This Sunday

Harry gave a talk.



Language

• Bishop found me at mutual this Thursday and told me I would be giving a talk today. I can’t tell you how excited I am :] but, the cool part about this was I got to pick my own topic out of the for the strength of youth pamphlet. So my topic for today is… language.
• I just thought this would be appropriate for a youth speaker such as myself because I experience language in all its colorful different forms, every day due to my being in high school.
• So the first thing one thinks about when discussing language in church is profanity. Profanity just isn’t that cool when you think about it. It’s totally disrespectful. No matter how you stretch it or how you justify it, profanity offends people; otherwise we wouldn’t call them “bad words.” In fact, if you look at the word profanity, it comes from the adjective profane which means irreverent. Also, profanity includes using the Lord’s name in vain. Using His name in vain is breaking a commandment; therefore, it’s a sin. When you’re swearing to God, it should be about something important; not about that guy who just cut you off on the freeway.
• But, my topic is “language” not “profanity.” Language includes everything you say not just the offensive stuff.
• The way you speak says a lot about who you are. When you’re constantly throwing around bad words and profanities, you’re giving the people around you a pretty bad first impression. However, if you can use kind, intelligent words you’re showing how smart you are and that you probably have something to offer the world other than a couple gross jokes. You can be an example to those around you, just by staying positive and clean when you speak.
• Kind words can mean the world to some people. If you’re having a bad day, not many things feel better than having someone compliment you on how nice you look today. Being nice in the way that you speak can make others feel better. You can bless others’ lives by keeping clean speech.
• Probably the most important, and the coolest, part of keeping your language clean is that it can make other people think. When everyone else seems to be saying vulgar, unclean things but you manage to keep yourself positive and uplifting in speech, it makes people wonder what’s different about you. When people notice that you don’t ever participate in vulgar jokes and when they notice that you don’t ever cuss, they automatically wonder why. This is where being an example comes in. Showing others how to be Christ-like by being Christ-like yourself is really effective. In Ephesians 4 verse 29, it says, “Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers.” This means that we can teach others just by how we communicate with them! We can bring others to know Christ with our speech. Not many people listen when you’re putting them down, but if you lift others up, you can show them Christ and they can listen.
• I’ve actually had people ask me, “Are you Mormon?” just because I don’t use bad words. It’s things as simple as this that show others


I bear testimony of this church. I know that this is the church of Christ and I know that the principles taught within it are true. I know that the language we use can testify of our faith and can be used to uplift those around us. We can be tools in the hands of our God by keeping our speech clean. And I say these things in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.



My Primary Class was especially helpful and reverent while practicing the Primary Sacrament Program today. I was and am so proud of them! It's hard being 10 & 11 in Primary. It's the last 2 years and you're lumped in with 5-9 year olds and you've heard everything before and you're just way too cool. So today, they were good examples and I was glad.

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Weird Photos

This is the photo that started it all:



One of these is not like the others. It's my cousin, Barbara. I just died when I came across this photo. It could be put on one of those funny greeting cards that uses old photos that make you laugh out loud while standing in the middle of the grocery store. Have you ever done that? Please tell me I am not the only one.

Anyway it got me thinking about weird/funny photos that we just happen to take without even knowing it. Then later when you get the film developed or look at them on your computer or even years later when you find an old box under your bed you say to yourself, "Oh Wow! This is so weird!

So that photo of Barbara led me on a hunt for "wierdness". I've looked through my computer, my phone, and all the bags, albums, and boxes that I keep in the end table in the living room. (I did not look under my bed. Anita is the only one who keeps pictures under her bed.)

We took this picture of Harry a few summers ago, not knowing until we printed it how weird it looked. It looks even weirder in black and white. We have it framed and hanging in his bathroom.



This picture was taken this summer. I knew it was going to be funny and weird!




I don't really have any weird drawings or paintings to show you. I once did a water color of a stream and some rocks that turned out to look like a dead blue giraffe laying in a stream. Now that was weird. I gave the painting to my brother-in-law. I think it's in his garage.

But there are some funny/weird pictures of me when I was little. This is my favorite. I was known as "the baby with the doily on her head". I think the doily is under a lamp in the guest room.




And so you don't think I'm the only weird one, I found this one of my twin, Jeanette, asleep. She had a habit of sleeping with her eyes a little open.




Roko is one child in our family that we can count on to provide us with weird photos. He's always doing weird things.







What more can I say?

