Last week, I caught an article in The Daily about the picture at right. Here's the story:
Their house is in the middle of their street — literally. As every other structure in the Chinese neighborhood outside of Wenling was demolished to make way for a new road to a railway station, Luo Baogen and his wife have told the government they will not leave without a larger compensation package. But local officials are not budging either. “We cannot just give whatever he demands,” village chief Luo Xuehua said. “That’s impossible.” — Associated Press
I just think this story gives a whole new meaning to "life in the fast lane." In the US, the law of eminent domain says that private property can be taken for public use by a state or municipality following the payment of just compensation to the owner of that property. Seems like they do things a little differently in China.
I look at that photo, and I think how isolated the owners must feel now that all of their neighbors are gone. How trapped in the situation.
There are times in every life when a person feels isolated and trapped. When I start feeling that way, I remember this verse:
“The name of the LORD is a strong tower; The righteous runs into it and is safe.”
—Proverbs 18:10
For Thyself, best Gift Divine! To our race so freely given; For that great, great love of Thine, peace on earth, and joy in heaven: Lord of all, to Thee we raise this our hymn of grateful praise.
Thanksgiving Day is almost upon us in the USA. In the beginning, this holiday was about thanking God for His provisions. Sadly, like so much else in our culture, God has been removed from the day. It has become nothing more than "turkey day" for so many.
So I'm challenging each one of us to start a list today of people and things we are thankful to God for. I'll start:
I'm thankful to God for the freedom of religion which we still enjoy in America (although somewhat precariously of late).
I'm thankful to God for the unexpected way He answered my prayers for Jerry.
I'm thankful to God for my wonderful daughters, Micki and Jennifer, and for their husbands and their children.
I'm thankful to God for Poppet and Pinky and the joy they bring to our lives.
I'm thankful to God for the publishing professionals I work with and all they do to help me create the best books possible and help them to reach readers.
I'm thankful to God for the readers who buy my books, making it possible for me to continue to write.
I'm thankful to God for His written word, that I might know Him.
Okay, your turn. Feel free to share in the comments. ~robin
Yes, I'm still writing and so close I can taste "The End." But I'm not sure I'll get anything posted before Christmas has come and gone. So I want to wish all of my faithful readers and every occasional visitor a very merry Christmas. You so enrich my life, and I love knowing that we'll get to spend eternity together, worshiping the Lord Jesus.
Maybe we'll sing the Hallelujah Chorus together in heaven. But probably not like these "Silent Monks." Yes, you have probably seen this before, but it sure makes me smile when I view it.
So I was sick for an entire week. Too under the weather to read magazines or blogs. Too miserable to watch the news. Thus I missed the announcement that Kim Kardashian is filing for divorce from Kris Humphries after 72 days of marriage. 72 days?
Okay, so I'm not surprised. There have been shorter marriages coming out of Hollywood. Britney Spears was married for just two days, for one. However, the Kardashian-Humphries nuptials cost a reported $20 MILLION. Yes, you read that right. Twenty million dollars for a wedding and the huge production surrounding it! According to Popwatch, that breaks down to about $277,777.77 per day of their wedded bliss.
I don't get it. I don't care how much money somebody has. No one needs to spend that much money on a wedding. Hey, I'm a capitalist. I believe those who work and earn their money should be able to spend it the way they want. Still, this boggles my mind. Just because you can afford to throw money around like that doesn't mean you should. Cut out two of those three Vera Wang creations Kim wore on her wedding day, and think of the hungry children in America who could have been fed. And maybe Mr. Humphries is a really horrible person. Maybe he hit her or was verbally abusive. (All speculation on my part, and I am not accusing him of it.) But all I've heard so far is that Kim discovered Kris was lazy. Lazy? Really? Now if that is true, it sure isn't much of a reason for divorce. Perhaps they could have spent another million on marriage counseling first.
Just had to get that off my chest. Now back to writing a love story wherein the hero and heroine will reach the place of a lifetime commitment to one another—and once they wed, they will actually stay married until death they do part.
Ten years. It's been ten years since the attacks on America by terrorists happened. Hard to believe. As a nation, we have changed in many, many ways since that fateful day. And in too many ways, we haven't changed enough.
Memories of 9/11 make many afraid. But fear is the opposite of faith. Those who trust in Christ must choose to have faith over fear. Sometimes that means choosing it on a daily basis. Jesus, I believe. Help now my unbelief.
Back in 2002, on the first anniversary, I wrote:
As a Christian, I understand that until Jesus Christ returns to earth in His glory to reign, the existence of evil in this world will continue. But as a human being, I still struggle with "Why?". I want to know why we can't simply love (or at least tolerate) one another, why we can't "get along and play nice." I don't understand the kind of hatred that makes a few men kill thousands of innocent strangers — men, women, and children — for no other reason than because they hate Americans. I have never understood hatred because of ethnicity or religion.
