Not only was the setting more perfect than I could have imagined, with beautiful weather, vintage patio furniture, flowers from the garden, etc.,

there was also many delicious treats that words can not explain.

The company was, like always, amazing and we learned the art of making something old look new through consignment shopping.

There were several moments and topics of conversation that kept us laughing

and conversations that us girls do best, aside from making each other laugh, some real tender heart to heart and serious girl chat. Isn't that what we're here for?

(btw, don't you just LOVE the photo's of these girls? GORGEOUS!)

Of all the laughter and heart felt moments, the radiance of each woman, and the quiet strength in others, one of my favorite quotes kept coming to mind.

"Women of God can never be like

women of the world.

The world has enough women who are tough;

we need women who are tender.

There are enough women who are coarse; we need women who are kind.

There are enough women who are rude;

we need women who are refined.

We have enough women of fame and fortune;

we need more women of faith.

We have enough greed; we need more goodness.

We have enough vanity; we need more virtue.

We have enough popularity; we need more purity."

The Joy of Womanhood- Margaret D. Nadauld (Ensign, Nov. 2000)

Thank you Jennie and Marianne for such an amazing DRS.

For the pleasant evening that reminded me of all that I am and must be, all that I was prepared to be,

and my duties as a woman.

To me, you are a great example!

2010-05-24T13:26:00.000-07:00

In case some of us need a reminder of how great we are, how great we can be, and how great we will be when we stand for what we believe.

"More than ever before we need women of faith, virtue, vision, and charity, as the Relief Society declaration proclaims (see Mary Ellen Smoot, “Rejoice, Daughters of Zion,” Liahona, January 2000, 112).

We need women who can hear and who will respond to the voice of the Lord, women who at all costs will defend and protect the family.

We don’t need women who want to be like men, sound like men,

dress like men, drive like some men drive, or act like men.

We do need women who rejoice in their womanhood and have a spiritual confirmation of their identity, their value, and their eternal destiny.

Above all, we need women who will stand up for truth and righteousness

and decry evil at every turn and simply say,

“Lord, here am I, send me.”

Women of Righteousness, Elder M. Russell Ballard

The power or women

2010-04-20T08:24:00.000-07:00

"But (a woman's) powers are the most potent when used to love other women. To support. To carry. Lift. Encourage. Serve. Fight alongside. And in my experience, this is also the hardest part about being a woman. There are forces at work designed to turn woman against woman in an effort to completely destroy the massive amount of good we can do when united. But I also know that I feel the strongest as a woman, when I am helping another woman, or being helped by another woman--whether she is someone I know, or a someone who lives across the world."

CJane

You are Beautiful

2010-04-13T11:01:00.001-07:00

"The most beautiful people we have known are those who have known defeat, known suffering, known struggle, known loss, and have found their way out of the depths. These persons have an appreciation, a sensitivity, and an understanding of life that fills them with compassion, gentleness, and a deep loving concern.
Beautiful people do not just happen."

A Little Inspiration Goes A Long Way

2010-03-31T17:50:00.001-07:00

The Domestic Reading Society...whose name was ingeniously constructed by Jenny LaFortune, is not, and I repeat is not, a book club!

I have been very blessed in my life to have amazing friends who love the Lord, and thus follow his counsel, and Spirit in all things. My dear friend Keri Tibbetts has opened my eyes to truth in so many ways. We have been friends for years, and in that time we have both changed drastically. We have both been inspired by two books called Fascinating Womanhood, and Fascinating Girl. These books changed our perspective and Keri taught me how to become a woman...the woman that I was in the pre-existence, and the woman the Lord wants me to be. However, I am still in the process of becoming that woman, through the interaction and teachings of intelligent women around me. (Ahem…DRS)

I received my degrees in English and English Education, and I have a great passion for literature, especially Classic literature. I know that when we read such works, we are enlightened and inspired, and we learn the lessons that we need to learn in life. Due to these truths that I have learned, I wanted to be able to share classic literature with others...with women. Strong, smart, vibrant women, like Kristy Uzelac, Brooke Hathaway, Shanna Taggart, and all those I am now associated with, who would continue to help me become the person the Lord intends me to become. I knew that the women in my life could offer me more than just a discussion on literature. I have had a vision of my life as it is now, and as it will be later, when I have a family and children. I want my children to see me with amazing women, and see us utilizing our talents and spiritual gifts that we have been given. I want my children to see me sewing with other women, and hearing us discuss literature and how it applies to our lives. I want my children to see me cooking healthy food, and exercising my body, and learning, learning, learning, from righteous women.

