Enjoy the pics!
View of the Valley from our bed & breakfast
An even BETTER view, if you ask me. *smile*
"The Honeymoon Suite"
Driving across the Golden Gate Bridge
Alcatraz
6.21.2006
California
JP and I just got back from a beautiful trip to Napa Valley and San Diego. He has a couple of buddies out there that we got to visit. I hadn't been to California since I was very little - man, what a beautiful place!!! Napa Valley was just gorgeous, and we stayed in an unbelievable bed & breakfast way up on a hill overlooking the valley and all of the vineyards. San Diego was beautiful, too. We both got sunburnt on the beach...JP learned to surf and we both did some boogie boarding.
Enjoy the pics!
View of the Valley from our bed & breakfast
An even BETTER view, if you ask me. *smile*
"The Honeymoon Suite"
Driving across the Golden Gate Bridge
Alcatraz
Enjoy the pics!
View of the Valley from our bed & breakfast
An even BETTER view, if you ask me. *smile*
"The Honeymoon Suite"
Driving across the Golden Gate Bridge
Alcatraz
Puppy Play Time
Day at the lake with Grandpa Jim & Grandma Margie. These cuties sure do love the lake.
6.20.2006
6.15.2006
6.08.2006
My Baby Week 5 (I think)
If my math is correct and I'm somewhere between 5 and 6 weeks pregnant, this is what my baby looks like right now. He (or she?) is not very cute yet, but he will be. His tiny little heart started beating this week. Its so amazing to me that right now this baby is only about the size of the letter "o" on this page...yet he has a heart that beats and pumps blood through his tiny body. His little liver and pancreas are already forming, as are his lungs and brain. The umbilical cord is developing. Within a week his eyelids and nostrils will form.This baby is for real. He's tiny, but for real. All of those things fit snuggly into his little tiny self, so delicately.
I can't wait to meet you, baby.
6.06.2006
6/6/06 Ahhhhh!!!!!!!!
Is today the Devil's Day? No! This is the day that the LORD has made! BUT - I still kind of like what a group of bikers are doing today. They're all going to Hell. Hell, Michigan, that is.
The little town west of the Detroit region is planning parties, selling t-shirts, and has even installed a "Gates of Hell" play area for the kids. Hmmm...the kids play area may be overdoing it.
And for those of you out there who like words, try this one out for size:
hexakosioihexekontakexaphobia...the fear of 666.
Happy Jesus Day, everybody!
6.03.2006
Announcement!
JP and I are happy to tell you that we are expecting our first baby!
We just found out a few days ago and while we know the "smart" thing would be to wait a while before sharing the news...YEAH RIGHT!!!!
If my math is correct, I think the little one will be here in February.
We're blessed and excited and a bit scared, but we trust God's timing and grace to be perfect in our lives.
I'm feeling fine - can't even tell I'm prego except for I'm a bit tired and emotional (what's new, right?). JP is very excited, too.
Praise God for baby Charlebois - we appreciate and welcome all of your prayers over these next 9 months!
We just found out a few days ago and while we know the "smart" thing would be to wait a while before sharing the news...YEAH RIGHT!!!!
If my math is correct, I think the little one will be here in February.
We're blessed and excited and a bit scared, but we trust God's timing and grace to be perfect in our lives.
I'm feeling fine - can't even tell I'm prego except for I'm a bit tired and emotional (what's new, right?). JP is very excited, too.
Praise God for baby Charlebois - we appreciate and welcome all of your prayers over these next 9 months!
6.01.2006
Choose Life
This is the picture Margaret was talking about in her comment to the post "Jie-Jie Deserves Life."
Thanks for choosing Life, Margaret.
Thanks for choosing Life, Margaret.
The Duck & the Devil
My Mother-in-law shared this story with me yesterday. It makes a great point and I thought I'd pass it on....
There was a little boy visiting his grandparents on their farm. He
was given a slingshot to play with out in the woods. He practiced in
the woods, but he could never hit the target. Getting a little
discouraged, he headed back for dinner. As he was walking back he saw
Grandma's pet duck.
Just out of impulse, he let the slingshot fly, hit the duck square in
the head, and killed it. He was shocked and grieved
In a panic, he hid the dead duck in the wood pile, only to see his
sister watching! Sally had seen it all, but she said nothing.
After lunch the next day Grandma said, "Sally, let's wash the
dishes." But Sally said, "Grandma, Johnny told me he wanted to help in
the kitchen." Then she whispered to him, "Remember the duck?" So
Johnny did the dishes.
Later that day, Grandpa asked if the children wanted to go fishing
and Grandma said, "I'm sorry but I need Sally to help make supper."