Let's commit to pray for America, for our government, for our schools, for our children, for our churches, for our neighbors. Let's commit not to hate our enemies (without and within) but instead to pray for them.
I urge you, first of all, to pray for all people. As you make your requests, plead for God's mercy upon them, and give thanks. Pray this way for kings and all others who are in authority, so that we can live in peace and quietness, in godliness and dignity. (1 Timothy 2:1-2)
Now, go out and hug someone and tell them you love them.
Happy Labor Day. For Americans, this 3-day weekend is like the last hurrah of summer. Plenty of folks in my corner of the world went to the mountains this weekend for that last camping trip before they have to start worrying about snow in the higher elevations. Although the nights have already started to get pretty chilly even though the days are still hot.
Here's a snippet of history about the holiday from Wikipedia:
The first big Labor Day in the United States was observed on September 5, 1882, by the Central Labor Union of New York. It became a federal holiday in 1894, when, following the deaths of a number of workers at the hands of the U.S. military and U.S. Marshals during the Pullman Strike, President Grover Cleveland reconciled with the labor movement. Fearing further conflict, legislation making Labor Day a national holiday was rushed through Congress unanimously and signed into law a mere six days after the end of the strike. The September date originally chosen by the CLU of New York and observed by many of the nation's trade unions for the past several years was selected rather than the more widespread International Workers' Day because Cleveland was concerned that observance of the latter would stir up negative emotions linked to the Haymarket Affair, which it had been observed to commemorate. All U.S. states, the District of Columbia, and the territories have made it a statutory holiday.
The "3:16's"
I don't know about you, but I write lots of things in my Bible. Usually I remember to date them, but sometimes I forget. As I was looking through some old notes in my Bible, I came across this collection (yes, that's the actual page at right). No date, but I'm guessing it's more than 15 years old. For some reason, I did a study of New Testament verses with the numbers of 3:16 and these are what I came up with.
John 3:16 - God's love for us in Jesus
[Jesus said,] “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life.”
Luke 3:16 - Baptism in the Holy Spirit
John answered and said to them all, “As for me, I baptize you with water; but One is coming who is mightier than I, and I am not fit to untie the thong of His sandals; He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.”
2nd Timothy 3:16 - Validity of the Bible
All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness.
Matthew 3:16 - The Trinity of God revealed
After being baptized, Jesus came up immediately from the water; and behold, the heavens were opened, and he saw the Spirit of God descending as a dove and lighting on Him.
1st Corinthians 3:16 - We are the temple of the Holy Spirit
Do you not know that you are a temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you?
1st John 3:16 - We know Love
We know love by this, that He laid down His life for us; and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren.
1st Timothy 3:16 - The mystery of godliness revealed
By common confession, great is the mystery of godliness: He who was revealed in the flesh, Was vindicated in the Spirit, Seen by angels, Proclaimed among the nations, Believed on in the world, Taken up in glory.
Interesting, isn't it, how vital all of these are to the foundation of our faith?
Leave a Comment, Get a Chance to Win a Book
As you know, I have a new book out. Belonging is the first book in a new series, Where The Heart Lives. Here's the story trailer that Zondervan designed for the launch of the series:
If you'd like a chance to win a copy of Belonging (sorry, I have to limit the winner to US addresses), leave a comment. I'll do a drawing and announce in the comment section of this post later this week (Saturday). Good luck!
My country,' tis of thee,
sweet land of liberty, of thee I sing;
land where my fathers died,
land of the pilgrims' pride,
from every mountainside let freedom ring!
My native country, thee,
land of the noble free, thy name I love;
I love thy rocks and rills,
thy woods and templed hills;
my heart with rapture thrills, like that above.
Let music swell the breeze,
and ring from all the trees sweet freedom's song;
let mortal tongues awake;
let all that breathe partake;
let rocks their silence break, the sound prolong.
Our fathers' God, to thee,
author of liberty, to thee we sing;
long may our land be bright
with freedom's holy light;
protect us by thy might, great God, our King.
Blessings on your 4th of July, fellow American readers. May we all pause and thank God for the wonderful freedoms we enjoy.
Of all of my novels, perhaps the most personal to me is Beyond the Shadows: A Love Story . It's the story of Deborah, a young widow, who unknowingly marries an alcoholic. RT Book Reviews gave it a Top Pick rating, and Francine Rivers called it: "Brave. Redemptive. A beautifully written story that will bring hope and healing to many.”