I know that the DRS endeavor will give all of us Spiritual strength beyond what we ever imagined. We have a great work to do on the Earth today, and in the future, and we need one another to accomplish all things the Lord has in store for us.

This is my hope.

This is my vision.

And according to me,this is DRS.

Jana Capps

Reading

2010-03-24T10:31:00.000-07:00

"Have regular hours for work and play:

make each day both useful and pleasant, and prove that you understand the worth of time by employing it well.

Then youth will be delightful, old age will bring few regrets, and life becomes a beautiful success"

-Little Women Louisa May Alcott

Photo by Gladys Jem Photography

LOADED with sunshine, why else would they call her UZI?

2010-02-19T09:35:00.004-07:00

Being the youngest of five kids, I was left to discover the world on my own. In my quest of exploration for what life had to offer, I discovered that there was more than just one “world” out there to live in, learn from, and experience: The World of Independence, the World of Imagination, the World of Joy, and the World of Testimony.

I’ve been told that I was a very independent child. Not letting anyone do anything for me, wanting to only do it on my own. Dress myself, teach myself, train myself, feed myself, etc. I never fully believed it until I met my niece. A determined 2 year old who, WILL NOT accept help from anyone and who honestly believes she is old enough to figure it out herself. She is (a lot like I was who was a lot like her oldest sister who is) just like her mother. Will she grow out of it, or grow into it like I have, learning to ask when asking in needed, as hard as that is sometimes?

To me, imagination and joy are areas that are always revolving around my life. Sometimes coming into my world one at a time to show me what it had to offer, other times aligning so perfectly that you’d think it was a total eclipse of experience and emotion.

I have the creative side that offers no limit to my imagination with the things I can come up with and love to share that with those around me. After school, I would come through the door happy and chipper, usually singing a new song I learned that day. I’ve been caught singing songs to myself and have made up songs on a regular basis. I guess it’s true that one can have a song in heart.

I’m usually not one to let things effect me. Not much gets me down. In fact, you’ll rarely see this star not shining. I try to look at the big picture, the bright side of things, and find the positive or learning possibility in most any situation. In my mind, nothing is worth getting upset or bothered over, and if it is, it’s worth talking about and then moving on.

If I start feeling down, I find others to serve and lift up. If those around me are down, I do all I can to lift their spirit and help them see that there is light.

I feel I have found a place in my heart for constant spiritual growth. Growing up, there has been several times where I have been influenced by the examples and testimonies of others. There was a time where I hid in my sister’s room to jump out and scare her only to have to wait for several minutes for her to finish her prayer. When I was running late for school, I was frantically grabbing my books, running up the stairs and as I burst through my parents bedroom door yelling for her to get in the car, I was caught back by the sight of her on her knees saying her morning prayers that I have seen (and still see) her do every morning.

I have been influenced by their example of this and have made it a part of my daily routine to start and end each day in prayer. That no matter what is going on around me, it’s important to take a step back from the rush of things and to focus on the big picture. To remember why I am here and the importance of staying close to my Heavenly Father.

HE is my world.

HE is there to help when I ask but gives me independence because he knows I can do it.

HE has given me my creative imagination that keeps me happy and

HE has blessed me with pure joy because of the testimony I have of Him.

“I am like a star shining brightly,
shining for the whole world to see.

I can do and say happy things each day,
for I know Heavenly Father loves me.”

Uzi

2010-01-13T16:37:00.005-07:00

The birth of DRS is about to happen and I, along with the other ladies, couldn't be more excited! What is it you ask? DRS is a way for us girls, single and married, domestic or not, to get together and better ourselves. To learn from one another and do what women do best.

"May you live with love one for another.

May you reach down to lift up those whose burdens are heavy.

May you bring light and beauty to the world and

particularly into your homes and into the lives of your children."

Gordon B. Hinckley, “To the Women of the Church,” Ensign, Nov 2003, 113

Our first ever meeting is in exaclty two weeks, January 27, 2009. Stay tuned to hear and see more about us.