Sally just smiled and said," Well that's all right because Johnny
told me he wanted to help." She whispered again, "Remember the duck?"
So Sally went fishing and Johnny stayed to help.
After several days of Johnny doing both his chores and Sally's . he
finally couldn't stand it any longer.
He came to Grandma and confessed that he had killed the duck. Grandma
knelt down, gave him a hug, and said, "Sweetheart, I know. You see, I
was standing at the window and I saw the whole thing, but because I
love you, I forgave you. I was just wondering how long you would let
Sally make a slave of you."
Thought for the day and every day thereafter?
Whatever is in your past, whatever you have done... and the devil
keeps throwing it up in your face (lying, cheating, debt,fear, bad
habits, hatred, anger, bitterness, etc.)... whatever it is... You
need to know that God was standing at the window and He saw the whole
thing... He has
seen your whole life. He wants you to know that He loves you and that
you are forgiven.
He's just wondering how long you will let the devil make a slave of
you.
The great thing about God is that when you ask for forgiveness, He
not only forgives you, but He forgets .. It is by God's grace and
mercy that we are saved.
There was a little boy visiting his grandparents on their farm. He
was given a slingshot to play with out in the woods. He practiced in
the woods, but he could never hit the target. Getting a little
discouraged, he headed back for dinner. As he was walking back he saw
Grandma's pet duck.
Just out of impulse, he let the slingshot fly, hit the duck square in
the head, and killed it. He was shocked and grieved
In a panic, he hid the dead duck in the wood pile, only to see his
sister watching! Sally had seen it all, but she said nothing.
After lunch the next day Grandma said, "Sally, let's wash the
dishes." But Sally said, "Grandma, Johnny told me he wanted to help in
the kitchen." Then she whispered to him, "Remember the duck?" So
Johnny did the dishes.
Later that day, Grandpa asked if the children wanted to go fishing
and Grandma said, "I'm sorry but I need Sally to help make supper."
Sally just smiled and said," Well that's all right because Johnny
told me he wanted to help." She whispered again, "Remember the duck?"
So Sally went fishing and Johnny stayed to help.
After several days of Johnny doing both his chores and Sally's . he
finally couldn't stand it any longer.
He came to Grandma and confessed that he had killed the duck. Grandma
knelt down, gave him a hug, and said, "Sweetheart, I know. You see, I
was standing at the window and I saw the whole thing, but because I
love you, I forgave you. I was just wondering how long you would let
Sally make a slave of you."
Thought for the day and every day thereafter?
Whatever is in your past, whatever you have done... and the devil
keeps throwing it up in your face (lying, cheating, debt,fear, bad
habits, hatred, anger, bitterness, etc.)... whatever it is... You
need to know that God was standing at the window and He saw the whole
thing... He has
seen your whole life. He wants you to know that He loves you and that
you are forgiven.
He's just wondering how long you will let the devil make a slave of
you.
The great thing about God is that when you ask for forgiveness, He
not only forgives you, but He forgets .. It is by God's grace and
mercy that we are saved.
5.31.2006
Hummus Among Us
Okay this is REALLY Betty Crocker of me...but....
...JP and I love hummus, and I think I've found the best recipe I've ever tasted. It comes from a guy I work with named Mark Butcher. He made it for a work party thing and it was to die for! So here it is for your tasting enjoyment...oh, and per Mark: "...give a plug for the Holy Land Deli in NE Minneapolis, they have baked-daily pita bread that is excellent. They are an anchor tenant in the remodeled Midtown Building (old Sears building) on Lake St. And they also have a huge variety of olives, feta cheese, etc. to complete one’s Mediterranean food experience."
You can find them on the web at http://www.holylandbrand.com
Without further ado, I give you...HUMMUS!!!
Here’s how to make perfect hummus:
First, you’ve got to have a food processor and it helps if is has a very sharp blade. If you’ve had one for a while and the blade is dull, you may want to consider buying a replacement blade.
Here are the ingredients:
Tahini: Buy this at a food coop from their bulk aisle or in a jar. The tahini in a jar will usually be located near the peanut butter, etc. Also, most larger food stores, i.e. Cub or Rainbow, will carry tahini in jars now. I like the bulk tahini because it’s fresher and thus tastes better. It’s cheaper too.
Two lemons
Garlic: The amount is up to you; add anywhere between one and four cloves. Over time you’ll figure out how much you like and/or can tolerate. Three cloves of garlic makes a pretty strong hummus and four cloves is downright spicy. Start with one clove and move up from there if you wish. Garlic is GOOD for you. It’s a blood thinner and it has strong anti-bacterial properties. Next time you’re at Mayslacks Restaurant/Bar in NE Minneapolis, read the garlic diatribe on their menu.