While the topic of alcoholism could sound a bit grim to you, what I wrote was a novel about love and hope. Because I've learned from my own experiences that no matter what is happening, Jesus is my hope and He loves me. I've learned that God is sovereign and I can trust Him with everything, including my heartaches and the most dire situations of life.
Beyond the Shadows was first published seven years ago. Eventually it went out of print. So you can imagine my delight to announce that it is now available for only $2.99 for both the Kindle and the Nook.
Not only that, but the unabridged audio version of the book, once only available through a rather expensive and obscure source, is now available via Amazon/Audible for a little over $18 as a digital download. (It's also available on iTunes for just under $18, but I can't link you to that.) Of all of my books that have been released in audio, this one is my favorite. The readers/actors are absolutely fabulous!!!
If you haven't read Beyond the Shadows, I hope you'll find an opportunity to do so. I think you'll see why I feel so strongly about this story. If you have read it, you might want to pick up the digital copy just to have on hand. With the Kindle app, you can read it on your smartphone or iPad or computer as well as on your Kindle. I'm not as familiar with the Nook, but I think that's a possibility for that version as well. And, of course, if you are as fond of listening to audio books as I am, you may want to go that route.
There was an insert in our newspaper today from Idaho Power that included this little quiz. I thought it very interesting, and maybe it will help all of us to save some power this summer/this year.
How many light bulbs are in an average new home?
What is the recommended temperature for your water heater?
The US Department of Energy suggests a summer thermostat setting of _____°F when you are home.
Which has the greatest impact on energy used to wash clothes: water temperature or length of cycle?
A fan can be expected to cool a room by how many degrees?
The average home has how many products continuously drawing power?
Other than line-drying, what's the best way to reduce the energy used to dry your clothes?
What direction should ceiling fans turn during the summer months?
Cell phone chargers (when left plugged in) use electricity when they're not charging. (T or F)
According to the USDA, what are recommended safe temperatures for your refrigerator and freezer, respectively?
Answers are below the graphic.
77
120°F
78°F
Water temperature
A fan makes you feel cooler but it doesn't change the temperature
40
Run clothes through an extra spin cycle
Clockwise or forward
True
40°F and 0°F
How'd you do? I was most surprised about #5, that running fans don't change the temperature. Which means I'm going to be better about turning off fans when I'm not in a room. Not sure I can keep my house at 78°F. I already have some serious personal heating and cooling issues because of a medication I take. LOL! But I did go around and unplug some small appliances that I use occasionally as well as the charger for my iPhone.
It's Memorial Day in the USA. Originally called Decoration Day, it was established to recognize those who have died in our nation's service. The practice of decorating the graves of fallen soldiers began years before the holiday was established in early 1868. The first official Memorial Day was observed on May 30th of that year when flowers were placed on the graves of Union and Confederate soldiers at Arlington National Cemetery.
Many Americans have forgotten the meaning and traditions of Memorial Day. It has become little more than a holiday established to give workers a three day weekend at the beginning of summer or a great excuse to barbecue. Some people think the day is for honoring any and all dead, and not just those fallen in service to our country.
Whether or not you visit a cemetery today or some sort of Memorial Day event, I hope all Americans reading this blog post will take a moment to think about the men and women who have died in service to our country. Remember to be thankful for them and their families. As we all know, the price of freedom isn't cheap.
Oh my. The video embedded below is such a gorgeous reminder of the importance of wearing a seatbelt. Please do take a moment to watch it, and then share it with the people you love.
I have friends in the area of the tornadoes that are happening again today/tonight. Frightening stories are coming in via email.
Does it feel as if the bad weather news has been going on forever? My heart aches for all of these people who are suffering, people who have lost homes and possessions, people who have lost loved ones. Lord God, have mercy!
A four year old girl at my church started a collection of small stuffed animals to send to children in Alabama. It started a small thing and has swelled into something big.
A friend in Missouri, an ER doctor, is working like crazy, caring for those who've been injured by the storms, including overflow from Joplin.
I encourage friends of Write Thinking to (1) pray for those whose possessions have been blown away by these storms, both figuratively and literally, and (2) give to reputable charities. They're going to need all the help they can get.
On my April 29th blog post, a post that was totally unrelated to the royal wedding, I couldn't resist commenting on Princess Beatrice's hat. Well, a reader just sent me some graphics about that very same hat. I've selected about half of them. If these don't have you laughing out loud, I'll have to assume you have some interesting hats in your own closet.
It's easy to forget from the vantage point of 150 years after the fact, but there were dark days early in the Civil War, when it seemed not only possible for the Confederacy to win but, at moments, likely that they might win.
