Below are the 20 most recent journal entries recorded in cassieelizabeth's LiveJournal:

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Friday, June 20th, 2008
9:25 am	QUESTIONS THAT HAUNT! If you have sex with a prostitute against her will, is it considered rape or shoplifting? Can you cry under water? How important does a person have to be before they are considered assassinated instead of just murdered? Why do you have to 'put your two cents in'... but it's only a 'penny for your thoughts'? Where's that extra penny going to? Once you're in heaven, do you get stuck wearing the clothes you were buried in for eternity? Why does a round pizza come in a square box? What disease did cured ham actually have? How is it that we put man on the moon before we figured out it would be a good idea to put wheels on luggage? Why is it that people say they 'slept like a baby' when babies wake up like every two hours? If a deaf person has to go to court, is it still called a hearing? Why are you IN a movie, but you're ON TV? Why do people pay to go up tall buildings and then put money in binoculars to look at things on the ground? Why do doctors leave the room while you change? They're going to see you naked anyway. Why is 'bra' singular and 'panties' plural? Why do toasters always have a setting that burns the toast to a horrible crisp, which no decent human being would eat? If Jimmy cracks corn and no one cares, why is there a stupid song about him? Can a hearse carrying a corpse drive in the carpool lane? If the professor on Gilligan's Island can make a radio out of a coconut, why can't he fix a hole in a boat? Why does Goofy stand erect while Pluto remains on all fours? They're both dogs! If corn oil is made from corn, and vegetable oil is made from vegetables, what is baby oil made from? If electricity comes from electrons, does morality come from morons? Do the Alphabet song and Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star have the same tune? Why did you just try singing the two songs above? Why do they call it an asteroid when it's outside the hemisphere, but call it a hemorrhoid when it's in your butt? Did you ever notice that when you blow in a dog's face, he gets mad at you, but when you take him for a car ride, he sticks his head out the window? (Comment on this)
Sunday, December 2nd, 2007
10:21 am	The Little Prince "You have to be very patient," the fox answered. "First you'll sit down a little ways away from me, over there, in the grass. I'll watch you out of the corner of my eye, and you won't say anything. Language is the source of misunderstandings. But day by day, you'll be able to sit a little closer..." The next day the little prince returned. " It would have been better to return at the same time," the fox said. "For instance, if you come at four in the afternoon, I'll begin to be happy by three. The closer it gets to four, the happier I'll feel. By four I'll be all excited and worried; I'll discover what it costs to be happy! But if you come at any old time, I'll never know when I should prepare my heart...There must be rites." - The Little Prince by Antoine de Saint-Exupery (Comment on this)
Thursday, November 29th, 2007
8:51 am	Denzel Washington, and Brooks Army Medical Center Don't know whether you heard about this but Denzel Washington and his family visited the troops at Brooks Army Medical Center , in San Antonio , Texas (BAMC) the other day. This is where soldiers who have been evacuated from Germany come to be hospitalized in the United States , especially burn victims. There are some buildings there called Fisher Houses. The Fisher House is a Hotel where soldiers' families can stay, for little or no charge, while their soldier is staying in the Hospital. BAMC has quite a few of these houses on base, but as you can imagine, they are almost filled most of the time. While Denzel Washington was visiting BAMC, they gave him a tour of one of the Fisher Houses. He asked how much one of them would cost to build. He took his check book out and wrote a check for the full amount right there on the spot. The soldiers overseas were amazed to hear this story and want to get the word out to the American public, because it warmed their hearts to hear it. The question I have is why does: Alec Baldwin, Madonna, Sean Penn and other Hollywood types make front page news with their anti-everything America trash and Denzel Washington's Patriotism doesn't even make page 3 in the Metro section of any newspaper except the Local newspaper in San Antonio A true American and friend to all in uniform! (Comment on this)
Wednesday, November 28th, 2007