Garbanzo beans, chick peas: Same bean, different names. I recommend buying canned garbanzo beans as opposed to boiling your own. They’re cheap anyway, like 79-cent per can or so. For this recipe you’ll need two 15 oz. cans. You’ll find them in the Mexican foods section at Cub/Rainbow.
Olive oil
Ice cold water
Salt
Pinch of cayenne pepper
Now, get your food processor put together. First add the juice from the two lemons (and some pulp is OK, too) to the food processor bowl. Next add 2/3 cup tahini, maybe a little more, and the amount of garlic you want.
Process the lemon juice, tahini, and garlic for about 20-30 seconds. You’ll notice that it may be a little thick and sticking to the sides of the food processor. Slowly add ½ cup of very cold water to the tahini mixture while the blade is running. You’ll probably need to scrape down the sides of the food processor to get the thicker tahini to release from the sides of the bowl. It will probably take about 45 seconds to 1 ½ minutes of processing to whip it into a slightly thin, mayonnaise-like consistency. You’re better off having this tahini mixture too thin than too thick so don’t worry about adding too much water.
Next, add two 15 oz. cans of garbanzo beans that have been drained. Process this for about 2 to 3 minutes. It will take a while for all of the beans to get pureed so be patient. Once the mixture begins to turn over in the bowl and become more of the same consistency, slowly add 3 tablespoons olive oil in a slow, steady stream. Then add more cold water 2 tablespoons at a time until it becomes smooth and turns over in the bowl.
You may need to process this mixture for as long as 4 minutes so be careful that you don’t get the motor on your food processor too hot. If it starts to feel or smell hot, let it cool down for several minutes.
Lastly, add about 2-3 teaspoons of salt and the cayenne pepper in the last 30 seconds of processing.
Go ahead and taste your hummus. If it feels a little grainy, continue processing it until it’s nice and smooth and alternate adding a little more oil and a little more water until you like it.
Turn the hummus out in to a bowl and drizzle a little oil on top and sprinkle just a pinch of paprika on for a little color.
ENJOY!
...JP and I love hummus, and I think I've found the best recipe I've ever tasted. It comes from a guy I work with named Mark Butcher. He made it for a work party thing and it was to die for! So here it is for your tasting enjoyment...oh, and per Mark: "...give a plug for the Holy Land Deli in NE Minneapolis, they have baked-daily pita bread that is excellent. They are an anchor tenant in the remodeled Midtown Building (old Sears building) on Lake St. And they also have a huge variety of olives, feta cheese, etc. to complete one’s Mediterranean food experience."
You can find them on the web at http://www.holylandbrand.com
Without further ado, I give you...HUMMUS!!!
Here’s how to make perfect hummus:
First, you’ve got to have a food processor and it helps if is has a very sharp blade. If you’ve had one for a while and the blade is dull, you may want to consider buying a replacement blade.
Here are the ingredients:
Tahini: Buy this at a food coop from their bulk aisle or in a jar. The tahini in a jar will usually be located near the peanut butter, etc. Also, most larger food stores, i.e. Cub or Rainbow, will carry tahini in jars now. I like the bulk tahini because it’s fresher and thus tastes better. It’s cheaper too.
Two lemons
Garlic: The amount is up to you; add anywhere between one and four cloves. Over time you’ll figure out how much you like and/or can tolerate. Three cloves of garlic makes a pretty strong hummus and four cloves is downright spicy. Start with one clove and move up from there if you wish. Garlic is GOOD for you. It’s a blood thinner and it has strong anti-bacterial properties. Next time you’re at Mayslacks Restaurant/Bar in NE Minneapolis, read the garlic diatribe on their menu.
Garbanzo beans, chick peas: Same bean, different names. I recommend buying canned garbanzo beans as opposed to boiling your own. They’re cheap anyway, like 79-cent per can or so. For this recipe you’ll need two 15 oz. cans. You’ll find them in the Mexican foods section at Cub/Rainbow.
Olive oil
Ice cold water
Salt
Pinch of cayenne pepper
Now, get your food processor put together. First add the juice from the two lemons (and some pulp is OK, too) to the food processor bowl. Next add 2/3 cup tahini, maybe a little more, and the amount of garlic you want.