I hate to think of what would have happened to the United States if that had happened. There might very well have been future wars to go through between North and South. We might be bitter enemies to this day. I have no doubt that slavery as it was known in the 1800's would have crumbled eventually, but how long would it have taken? Decades? What western states would belong to the Union and what would belong to the Confederacy? Would we have been a power to reckon with in either of the World Wars? Without our strength in WWII, would any of Europe be free today?
Sorry. I went off on a "what if" tangent, didn't I? The curse and blessing of a novelist. {{grin}}
On this day in 1861, the gloom that had engulfed Washington DC because they were basically surrounded by states who had seceded lifted when the Seventh New York Regiment under the command of Colonel Marshall Lefferts arrived. "With hostile secessionist sympathizers in Baltimore and destroyed train lines throughout Maryland, Lefferts faced limited paths to the capital and decided to abandon the overland route. He chartered the steamer Boston for his unit to travel down Delaware Bay to Annapolis, Maryland, and decided against traveling further south by water since Confederate forces reportedly lay in wait on the Potomac River." His forces marched the twenty miles to Annapolis Junction and then went by train to DC where they were welcomed by elated residents and by President Lincoln and members of the cabinet.
Quote of the Day: "You have no oath registered in heaven to destroy the government, while I shall have the most solemn one to preserve, protect and defend it." — Abraham Lincoln
My very first novel was set before and during the Civil War in Georgia. (Yes, I was and remain an unabashed Gone With the Wind fan.) When I downsized my home and office four years ago, I had to get rid of about 1000 research books, and since I was certain I would never write another Civil War book, my collection of those books went elsewhere. As circumstances would have it, I find myself currently writing another novel set during the Civil War (although the setting is in the gold camps of Idaho rather than in the midst of the conflict). Wouldn't you know?
This month marks the 150th anniversary of the start of the Civil War (officially it began on 4/12/1861), and I'm reading HISTORY™ posts on "this day in history" of the Civil War. I thought I would share some of the information with readers when I see something I deem worth sharing or just because I want to since it's my blog. {{grin}}
April 20, 1861
Colonel Robert E. Lee today resigned from the United States Army, just two days after being offered command of the Union Army and only three days after his native state, Virginia, seceded from the Union.
"I have the honor to tender the resignation of my Commission of Colonel of the 1st Regt. Of Cavalry," Lee wrote in a one-sentence letter to Secretary of War Simon Cameron. "Very respectfully your Ob't servant," Lee signed the letter.
In a letter to his former commander that revealed the depths of his inner turmoil regarding the decision, Lee closed with this:
"Save in the defense of my native state shall I ever again draw my sword. Be pleased to accept my most earnest wishes for the continuance of your happiness & prosperity & believe me most truly yours."
Let me tell you, after much research, I came to admire not only Abraham Lincoln (my favorite president) but also Robert E. Lee. If I could time travel, I would want to sit down with both of these men and talk for hours.
This T-Mobile video embedded below has gone viral on YouTube. The impersonators for Camilla and Prince Harry are very like the real deals. Anyway, you can't help but laugh, thinking about the royal family comporting at a wedding this way. (FYI, this was copied after an actual wedding entrance dance video that has more than 64 million views.) Enjoy!
Oh, to answer your question, no, I don't think I'll be getting up in the wee hours of the night to see the wedding, but if I wake up early, I may turn on the telly. Will be interested to see Kate's dress.
Yesterday, I started receiving warnings from a number of on-line sources where I have done business in the past and/or have signed up for newsletters. The company these businesses all use for their email services has been breached. Supposedly no data beyond names and email addresses has been stolen, but many, many people are at risk for getting not just more spam but phishing emails.
In today's edition of The Daily, there was an article about this. More companies than those who contacted me are affected by this breach. Consumers need to be aware of it and be extra careful of what they click and what information they provide on any site.
I encourage you to click the above link and read the article.
This is simply amazing!! Don't miss this video of a two-year-old with his dad's iPad. (Hat tip to Angela Hunt!) After the video, see what Bridger's mom or dad wrote on YouTube.
"My son Bridger just turned 2 last week and I bought him an iPad, mostly an excuse for me to get one and he actually can use it perfectly! His speech, understanding, word recognition, and even hand eye coordination have improved within just a short while!! I am so amazed and thankful for this amazing learning tool that my son has! I wanna say thanks to Apple and all those that have given my child such a head start in life with this amazing instrument! My son can read tons of words now, he knows every animal and dinosaur and he just turned 2 years old!!!! If you have a child around 2, don't rob him/her of knowledge, go buy him/her an iPad!"
