Jacob's Letter to His Father

Today as I was cleaning, I found the following letter that our 9 year-old had written to Marc:

Dear dad,

Thank you for helping me, for working on my room in the basement and for having a good job. I admire how you want to learn Russian and how you are really strong. My goals are to serve a mission and to be just as strong as you.

Love,

Jacob

What a sweet insight into a special father / son relationship! Marrying well and providing such an amazing role-model for my boys is such an awesome blessing.

An Ode to My Sweetheart...after Seventeen Years

Every anniversary, you spoil me with gifts, flowers and jewelry. However, the best gifts you give, are the ones that you deliver each and every day. Beginning with your concern and desire to assist me anyway possible as soon as you return home. You encourage me to accomplish my goals and support me in all my responsibilities as well as hobbies. You respect my role as a wife and mother always holding my position in the family with the highest regard. Your support has boosted my success in all areas of my life and I am truly indebted to you in helping me to create an amazing life. You're a great, caring father whom our children love spending time with. Your ability to easily forgive shortcomings has created such a wonderful open family relationship in which mutual respect abounds. I love the relaxed, fun attitude that your spirit presents, making a comfortable home life that we all enjoy. The way in which you love and include anyone is such a special gift that blesses our life in so many ways! It has been a wonderful adventure being your wife which I feel so blessed to have you as my husband and best friend! I love you...Happy 17th Anniversary!!

When we were dating, I read Marc's patriarchal blessing and was impressed with the phrase which spoke of the relationship with his future wife that read, "you will love her deeply and she will love you deeply." Also, In addition to this we were told by the sealer who performed our wedding ceremony that our marriage relationship would be an example to many people. As we were leaving the ceremony room, one of our guests stated, "They are such a special couple." In which the sealer replied, "Yes, a VERY special couple!" All these blessings have been fulfilled with the deep respect that Marc shows me daily. I have had many people tell me that his eyes sparkle when he talks about me and is always so kind and sincere in his adoration. This has only deepened my love and respect for my amazing husband!

2011 - Marc's anniversary flowers to me...same type flowers used at our wedding. :)

Jacob's Poem Publication

Yesterday, Jacob finished this poem and was so proud of it that he copied it and distributed to all family members. It is a poem about our 2nd family dog, "Zeus". I am not sure by the message in this poem, if he considers "Zeus" a beloved pet or not. I was troubled that he spelled his name wrong because we have studied Greek mythology and I wondered if we needed a review. However, after discussing this with him, he told me it was done on purpose for two reasons. First of all, it rhymes with "goose" which goes along with the theme of the poem. Then second, he was trying to make a subtle joke as we've noticed that our groomer spells his name this way. Maybe Jacob should give her a Greek mythology review. :) Click on the picture of the poem to enlarge for reading....

Local Celebrity, Nick

Last week, a reporter from our local paper came to swimming practice to do a story on our homeschooling swim team that meets on Mondays and Tuesdays from 1:30-3:00 PM. We were all very apprehensive as the last reporter that came created a total different story than she proposed to the parents. Today, my niece was excited to show me the cover and corresponding news story in today's addition of the Post Register. Nick was very excited to see such great pictures and many quotes from the interview. The story states, "Through home-school student Nick Bohman, 12, said the program isn't easy, the boy said he enjoys learning new techniques, no matter how difficult, as well as the exhausting workouts. " Later, it states, "(At first) I was afraid I wouldn't be able to do stuff," Nick said. "Now, I've won three ribbons. I feel good, like I did a good job."

Overall it is a good article that talks about how difficult it is for parents to home school especially during eastern Idaho's winter months. However, we come together to remain active and have great social interactions.

"Her Children Rise Up, and Call Her Blessed"

The sweetness of my life is never more evident as proof of my recent Valentine's Day. Many days I wonder if my efforts make a difference in the lives of my children. I worry that I am spending my time in areas that will show little difference in the future. Yesterday, those worries were dissipated for the moment with the sweetness of my oldest son and amazing husband. Upon stumbling into the kitchen at an early 5 o'clock hour, I was surprised by a sweet display of homemade paper heart confetti and a very sincere thank you note from Nick. Later, I went up to my desk to find a huge vase of 30 homemade hearts, each listing all the things Marc loves about me...one for every day of the month. The following scripture ran through my mind throughout the day: "Her children rise up and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praiseth her." Proverbs 31:28

As I looked up the scripture, I realize there is much to be perfected in my attitudes and actions with the whole charter of Proverb 31:10-30 that I plan to study, post and ponder.

http://lds.org/scriptures/ot/prov/31?lang=eng

Family Ski Day

As a family, we all enjoy some time on the slopes. Last year, was a great learning time for all the Bohman kids. Nick learned to snowboard with an instructor while mom spent some time teaching Jacob, Emily and even 2 year-old Tait how to ski. We went to a local ski hill, Kelly's Canyon, the most but also spent some time skiing Pomerelle (near Twin Falls, close to Marc's Pharmacy territory), Grand Targhee and Sun Valley.