11:36 am	God Vs. Science The science professor begins his school year with a lecture to the students, "Let me explain the problem science has with religion." The atheist professor of philosophy pauses before his class and then asks one of his new students to stand. "You're a Christian, aren't you, son?" "Yes sir," the student says. "So you believe in God?" "Absolutely." "Is God good?" "Sure! God's good." "Is God all-powerful? Can God do anything?" "Yes." "Are you good or evil?" "The Bible says I'm evil." The professor grins knowingly. "Aha! The Bible!" He considers for a moment. "Here's one for you. Let's say there's a sick person over here and you can cure him. You can do it. Would you help him? Would you try?" "Yes sir, I would." "So you're good...!" "I wouldn't say that." "But why not say that? You'd help a sick and maimed person if you could. Most of us would if we could. But God doesn't." The student does not answer, so the professor continues. "He doesn't, does he? My brother was a Christian who died of cancer, even though he prayed to Jesus to heal him. How is this Jesus good? Hmmm? Can you answer that one?" The student remains silent. "No, you can't, can you?" the professor says. He takes a sip of water from a glass on his desk to give the student time to relax. "Let's start again, young fella. Is God good?" "Er...yes," the student says. "Is Satan good?" The student doesn't hesitate on this one. "No." "Then where does Satan come from?" The student falters. "From God" "That's right. God made Satan, didn't he? Tell me, son. Is there evil in this world?" "Yes, sir." "Evil's everywhere, isn't it? And God did make everything, correct?" "Yes." "So who created evil?" The professor continued, "If God created everything, then God created evil, since evil exists, and according to the principle that our works define who we are, then God is evil." Again, the student has no answer. "Is there sickness? Immorality? Hatred? Ugliness? All these terrible things, do they exist in this world?" The student squirms on his feet. "Yes." "So who created them?" The student does not answer again, so the professor repeats his question. "Who created them?" There is still no answer. Suddenly the lecturer breaks away to pace in front of the classroom. The class is mesmerized. "Tell me," he continues onto another student. "Do you believe in Jesus Christ, son?" The student's voice betrays him and cracks. "Yes, professor, I do." The old man stops pacing. "Science says you have five senses you use to identify and observe the world around you. Have you ever seen Jesus?" "No sir. I've never seen Him." "Then tell us if you've ever heard your Jesus?" "No, sir, I have not." "Have you ever felt your Jesus, tasted your Jesus or smelt your Jesus? Have you ever had any sensory perception of Jesus Christ, or God for that matter?" "No, sir, I'm afraid I haven't." "Yet you still believe in him?" "Yes." "According to the rules of empirical, testable, demonstrable protocol, science says your God doesn't exist. What do you say to that, son?" "Nothing," the student replies. "I only have my faith." "Yes, faith," the professor repeats. "And that is the problem science has with God. There is no evidence, only faith." The student stands quietly for a moment, before asking a question of His own. "Professor, is there such thing as heat?" "Yes," the professor replies. "There's heat." "And is there such a thing as cold?" "Yes, son, there's cold too." "No sir, there isn't." The professor turns to face the student, obviously interested. The room suddenly becomes very quiet. The student begins to explain. "You can have lots of heat, even more heat, super-heat, mega-heat, unlimited heat, white heat, a little heat or no heat, but we don't have anything called 'cold'. We can hit up to 458 degrees below zero, which is no heat, but we can't go any further after that. There is no such thing as cold; otherwise we would be able to go colder than the lowest -458 degrees." "Every body or object is susceptible to study when it has or transmits energy, and heat is what makes a body or matter have or transmit energy. Absolute zero (-458 F) is the total absence of heat. You see, sir, cold is only a word we use to describe the absence of heat. We cannot measure cold. Heat we can measure in thermal units because heat is energy. Cold is not the opposite of heat, sir, just the absence of it." Silence across the room. A pen drops somewhere in the classroom, sounding like a hammer. "What about darkness, professor. Is there such a thing as darkness?" "Yes," the professor replies without hesitation. "What is night if it isn't darkness?" "You're wrong again, sir. Darkness is not something; it is the absence of something. You can have low light, normal light, bright light, flashing light, but if you have no light constantly you have nothing and it's called darkness, isn't it? That's the meaning we use to define the word." "In reality, darkness isn't. If it were, you would be able to make darkness darker, wouldn't you?" The professor begins to smile at the student in front of him. This will be a good semester. "So what point are you making, young man?" "Yes, professor. My point is, your philosophical premise is flawed to start with, and so your conclusion must also be flawed." The professor's face cannot hide his surprise this time. "Flawed? Can you explain how?" "You are working on the premise of duality," the student explains. "You argue that there is life and then there's death; a good God and a bad God. You are viewing the concept of God as something finite, something we can measure. Sir, science can't even explain a thought." "It uses electricity and magnetism, but has never seen, much less fully understood either one. To view death as the opposite of life is to be ignorant of the fact that death cannot exist as a substantive