Baby Peterson

As a proud Auntie, I am happy to announce that my sister Amber and her husband Pete are expecting a BOY!!!! Due date is September 24th. Now precious Malachi will have buddy to romp through the dirt with. :)

I think he looks like Pete - see the round chin and the Peterson lips?

Bonding

I'd say these two are hitting it off pretty well, wouldn't you? :)

Senate Avoids Abortion Vote

Republican supporters of restriction chide DFLers during legislative maneuvering
BY RACHEL E. STASSEN-BERGER
Pioneer Press

The Minnesota Senate on Monday passed a state finance bill and, through legislative maneuvering, avoided a debate on a measure that would have challenged women's court-upheld right to abortion.
The abortion measure, backed by the state's largest anti-abortion organization, would have defied a 1995 Minnesota Supreme Court decision that granted abortions to low-income women through state-subsidized health care.
After hours of closed-door meetings over the past several days, Senate Democrats opted to remove all human services funding from the $127 million supplemental spending bill. Without that language, the anti-abortion measure wasn't relevant to the bill.
The measure would likely have denied all taxpayer-funded abortions in Minnesota except in cases of rape or incest and required a public record of judges' authorizations for minors to get abortions without parental consent.
On the Senate floor Monday night, Democrats did little to discuss the reasoning behind the removal of the human services financing. But Republicans did much to attack it.
Sen. Tom Neuville, R-Northfield, alluded to the abortion measure he had planned to ask senators to vote upon, and he was blunt.
"Not only don't you have any leadership, not only don't you have any direction, now you don't have any courage," he said.
Supporters also promised that the abortion language, which has already passed the House, would return.
"Quite simply, you can run but you can't hide from this issue," said Sen. Warren Limmer, R-Maple Grove.
After the vote, Senate Majority Leader Dean Johnson, DFL-Willmar, said the health and human services measure will return to the floor at some point and there will likely be opportunity to try to attach the abortion language to that.
Despite Republicans' disappointment in the process, the supplemental finance bill passed 64-3.

I Hate (Most) Forwards

I got a kick out of this "forward" from my brother yesterday and thought I'd post it for your reading enjoyment.
This one goes out to all of the superstitious and/or worry-wart people who forward on every email they receive:

To all of you:

I must send my thanks to whoever sent me the one about rat poop in the glue on envelopes because I now have to use a wet towel with every envelope that needs sealing.

Also, now I have to scrub the top of every can I open for the same reason.

I no longer have any savings because I gave it to a sick girl (Penny Brown) who is about to die in the hospital for the 1,387,258th time.

I no longer have any money at all, but that will change once I receive the $15,000 that Bill Gates/Microsoft and AOL are sending me for participating in their special e-mail program.

I no longer worry about my soul because I have 363,214 angels looking out for me, and St. Theresa's novena has granted my every wish.

I no longer eat KFC because their chickens are actually horrible mutant freaks with no eyes or feathers.

I no longer use cancer-causing deodorants even though I smell like a water buffalo on a hot day.

Thanks to you, I have learned that my prayers only get answered if I forward an email to seven of my friends and make a wish within five minutes.

Because of your concern I no longer drink Coca Cola because it can remove toilet stains.

I no longer can buy gasoline without taking a man along to watch the car so a serial killer won't crawl in my back seat when I'm pumping gas.

I no longer use Saran wrap in the microwave because it causes cancer.

And thanks for letting me know I can't boil a cup water in the microwave anymore because it will blow up in my face, disfiguring me for life.

I no longer check the coin return on pay phones because I could be pricked with a needle infected with AIDS.

I no longer go to shopping malls because someone will drug me with a perfume sample and rob me.

I no longer receive packages from UPS or FedEx since they are actually Al Qaeda in disguise.

I no longer shop at Target since they are French and don't support our American troops or the Salvation Army.

I no longer answer the phone because someone will ask me to dial a number for which I will get a phone bill with calls to Jamaica, Uganda, Singapore, and Uzbekistan.

I no longer have any sneakers -- but that will change once I receive my free replacement pair from Nike.

Thanks to you, I can't use anyone's toilet but mine because a big brown African spider is lurking under the seat to cause me instant death when it bites my butt.

And thanks to your great advice, I can't ever pick up $5.00 I dropped in the parking lot because it probably was placed there by a sex molester waiting underneath my car to grab my leg.

Oh, and don't forget this one either!

I can no longer drive my car because I can't buy gas from certain gas companies!

If you don't send this e-mail to at least 144,000 people in the next 70 minutes, a large dove with diarrhea will land on your head at 5:00 PM this afternoon and the fleas from 12 camels will infest your back, causing you to grow a hairy hump. I know this will occur because it actually happened to a friend of my next door neighbor's ex-mother-in-law's second husband's cousin's beautician...

Have a wonderful day....

My New Favorite Bumper Sticker

:)
Gotta love it...

Night #1 with new baby

...Up past midnight...up again at 3:00am...can't...keep...eyes...open....

Sadie

We are pleased to welcome the newest member of the family to our lives. We just picked her up today. Sadie is a mutt - her mom is an amstaff/staffordshire/american bulldog mix and they're not sure about her dad, but they think he may be either a boxer or a german shepherd. She was the feature humane society adoptable animal on my show last week (we have a different pet on every week) and I absolutely fell in love with her. We're all excited, especially Caleb who now has a playmate.

Dancin' in the Street

We could all be dancin' in the street again by next week.
On May 12th, the Minneapolis City Council will vote on a measure that would repeal a current ordinance that bans dancing in the streets of Minneapolis. (Did anyone even know it was illegal?)

Here's the article from the Star Tribune this weekend:

At the office of late, I've been bursting forth with the song "Dancing in the Streets." "There'll be swingin', swayin' and records playin' and dancin' in the streets."
This seems to stress my younger colleagues, who don't understand that the Mamas and the Papas' version of this song begs to be sung. I try not to hold their youthfulness against them.
What has put this song in my heart is that in all likelihood, it will soon be legal again to dance in the streets of our city.
On Tuesday morning, Minneapolis City Council Member Cam Gordon will lead a public hearing that will be the first step toward eliminating city ordinance 427.20, which prohibits dancing in a street, except at a block party.
"If we're going to be a cultural center, shouldn't it be OK to do a little jig when you're crossing the street?" Gordon asked.
No one seems to oppose his belief that the ordinance is "an embarrassment."
He said the city attorney, the former police chief and the interim chief have said it's time to dance on the grave of the strange ordinance, which came into being in the 1960s.
According to Guy Gambill, an advocate for the homeless, the prohibition was initially intended to stop flower children from carrying on in public. But the flower children have, ummm, matured. Gambill says that when the ordinance is invoked these days, it's used against the homeless and mentally ill.
For example, in December, a homeless man, Paul Wicklund, was ticketed by University of Minnesota police for dancing in a street, while cursing police.
There were many problems with Wicklund's behavior. But dancing?
The ticket, for $112, eventually was dropped.
The point that Gordon, Gambill and Mark Anderson, who works with the mentally ill as head of the Barbara Schneider Foundation, will make Tuesday is that the city shouldn't criminalize mental illness.
"When you tell people there's this ordinance, they say, 'You're kidding,' " said Anderson. "But laws like this are serious because they're used against people who really need help."
This rarely used ordinance invariably ends up stepping on the city's toes.
"Police have plenty of tools without this," said Gordon. "When it is used, it just becomes a public-image problem."
Ah, our city's image: Minneapolis, a nice place to live, but save the last dance for St. Paul.
Of course, after the ordinance is erased, there still will be limits. "It still will be unlawful to obstruct traffic, for instance," said Gordon.
And it will take more than changing the rules to turn Minneapolis into a city of dancers.
Some people just can't dance, said Gordon, an old rock 'n' roll bass guitarist. "Whenever I start to dance," the council member admitted, "people look at me and say, 'What are you doing?' "
By mid-May, Gordon hopes, the ordinance will be a bad memory, and if someone in Minneapolis feels really good, it will be legal to do just a couple of quick dance steps in the street.