Process the lemon juice, tahini, and garlic for about 20-30 seconds. You’ll notice that it may be a little thick and sticking to the sides of the food processor. Slowly add ½ cup of very cold water to the tahini mixture while the blade is running. You’ll probably need to scrape down the sides of the food processor to get the thicker tahini to release from the sides of the bowl. It will probably take about 45 seconds to 1 ½ minutes of processing to whip it into a slightly thin, mayonnaise-like consistency. You’re better off having this tahini mixture too thin than too thick so don’t worry about adding too much water.
Next, add two 15 oz. cans of garbanzo beans that have been drained. Process this for about 2 to 3 minutes. It will take a while for all of the beans to get pureed so be patient. Once the mixture begins to turn over in the bowl and become more of the same consistency, slowly add 3 tablespoons olive oil in a slow, steady stream. Then add more cold water 2 tablespoons at a time until it becomes smooth and turns over in the bowl.
You may need to process this mixture for as long as 4 minutes so be careful that you don’t get the motor on your food processor too hot. If it starts to feel or smell hot, let it cool down for several minutes.
Lastly, add about 2-3 teaspoons of salt and the cayenne pepper in the last 30 seconds of processing.
Go ahead and taste your hummus. If it feels a little grainy, continue processing it until it’s nice and smooth and alternate adding a little more oil and a little more water until you like it.
Turn the hummus out in to a bowl and drizzle a little oil on top and sprinkle just a pinch of paprika on for a little color.
ENJOY!
Jie-Jie deserves life
This is 2-month-old "Jie-Jie." He was born with a third arm. He also has only one kidney. I'm attaching the Associated Press Release below so you can read more.I post this picture and story not because Jie-Jie is some sort of spectacle to be stared at and wondered about. I post it because Jie-Jie is a precious human life.
All around the world, doctors and nurses would probably have encouraged Jie-Jie's parents to abort him because he is "deformed." They probably would have argued that it was in the baby's best interest because he would have to grow up a mutant. They probably would have argued that since Chinese families can only have one child (is that still the case?) they wouldn't want to waste it on Jie-Jie.
Here in America, people will abort their babies because they have a hairlip. They kill their children out of convenience for themselves and call it being thoughtful for the well-being of the baby - "we wouldn't be able to give him/her the life he/she deserves...he would have grown up poor...he would have grown up ridiculed."
So instead, you think it's better for him to not grow up at all?
Praise God for the parents of this precious boy who chose life. Praise God for Jie-Jie and the call he has on his life.
____________________________________________________________________
Doctors in Shanghai are considering surgery options for a two-month-old boy born with an unusually well-formed third arm.
Neither of the boy's two left arms were fully functional and tests had proven unable to determine which was the more developed, said Dr. Chen Bochang, head of the orthopaedics department at Shanghai Children's Medical Centre.
"This is the first case I have ever seen as a doctor. I looked through medical documents and searched on the Internet and I could not find any other abnormal cases like this," said Chen.
The boy, identified as "Jie-jie," also was born with just one kidney and may have problems that could lead to curvature of the spine, according to local media reports.
Jie-jie cried when either of his left arms was touched, but smiled and responded normally to other stimuli, the reports said.
Chen said doctors hoped to work out a plan for surgery, but the boy's small size made it impossible to perform certain tests that would help them prepare.
"The best result of the operation is getting rid of the weaker arm in terms of function and shape while making some repairs on the one we keep. We'll try our best to enable the remaining arm to function normally and make sure the baby can lead a normal life by himself," said Chen.
Media reports said other children have been born with additional arms and legs, but in all those cases it was clear which limb was more developed.
Shanghai Children's Medical Centre is one of China's most experienced in dealing with unusual birth defects, including separating conjoined twins.
Like Jie-jie, many of the children are sent to Shanghai from the inland province of Anhui.
5.24.2006
This is Hilarious
Imagine this guy driving 90 mph down the highway with these balloons on his car!
Step 1: attach balloons
Step 2: drive like a bat out of h***
Step 3: Watch people freak out!
Step 1: attach balloons
Step 2: drive like a bat out of h***
Step 3: Watch people freak out!
Bird Flu Spreading Human to Human?
A family of eight people infected with bird flu in Indonesia may have passed the disease among themselves rather than catching it from poultry, the World Health Organisation (WHO) said on Tuesday.
The WHO team in Indonesia investigating the situation can't find an animal source of this infection, and in the absence of a known animal source, "we will have to treat this as possibly human to human transmission of the virus", he said.
Could this be the beginning of what health officials have feared for so long? A mutation of the virus that spreads from human to human?
I don't want to scare anybody, but we need to be ready for this stuff. I can't be taken lightly. I really believe that.
I would encourage everyone to keep your ears peeled for more on this issue.
Think I'm overreacting? Maybe - but I don't want to see a repeat of the pandemic that took so many of our ancestors. I'd much rather be safe than sorry.