thing. Death is not the opposite of life, just the absence of it." "Now tell me, professor. Do you teach your students that they evolved from a monkey?" "If you are referring to the natural evolutionary process, young man, yes, of course I do." "Have you ever observed evolution with your own eyes, sir?" The professor begins to shake his head, still smiling, as he realizes where the argument is going. A very good semester, indeed. "Since no one has ever observed the process of evolution at work and cannot even prove that this process is an on-going endeavor, are you not teaching your opinion, sir? Are you now not a scientist, but a preacher?" The class is in uproar. The student remains silent until the commotion has subsided. "To continue the point you were making earlier to the other student, let me give you an example of what I mean." The student looks around the room. "Is there anyone in the class who has ever seen the professor's brain?" The class breaks out into laughter. "Is there anyone here who has ever heard the professor's brain, felt the professor's brain, touched or smelt the professor's brain? No one appears to have done so. So, according to the established rules of empirical, stable, demonstrable protocol, science says that you have no brain, with all due respect, sir." "So if science says you have no brain, how can we trust your lectures, sir?" Now the room is silent. The professor just stares at the student, his face unreadable. Finally, after what seems an eternity, the old man answers. "I guess you'll have to take them on faith." "Now, you accept that there is faith, and, in fact, faith exists with life," the student continues. "Now, sir, is there such a thing as evil?" Now uncertain, the professor responds, "Of course, there is. We see it everyday. It is in the daily example of man's inhumanity to man. It is in the multitude of crime and violence everywhere in the world. These manifestations are nothing else but evil." To this the student replied, "Evil does not exist sir, or at least it does not exist unto itself. Evil is simply the absence of God. It is just like darkness and cold, a word that man has created to describe the absence of God. God did not create evil. Evil is the result of what happens when man does not have God's love present in his heart. It's like the cold that comes when there is no heat or the darkness that comes when there is no light." The professor sat down. (Comment on this)
Monday, October 29th, 2007
10:38 am	You Are Everything - Matthew West I'm the one with two left feet, standing on a lonely street, I can't even walk a straight line. And every time you look at me, I'm spinning like an autumn leaf, Bound to hit bottom some time. [bridge] Where would I be without someone to save me, Someone who won't let me fall? [chorus] You are everything that I live for, Everything that I can't believe is happening You're standing right in front of me, With arms wide open, all I know Is everyday is filled with hope 'Cause You are everything that I breathe for, And I can't help but breathe You in, and breathe again, Feeling all this life within, every single beat of my heart. I'm the one with big mistakes, big regrets, And bigger breaks than I'd ever care to confess. Ah, but You're the one who looks at me And sees what I was meant to be, More than just a beautiful mess. [bridge] [chorus] You're everything good in my life, Everything honest and true. And all of those stars hanging up in the sky Could never shine brighter than You. [chorus] You are, oh You are, Jesus, You are, You are everything (Comment on this)
Wednesday, October 24th, 2007
9:35 am	LOVE..... Well i know its been a while but i have been so busy...and i also want to say that i am completely, madly, helplessly in love with God. He has blessed me so much and all i want to do is sing his praises... I met Gary at church on Valentine's day and i honestly didnt think anything about it..i had just given all my relationship worries to God and had finally just let go of it all...it was so freeing not to feel like i had to worry or try to find someone...it was comforting to know that God was going to take care of it all on his time...not mine...well after i did that i went to church because i had wanted to go and allison welch had told me so many amazing things about the worship there...i could go into the story of us meeting and our first date but i wont because that is not the reason for this letter... The reason i am writing is because i am so full of JOY that i had never known until i had met Gary...he is the life of the party wherever we go and i am always laughing when i am with him...he is my protector...i feel safe with him...not just emotionally but spiritually as well...i love how we grow in our relationship that way... He truely exemplifies the fruits of the spirit.... Love - "And so we know and rely on the love God has for us. God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in him" (1 John 4:16). Through Jesus Christ, our greatest goal is to do all things in love. "Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails" (1 Corinthians 13:4-8). Joy - "The joy of the Lord is your strength" (Nehemiah 8:10). "Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God" (Hebrews 