Danny's Superbowl Prediction

Super Bowl XLIX Predictions

Score: 27 – 23 Seahawks Win!!!

Touchdowns: Seahawks:  Kearse, Lynch, Russell Wilson (rushing)

                       Pats: Gronkowski, Blount

Pats: ¾ field goals

Hawks: 2/2 field goals

Comments: Pats down by 4 with approximately 2:12 left on the clock go for it on fourth down.  Earl Thomas deflects Tom Brady pass to give Hawks the ball back.

Just Some of the Blessings of Marriage

“The full realization of the blessings of a temple marriage is almost beyond our mortal comprehension. Such a marriage will continue to grow in the celestial realm. There we can become perfected.” – Elder Russell M. Nelson

I never thought much on the aspects of eternity growing up. It was one of those things that made my mind want to explode if I tried to understand it. It wasn’t until my fiancé and I started talking about marriage while we were dating that I finally began to understand it a little bit more. I get to be with someone I love forever. I get to be with my family forever. It’s such an amazing and special gift that each of us will have.

I think of the love I have for my fiancé and current/future family and it just blows my mind that Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ have an even greater love for each of us. Entering the Celestial Kingdom, to me, means being able to love with that same capacity. It’s no wonder we become perfected together when we finally get there.

“I believe in marriage.” – Elder Boyd K. Packer

Being sealed in the temple with someone who is worthy is the most important decision we will make. You are not just committing to someone, but you are committing to someone for eternity.

           

Believing in marriage is looking your spouse in the eye and saying, “loving you is something I want to do forever.” It’s not just an, ‘I want to be with you, ‘ it’s an, ‘I need to be with you.’

Believing in marriage is knowing and wanting there to be times of trouble. If there aren’t, then what kind of life and marriage is that? But it’s not fighting in times of stress, it’s fighting yourself to be the best that your spouse deserves.

Believing in marriage is the ultimate happiness. It’s the ultimate comfort. If you think about it, getting to the Celestial Kingdom really doesn’t need to be that difficult. You get baptized, receive the Holy Ghost, make Temple covenants, and endure to the end. You get to enter the Celestial Kingdom because you followed the things that bring us joy.            

Believing in marriage is knowing that Heavenly Father has entrusted us with an incredibly special and scared gift. He has told us that He wants us to love His children. He has entrusted us with the opportunity to be sealed to someone of our choice and, with that person, bring children into this world.

Believing in marriage is believing in Heavenly Father and His plan. It’s believing Jesus Christ. It’s believing in the Holy Ghost and personal revelation. It’s believing in the one we choose to spend eternity with. It’s believing in our families. It’s believing in ourselves.  

Avec Amour, 

Elisse

Perspective

Give distance and avoidance --> Get distance and avoidance

When we are distant and avoid our spouse, we can very easily expect the same thing from them and vise versa.

It's an unfortunate cycle but it seems as though it's impossible to break. This is when we move from the natural and into the divine. This is when there needs to be a change.

And more specifically:

A CHANGE IN PERSPECTIVE!

Many would argue that there needs to be a change in behavior first. While that may work in some cases, how can there be a true change of behavior without first changing our personal perspective on the circumstances or the person?

By being willing to change our perspectives, we are allowing ourselves to see the situation as the other would see it.

For example:

Two men see an orange. They both want it and argue over who gets it until they finally decide to split it. The first man peels this orange and throws the peel away. The second man does the same except he throws the orange away.

The problem in this situation was the lack of communication between the two men. They both knew what they wanted but they weren't willing to tell the other.

When it comes to marriage, understanding your spouse's perspective is absolutely crucial. I feel as though that is one of the most selfless things we can do. We each have our initial beliefs on what we want, but we need to understand that they have their own belief as well.

Avec Amour,

Elisse

Marry Me

"Marry Me" - By Jason Derulo 

A hundred and five is the number that comes to my head
When I think of all the years I wanna be with you
Wake up every morning with you in my bed
That's precisely what I plan to do

And you know one of these days when I get my money right
Buy you everything and show you all the finer things in life
We'll forever be in love, so there ain't no need to rush
But one day I won't be able to ask you loud enough

[Chorus]
I'll say, "Will you marry me?"
I swear that I will mean it
I'll say, "Will you marry me?"