All I Ever Have to Be

I've been struggling today.
It started with a poor day at work - I couldn't get my head to function, I had absolutely no creative juices to donate to my show and it ended up being less than ideal during this important ratings period. As if I didn't realize it already, I then received an email from my executive producer telling me the show was not up to par. This wasn't the first time I've felt this way recently. I've struggled the last couple of weeks with wondering if I'm really as skillfull and creative as I hoped I was.
Later when I got home, I started paying bills and realized that my bi-weekly paycheck only supports me for a week. It happens every time - I pay my bills and barely have enough to get by on, then I have to go ask JP for money (which don't get me wrong, he is always more than willing to give - I just hate asking). Then I think about how miniature my bills are compared to his and I realize how if I was still single, I would not even make enough money to support myself and a small apartment. I'd still be living at mom and dad's.
Today I'm struggling with the thought that I don't really excel at anything. I'm kind of what the saying calls a "jack of all trades, master of none." I'm pretty good at a lot of things, but not great any of them. Lies from the devil? Or just a sobering taste of reality? Let God decide.
I'd love to find something that I absolutely love to do that I really excel at. I'd love it to be some sort of photography or video editing or something artsy like that. Are these kinds of goals something to shoot for? Or is it better to just accept me and the talents the Lord gave me for who I am, even if I never master any of them?
All of this pondering brought a song back to my mind from WAY back in 1993 (I know, most of you are thinking 'gee, that's not so long ago'...but just to put it into perspective - I was 11 years old in 1993). It's an Amy Grant tune (I used to be her biggest fan back then - I can't stand her new stuff).

When the weight of all my dreams
Is resting heavy on my head,
And the thoughtful words of health and hope
Have all been nicely said.

But I’m still hurting,
Wondering if I’ll ever be
The one I think I am.

Then you gently re-remind me
That you’ve made me from the first,
And the more I try to be the best
The more I get the worst.

And I realize the good in me,
Is only there because of who you are.

And all I ever have to be
Is what you’ve made me.
Any more or less would be a step
Out of your plan.

As you daily recreate me,
Help me always keep in mind
That I only have to do
What I can find.

And all I ever have to be
All I have to be
All I ever have to be
Is what you’ve made me.

Our Little Pupsicle

Don't ask...

Code has been Cracked!

The code hidden in the ruling for the Da Vinci Code copyright lawsuit has been cracked!
The key to the judge's code was solved by the London Times using a mathematical code in the book by Dan Brown. Using the math ... the Times deciphered a sequence of italicized letters in the judge's text.

It says: "Smithy Code Jackie Fisher who are you Dreadnought."

It's a reference to an Admiral in the Royal Navy who revolutionized military warfare with the battleship Dreadnought. Apparently the judge is a big fan of military history.
Will somebody please get this man a hobby???

Judge Adds Code in "Da Vinci" Ruling

(AP) LONDON - The judge who presided at the "Da Vinci Code" copyright infringement trial has put a code of his own into his ruling, and he said Wednesday he would "probably" confirm it to the person who breaks it.

Since Judge Peter Smith delivered his ruling April 7, lawyers in London and New York began noticing odd italicizations in the 71-page document.

In the weeks afterward, would-be code-breakers got to work on deciphering Smith's code.

"I can't discuss the judgment," Smith said in a brief conversation with The Associated Press, "but I don't see why a judgment should not be a matter of fun."

Italics are placed in strange spots: The first is found in the first paragraph of the 360-paragraph document. The letter "s" in the word "claimants" is italicized.

In the next paragraph, "claimant" is spelled with an italicized "m," and so on.

The italicized letters in the first seven paragraphs spell out "Smithy code," playing on the judge's name.

Lawyer Dan Tench, with the London firm Olswang, said he noticed the code when he spotted the striking italicized script in an online copy of the judgment.

"To encrypt a message in this manner, in a High Court judgment no less? It's out there," Tench said. "I think he was getting into the spirit of the thing. It doesn't take away from the validity of the judgment. He was just having a bit of fun."

Smith was arguably the highlight of the trial, with his acerbic questions and witty observations making the sometimes dry testimony more lively. Though Smith on Wednesday refused to discuss the judgment or acknowledge outright that he'd inserted a secret code in its pages, he said: "They don't look like typos, do they?"

When asked if someone would break the code, Smith said: "I don't know. It's not a difficult thing to do." And when asked if he would confirm a correct guess to an aspiring code-breaker, he said, "Probably."

Tench said the judge teasingly remarked that the code is a mixture of the italicized font code found in the book "The Holy Blood and the Holy Grail" — whose authors were suing Dan Brown's publisher, Random House, for copyright infringement — and the code found Brown's "The Da Vinci Code."

Authors Michael Baigent and Richard Leigh had sued Random House Inc., claiming Brown's best-selling novel "appropriated the architecture" of their 1982 nonfiction book, "The Holy Blood and the Holy Grail."

Both books explore theories that Jesus married Mary Magdalene, the couple had a child and the bloodline survives, ideas dismissed by most historians and theologians.

"The Da Vinci Code" has sold more than 40 million copies — including 12 million hardcovers in the United States — since its release in March 2003. It came out in paperback in the United States earlier this year, and quickly sold more than 500,000 copies. An initial print run of 5 million has already been raised to 6 million.

Since the judgment was handed down three weeks ago, Tench said it took several weeks — and several watchful eyes — to catch the code. Now, London and New York attorneys are scrambling to solve it.

"I think it has caught the particular imagination of Americans," Tench said. "To have a British, staid High Court judge encrypt a judgment in this manner, it's jolly fun."

I'm definitely going to try to break the code," said attorney Mark Stephens, when learning of its existence.

"Judges have been known to write very sophisticated and amusing judgments," Stephens said. "This trend started long ago ... one did a judgment in rhyme, another in couplets. There has been precedent for this.

"It adds a bit of fun of what might have been a dusty text," he said.

If you want to try to crack the code, you can link to a PDF of the ruling here.

Praise You in The Storm

I was sure by now that You would have reached down
And wiped our tears away
Stepped in and saved the day
But once again, I say "Amen"
and it's still raining

As the thunder rolls,
I barely hear You whisper through the rain
"I'm with you"
And as Your mercy falls
I raise my hands and praise the God
Who gives and takes away

I'll praise You in this storm
And I will lift my hands
For You are who You are
No matter where I am
Every tear I've cried
You hold in Your hand
You never left my side
And though my heart is torn
I will praise You in this storm

I remember when I stumbled in the wind
You heard my cry, You raised me up again
My strength is almost gone
How can I carry on
If I can't find You

As the thunder rolls
I barely hear You whisper through the rain
"I'm with you"
And as Your mercy falls
I raise my hands and praise the God
Who gives and takes away

I lift my eyes unto the hills
Where does my help come from?
My help comes from the Lord
The Maker of Heaven and Earth


-Casting Crowns

I love spring

Here are some pictures of some of the lovely things blooming in my yard right now. The tree is a pear tree, and unfortunately, we're going to be chopping it down soon. It's beautiful now, but come August it drops millions of pears everywhere which in turn get rotten and attract bees right by our back door. If I picked them all up, I could gather about two grocery bags full of pears each day for two months. And they smell. So despite all of its beauty, it must go. At least I have these pictures to remember it by.
The other is my azaleas. They will stay.
I can't wait for it to get little bit warmer out so I can really get my hands dirty out in the yard. I don't have much of a green thumb, but I want to learn. I have a lot of work to do, though, because the people who lived here before us, although they had a yard full of beautiful plants, didn't keep it up and everything is overgrown.
I love spring.