12:2). Peace - "Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ" (Romans 5:1). "May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit" (Romans 15:13). Longsuffering (patience) -- We are "strengthened with all might, according to his glorious power, unto all patience and longsuffering with joyfulness" (Colossians 1:11). "With all lowliness and meekness, with longsuffering, forbearing one another in love" (Ephesians 4:2). Gentleness (kindness) -- We should live "in purity, understanding, patience and kindness; in the Holy Spirit and in sincere love; in truthful speech and in the power of God; with weapons of righteousness in the right hand and in the left" (2 Corinthians 6:6-7). Goodness - "Wherefore also we pray always for you, that our God would count you worthy of this calling, and fulfill all the good pleasure of his goodness, and the work of faith with power" (2 Thessalonians 1:11). "For the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness and righteousness and truth" (Ephesians 5:9). Faith (faithfulness) - "O Lord, thou art my God; I will exalt thee, I will praise thy name; for thou hast done wonderful things; thy counsels of old are faithfulness and truth" (Isaiah 25:1). "I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith" (Ephesians 3:16-17). Meekness - "Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual, restore such an one in the spirit of meekness; considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted" (Galatians 6:1). "With all lowliness and meekness, with longsuffering, forbearing one another in love" (Ephesians 4:2). Temperance (self-control) - "But also for this very reason, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue, to virtue knowledge, to knowledge self-control, to self-control perseverance, to perseverance godliness, to godliness brotherly kindness, and to brotherly kindness love" (2 Peter 1:5-7). The most important thing to me though is that he is in love with God more than me...that is what i have always wanted and looked for in a man...someone who will keep the relationship centered on God and not on anything else... I had always assumed that i would end up with someone in the ministry but Gary is the one that i know God has made me for and vice versa...He wants to do something in the medical field as well as keep selling real estate...he has shown me that you dont necessarily have to be in the ministry field to reach people....you LIFE is a mission field and those that you touch are the ones that you need to show the love of God to in everyday situations... I hope everyone has a BLESSED week.... P.S. Allison....this is NOT saying that i am getting married anytime soon...BELIEVE me it is going to be at LEAST three OR MORE years...but i just wanted to share my heart with you... Current Mood: loved (3 Comments |Comment on this)
Wednesday, October 3rd, 2007
10:13 am	Musée des Beaux Arts One of my Fav. poems....thought i would share it with everyone... Musée des Beaux Arts W. H. Auden About suffering they were never wrong, The Old Masters; how well, they understood Its human position; how it takes place While someone else is eating or opening a window or just walking dully along; How, when the aged are reverently, passionately waiting For the miraculous birth, there always must be Children who did not specially want it to happen, skating On a pond at the edge of the wood: They never forgot That even the dreadful martyrdom must run its course Anyhow in a corner, some untidy spot Where the dogs go on with their doggy life and the torturer's horse Scratches its innocent behind on a tree. In Breughel's Icarus, for instance: how everything turns away Quite leisurely from the disaster; the ploughman may Have heard the splash, the forsaken cry, But for him it was not an important failure; the sun shone As it had to on the white legs disappearing into the green Water; and the expensive delicate ship that must have seen Something amazing, a boy falling out of the sky, had somewhere to get to and sailed calmly on. The basic premise of the poem is response to tragedy, or as the song goes "Obla Di, Obla Da, Life Goes On." The title refers to the Museum of Fine Arts in Brussels. Auden visited the museum in 1938 and viewed the painting "Fall of Icarus" by Brueghel, which the poem is basically about. Generalizing at first, and then going into specifics the poem theme is the apathy with which humans view individual suffering. Auden wrote that "In so far as poetry, or any of the arts, can be said to have an ulterior purpose, it is, by telling the truth, to disenchant and disintoxicate." The poem juxtaposes ordinary events and exraordinary ones, although extraordinary events seem to deflate to everyday ones with his descriptions. Life goes on while a "miraculous birth occurs", but also while "the disaster" of Icarus's death happens. For those cultural barbarians who don't know the story of Icarus, here it is, in condensed form. Icarus was a Greek mythological figure, also known as the son of Daedalus who was famous for the Labyrinth of Crete. Now Icarus and his dad were stuck in Crete, because the King of Crete wouldn't let them leave. Daedalus made some wings for the both of them and gave his son instruction on how to fly telling him not too close to the sea, the water will soak the wings, and not too close to the sky, the sun will melt them. Icarus, however, appeared to be obstinate and did fly to close to the sun. This caused the wax that held his wings to his body to melt. Icarus crashed into the sea and died. But as i stated before the reason that i think this poem is so powerful is because it deals with the human experience...and the apathy or lack thereof for human suffering. (Comment on this)
