Today's FB post:

Sharman Hunter Wilson shared a link. Mar 23, 2016 1:41pm

8 quotes from Mormon leaders on independent thinking - Flunking Sainthood janariess.religionnews.com And this isn't cherry-picking. There are plenty more quotes like this from a number of other respected Mormon leaders, past and (unfortunately not enough) present. We are ultimately accountable to God, not fallible men, no matter how much we respect or want to trust those called to lead us. I am NOT saying the answers will be clear--the water can be murky either way. Sometimes when going with our heart or conscience, against authority, we realize we were mistaken, and they actually did know what they were talking about. Other times, it turns out we are completely validated. The tension between the individual and the institution is a real thing--we are always faced with the dilemma and the choice of which to follow when the two clash, and we alone are responsible in the end. No matter how much we wish for the comfort of certainty and clarity, we must actually grapple and struggle with the tension! The more we practice making our own decisions, even as we make plenty of mistakes, we will be getting better at it, whereas pretending there is an easy answer (whether that is defiance or compliance) will leave us automatons.

More on parenting:

Sharman Hunter Wilson shared a link. Jan 25, 2016 3:17am

The collapse of parenting: Why it’s time for parents to grow up macleans.ca When I was young, I unconsciously wanted my parents to be more firm with me--I was actually envious of kids whose parents gave them curfews! My dad was really soft-hearted, and my mom didn't want to be domineering like she felt her own mother had been, so we were totally free-range kids. Still, frugality reigned in our house of 8 kids, so we didn't end up spoiled. Talking back to adults never occurred to us either--we hadn't become disillusioned yet about the mess adults were making of the world. I wonder if my teenage and young adulthood watching screw-up after screw-up--the Vietnam War, Watergate, cops fire-hosing little black kids, Chernobyl--made me realize that growing up did not necessarily guarantee wisdom. Maybe the Information Age has been inundating us with so much evidence of our own bungling for so long that we have lost confidence in ourselves as capable adults worthy of respect--and kids have picked up on it.

Parenting:

Sharman Hunter Wilson shared a link. Feb 07, 2014 12:37am

Why my kid is crying… themetapicture.com I could not stop laughing at these! That said, when my kids got to that point, I would make a real effort to hide my laughter in front of them because it makes them feel even worse. One thing it does show is that you can't reason with little kids. Their brains just aren't developed yet. If they are tired, hungry, or their routine is messed up, what brains they do have are pretty well checked out. They need comforting, not logic. Wait a few years and show these videos to them and then they'll laugh along with you :)

Politics and Trump bashing:

Sharman Hunter Wilson shared a link. Dec 26, 2015 2:10pm

Obama says Trump is 'exploiting' worker fears. True? csmonitor.com This helps me understand the otherwise inexplicable appeal of this man. He's channeling economic fears and anger, and providing convenient scapegoats. The thing is, how does that make any positive difference in his supporters' everyday lives? His "solutions" are diversions that only hurt innocent people while the real problems spread unchecked. Blasting your fire hoses at the brown guy clipping your neighbor's hedge is not going to put out the fire that's burning down your own house. Getting all pumped up with Trump's bad a** attitude fills you up with nothing but hot air. Can you picture him carefully considering complex problems and weighing practical solutions? Can you see him looking beyond his nose for any long term (or even short term) consequences of his words and actions? I seem to recall we once fought a war against the kind of stuff he's pompously preaching. Fascism by any other name would still stink to high heaven.

Church callings and leaders: FMH POST

Sharman Hunter Wilson shared a link. Oct 27, 2015 2:56pm

“Woman in a (church) Meeting” feministmormonhousewives.org My sentiments, exactly! I've personally been pretty lucky in my callings in having respectful male leaders, but I have close friends and family who have experienced humiliation and real trauma under the thumb of 'unrighteousness dominion.' Of course people are human and make mistakes (and we all need the benefit of learning from our mistakes), but it's so hard to watch deep harm being done by leaders who ignore our concerns (and who consider us unfaithful for voicing them, whatever tone we use). We need to have grown-up, non-threatening, and non-patronizing discussions about this stuff because the cats probably aren't going back into the bag. Meow!

Rest in peace, Becky.

Sharman Hunter Wilson added 3 new photos. Mar 26, 2015 7:02pm

This morning, after years of serious health challenges and a month in an induced coma in a hospital in Virginia, my 39-year-old niece died peacefully. Her parents (my sister Shirley and Chuck Peck), her brother Calderwood, and two dear friends were at her bedside. She was extremely talented and could work magic with fabrics and accessories. Rest in Peace, Becky--we will miss you heart emoticon

Yay, I've got a diagnosis!

Sharman Hunter Wilson shared a link. Mar 22, 2015 7:21pm

Snip, Snap, Slurp: Misophonia Makes Them Unbearable well.blogs.nytimes.com Oh, my gosh! One reason I keep my hair long is so I can stick my fingers in my ears without people noticing. Sometimes I just have to leave the room (where I have my trusty white noise maker). It's a curse!