The WHO team in Indonesia investigating the situation can't find an animal source of this infection, and in the absence of a known animal source, "we will have to treat this as possibly human to human transmission of the virus", he said.
Could this be the beginning of what health officials have feared for so long? A mutation of the virus that spreads from human to human?
I don't want to scare anybody, but we need to be ready for this stuff. I can't be taken lightly. I really believe that.
I would encourage everyone to keep your ears peeled for more on this issue.
Think I'm overreacting? Maybe - but I don't want to see a repeat of the pandemic that took so many of our ancestors. I'd much rather be safe than sorry.
5.22.2006
I'm an Auntie....again!!!
Today, JP's sister Lisa gave birth to a beautiful baby girl. Ava Nicole Bottolene was 6 pounds, 9 ounces and 19.5 inches long. She caught us all off guard because she came nearly three weeks early!
Little Ava, Mom Lisa and Dad Scott are all doing great - and I have my first neice! :) Just look at those kissin' cheeks!!!!
Ava Nicole Bottolene
Little Ava, Mom Lisa and Dad Scott are all doing great - and I have my first neice! :) Just look at those kissin' cheeks!!!!
Ava Nicole Bottolene
5.17.2006
Every Day Closer
Every day another step is made toward the remodeling of the Charlebois home. Here's an update:
Kitchen:
Painted (green)
Tiled & Grouted
New cabinets put in
New cabinet doors ordered and shipped
Sanding and staining of woodwork has begun
New lighting bought but not yet installed
Living room:
Painted (burnt orange and beige)
Carpet ripped out
Hardwood floors refinished (yes!)
New wall hangings purchased, but not hung
Curtains bought & hung
Trim painted and partially installed
Office:
Furniture bought and assembled
Duck wallpaper border still dominates decorative scheme
Yard:
Attempted to kill dandelions in lawn multiple times - still trying
Garden weeded of dandelions the size of small bushes
Patio furniture bought but not set up
Overgrown bushes being cut back
The chaos stage is over...now it's down to the "fine tuning." At least we can walk through our kitchen without having to step over things, now.
A big huge shout out and I LOVE YOU to my handyman husband, JP, for all of the hard work he has put into making this house so much more of a home for us. I love you, sweetie - even though I know you'll never read this blog. :)
Kitchen:
Painted (green)
Tiled & Grouted
New cabinets put in
New cabinet doors ordered and shipped
Sanding and staining of woodwork has begun
New lighting bought but not yet installed
Living room:
Painted (burnt orange and beige)
Carpet ripped out
Hardwood floors refinished (yes!)
New wall hangings purchased, but not hung
Curtains bought & hung
Trim painted and partially installed
Office:
Furniture bought and assembled
Duck wallpaper border still dominates decorative scheme
Yard:
Attempted to kill dandelions in lawn multiple times - still trying
Garden weeded of dandelions the size of small bushes
Patio furniture bought but not set up
Overgrown bushes being cut back
The chaos stage is over...now it's down to the "fine tuning." At least we can walk through our kitchen without having to step over things, now.
A big huge shout out and I LOVE YOU to my handyman husband, JP, for all of the hard work he has put into making this house so much more of a home for us. I love you, sweetie - even though I know you'll never read this blog. :)
5.15.2006
Chef BoyarDOH!!!!
It wasn't until well after dinner that Audra's dinner guests politely noted that something remained in the oven.
These aren't buscuits - they're bricks. My dog couldn't even bite into them. I swear I could have used them to hammer a nail into the wall.
*sigh*...I don't know if I was cut out for this whole housewife thing.
Maybe I could invite the Balvins over for a game of hockey??? I'll bring the pucks.
5.10.2006
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?
I think he looks like Pete - see the round chin and the Peterson lips?
5.09.2006
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.
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....
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....
5.04.2006
5.03.2006
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.
5.02.2006
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.
5.01.2006
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.
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.
4.28.2006
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???
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???
4.27.2006
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
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
4.24.2006
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.
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.
4.21.2006
National Denominations
Thanks to Dean Bonde for passing along these very interesting maps:
Funny...I didn't see a map for "Bapticostal." :)
Funny...I didn't see a map for "Bapticostal." :)
4.19.2006
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."
4.16.2006
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.
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.
4.15.2006
4.14.2006
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
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!
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!
4.13.2006
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.
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. :)
4.11.2006
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
—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
4.10.2006
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!
4.08.2006
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!!! :)
4.06.2006
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."
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.
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.
4.05.2006
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.
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."
4.04.2006
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!
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!
4.03.2006
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?
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