Tuesday, July 10th, 2007
2:15 pm	Body tricks everyone should know i thought this article was neato...enjoy folks... 1. If your throat tickles, scratch your ear! When you were 9, playing your armpit was a cool trick. Now, as an adult, you can still appreciate a good body-based feat, but you're more discriminating. Take that tickle in your throat; it's not worth gagging over. Here's a better way to scratch your itch: "When the nerves in the ear are stimulated, it creates a reflex in the throat that can cause a muscle spasm," says Scott Schaffer, M.D., president of an ear, nose, and throat specialty center in Gibbsboro, New Jersey. "This spasm relieves the tickle." 2. Experience supersonic hearing! If you're stuck chatting up a mumbler at a cocktail party, lean in with your right ear. It's better than your left at following the rapid rhythms of speech, according to researchers at the UCLA David Geffen School of Medicine. If, on the other hand, you're trying to identify that song playing softly in the elevator, turn your left ear toward the sound. The left ear is better at picking up music tones. 3. Overcome your most primal urge! Need to pee? No bathroom nearby? Fantasize about Jessica Simpson. Thinking about sex preoccupies your brain, so you won't feel as much discomfort, says Larry Lipshultz, M.D., chief of male reproductive medicine at the Baylor College of Medicine. For best results, try Simpson's "These Boots Are Made for Walking" video. 4. Feel no pain! German researchers have discovered that coughing during an injection can lessen the pain of the needle stick. According to Taras Usichenko, author of a study on the phenomenon, the trick causes a sudden, temporary rise in pressure in the chest and spinal canal, inhibiting the pain-conducting structures of the spinal cord. 5. Clear your stuffed nose! Forget Sudafed. An easier, quicker, and cheaper way to relieve sinus pressure is by alternately thrusting your tongue against the roof of your mouth, then pressing between your eyebrows with one finger. This causes the vomer bone, which runs through the nasal passages to the mouth, to rock back and forth, says Lisa DeStefano, D.O., an assistant professor at the Michigan State University college of osteopathic medicine. The motion loosens congestion; after 20 seconds, you'll feel your sinuses start to drain. 6. Fight fire without water! Worried those wings will repeat on you tonight? "Sleep on your left side," says Anthony A. Starpoli, M.D., a New York City gastroenterologist and assistant professor of medicine at New York Medical College. Studies have shown that patients who sleep on their left sides are less likely to suffer from acid reflux. The esophagus and stomach connect at an angle. When you sleep on your right, the stomach is higher than the esophagus, allowing food and stomach acid to slide up your throat. When you're on your left, the stomach is lower than the esophagus, so gravity's in your favor. 7. Cure your toothache without opening your mouth! Just rub ice on the back of your hand, on the V-shaped webbed area between your thumb and index finger. A Canadian study found that this technique reduces toothache pain by as much as 50 percent compared with using no ice. The nerve pathways at the base of that V stimulate an area of the brain that blocks pain signals from the face and hands. 8. Make burns disappear! When you accidentally singe your finger on the stove, clean the skin and apply light pressure with the finger pads of your unmarred hand. Ice will relieve your pain more quickly, Dr. DeStefano says, but since the natual method brings the burned skin back to a normal temperature, the skin is less likely to blister. 9. Stop the world from spinning! One too many drinks left you dizzy? Put your hand on something stable. The part of your ear responsible for balance -- the cupula -- floats in a fluid of the same density as blood. "As alcohol dilutes blood in the cupula, the cupula becomes less dense and rises," says Dr. Schaffer. This confuses your brain. The tactile input from a stable object gives the brain a second opinion, and you feel more in balance. Because the nerves in the hand are so sensitive, this works better than the conventional foot-on-the-floor wisdom. 10. Unstitch your side! If you're like most people, when you run, you exhale as your right foot hits the ground. This puts downward pressure on your liver (which lives on your right side), which then tugs at the diaphragm and creates a side stitch, according to The Doctors Book of Home Remedies for Men. The fix: Exhale as your left foot strikes the ground. 