A friend sent me this link. Thank you, Gayle! (There is a 30 second commercial first, but worth waiting to get to the live stream.) I'm keeping it open on my desktop in hopes I might not miss the hatching. According to the web site, the first hatch is imminent. If nothing else, you can feel the wind blowing in your hair. ;-)
Here's what the web site says:
Three baby bald eagles are about to hatch, live on the web. The Raptor Resource Project in Iowa has set up two cameras perched 80 feet high in a cottonwood tree where the mother eagle has her nest. The group will provide live streaming of the nest through all three eggs hatching. The group says at such high resolution, viewers should be able to see cracks forming in the eggs before they hatch. The eggs are expected to hatch between March 30 and April 1.
My family and I would like to express our sincere condolences to the family of Geraldine Ferraro. When I had the honor of working alongside Geraldine on election night last year, we both discussed the role of women in politics and our excited expectation that someday that final glass ceiling would be shattered by the election of a woman president. She was an amazing woman who dedicated her life to public service as a teacher, prosecutor, Congresswoman, and Vice Presidential candidate. She broke one huge barrier and then went on to break many more. The world will miss her. May she rest in peace and may her example of hard work and dedication to America continue to inspire all women.
- Sarah Palin
Gracious words from a gracious woman.
I always enjoyed seeing Geraldine and Sarah together on TV news segments. Despite coming from different ends of the political spectrum, they had much in common and they showed one another courtesy and respect. Although I couldn't support many of the things Ms. Ferraro supported, I came to respect her a great deal because of how she was with Ms. Palin. A lady with class is what I saw.
Okay, when I saw this ad on TV, after I stopped laughing, I had to find it to share on my blog. I do not have Geico Insurance nor am I a Geico spokesperson. However, I'm a writer who truly believes that, in many cases at least, the pen is ultimately mightier than the sword. But I think I'll take one of those delivered items as backup. ROFLOL!!
No, Elizabeth Taylor wasn't what one would call a paragon of virtue. She had affairs, caused the end of at least one lover's marriage, caused the end of at least some of her own marriages, was divorced seven times and widowed once. She battled her weight, her health, and perhaps her own demons. But my oh my, those eyes. And she could be absolutely mesmerizing on the screen.
I was just a kid when they made Cleopatra. I remember that there was scandal around it, but I never knew what until I grew up. And although the movie is often panned, I have to confess that I like it for nothing more than the sheer spectacle of it.
I'm not sure whether I should be ROFLOL at the embedded video below (which I saw first on my daughter's FB profile). Or if I should weep for how close to the truth it is. Okay, I'm going with ROFLOL. I just can't help it.
Okay, I can't keep silent about this any longer. I've got to say something about those on-the-lam Democrat senators from Wisconsin before I burst.
This is such a low point for democracy. What would happen in this country if the minority party took off from the federal and state senate and house every time they wanted to block a vote? This country would be in a sad state of affairs. Business would grind to a halt.
We the people cast our votes. We expect our elected representatives to show up and cast their votes. If the minority party loses on an issue, that's because the majority of the people didn't elect more of their party's members. If something passes that the people don't like, power will change hands in the next election. Can you imagine what would have happened if the minority Republicans had pulled this kind of stunt during the first two years of Obama's presidency? What if they'd gone off to the Bahamas for a two year vacation and kept the House and Senate from being able to pass anything they didn't like?
Shame on you, the missing senators from Wisconsin. You are doing your constituents a disservice. You are doing your fellow Democrats in the senate a disservice. You are depriving the people of their representation and the other senators of the ability to do their job. Shame, shame, shame on you. At the very least, your salaries should be frozen, and if your cell phones are issued by the state, they should be turned off. Grow a conscience.
And this post isn't meant to be for or against the proposed business item at the center of the quarrel. That isn't the point. But we are a country of laws and the business of the state should be discussed and voted upon in accordance with the laws of our country and the state of Wisconsin.
Valentine's Day. Candy and roses and romantic dinners and heart shaped jewelry. Ah, love.
While I don't have a significant other to celebrate this holiday with, it is still a very special day to me. Thirty-five years ago, at approximately 6:00 AM, I gave my heart to Jesus. Today is my born-again birthday. How fitting is that, to be born again on Valentine's Day. After all, God's love is the greatest love of all.
But where did this holiday come from? I realized I didn't have a clue. Who was St. Valentine? I did a quick search of the Internet. Here is a portion of what I found on catholic.org:
The origin of St. Valentine, and how many St. Valentines there were, remains a mystery. One opinion is that he was a Roman martyred for refusing to give up his Christian faith. Other historians hold that St. Valentine was a temple priest jailed for defiance during the reign of Claudius. Whoever he was, Valentine really existed because archaeologists have unearthed a Roman catacomb and an ancient church dedicated to Saint Valentine. In 496 AD Pope Gelasius marked February 14th as a celebration in honor of his martyrdom.