One of my new favorite things:

National Denominations

Thanks to Dean Bonde for passing along these very interesting maps:






Funny...I didn't see a map for "Bapticostal." :)

Humuhumunukunukuapuaa

Pronounced: Hoo-moo-hoo-moo-noo-koo-noo-koo-ah-poo-ah-ah
This is the actual name of this species of fish pictured above. It used to be the Hawaii state fish, but it's "state fish status" expired...so now Hawaiians are working to get it reinstated.
They call it the Humuhumu (Hoo-moo-hoo-moo) for short.
Isn't that hilarious? Or am I just WAY too tired at 3:52 am...???

Graveyard Shift

Right now it's 3:00am on Wednesday morning and I'm at work. I picked up the overnight shift two nights this week. The first was Sunday night into Monday morning and it went pretty well. I'm not holding up as well for this second one. I have told hold out for three more hours...plus the car ride home...then I'm going to collapse.

The "big news" today is that Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes had their baby. A little girl they named Suri - which means "Princess" in Hebrew (I guess that's where the name "Sara" comes from?) and "Red Rose" in Persian.

I'm sorry...but is this really the "big news?"

Did anyone see Don Shelby's "In The Know" last night at 10pm? He expressed my feelings exactly about the TomKat baby exactly. When the baby was born, word came out over the Associated Press wires as an urgent - yes, URGENT - bulletin. The same status as the bulletins we received on 9/11. When urgent bulletins cross our wires here at the station, little alarms go off to warn of big news.

Quoth Don:
"When we learned of the terrorist attack on the World Trade Center, the wires styled the news an "urgent bulletin."
Okay, I'm going to ask the question straight out: What in the world has happened to us?
It used to be, when the alarms went off on our wire machines, we yelled, "Stop the presses." So, with nuclear sabers being rattled in Iran, the war in Iraq and Nigeria threatening the worlds oil supply, I expect some urgency in the bulletin. The next time the urgent bells go off in the newsroom, I'll take my time, even though it might be late word on Jennifer and Vince's engagement."

Easter Sunday

O sacred Head, now wounded, with grief and shame weighed down,
Now scornfully surrounded with thorns, Thine only crown;
How pale Thou art with anguish, with sore abuse and scorn!
How does that visage languish, which once was bright as morn!

What Thou, my Lord, hast suffered, was all for sinners’ gain;
Mine, mine was the transgression, but Thine the deadly pain.
Lo, here I fall, my Savior! ’Tis I deserve Thy place;
Look on me with Thy favor, vouchsafe to me Thy grace.

Now from Thy cheeks has vanished their color once so fair;
From Thy red lips is banished the splendor that was there.
Grim death, with cruel rigor, hath robbed Thee of Thy life;
Thus Thou hast lost Thy vigor, Thy strength in this sad strife.

My burden in Thy Passion, Lord, Thou hast borne for me,
For it was my transgression which brought this woe on Thee.
I cast me down before Thee, wrath were my rightful lot;
Have mercy, I implore Thee; Redeemer, spurn me not!

What language shall I borrow to thank Thee, dearest friend,
For this Thy dying sorrow, Thy pity without end?
O make me Thine forever, and should I fainting be,
Lord, let me never, never outlive my love to Thee.

Here I will stand beside Thee, from Thee I will not part;
O Savior, do not chide me! When breaks Thy loving heart,
When soul and body languish in death’s cold, cruel grasp,
Then, in Thy deepest anguish, Thee in mine arms I’ll clasp.

The joy can never be spoken, above all joys beside,
When in Thy body broken I thus with safety hide.
O Lord of Life, desiring Thy glory now to see,
Beside Thy cross expiring, I’d breathe my soul to Thee.

Be Thou my consolation, my shield when I must die;
Remind me of Thy passion when my last hour draws nigh.
Mine eyes shall then behold Thee, upon Thy cross shall dwell,
My heart by faith enfolds Thee. Who dieth thus dies well.

Malachi, 4 and a half months

He is so stinkin' cute....

Good Friday

Am I a stone and not a sheep
That I can stand, O Christ, beneath Thy Cross,
To number drop by drop Thy Blood's slow loss,
And yet not weep?

Not so those women loved
Who with exceeding grief lamented Thee;
Not so falled Peter weeping bitterly;
Not so the theif was moved;

Not so the Sun and Moon
Which hid their faces in a starless sky,
A horror of great darkness at broad noon --
I, only I.

Yet give not o'er,
But seek Thy sheep, true Shepherd of the flock;
Greater than Moses, turn and look once more
And smite a rock.

-Christina Georgina Rossetti

"Pink" as Role Model

By default today, I just so happened to be watching the Ellen DeGeneres show on Channel 4. She had singer/star "Pink" on her show talking about her controversial song and music video, "Stupid Girls." During the interview, Pink was talking about how she wants to be a roll model for girls by living her life as an example of how to not conform.
The very next thing she said made me shake my head, and I quote: "It's fun to be different, be rebellious, and make your own decisions."
*Sigh*
I don't have daughters, but I know this isn't the type of roll model I want in my future childrens' lives. This is such humanistic thinking. Rebellion is not fun. It cuts you off and leaves you alone. And trying to make your own decisions will always end up in peril. Let God make the decisions in your life.

Who Do You Look Like?

This is fun.

Go to this website, upload a photo, and it will scan your face and tell you what celebrities you look like.

For me: Julianne Moore, Kelly Clarkson, and Jessica Alba.
For JP: Sugar Ray Robinson, Cuba Gooding Jr. and - my person favorite - Shania Twain!

Give it a shot and then post your results on the comments page!

God Isn't Mad At Us

Just in time for Easter, God gave me the simplest and sweetest revelation last night. I was visiting my dad's church and we were singing the song "Freely We Can Come to the Lord our God." The lyrics say "Freely we can come to the Lord our God, FOR HIS ANGER WAS SPENT ON HIS ONLY SON that freely we could come to the Lord."
I've been singing that song since I was a little girl, but I never "got it" until last night - God took out all of His anger for all the nasty things we've ever done, or ever will do, on Jesus...so that you and I can still freely come before Him without any condemnation.
I've never been one to struggle with the idea of God being mad at me, but I know a lot of people who do. Maybe you do. Perhaps you think, "God is so upset with me; that's why He's not speaking to me right now. I don't blame Him - how could He ever forgive someone like me? He's mad at me. He doesn't want to talk to me."
That thinking couldn't be more wrong. I've always known this, but I've never known why. I'd always just tell people, "No way, God's not mad at you."
"Well, why not? He got mad at the Israelites. He got mad at lots of people in the Bible - wiped out entire nations!"
"Yeah, but he's not mad. He's God. He's just not like that." But I never had a solid reason why. Now I do.
The reason that God isn't mad is because He took out all of his anger on Jesus.
Have you ever been so mad at someone that you just wanted to break something, or someone?!!? I have. I've gotten so mad that I'd love nothing more than to punch holes in every one of my walls, break glass things in the street, and kick things HARD. I think God used to get mad like that back in the day. That's why he wiped out places like Soddom and Gomorrah. But when Jesus died, God took out all of that on him. That would be like someone who has never done anything wrong, who is always just and fair and holy, getting so fed up with the ones they loved more than anything being rebellious that they found an innocent puppy (in this case, a lamb) and took out all of their fury on that innocent being - but not only past furies...future furies, too. Then from that day on, God's wrath was appeased. Jesus took the wrath for not only everything we've done, but everything we're going to do. God's not mad at us anymore. He never will be again.
Here's the additional revelation I had today - After dying for everything we've ever done or will do wrong, Jesus rose from the dead. O Grave, where is your victory?!! Even every sin of the world wasn't enough to keep Him down - Love truly did conquer all.
So the next time you feel condemned, like you can't come to God because He's so upset with you, just remember that God's anger has already been spent on Jesus. He's not mad at us.