11. Stanch blood with a single finger! Pinching your nose and leaning back is a great way to stop a nosebleed -- if you don't mind choking on your own O positive. A more civil approach: Put some cotton on your upper gums -- just behind that small dent below your nose -- and press against it, hard. "Most bleeds come from the front of the septum, the cartilage wall that divides the nose," says Peter Desmarais, M.D., an ear, nose, and throat specialist at Entabeni Hospital, in Durban, South Africa. "Pressing here helps stop them." 12. Make your heart stand still! Trying to quell first-date jitters? Blow on your thumb. The vagus nerve, which governs heart rate, can be controlled through breathing, says Ben Abo, an emergency medical- services specialist at the University of Pittsburgh. It'll get your heart rate back to normal. 13. Thaw your brain! Too much Chipwich too fast will freeze the brains of lesser men. As for you, press your tongue flat against the roof of your mouth, covering as much as you can. "Since the nerves in the roof of your mouth get extremely cold, your body thinks your brain is freezing, too," says Abo. "In compensating, it overheats, causing an ice-cream headache." The more pressure you apply to the roof of your mouth, the faster your headache will subside. 14. Prevent near-sightedness! Poor distance vision is rarely caused by genetics, says Anne Barber, O.D., an optometrist in Tacoma, Washington. "It's usually caused by near-point stress." In other words, staring at your computer screen for too long. So flex your way to 20/20 vision. Every few hours during the day, close your eyes, tense your body, take a deep breath, and, after a few seconds, release your breath and muscles at the same time. Tightening and releasing muscles such as the biceps and glutes can trick involuntary muscles -- like the eyes -- into relaxing as well. 15. Wake the dead! If your hand falls asleep while you're driving or sitting in an odd position, rock your head from side to side. It'll painlessly banish your pins and needles in less than a minute, says Dr. DeStefano. A tingly hand or arm is often the result of compression in the bundle of nerves in your neck; loosening your neck muscles releases the pressure. Compressed nerves lower in the body govern the feet, so don't let your sleeping dogs lie. Stand up and walk around. 16. Impress your friends! Next time you're at a party, try this trick: Have a person hold one arm straight out to the side, palm down, and instruct him to maintain this position. Then place two fingers on his wrist and push down. He'll resist. Now have him put one foot on a surface that's a half inch higher (a few magazines) and repeat. This time his arm will cave like the French. By misaligning his hips, you've offset his spine, says Rachel Cosgrove, C.S.C.S., co-owner of Results Fitness, in Santa Clarita, California. Your brain senses that the spine is vulnerable, so it shuts down the body's ability to resist. 17. Breathe underwater! If you're dying to retrieve that quarter from the bottom of the pool, take several short breaths first -- essentially, hyperventilate. When you're underwater, it's not a lack of oxygen that makes you desperate for a breath; it's the buildup of carbon dioxide, which makes your blood acidic, which signals your brain that somethin' ain't right. "When you hyperventilate, the influx of oxygen lowers blood acidity," says Jonathan Armbruster, Ph.D., an associate professor of biology at Auburn University. "This tricks your brain into thinking it has more oxygen." It'll buy you up to 10 seconds. 18. Read minds! Your own! "If you're giving a speech the next day, review it before falling asleep," says Candi Heimgartner, an instructor of biological sciences at the University of Idaho. Since most memory consolidation happens during sleep, anything you read right before bed is more likely to be encoded as long-term memory. (1 Comment |Comment on this)
Monday, June 4th, 2007
11:22 am	Oh my stars....... Songs today sound more and more like they were written by nine year olds..... FOR EXAMPLE.....I heard a country song while driving home friday..... it's by Brad Paisley...and normally i LOVE his music because his voice is just so great...anyway...It starts off pretty well with a guy singing about how he wants to run away with this girl, take her out into nature etc. But then the corus is…. "I wanna check you for ticks." What? Really? come on!!!! Yeah…. you’d have to get naked to check for ticks…. but that’s not sexy!!! You have to get naked for a colonoscopy… but would you sing a song about wanting to check you for polyps? This made me think of several questions....Did that songwriter use that as a pick up line? Did it work? Who in their right mind would WRITE those lyrics and say to themselvs "yeah, that looks good" and Who in the record label would hear that song and think "yeah, you know that song could be a big hit" BUT more importantly...what does it say about the public opinion...that this song has become a hit? man...just when i thought country music was gaining some ground and NOT becoming so cliche..... (3 Comments |Comment on this)
Tuesday, May 1st, 2007