The first representation of Saint Valentine appeared in The Nuremberg Chronicle, a great illustrated book printed in 1493. Alongside a woodcut portrait of him, text states that Valentinus was a Roman priest martyred during the reign of Claudius the Goth [Claudius II]. Since he was caught marrying Christian couples and aiding any Christians who were being persecuted under Emperor Claudius in Rome [when helping them was considered a crime], Valentinus was arrested and imprisoned. Claudius took a liking to this prisoner -- until Valentinus made a strategic error: he tried to convert the Emperor -- whereupon this priest was condemned to death. He was beaten with clubs and stoned; when that didn't do it, he was beheaded outside the Flaminian Gate.
St. Valentine is the Patron Saint of affianced couples, bee keepers, engaged couples, epilepsy, fainting, greetings, happy marriages, love, lovers, plague, travellers, young people. He is represented in pictures with birds and roses.
No matter what else this day brings for you, I hope you will experience the overwhelming, wonderful, greatest love of all that can be found only in Jesus the Messiah. And feel free to celebrate my born again birthday with me. ;-)
No, I didn't watch the Packers beat the Steelers. I bounced over once and saw a piece of the halftime show. Didn't like it so went back to another channel. But, since SB commercials are always worth a look, I checked some out on YouTube this morning. As a fan of grouchy Dr. House, I couldn't help LOL over this 30 second promo (embedded below). And there aren't many who aren't familiar with the Joe Green commercial that inspired the writers.
Yes, I admit it. I do have a slightly (or not so slightly) twisted sense of humor. I love to laugh, and one reason I so enjoy my annual summer get-together with my gal pals in northern Idaho is because they all love to laugh too. Just a slight bit less than we love to eat. LOL!
Anyway, one thing that appeals to my sense of humor are the slogans found on Despair.com. One of my gal pal's alerted me to a contest going on right now to choose a favorite new slogan/caption. You'll find it here if you care to cast your vote. And here are a couple of their current offerings that had me laughing and nodding at the same time (humor works best when it is sprinkled with truth):
December 31st. The day news programs on TV and newspapers do a lot of looking back. I've seen lists of all types on the Internet and in magazines. You know––Best and Worst Dressed of 2010, Best Smartphone Apps of 2010, etc. If you want to find a list for something, you probably can find it with a little searching.
I confess that my own list of what happened in my life in 2010 would not appear to be a "Best" of anything list:
I put a lot of work into a book that won't be published in 2011 as intended. It's been set aside for a time. And that, of course, messed with my schedule for the rest of the year.
I fainted, fell, and shattered my ankle, and the recovery time was lengthy (I'm still not 100%).
My beloved mother passed away after failing slowly over a period of about 14 months.
I was diagnosed with breast cancer and underwent surgery, with more treatment to follow in 2011.
Two major health issues put major stress on my budget.
Two major health issues and death of my mom further messed with my writing schedule.
Ack!
Yeah, looking at that list does make the year seem rather grim. But the thing is, grim that list may be, but God has faithfully seen me through each and every circumstance or is continuing to see me through them. So the year itself does not seem "worst."
I loved today's reading in the updated edition of Streams in the Desert. (Regular readers already know how much I love this devotional.) Here are the first couple of paragraphs:
This Christmas, I pray that each of Write Thinking's readers will realize afresh God's amazing love for all mankind and for each one as individuals. Never forget that He knows you by name and cares for you.
Now in those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus, that a census be taken of all the inhabited earth. This was the first census taken while Quirinius was governor of Syria. And everyone was on his way to register for the census, each to his own city. Joseph also went up from Galilee, from the city of Nazareth, to Judea, to the city of David which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and family of David, in order to register along with Mary, who was engaged to him, and was with child.
While they were there, the days were completed for her to give birth. And she gave birth to her firstborn son; and she wrapped Him in cloths, and laid Him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.
In the same region there were some shepherds staying out in the fields and keeping watch over their flock by night. And an angel of the Lord suddenly stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them; and they were terribly frightened. But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid; for behold, I bring you good news of great joy which will be for all the people; for today in the city of David there has been born for you a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. “This will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.”
And suddenly there appeared with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying, “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among men with whom He is pleased.” (Luke 2:1-14)
So here we are in December again. Anyone care to tell me where this year went? For that matter, where did this decade go? But in honor of the season, here are a few little historical tidbits I found in Stupid Christmas by Leland Gregory:
On Christmas Day, 1868, President Andrew Johnson's last significant act was granting unconditional amnesty to all Confederate soldiers for their actions in the Civil War. Confederate president Jefferson Davis declined to accept it.