Neutered

Our poor, poor, poor Caleb got neutered today. He has to wear this cone around his head to keep him from licking the incision, and he absolutely hates it. He's so sad...he just keeps crying. And the worst part is, he has to wear it for a week. And for a week there's to be little or no jumping, playing, wrestling or romping. Basically, he can't be a puppy.
The picture by the water bowl is very telling because Caleb LOVES water and will always drink anything put in front of him. Sometimes he even drinks until he pukes and we have to take it away. But this time he barely even noticed it.
The little bands around his legs are bandaids. A closer look reveals that he has been shaved in those areas on his legs. Poor little guy. Supposedly by tomorrow he should be back to his little self, and it's my and JP's job to keep him from getting too excited.
So if you think of it, have a little moment of silence for Caleb Charlebois today.

Kawasaki Z1000

So...apparently our "new" motorcycle wasn't big or fast enough for JP, so he took it back and got this one instead - a Kawasaki Z1000.
We went for a ride last night and it's WAY better than the other one. Much more comfortable, smooth, and powerful.
The invitation still stands for anyone who wants to go for a spin. :)

Complete and Effective Decision about Sin

. . . our old man was crucified with Him, that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves of sin
—Romans 6:6

"Co-Crucifixion. Have you made the following decision about sin— that it must be completely killed in you? It takes a long time to come to the point of making this complete and effective decision about sin. It is, however, the greatest moment in your life once you decide that sin must die in you-not simply be restrained, suppressed, or counteracted, but crucified— just as Jesus Christ died for the sin of the world. No one can bring anyone else to this decision. We may be mentally and spiritually convinced, but what we need to do is actually make the decision that Paul urged us to do in this passage.

"Pull yourself up, take some time alone with God, and make this important decision, saying, "Lord, identify me with Your death until I know that sin is dead in me." Make the moral decision that sin in you must be put to death.

"This was not some divine future expectation on the part of Paul, but was a very radical and definite experience in his life. Are you prepared to let the Spirit of God search you until you know what the level and nature of sin is in your life— to see the very things that struggle against God’s Spirit in you? If so, will you then agree with God’s verdict on the nature of sin— that it should be identified with the death of Jesus? You cannot "reckon yourselves to be dead indeed to sin" ( Romans 6:11 ) unless you have radically dealt with the issue of your will before God.

"Have you entered into the glorious privilege of being crucified with Christ, until all that remains in your flesh and blood is His life? "I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me . . ." ( Galatians 2:20 )."

-Oswald Chambers, My Utmost for His Highest

Can't Help Smiling!

Check out this picture I found - I have no idea who this baby is, but when you look at it, you just can't help but smile!!!!!!!!
May this baby's joy brighten your Monday!

1 year later

Happy 1 year Anniversary to my favorite sister and her hubby, Pete.
Love you guys!!!

P.S. Sorry, this really was the best picture I had of you guys on my computer!!! :)

Did Jesus Actually Walk on Ice?

As if Jesus schemeing with Judas wasn't enough, now a FL State professor says Jesus probalby didn't actually walk on water, but on a hard-to-see patch of ice.
Hmmm...
...my Bible says he walked on water. How about yours?
Here's the article:

"Jesus walked on water, according to the Bible, but a Florida State University professor says he may have actually walked on a hard-to-see patch of ice.
Doron Nof, a professor of oceanography, said a rare combination of water and atmospheric conditions in the Sea of Galilee 2000 years ago may offer a scientific explanation for one of the miracles recounted in the Bible.
Nof said a patch of ice floating in the Sea of Galilee - which is actually a freshwater lake - would have been difficult to distinguish from unfrozen water surrounding it.
According to the New Testament books of Matthew, Mark and John, Jesus' disciples were out on the Galilee at night when a storm came up.
Jesus walked to the terrified men, who thought he was a ghost, according to the accounts.
Nof's research appears in the April issue of the Journal of Paleolimnology, a publication on the reconstruction of lake histories.
Nof's co-authors are biostatistics professor Ian McKeague of Columbia University and atmospheric science professor Nathan Paldor of Hebrew University of Jerusalem.
They came up with the theory after studying records of long-ago water temperatures in the Mediterranean Sea, based on core samples of shells and other animal remains taken from the bottom.
The records indicated that two lengthy periods 2,500 to 1,500 years ago were chilly enough for ice patches to form during cold spells on the Sea of Galilee, said Nof, a native of Israel.
The unfrozen water surrounding the ice would have come from salty springs along the lake's western shore, he said. Salty water freezes at lower temperatures than fresh water.
Some people, including Reverend Rick Eckard, are reacting with skepticism to Nof's study.
Eckard thinks the theory is a stretch and kind of funny, but he says it doesn't change his faith. The Lutheran pastor says scientists don't have an explanation for everything.
Mike McCarron of the Florida Catholic Conference calls the study intriguing, but he's skeptical of the findings."

Can we say...Gnostics???

"A papyrus manuscript written around 300 A.D. indicates that Jesus wanted his disciple Judas to give him up and help him shed his physical existence, scholars said today."

Bologna.
Read the article for yourself, but gee whiz what will they come up with next? They say the manuscript has been verified with carbon dating. Great, you mean the same carbon dating that says the earth is millions and billions of years old? The same carbon dating that said a pig's tooth was part of a prehistoric skeleton? The same carbon dating that said the body of a freshly dead seal was 1300 years old? The same carbon datin that dates the shells of living snails as being 27,000 year old???
Forgive me for being critical, but carbon dating just doesn't seem to hold up in my book.

Read the article here.

This is Amazing

Eva Cassidy is one of the most amazing musicians I have ever heard. She died of cancer in 1996. She sings so effortlessly. I wish I had one ounce of her talent. Amazing.
You can read more about Eva's life and death by clicking here.

P.S. Did you notice I learned how to post videos??? :)

Logan Chews out Blitzer

By clickin on this link, you will be forwarded to a video of an interview between Wolf Blitzer and Lara Logan, a journalist embedded in Iraq. The interview is in response to the Bush administration's complaints that journalists are only reporting the BAD news out of Iraq, not any of the good news. Lara Logan got really mad about that and gave Blitzer an earful about how they can't report most of the good stuff because security won't let them. Interesting to watch, and I'm curious as to what you all think of it.
I haven't figured out how to post a video yet, so I'm just posting the link. Click Here to watch.

Couric to Replace Dan Rather

Katie Couric is leaving the Today show to take Dan Rather's old job anchoring the CBS evening news. This is big stuff. She's been with "Today" for 15 years and will be the first woman to anchor a network newscast by herself.
This is supposedly great for CBS - which is cool because I work for CBS - but I wonder how well she will "fit" on an evening newscast filled with mostly "hard" news. Katie is very reputable and people trust and like her, but one of the best things about her is her cheerful personality, which won't get to shine on an evening newscast. I wonder if she'll be happy here, regardless of the RIDICULOUS amount of money I'm sure she's getting to do this.