How many girls in the world can make me feel like this?
Baby I don't ever plan to find out
The more I look, the more I find the reasons why
You're the love of my life

You know one of these days when I get my money right
Buy you everything and show you all the finer things in life
We'll forever be in love, so there ain't no need to rush
But one day I won't be able to ask you loud enough

[Bridge]
And if I lost everything
In my heart it means nothing
'Cause I have you,
Girl, I have you
To get right down on bended knee
Nothing else would ever be better, better
That day when...

I'll say, "Will you marry me?"
I swear that I will mean it
I'll say, "Will you marry me?"

A hundred and five is the number that comes to my head
When I think of all the years I wanna be with you
Wake up every morning with you in my bed
That's precisely what I plan to do.

__________________________________________________________________

When I first heard this song, I thought it was one of the cutest songs! And then I really listened to the lyrics and realized that it wasn't as cute as I thought it would be. 

The song starts out by saying, "A hundred and five is the number that comes to my head when I think of all the years I wanna be with you." Growing up as a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (Mormon), I have been taught that families are eternal. A hundred and five years is far less than the amount of time I would want to spend with my family. One thing that has always made me upset were the words, "Until death do you part" or, "As long as you both shall live." Being at my wedding, one the happiest days of my life, the last thing I would want to hear is that we can be happy and together...but only until death. 

The next line that I didn't quite agree with was, "And you know one of these days when I get my money right..." Now I'm not saying that money isn't important, because it is...but that shouldn't be the deciding factor of when you choose to get married. Is it easier knowing that you'll be more comfortable financially? Of course! But marriage isn't supposed to be easy. My Family Relations professor, Brother Michael Williams, once taught us that there is an amazing strength that comes when you start out not quite as well off because it allows you and your spouse to learn how to live without the best of the best. It puts the two of you in a vulnerable situation to either succeed or fail. Imagine starting out low, becoming more financially comfortable as your family grows, and continuing in that success as you go? Imagine the same situation but one day you find yourselves in another financial rut? This allows the the two of you to know how you lived without so much before and how you handled it. Children also benefit greatly when there are not as many finances being brought in - it forces the child to learn that there are some things that they can't have and there some instances when the child learns to be okay with this. 

Marriage is about bringing two people who love each other together and giving them the opportunity to start and create their family. Why not start it because you know it to be right and because you love each other? Not because you're struggling financially, you're worried what others will think, or even because you're scared. 

Making that amazing decision to get married and commit yourself to another is an act that should be pushing away the natural instincts and moving into the divine. 

Avec Amour, 

Elisse Cook

Why Bring a Child into this World?

Being a parent is potentially the greatest thing we will ever do in this life. We have been blessed with the very sacred and special opportunity to bring children into the world and raise them in righteousness. What greater gift could we ever ask or seek for?

One of the greatest purposes of parenting that I have studied this week is the capacity to love. Through this we, as parents, can learn:

1. To understand God

2. To serve

3. To become selfless

4. To be forced to encounter challenges

5. To prepare for eternal life

6. And to learn to love

It really is amazing the impact that parenting can have on the parent's, themselves.

Brother Michael Williams said, "We are reparented as we parent." How true a statement that is!

When we first think of becoming a parent whether it's for the first, third, or sixth time...it can be scary. We're scared because we're not quite sure if we're ready because we're still learning. However scary it may seem, I see it as being one of the most gratifying and selfless thing we could do. Giving of our time and ourselves to another human being. Giving absolutely everything we have to them. It's the ultimate sacrifice - but one that is so perfect despite the difficulties that will come.

Now I still don't know what that feeling is...but I have seen it. I have been a recipient of it. I chose to come to this earth knowing full well how difficult it would be. I knew there were going to be struggles. I knew that there was going to be heartbreak. I knew there were going to be times when I wondered how much more I could take before I broke. However, I knew the happiness that would come. I knew that I would overcome. I knew that it would be the greatest experience I could ever ask for.

And that's what I imagine parenting to be. We know we're going to be bringing children into this world in some way. We know there are going to be difficulties, struggles, heartbreak, and questioning. But we also know that there is going to be happiness, learned strength, and the greatest experience we could ever ask for.

Why bring a child into this world? 