This is a truly weird underwater shot of Andrew. It's hard to tell it's underwater 'cause his eyes are so open and his big smile. This summer he discovered goggles. That big smile? It's still always there when he is underwater.




Another time I took a picture that turned out weird was after a huge bird hit my windshield and broke it. Can you see the print it left? It's kind of hard to see. Look closely. See it?




Here's another photo of Barbara. She's the one on top.




This one is weird because it's the three of us together as we were so often. Both Jeanette and Barbara are smiling at the camera. That's me, the one Barbara is standing on with my butt to the camera. Obviously they had ganged up on me as so often happened. The three of us will be meeting up tomorrow-like old times-and I'm sure the two of them will gang up on me and Barbara will end up on top.

In closing, let me encourage you to search through your photos. I bet you find some weird ones.

Artist For Sale: Will Draw For Money

I get a lot of emails from people who have found my drawings on line and would like to use them for various things:

"I was searching the web today looking for inspiration for our upcoming Relief Society Birthday Party and I came across your drawings. They are so adorable.
Do you draw for other's?
If you could help me out I would apprieciate it. I love you work. It is amazing."



"I came across your “Super Hero” drawing on the Internet and I liked it very much. I now write screenplays and I am starting to produce them into movies. I have been thinking of doing a screenplay about a ten year old boy who becomes a Super Hero at night. The movie will be partly animated, mostly the super hero sequences. The feel of your Super Hero drawing is exactly what I have in mind for the comic book style super hero sequences. Would you be interested in working with me as I develop the script. This would mean doing some drawings that can serve as a story board to show the animators the intent. There would be payment after I get the project moving toward and financed."

My response: The boy is Harry, my son. He went to super hero party where everyone dressed like super heros. I made him trading cards to give to his friends.
I'd love to draw for you. Send me some story lines to work from.

Never heard from him again, but if you go to this guys website, you'll see a thumbnail of Super Harry.



"Hi Jan....I'm making a Relief Society Blog and I LOVE your artwork. First and formost! There is one you have that looks RSie with three women with the "We are united in standing" etc. I love that. Any chance in the world I could use that for the header on the blog I'm doing?"



"I saw your picture of a mother holding to the iron rod and the children hanging on as a thumbprint on google images. ...so I'm asking if I can use your incredible image in a July visiting teaching lesson handout that I'm making. The picture is amazing because it aligns with the Family Home Evening story that is used in the message from the Ensign.



OK. So for Church drawings I don't ask for payment. I consider it part of my covenant with Heavenly Father to share my talents to build the church. And as you can see I have done a lot of drawings for the Church. And I'm not including the drawings I've done for my own ward.

I LOVE TO DRAW!

I draw whether I get paid or not.

I worked for 10 years as a scenic artist and got paid a little, by show, when they could afford it, classified as a clerk because they didn't really want to make a real position for me or pay me for full time work.

I worked in a print shop for a while for free making their stamps and made my own stamps to sell. Did I sell any? Would you like one? I have a whole box full, nicely packaged with little ink pads.

When people see my drawings they comment on how cute they are and tell me I should be illustrating books.

I have a website. I have a store on cafepress.com and one at Fine Art America.

People like my artwork but they don't want to pay for it.

What brought me to rant on like this? I got this email a while ago:

"... the reason I'm writing you is I'm chairing our churches ladies retreat and our theme (which is still in the works) will be about the stages of a a woman life, .... grow up, fill out, slim down, hold it in, and let it all hang out! ... with the underlying theme that we are all united. ... not only through the various stages we women all experience, but more importantly through Christ. Which leads me to the reason I'm writing you. I would love to use one of your illustration on our t-shirts. Would that be possible?"

My response: "You got it! Let me know which one/ones and I'll send it to you. If you need it tweeked let me know how and I'll work on it."

"Wow! That would be wonderful. How much would it cost to somewhat combine the two posters so that it showed five women all in the different stages of their lives?"




I spent a lot of time working on the drawings:

But when I told her the cost...well, let's just say I probably won't hear from her again. $20/hr. 8 hrs of work (at least). Discounted to $100. And even a "we'll work it out if that's too much." To be fair, maybe the drawing didn't work with their theme. Or they changed the theme. Or the retreat fell through. A note saying "thanks but it didn't work out" would have been appreciated.

I love that the Internet allows artists the opportunity to put their artwork out there more easily and for more people to see. I appreciate everyone who has asked to use my artwork. And I love having people ask me to draw for them.

But I'd occasionally like to make $ at it.

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