Here is what the AP wire had to say:

On her 15th anniversary on "Today," Katie Couric told viewers Wednesday she's leaving to join CBS and become the first woman to solely anchor a network evening newscast.
"I wanted to tell all of you out there ... that after listening to my heart and my gut ... I've decided I'll be leaving 'Today' at the end of May," she said. "I really feel as if we've become friends through the years."
The 49-year-old Couric, the longest-serving anchor in "Today" show history, is expected to replace Bob Schieffer on the third-rated CBS broadcast in September.
Following a months-long guessing game that has consumed the TV industry, Couric chose the 15th anniversary of her first day as "Today" co-host in 1991 to say that it's time for a change.
"It's been such an honor and a privilege to occupy this seat for as long as I have," she said. "Sometimes I think change is a good thing," Couric said. "Although it may be terrifying to get out of your comfort zone, it's also very exciting to start a new chapter in your life."
"It's hard to imagine being here and not having you sitting next to us," co-host Matt Lauer told her.
The bold move simultaneously forces NBC to find a new team for "Today," television's most profitable news program, and gives CBS News President Sean McManus a major success in his effort to lure more stars to his beleaguered news organization.
Meredith Vieira of the daytime chat show "The View" has emerged as the leading candidate to team with Lauer. Vieira, a former CBS News reporter who won a Daytime Emmy as host of "Who Wants to Be a Millionaire," had previously turned down offers to return to news since joining "The View."
Couric, Lauer, newsreader Ann Curry and weathercaster Al Roker have formed TV news' most successful morning team in history since 1997, with "Today" riding an unprecedented 10-year ratings winning streak.
During that time, morning news programs have simultaneously grown in influence and have become important entertainment vehicles. The job required Couric to both interview presidents and don goofy costumes on Halloween.
Couric's NBC contract extends to the end of May and she's expected to remain at "Today" through that ratings sweeps month.
The lure of trying something new and making history in the evening proved enticing to Couric, who is also expected to contribute to "60 Minutes." She spurned a more lucrative offer -- about $20 million a year -- to remain at NBC and accept CBS' bid at a salary near her current range of $13 million to $15 million, according to a non-network person close to negotiations who spoke on condition of anonymity.
With Schieffer filling in during the year since Dan Rather's exit, the "CBS Evening News" is the only network evening newscast rising in the ratings. But it's still in third place behind NBC and ABC.
"I will be delighted if she came," Schieffer said Tuesday. "I think she'll be a great addition to a very good news team. ... I've known Katie for years and I think the world of her."
If a deal with Vieira can't be reached, the top in-house candidates to replace Couric are "Today" weekend anchor Campbell Brown, NBC reporter Natalie Morales and Curry.
"If it comes to an end, I'll be the first to cry," Curry told "Access Hollywood" about Couric before her colleague's announcement. "If she leaves, she'll be very hard to replace."

Prom Dresses Needed!

My dad’s church, Maranatha Christian Fellowship, is holding a fundraiser and needs your help! They’re going to be selling lightly used prom / homecoming / bridesmaid / formal dresses and donating the proceeds to the church.

If you have old dresses taking up space in your closet that you know you’ll never wear again but just haven’t gotten rid of yet, NOW IS YOUR CHANCE!!!! Please let me know A.S.A.P. and I will come pick them up. It's a win-win situation: you get rid of those old dresses, and the kingdom of God moves forward!

Also, if you have a young female in your life who is looking for an affordable and fashionable special event dress, send them to Maranatha for the big sale on April 15, 2006! Address is 2800 University Ave in Minneapolis (U of M Campus).

Again, if you have dresses you’d like to donate, please respond to this post and I will come pick them up. But please respond soon as April 15th is not far away!

Thanks!

One bike, Two bike, Black bike, New bike

This is a picture of our new bike - a Triumph Speed Four 600. It's awesome. And fast. And furious.

Our other "older" bike is seen below - a Suzuki Intruder 1400. Big. Loud. Mean.



Anybody want to go for a ride?

Let me Clarify:

In regards to my last post about the man who is on strike from his wife, let me make these clarifications:

I think neither of them are right, but I tend to agree with the husband.
I don't think he's right to be on strike and be sleeping on the roof, but I certainly DO think that if he doesn't want the children in the bed, the children should be out of the bed.
First of all, in the soundbite I ran on my newscast today, the wife says the husband just needs to understand that the children come first. I heartily disagree. I will always maintain that spouses come BEFORE children in priority. Always. When you married your husband or wife, you made a life-long promise to love, honor and respect that person. Obviously this man has asked his wife repeatedlly not to have the children in the bed and she continues to refuse. That is not respect. In fact, by refusing she's not only making it clear to him that she thinks his opinions and wishes are insignificant, but she's ALSO teaching her children to disrespect him - "Daddy doesn't know what he's talking about." You children can never learn to respect your spouse and honor his or her wishes if you won't do the same.
Secondly, letting your children sleep in your bed with you is extremely dangerous, as any doctor will tell you. THE #1 CAUSE OF DEATH IN INFANTS IS BEING SMOTHERED/SUFFOCATING/CRUSHED WHILE SLEEPING IN BED WITH THEIR PARENTS. #1 folks. It's a fact. Letting your kids sleep in your bed is not a safe idea. Nor is it beneficial to the child, which brings me to my next point -
I think that woman is going to spoil those kids by letting them sleep in bed until they're as old as they are. Children of parents who let them do this will learn to only fall alseep in your or someone else's arms. They have to learn to sleep in their own beds, and I would argue at a very young age. I knew a person once who slept in her parents bed off and on until she was 21 years old because her parents never did anything about it. She was too scared to sleep or even be alone, even after she got married. The fact is that parents LIKE for their babies to fall alseep in their arms or on their chests. It makes them feel loved and needed. I think that's a pretty selfish reason to not only put your child in danger, but also set them up for a lifetime of having to overcome the fear of being alone.
I do not think it is an unreasonable request for a husband to want the kids out of the bedroom, nor is it unreasonable for the husband to desire more quality time with his wife. Any relationship would suffer without quality time alone, even if it's just for a few hours while going to bed at night. A person needs a place of rest, and what better place than the bedroom. A bedroom is not a playroom.
Nowhere in this article has it been said that this man is a poor father, that he doesn't help with the kids, etc. IT SIMPLY SAYS HE DOESN'T WANT THEM TO SLEEP IN HIS BED ANYMORE. This is far beyond reasonable - it's the simplest request and the wife just won't do it.

NOW...

On to the husband. If a man needs respect, a woman needs love. If a woman is not loved, it is very much unlikely that she will respect. Same goes for a man - if he is not respected, loving will be difficult. If this man wants his wife to respect him and his wishes, public humiliation of his wife was NOT the way to go about getting it. I'm sure she feels hurt and exposed and uncovered by the man who is supposed to be loving and sheltering her.

So I think they're both wrong. The wife needs to put her husband first, and the husband needs to stop uncovering his wife. Oh, AND THOSE KIDS NEED TO GET OUT OF THE BED!!!!

Husbandonstrike.com

In the news today:
A husband in Michigan is making national headlines for going on strike against his wife.
James Wilson moved out of the bedroom and onto the roof. He says he's tired of his wife, Valentina, letting their kids sleep in their bed. He says he wants more time alone with her. He's even opened a blog: husbandonstrike.com to get support.
I'm not condoning this in any way, but check out the site. It has pictures of his protest, of his toy-covered bed, and stories of other couples facing unusual marital issues around the world. For instance, one Jordanian man divorced his wife after discovering that she was also his virtual girlfriend.
After checking it out, thank God for your husband or wife. Go to them, tell them you love them and ask them if there's anything more you can do to show them your love every day - the way they want/need to receive it, NOT just the way you want to give it.