With the first snow fall of the year, all the children began asking when we were going to go skiing. We were able to ski Pomerelle once this year while Marc was working Twin Falls but yesterday was our first full day of awesome skiing at Grand Targhee. The weather was beautiful with some fog at the top. We got some fun video of all the kids skiing and having a great time.

Nick has learned to successfully turn both directions on his board. He spends the most time actually out on the slopes versus the lodge. He has ventured out to some of the more difficult runs with his dad.

http://www.facebook.com/#!/video/video.php?v=10150183511722818&comments

In this video Emily is leading mom and Tait down the hill. Jacob had beat us down as usual. It was getting late in the day and he was cold. Emily was also very cold and tired just about the time mom got her second wind and could have continued to ski for at least another hour.

Jacob is skiing well despite mom's ongoing lessons to encourage him to turn. He is all about speed and the turns slow him down. His main objective is to beat the rest of us down the hill. He is the one that dislikes to cold the most and we have to keep encouraging him to remain out of doors.

This video made me laugh as Marc compares Emily and Jacob's ride up the bunny hill to sacks of potatoes on a conveyor belt. We are pure breed Idahoans!!

The last run down the hill, Tait fell asleep on the chair lift and then was angry with me when I awaked him when it was time get off. It was time to call it a day and let him take a nap!

Yoke of Christ

I've been accused of thinking too deeply and this happens to be more apparent the older I get. Too many times, I take one topic that bothers me and I start studying the smallest most insignificant things and start to apply "Rebecca's" gospel to the subject hopefully supported by the teachings of others. This following "rant" is evidence of that. Please feel free to expound or add anything as I thrive to hear others' opinions even if you don't agree because it causes me to study even more and gain a new perspective.

Recently, one of the leaders of my church gave a talk that intrigued me and spawned me to drift in my thinking. As many of my thoughts inter-connect with politics it created my understanding in this direction. The talk was entitled, "Moral Discipline" by Elder D. Todd Christofferson the talk can be viewed in its entirety at http://lds.org/conference/talk/display/0,5232,23-1-1117-34,00.html
However, these are the portions that carried the following thinking to new areas: "As a consequence, self-discipline has eroded and societies are left to try to maintain order and civility by compulsion. The lack of internal control by individuals breeds external control by governments. One columnist observed that “gentlemanly behavior [for example, once] protected women from coarse behavior. Today, we expect sexual harassment laws to restrain coarse behavior. . . .
“Policemen and laws can never replace customs, traditions and moral values as a means for regulating human behavior. At best, the police and criminal justice system are the last desperate line of defense for a civilized society. Our increased reliance on laws to regulate behavior is a measure of how uncivilized we’ve become.”2
This quote had the most profound effect on my studies: Bishop Fulton J. Sheen, “We would not accept the yoke of Christ; so now we must tremble at the yoke of Caesar.”4

I have been thinking about this quote and if the yoke of Caesar is a sort of government than maybe the yoke of Christ is also a type of government as well and what are the differences:
Yoke of Christ:
1) To be part of his government is voluntary.
2) Focus on the individual (he knows us individual as the sparrows in the sky)
3) Belief comes from power in God
4) Self-government and few laws (Parable of mote and beam in eye)
5) Believe that man is good and can master self
6) Giving to be done by the individual (Parable of the Good Samaritan)
7) Education done by self and teaches others
8) Humility to be achieved by self
Result: Man is independent, strong and knowledgeable, self-reliant but charitable, self-disciplined
Yoke of Caesar:
1) To be part of his government is compulsory or done by force. Feeling that government knows better and can better rule men’s lives.
2) Focus on the collective (best interest of the people no matter how bad it is for the individual)
3) Belief comes from power in man
4) Regulation and task-masters are necessary, many complicated and confusing laws
5) Believe that man is evil and make poor choices for self – someone more wise and enlightened need to make your decisions.
6) Giving done by the collective as man is too evil to give on their own.
7) Education done by a master as man is too stupid to seek his own answers to questions.
8) Humility to be achieve by task-masters
Result: Man is dependent, poorly educated, unable to take care of self or others, selfish, impulsive
Reference Scriptures:
Matthew 11:29-30 Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; For I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.
1 John 5:3 “…His commandments are not grievous…” love God and keep His commandments
Jesus Christ is also bound by law, follows and keeps the law himself that he expects all of us to follow. However, Scribes, Pharisees – sit in Moses’ seat passing judgment and law that we are to abide by but their works are hypocritical.
Matthew 23:3-4 “…their yoke is burdensome and grievous to be borne…”

I think most current governments fall between this two forms of governement, some in one area more than the other. As a christian, I feel my responsibilty comes in upholding parts of government that most reflect the "Yoke of Christ".
Like I said, I tend to think too deeply and create inter-webs of thinking that probably don't exist but if you have any further comments or scriptures to add to my references let me know!!