In November 1939, during the Great Depression, Franklin D. Roosevelt ordered Thanksgiving be celebrated one week earlier than usual, thereby extending the Christmas shopping season. [Robin here: I wonder what he would think of our shopping season beginning before Halloween now.]
In the original printing of the poem "A Visit from Saint Nicholas" in 1823, the last two reindeer were named "Dunder and Blixem," which are very close to the Dutch words for thunder and lightning, donder and blixsem. "Blixem" is an alternative spelling for bliksem but "dunder" is not an accepted alternative spelling for donder. It is quite possible that there was a minor printing error and Dunder's name should have been Donder.
Even though smoke was billowing out of the store, firefighters in Mentor, Ohio, had to physically restrain a number of enthusiastic Christmas shoppers from continuing to enter the Dillard's at the Great Lakes Mall during a December 6, 2006, electrical fire.
Okay, that last one wasn't historical. Just four years ago. But I can totally see that happening. Not to me. I'm not that into the shopping thing. I love ordering on-line and having things delivered to my house.
Here's hoping your Christmas shopping season will be smoke and fire free.
Are you kidding me? Bristol Palin and Mark Ballas have received death threats following the ouster of Brandy last week. This is a dance show, folks. A fun little program that runs for ten weeks every spring and fall.
Rumors say Bristol made it to the finals because of her mother's political supporters. That may be true for some. I doubt it's true for many. The votes I've cast for Bristol were because of her spunk and determination. The votes I've cast for Jennifer were because of her elegance and determination.
But in a country that is supposed to be great and free and tolerant, I cannot believe people can have that much hate in their hearts for a girl of 19 who hasn't done anything to hurt anyone. (May I remind you that there is a whole group of folks who "vote for the worst" in the American Idol competition? Don't hear about anybody threatening their lives!)
IT'S A DANCE SHOW, FOLKS! Bristol and Mark have done nothing except work hard and perform. And there are idiots who would threaten their lives because of it? Oh, yeah. I remember. People like that are only tolerant if the other guy believes the same things they do and has parents of whom they approve. They hate anybody who disagrees with them or whose parents' disagree with them (be it politics or religion or philosophy). Sheesh!
Okay. Take a deep breath.
The show last night was great. I thought everybody did a good job and upped their ante.
Jennifer was once again stellar. Out of ten weeks of dances, she had two weak weeks. Otherwise, I think she has been the best contestant ever. I've loved many of the other champions, but if memory serves, none of them were as exceptional quite as soon or quite as consistantly.
Kyle's free dance absolutely cracked me up and I thought he did really well on his redemption dance too. This kid is an excellent entertainer. His smile makes me smile. You just can't help thinking he's adorable.
Bristol also did a fine job. Her redemption dance (making up for the "ape" disaster) was light and fun. Her free dance was impressive, and I disagree with Bruno and Carrie Ann, I suppose because the dance is not iconic in my mind so I wasn't comparing. I was just watching and enjoying. And now that I know she did those two performance under the cloud of death threats? Even more impressive.
Whoever takes home that mirrorball trophy tonight should be celebrated for the hard work, the long hours, the physical injuries endured, and for their commitment to do their absolute best. Certainly nobody should have to worry about their safety because of it.
On Saturday, October 30, 2010, the Opera Company of Philadelphia brought together over 650 choristers from 28 participating organizations to perform one of the Knight Foundation's "Random Acts of Culture" at Macy's in Center City Philadelphia. Accompanied by the Wanamaker Organ - the world's largest pipe organ - the OCP Chorus and throngs of singers from the community infiltrated the store as shoppers, and burst into a pop-up rendition of the Hallelujah Chorus from Handel's "Messiah" at 12 noon, to the delight of surprised shoppers. This event is one of 1,000 "Random Acts of Culture" to be funded by the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation over the next three years. The initiative transports the classical arts out of the concert halls and opera houses and into our communities to enrich our everyday lives. To learn more about this program and view more events, visit randomactsofculture.org. The Opera Company thanks Macy's and the Friends of the Wanamaker Organ (wanamakerorgan.com) for their partnership, as well as Organ Music Director Peter Conte and Fred Haas, accompanists; OCP Chorus Master Elizabeth Braden, conductor; and Sound Engineer James R. Stemke. For a complete list of participating choirs and more information, visit operaphila.org/RAC. This event was planned to coincide with the first day of National Opera Week.