Bath Time for Caleb

What a Mess

Right now, my house is a disaster area. Demolition crews (aka: JP & Co.) have torn out half of my kitchen: there are no cabinets or counters on the south wall, and all of the pots, pans, canned goods, and other miscellaneous items that stayed in the cabinets that used to be there are now scattered about the remaining counters, the kitchen table, and the "back room." (If any of you have ever seen the infamous "back room," you understand why I have it in quotation marks.
Our old office desk is sitting in the middle of the living room, cramped between the coffee table and the piano bench. A huge box of books takes up the space just beyond the front entry way, leaving a small path through which you must pass to reach the rest of the house.
We are in the middle of remodeling our house. The kitchen, when it is completed, will boast new tile floors, fresh paint, new countertops, cabinets, and lighting fixtures. The office has brand new furniture with plenty of space for JP to run his business from and, once I get the ducky wallpaper stripped off, will also have new paint. There will be new curtains for the bedroom, new paint and towels for the bathroom, and the living room will also receive paint and, if we get really adventurous, hardwood floors.
It's all going to look wonderful - if we ever get there. Sometimes I wonder if we will. It seems like such a long, stressful battle. Right now all I can see is the mess in front of me. I have a vision of what it will look like when it's done, but that vision often seems so far away.
This reminds me of my life. So many times I feel like my life is a mess, cluttered with the junk that I'm trying to clear out and replace with the new. It's a process, a hard one, but worth it in the end.
The good news is that I have a Master Remodeler working on my life. He's helping to clear out the old and bring in the new. He has the blueprint, all the master plans. I'm just a sub-contractor, working under His guidance to do the things I need to do to get the job done.
Just like my house will be a "whole new house" when our remodeling is completed, so my life is a new thing when God is done with me.
But then again, He's never done with me. :)

2Cr 5:17 Therefore if any man [be] in Christ, [he is] a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.

Irish Eyes are Smilin'!

Are You Happy?

Interesting Study....

"A new study by the Pew Research Group says Republicans are happier than Democrats.
People who worship often are happier than those who don't.
Married people are happier than unmarried.
And no surprise here: People who live in the sunbelt are happier than everyone else."

Houdini Dog

Yesterday I got home from work and my little dog Caleb greeted me at the front door. That may sound fairly typical, but it's NOT because we pen Caleb up during the day. Up until recently, he's stayed in his kennel, but for the past few days we've been penning him in the kitchen where he can hang out and still have access to his doggie-door to go outside.
So for him to greet me at the door was very strange. I looked around and noticed the gate was still latched. I walked into the kitchen and new he had started in there, because my mop was chewed to smithereenes. Still, I had no idea how he got into the living room.
I asked our two renters downstairs if either of them had let him out - they both said no. It was then that I got the sneaking suspicion that Caleb had learned how to climb or jump over the gate.
This morning when Caleb and I got up for work, I did a little experiement. I penned him up, then walked away and hid around the corner. For a while he jumped up on the gate and tried to get over, but couldn't. Finally he seemed to give up and go outside. But seconds later, he came RUNNING back in from the backyard covered in snow, made a GIANT leap, landed with his little front paws over the top of the gate, and pulled himself over, landing in the living room with a thud and dropping snow everywhere. Amazing.
I was going to scold him, but he came prancing up to me so proud of his accomplishment, tail wagging, and sat down "like a good little dog" right at my feet as if to say, "Did you see my trick? Do I get a treat?" It was so cute I started laughing and had to pat his little head.
Unfortunately, now Caleb has to go back to the old kennel until he can be trusted around the house by himself. I wouldn't be surprised if my little houdini dog finds his way out of that one of these days, too.

PEERS Test

Since you all seem to like these quizzes, here's one each and every one of you REALLY SHOULD take. It's called the PEERS Test, put out by the Nehemiah Institute.

The PEERS Test is designed to identify your primary worldview in five areas of life: Politics (civil government), Economics, Education, Religion, and Social Issues (PEERS). The test will rate your views in one of four worldview categories: Biblical Theism, Moderate Christian, Secular Humanism or Socialism.

This quiz is extremely eye-opening. I would wager that once you take the test, you will be surprised, even shocked and mildly appalled at your results. You may be baffled to find that your worldview (the way you look at the world) resembles more of a secular humanist mindset that than of Biblical Christianity, thanks to the public education most of us have been brainwashed with.

While I'm on the subject, let me make a plug for Summit Ministries in Colorado Springs, CO. Summit’s mission is to equip Christians to defend the biblical worldview and expose the subtle lies of Secular Humanism. It is VITAL that each and every one of us know how to stand up against the "vain philosophy and empty deciet" being thrown at us from all directions. But we can't do that until we are able to recognize these philosophies. That's where Summit comes in. They have these amazing two-week summer conferences in Colorado Springs that equip men and women to recognize thinking that is contrary to Biblical Christianity and teach them how to defend their faith in all sorts of social, economic, religious and educational issues.

My Dad's church takes a handful of college kids out to this conference every year. I've been twice. It's truly amazing - it will change your life. I would highly recommend going, or if that's not possible, at least buying a copy of Dr. David Noebel's (President of Summit Ministries) book, Understanding the Times: The Religious Worldviews of Our Day.

There is also a video that you can watch that will tell you more about Summit and its mission.

All that said - PLEASE TAKE THE PEERS TEST. You will not find out your scores today. They will mail them to you along with a description of what they all mean. This is actually a mini-PEERS test. The full version is available to take on their website, but costs a couple bucks.

Col 2:8 Beware lest any man spoil you through empty philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ.

2Ti 2:15 Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.

2Cr 10:3-5
For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh: (For the weapons of our warfare [are] not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;) Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ.

Are you A Heretic?

My dad tipped me off to this great site. Test to see whether or not you're a heretic! There a link to take the quiz at the bottom of my results:

You scored as Chalcedon compliant. You are Chalcedon compliant. Congratulations, you're not a heretic. You believe that Jesus is truly God and truly man and like us in every respect, apart from sin. Officially approved in 451. Chalcedon compliant 100% Modalism 67% Pelagianism 33% Monophysitism 33% Monarchianism 33% Arianism 0% Apollanarian 0% Adoptionist 0% Docetism 0% Gnosticism 0% Nestorianism 0% Albigensianism 0% Socinianism 0% Donatism 0% Are you a heretic? created with QuizFarm.com

"Roe v. Wade for Men"

There's a new lawsuit today from the National Center for Men that's been nicknamed "Roe v. Wade for Men." It has to do with a man's choice not to have a child and avoid the financial responsibilities required with fatherhood.
Basically, what the group is saying is that women have more options when it comes to unexpected and/or unwanted pregnancies than men do. A woman has the "right to choose" to either keep or abort the baby, whether the husband wants it or not. If he wants to keep the baby, but she wants to abort it, she gets to abort it. If he wants to abort the baby and avoid child support, but she wants to keep it, she gets to keep it and he must pay.
This is very interesting to me. So much fuss is made over a woman's right to choose, but what about a man's right to choose? Obviously, these men are fighting for the right to require the woman to abort the child, but if they gain the right to do that, then logically they "should" have the right to require the woman to keep the child. But a law of that nature was shot down just a couple months ago.
I'll be intersted to see how all of this turns out. My guess is that it will not go through, which will cause a huge fuss about unequal rights. Then men everywhere will freak out saying they were forced into paying child support and single moms everywhere will end up fending for themselves will no support from their children's fathers.
You can read more about this by clicking here.

Ugly Little Guy, Ain't He?

Divers have discovered a new crustacean in the South Pacific that resembles a lobster and is covered with what looks like silky, blonde fur, French researchers said Tuesday. Scientists said the animal, which they named Kiwa hirsuta, was so distinct from other species that they created a new genus and new family for it.