Created by Unilever Project Sunlight

Avec Amour,

Elisse

Fatherhood

"Earthly Father, Heavenly Father" 

Mormon Message made by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

(Script from the video) "I'm awake. I remember Him. I gaze upon them before I part. They lie in their bed, unaware of me watching. I leave, they sleep. The small home I help provide is their world. They play, they explore, learning to move, to feel, to see, to know, not once thinking how it all came to be. Crayons, toys, books; it's all for them. The fridge opens, the pantry exposed, they expect food to be there. Not a thought, not a doubt, just hunger. Cereal, milk, yogurt, messy fingers, messy faces, all fed. Tummies are full. Now it's nap time. My wife likes nap time. Once again, they lay in the comfort we provide. All while I work, I'm far, but close; always thinking of them. My phone rings, I only hear breathing. I smile; my wife's phone is now missing. I do it all for them. I work, that they may grow. They trust so deeply; how I yearn to do the same. They see so little of how it all came to be, never questioning, only trusting. I come home; two-second hugs. Now I'm a horse. We eat dinner, brush teeth. Jammy time. Finally, it's bed time. Once again, they lay their heads on the pillows we provide. I will be their protector. I will be their gentle friend. I will be my wife's faithful husband. I am a father, I am also a son. And while I may not understand all that He does for me, I do know that all that I am, and all that I have is because He's a father to me. I now stand, very aware, of how it all came to be."

Fatherhood is a fairly controversial topic in today's society. There has been some talk that father's may not even be necessary. Could you imagine it? A world with no fathers? 

In the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS), we learn that we are to strive to become perfect. What better way for a man to become perfect than to be like our Father in Heaven?

Heavenly Father has done so much for each of us - He has provided everything. Literally everything. 

Our Heavenly Father:
1. Watches over us
2. Blesses us
3. Gives us comfort
4. Listens when we need Him to - and even when we don't ask Him
5. Always answers our prayers
6. Knows and wants the best for us and will do anything to give the best to us
7. Never forgets us - even if we sometimes forget Him
8. Brings peace, hope, love, charity
9. Sacrifices everything 
10. Wants us to return to Him
11. Is always, always, always there
12. Never turns away from us
13. Guides our lives but lets us live the way we want
14. Allows us to always make a choice
15. Offers us advice
16. Unconditionally loves us no matter the decisions we make
17. Reveals His will 
18. Has a unique and distinct plan for each of us
19. Knows us by name
20. Knows what's in our thoughts and heart
21. Has the power to heal - physically, mentally, emotionally, spiritually
22. Provides

I could go on and on and on. But think about that list for a moment - really think about it. Listed above is a perfect man. A perfect father. It's obvious how much we need Him in our lives, whether or not we want to recognize it. We are nothing without our Heavenly Father, just as we are nothing without an earthly father.

So that's why it breaks my heart to know that there are those who believe a father to be unnecessary. Pointless. Unimportant. 

Honestly, despite our individual experiences - despite what we think we know to be true concerning fatherhood - we need fathers. 

Avec Amour, 

Elisse   

Divine

Commitment: "A promise of dedication to a relationship in which there is an emotional attachment to another person who has made the same promise." - Robert and Jeanette Lauer

Commitment consists of three things: a promise, complete dedication, and total attachment. When there is a healthy attachment to each other, you want nothing more than to dedicate yourself to them and keep the promises that you, together, have made.

The quote regards a couple who has made the same promise to the other. It's being committed and dedicated to that same promise. When that promise is broken, for what ever reason, that specific commitment is broken.

Forgive the reference, but in the Disney Junior show Sophia the First, Sophia says, "My mom always said a broken promise can never be fixed."

I used to think that, that's how promises worked - you broke it, it was broken. But then I studied Family Relations and learned how completely and undoubtly false that statement is. Sure the natural would tell you that it's gone. But that's why marriage is a divine institution - because we push aside the natural.

"To know that you have someone that loves you, and on whom you can depend no matter what problems may arise, is really important." - Anonymous

Ultimately, we are here on this earth to have experiences that challenge us to return to live with our Father in Heaven. The last covenant most of us will make in this life is an eternal marriage. What's more perfect and divine than that?

Avec Amour,

Elisse