A writer friend sent me this YouTube video. It's from 1970 about a dead whale that washed up on an Oregon beach. Needless to say, the decaying stench became a bit of a problem for those who lived in the area or visitors who wanted to walk on the beach. So in came the officials to deal with the problem. They came up with a solution. Blow the thing to smithereens.
Sitting here safely in my office, I could see the problem that was developing from a mile off. But it's still pretty funny to watch.
Isn't it sad when our leading elected official can't correctly quote this well known opening sentence to the second paragraph of the Declaration of Independence? What happened to his teleprompter? A malfunction?
The Declaration of Independence states:
We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowedby their Creatorwith certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness.
However, Obama stated:
We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, endowed with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness.
But I'm not going to let the President's long pause and apparent struggle over saying "by their Creator" cause my heart to tremble. Instead, I'm going to think upon these predictions for 2011 that I got in one of those email forwards. No matter what else happens in the world in the coming year, I know these truths are also evident.
1. The Bible will still have all the answers.
2. Prayer will still be the most powerful thing on Earth.
3. The Holy Spirit will still move.
4. God will still honor the praises of His people.
5. There will still be God-anointed preaching.
6. There will still be singing of praise to God.
7. God will still pour out blessings upon His people.
8. There will still be room at the Cross.
9. Jesus will still love you.
10. Jesus will still save the lost when they come to Him.
Nine years. How is that possible that so many years have passed? War and death and continued threats. The country I love changing in ways that make my heart break. The loss of freedoms staring us in the face, and like frogs boiled slowly to death, few notice or even want to notice. God have mercy.
Here is what I wrote eight years ago:
5:14 a.m. 9/11/2002
I'll always remember
September 11, 2002. It's a hard day. Knowing the anniversary was coming has made it a hard past week. Knowing I'll be flying next week and the security is tightened and the threats are high will make the coming days hard, too. I had a bad dream last night, and I know it's because of the replay of events on the news.
Fear is the opposite of faith. I choose to have faith rather than fear, but sometimes I have to keep choosing over and over again. Jesus, I believe. Help now my unbelief.
A year ago, I was an innocent. I was naive. That's no longer true. The wicked choices of evil men changed that forever. As a Christian, I understand that until Jesus Christ returns to earth in His glory to reign, the existence of evil in this world will continue. But as a human being, I still struggle with "Why?". I want to know why we can't simply love (or at least tolerate) one another, why we can't "get along and play nice." I don't understand the kind of hatred that makes a few men kill thousands of innocent strangers — men, women, and children — for no other reason than because they hate Americans. I have never understood hatred because of ethnicity or religion. Americans, with all of our faults and warts (and we have plenty of them), are a people who believe in freedom. We believe in freedom of choice, freedom of religion, freedom in countless areas of our lives. It was our freedom that was attacked a year ago this morning. Evil men want to destroy freedom; they always have. They want to strip mankind of hope. We cannot let them succeed.
Attention, customer service managers and corporate trainers everywhere. This blog post is for you. It might help you remain in the good graces of your customers, current and former.
When I purchased my new home in the spring of 2007, I changed my security alarm services from ADT (who I'd been with for 11 years) to Monitronics, solely because they gave me a better deal. A few months later, I wanted to change my telephone service to digital service via my cable company. But when I placed a call to Monitronics, they said they couldn't guarantee their service would work with my cable provider. Two or three more times over my three year contract, I called Monitronics to see if my cable provider was on their list yet, and each time I was told no. They also increased my monthly fee annually which I didn't know they would do (it was in the very fine print of the contract).
With my three years up and my cable provider giving me an amazing deal to switch to their phone service, I opted to return to ADT. Their installer came out yesterday. With the installation underway, I called Monitronics to cancel my service. I told the fellow I wanted to cancel and here is a general representation of how things went from there:
************
CS (customer service): May I ask why you are cancelling?
Me: I have wanted to change my phone service for the past three years and Monitronics couldn't guarantee they would work with that company. ADT was able to make that guarantee. Also, ADT is charging me over $5 less per month than you are charging me.
CS: Would you change your mind if we can work with the cable phone?
Me: No, I'm sorry. I've already made up my mind. Would you please tell me what I need to do to cancel?
CS: I know we can meet their monthly rate, and I can assure you that we can work with the cable phone.
Me: How can you assure me of that when the support folks at Monitronics couldn't? I've called several times over the past three years and was always told Monitronics might not work if I changed.
CS: We would really like to keep you as a customer. What do we need to do to make that happen?
You don't have to have seen any Lady Gaga video's or performances to appreciate these American soldiers stationed in Afghanistan doing a parody of her music video, Telephone. Hey, whatever helps our guys and gals keep up their spirits while serving their country.
by Leland Gregory:
Recent Comments