Reelfoot, Tennessee

The picture you are looking it is of sunset on Reelfoot Lake. The lake was formed way back in the 1800's when a major earthquake caused the Mississippi to flow backwards for about a day. It's a beautiful place swarming with beautiful cypress trees (seen here).
It's also in the middle of nowhere - and the site of a family reunion we went to this weekend.
We had a great time, and the area really was beautiful - but LARD ALMAGHTY was it ever COUNTRY down thir! I think JP experienced quite a bit of culture shock. His first impression of southern living was when we pulled up to our hotel. We warned him it wasn't much, but I don't think he was prepared to sleep in a finished-out pole barn! The look on his face was priceless. And this was the best place in town....
Once he got used to his surroundings - and the ceaseless, twangy chatter of my relatives - he then had to get used to the food. Biscuits and Gravy, catfish, hush puppies, fried okra, and even FROG LEGS are normal menu items at the local Lakeview Diner. I'm proud of him, though, as he DID at least try the frog legs.
We had plenty of adventure to keep us occupied. My aunt Anita suffered a minor stroke on Saturday night and had to be carried off in an ambulance, much to her annoyance and resistance.(Don't worry, she is fine now) JP paid my younger brother Joe $50 to eat a live minnow. And the guys built a potato gun and shot it at each other. Good, clean, southern fun.
We had a great time, with exception of the 14-hour drive home, during which everybody was simply anxious to be back home. Mostly I think JP is just happy to be back to normal eating. He's already determined we're going out to a nice restaurant for dinner tonight. :)

Kirby Puckett Dies at Age 45

It's the top story at noon, five, six and ten: Kirby Puckett died last night from a stroke he suffered Sunday afternoon. Every place I look around the newsroom, someone is researching facts, double-checking them, hunting down interviews, and disecting every possible angle of Mr. Puckett's life to cover in the news. Every angle, that is, except one. It seems as though everybody has either forgotten about or is scared of mentioning Kirby's Puckett's soiled reputation.
Now I'm not trying to be the righteous right hand of God or even distract from the legend of this hall-of-famer. Certainly he was a great athlete, a talented man who did a lot of good for a lot of people, including the state of Minnesota. I just scratch my head at why none of the news coverage includes more articles like these.
"But Audra," you say, "YOU'RE the media and you didn't mention any of that on YOUR show today!"
Guess what - I was overpowered by my superiors. They told me to leave out that stuff - that the viewers get upset when they hear it.
Like I said, not trying to be a party pooper; I just wish that the media's internal editorial thought process would be tempered with something other than sentimental, hero-worshiping amnesia.

The Moment You've All Been Waiting For

Okay, I've given up hope that anyone else will respond and I'm going out of town tomorrow...so here are the much-anticipated answers to the how-well-do-you-know-me-quiz!!!

Oh, but first - the winners:
Tied for First Place - my Dad and Nicole Russell. Well, Dad, actually had one more correct answer, only because he included the bonus questions...but Nicole would have gotten that one right for SURE. So its a tie.
Tied for Second Place - Deb and Priya with 7 correct
Beth had 6 (I can't believe you didn't know my eye color) and Chris gets the honorable mention with 3 (he hasn't known me very long).

Here are the answers:
1.) My middle name is Lynette, not to be confused with my mom's name, Lynn

2.) My eyes are blue, Beth. :)

3.) J.P. stands for James Patrick, although he almost ended up Jean Paul (yikes)

4.) My favorite color is, and always has been, and will always remain - GREEN!!!

5.) I work for WCCO-TV (channel 4)

6.) My favorite musician is Phil Keaggy. If you don't know any of his stuff, I'm not sure why we're friends. Ha ha! Just kidding, but check out his Acoustic Sketches CD.

7.) My birthday is 6/25/1982

8.) I have 3 brothers and 1 sister (not including my bro- & sister-in-law)

9.) This was a trick question! I have one adorable nephew, malachi and TWO nieces or nephews in the oven! No, Amber's not having twins; JP's sister Lisa is also pregnant.

10.) My favorite book is by far Hinds Feet on High Places by Hannah Hurnard, though all of the books on that list are ones I would strongly recommend. Every woman in the world should read Created to Be His Help Meet by Debi Pearl. And Watchman Nee is a spiritual genius.

11.) My favorite movie since the day I saw it has been Braveheart. Gotta love that Mel Gibson. *sigh*

Thanks for playing! We're heading out of town for the weekend, so I'll update on the trip on Tuesday.

Disappointed

I have to say, I'm a little disappointed in the response to the how-well-do-you-know-me quiz from a few days ago. I'm going to insist on hearing from at least 3 or 4 more people before I post the answers. Dad? Amber? Becky? Lyss? Pete? Anybody care to give it a shot?
I'll even throw in a bonus question:

11.) What is my favorite movie?
a.) Sense and Sensibility
b.) The Patriot
c.) Braveheart
d.) Pride and Prejudice

Gay Marriage Ban in Wisconsin?

Wisconsin voters will decide later this year whether to amend the state constitution to ban gay marriage and civil unions. The proposal cleared its final hurdle in the Legislature last night. Approval from the state Assembly puts the amendment on the state ballot in November, when voters will also determine whether Governor Doyle gets a second term in office.

This One's for Stuart:

Bono Honored by Chile's President:

"President Ricardo Lagos gave U2 front man Bono the country's highest award for the arts on Sunday and told him he should learn to play the traditional Andean instrument known as the 'charango.'

The arts medal is named after late Chilean Nobel Prize laureate Pablo Neruda, a poet Bono said he greatly admired.

"He moved me very much," Bono said of Neruda, who died in 1973.

During the ceremony at the La Moneda presidential palace, Lagos also presented Bono with a charango, a small lute-like Andean folk instrument.

"When we were talking before, Bono told me that one must study throughout one's life," Lagos said. "So for his next concert here, I hope he's learned how to play the charango."
It was not the only distinction for Bono during U2's stop in Chile for a concert Sunday night before a crowd of nearly 80,000 people expected in Santiago's main soccer stadium.

Shortly before the concert, Bono received Amnesty International's 2005 "Ambassador of Conscience" award, which was also granted to the other members of U2 - Edge, Larry Mullen Jr., Adam Clayton and manager Paul McGuinness.

The ceremony was attended by President-elect Michelle Bachelet, Chile's first female leader, who is to be inaugurated on March 11.

"You are a reminder to all of us that the world is not changed only by politicians and governments," Bachelet told the musicians. "The world is changed by all of us."

After the ceremony, Bono met with relatives of political dissidents who disappeared during the 1973-90 dictatorship of Gen. Augusto Pinochet.

Bono has met with leaders and received gifts during other stops on the band's swing through Latin America. While in Brazil he discussed the government's anti-poverty program with President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva and received a packet of condoms and anti-AIDS information from the Health Ministry."

A Quiz for You

Just because I'm bored, here's a quiz. See how well you know me. Just post your answers as a comment, then I'll reveal the real answers later.

1.) What is my middle name?
a.) Lynn
b.) Marie
c.) Lynette
d.) Leigh

2.) What color eyes do I have?
a.) Blue
b.) Brown
c.) Hazel
d.) Green

3.) What do my husband's initials (J.P.) stand for?
a.) John Paul
b.) James Patrick
c.) Jacob Paul
d.) John Patrick

4.) What is my favorite color?
a.) Pink
b.) Brown
c.) Blue
d.) Green

5.) Which TV station do I work for?
a.) WCCO 4
b.) KARE 11
c.) KSTP 5
d.) FOX 9

6.) What is my favorite music band / musician?
a.) Delirious
b.) Fake It
c.) Phil Keaggy
d.) Jars of Clay

7.) When is my birthday?
a.) 5/26/1981
b.) 6/25/1982
c.) 6/25/1981
d.) 5/25/1982

8.) How many brothers and sisters do I have?
a.) 1 brother, 3 sisters
b.) 2 brothers, 1 sister
c.) 2 brotheres, 2 sisters
d.) 3 brothers, 1 sister

9.) How many nieces / nephews do I have?
a.) one, and two in the oven
b.) one, and one in the oven
c.) none, but two in the oven
d.) two, and one in the oven

10.) What is my favorite book other than the Bible?
a.) Created to be His Helpmeet by Debi Pearl
b.) Hinds Feet on High Places by Hannah Hurnard
c.) The Normal Christian Life by Watchman Nee
d.) Redeeming Love by Francine Rivers

Answers to come...

David & Mac

This weekend I went with my husband and his cousins Pete & Erin to the Third Day / David Crowder Band concert at the Target Center. It was a pretty good time. I've never been a "huge" fan of the David Crowder Band, but after seeing them in concert, I've changed my mind about a lot of their music. They have a song on their new CD "A Collision" called "You are my Joy." That song rocks my face off.
I also want to give a "holla" out to Chris & Joelle Sanny who tied the knot on Friday and are now camping on the beaches of Hawaii. Congrats, guys, and get a tan for me.

Let's hear it for the UP

JP and I just got back from a weekend of snowboarding in Michigan's Upper Peninsula. We went with a gal I used to go to high school with and her husband. What a fun time - if you're into skiing or snowboarding and you haven't been out to Michigan, I would encourage you to go. It's only 4.5 hours away (WAY better than the 16 it takes to get to Colorado), and there are three great resorts right next to each other, Big Powderhorn, Blackjack, and Indianhead. You can even buy a "hopper" pass that lets you go from resort to resort without having to purchase a new lift ticket.
We rented a chalet that rocked - it was fully stocked with everything you would have forgotten to bring, had Candian cable TV (which is fun to watch, if you never have), and a HUGE hot tub!
We had a couple adventures. Saturday was freezing cold, so we had to bundle up tight. We all looked like a bunch of bank robbers, no skin showing anywhere, not even on our faces. Sunday the weather was much better. I even successfully landed my first "jumps" on a snowboard! But then, on what became the last run of the day, I landed a jump and was on my way to the lift when for no reason I took a nasty tumble and landed smack on my tailbone/left hip. It hurt so much - they had to call ski patrol to come pick me up on a snowmobile and take me up to the lodge. Needless to say, I'm experiencing a fair amount of agony until that heals. :)
We're safe and sound at home now. Thanks to Jim and Margie for watching little Caleb for us while we were away.

Happy Valentine's Day!

This is kind of fun to watch

Florida State University in Tallahassee, Florida has created a very interesting page. It begins as a view of the Milky Way Galaxy viewed from a distance of 10 million light years, and then zooms in toward Earth in powers of ten. Ten million, to one million, to 100,000 light years until you finally reach a large Oak tree in Florida. If ever there was a witness to creation, these folks have captured it for our viewing pleasure!
Click here for the show.

Per Stephanie's Request...

...Here are some more pics taken over the last couple of days. What a cutie!

And the Puppy Name Winner Is...

...Caleb.

There was an overwhelming majority of you who voted for "Charley," but we like Caleb better...so na na na na na na.

We picked him up last night - so cute and cuddly, very affectionate. I have to be honest though - I barely got ANY sleep last night. Caleb was whining and whining and whining from the kitchen where we had him penned up. He finally stopped, then started back up at about 4:00am. When I got up to see if he needed to go potty, he already had - poopy and potty all over the kitchen, and he was standing in it. Praise God for Mr. Clean at 4:00am.

So...I can see this is going to be a learning experience, and I'm happy and willing to go through it. Once he gets accustomed to his surroundings and the new routine, I hope things will get a bit easier.

Special thanks to Margie for making the last-minute decision to travel with me on the eight hour treck through the snow and back to pick him up.

Did I mention how cute he is?

Young, Hip, Reverent

Interesting article in the Star Tribune today.
Click here to read.

Marriage Question

Okay, here is a question for all of you - something I've been hashing over lately - and I need feedback from both men and women.
We all know that within marriage, men and women have different needs. For a woman, the need is to be loved, cherished, and adored. For a man, the need is to be respected, honored, and admired.
Of course, its far easier to understand the concept than it is to actually live out love and respect in a marriage. Things happen, frustration creeps in, and what's known as the "crazy cycle" begins: She becomes frustrated with him (or vice versa), which causes her to disrespect him, which causes him to fail to show her love, which causes her to disrespect him more, and on and on and on. It's not easy to love and respect when you're feeling disappointment.

My question is this:

Is it possible for a woman to respect her husband and, at the same time, be disappointed in him...or do the two go hand in hand - if you're disappointed in him, you're not showing him respect?

I think I've come to a conclusion, but I'm wondering about the rest of you. Please comment - I want to hear your thoughts.

Our New Little Bundle of Joy

After six beautiful months of marriage, JP and I are happy to announce our first little bundle of joy! Yes, that's right, we are adding a new member to the family. It's a boy, but we haven't decided on a name yet. The due date? Thursday, February 9th, 2006.

***WHAT??? THAT'S THREE DAYS FROM NOW!!!***

Yes, I know...

***SO, DON'T YOU KNOW THAT IT TAKES 9 MONTHS FOR A BABY TO DEVELOP?***

Yes, of COURSE I know that. Sheesh! Who do you think I am?

*** WELL, THEN DO THE MATH, SILLY.***

Thanks for your input, but the reason its not taking us quite as long is because we're adopting. He's already 12 weeks old.

***WHAT? ADOPTION'S GREAT, BUT ANYBODY WHO'S EVER BEEN THROUGH THE ADOPTION PROCESS KNOWS THAT IT CAN TAKE YEARS TO WORK THROUGH ALL THE MUMBO-JUMBO.***

Not in our case. That's because our new little addition isn't coming via stork...because he's a puppy!!!! :)


Here he is! Ain't he cute? He's a soft-coated wheaten terrier. 12.5 pounds. His fur starts out this color and then changes to more of a lighter "wheat" color as he gets older. We're picking him up on Thursday and we're so very excited! Today I went out and bought all sort of stuff that we'll need, like food and water dishes, puppy food, some toys and some treats. I wanted to get him one of those big pillow beds, but they're so expensive!!! Have you ever priced one of those?

Like I said, we haven't come up with a name yet. So here's the deal - we could use some help. I'd like to take a vote out of our three top options and see what you all think would be the best name.

The nominees are:

1.) Boomer - the name of JP's dog that he had growing up, also a soft-coated wheaten terrier

2.) Charley Boy - a play on words, since our last name "Charlebois" is often mispronounced "Charley-Boys"

3.) Caleb - Hebrew for "dog"

So please, cast your votes (by Thursday if possible!) and we promise to take your input into consideration!

Now that its official...

MY SISTER IS HAVING A BABY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
:) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :)

Ezra Nazareth Knoblauch

Congratulations to our dear friends James and Alyssa on the birth of their brand new baby boy, Ezra Nazareth Knoblauch!!! What a cutie...Ezra was born on Friday, January 27th around 7:30 am and weighed 6 lbs 9 oz. He sleeps all day long, and when he's awake he always has this great look on his face that seems to say "who are you and why are you talking to me so goofy?" :)
As for the name...
Ezra - Hebrew for "Help" (ha ha...that can be taken two ways: 1.) "Help" as in God is our help or 2.) "Help" as in....HELP!!!! :)
Nazareth - In Biblical times, a Nazarene was a Jew who was bound by a vow to be radical for God. They left their hair uncut, abstained from all wine and strong drink, and practiced extraordinary purity of life and devotion.
Knoblauch - German for "garlic"...seriously! :)

We love you, Ezra, and are so happy to have you in this world!