7:51 am	Forgive I learned a lot about forgiveness during Lent. . . About my own great need for forgiveness. From God. And from man. About my need to extend forgiveness to others. About the great challenge of forgiveness. Forgiveness is hard work--and it doesn’t always end up like we wish it would. My mentor taught me long ago, “Sometimes Jesus is calling us to get ripped off.” (You won’t hear that preached very often. . .) Good Friday represented the darkest day in human history. And the greatest love in human history. The cross of His love paved our way to the Father. Easter represented the brightest day in human history. And the most hope- filled. His empty tomb is a precursor of our own empty tomb someday. Now comes the opportunity, as Brennan Manning writes, to walk in “His present risenness.” To be clean with one another. To be reconciled with one another. In my quiet time last week, I read John 20 in The Message. Jesus is speaking to His disciples after the Resurrection: “Receive the Holy Spirit,” he said. “If you forgive someone’s sins, they’re gone for good. If you don’t forgive sins, what are you going to do with them?” I have been mulling that over: what would I do with someone else’s sins--if I did not forgive them? In the book "The Peace Maker" by Ken Sande, He writes of Matthew 18: “When Christians think about talking to someone else about a conflict, one of the first verses that comes to mind is Matthew 18:15--’If your brother sins against you, go and show him his fault, just between the two of you.’ If this verse is read in isolation, it seems to teach that we must always use direct confrontation to force others to admit they have sinned. If the verse is read in context, however, we see that Jesus had something much more flexible and beneficial in mind than simply standing toe to toe with others and describing their sins. “Just before this passage, we find Jesus’ wonderful metaphor of a loving shepherd who goes to look for a wandering sheep and then rejoices when it is found (Matthew 18:12-14). Thus, Matthew 18:15 is introduced with a theme of restoration, not condemnation. Jesus repeats this theme just after telling us to ‘go and show him his fault’ by adding, ‘If he listens to you, you have won your brother over.’ And then he hits the restoration theme a third time in verses 21-35, where he uses the parable of the unmerciful servant to remind us to be as merciful and forgiving to others as God is to us (Matthew 18:21-35). “Jesus is clearly calling for something much more loving and redemptive than simply confronting others with a list of their wrongs. He wants us to remember and imitate his shepherd love for us--seeking after others, helping them turn from sin, and helping them be restored to God and those they have offended. Have you ever heard others in a conflict say, ‘We followed the Matthew 18 process?’ Have you said it yourself? Read all of Matthew 18 and ask the Lord to give you the heart of a shepherd who seeks and gently restores the lost sheep.” Wow! That gave me a new perspective on Matthew 18. I have watched Christians for several years now try to make Matthew 18 a “one size fits all” passage. It just simply does not always fit. . . Our chief-of-staff noted, “Forgiveness can be granted immediately, in an instant. Reconciliation could take some time.” May it be so among us. . . May we forgive because He has forgiven. . .SOLI DEO GLORIA. (Comment on this)
Wednesday, March 28th, 2007
8:52 am	Fairy Tales... You know how when you were a little kid and you believed in fairy tales, that fantasy of what your life would be, white dress, prince charming who would carry you away to a castle on a hill. You would lie in bed at night and close your eyes and you had complete and utter faith. Santa Claus, the Tooth Fairy, Prince Charming, they were so close you could taste them, but eventually you grow up, one day you open your eyes and the fairy tale disappears. Most people turn to the things and people they can trust. But the thing is its hard to let go of that fairy tale entirely cause almost everyone has that smallest bit of hope, of faith, that one day they will open their eyes and it will come true..... (5 Comments |Comment on this)
Friday, March 9th, 2007
10:56 am	Elijah.... I was doing it. . .perhaps Elijah was, too. . . A friend shared a new “vocabulary” word with me: omphaloskepsis. As he said, “It is a wonderfully useless vocabulary word.” The definition? “Contemplation of one’s navel.” It is from the Greek word “omphalos” (navel) + “skepsis” (act of looking, examination). Ultimately from the Indo-European root “spek” (to observe) which is also the ancestor of suspect, spectrum, bishop (literally, overseer), despise, espionage, telescope, spectator, and spectacles. So much for the Wordly Wise lesson. . . I was in a “valley” and I was engaging in some omphaloskepsis. So, I re-visited my Old Testament friend Elijah--whose remarkable story is told in I Kings 18:16-19:21. And it brought to mind some questions for Elijah--and maybe for you and me as well: 1. Where/When/How have we known the intimate Presence or have we experienced the mighty Power of the Lord in our lives? “Then the fire of the Lord fell. . .” (I Kings 18:38) Why, as believers, do we have such short-term memories? It is almost as if we are asking the Lord, “What have you done for me lately?” 2. What would we do if we weren’t afraid? “Elijah was afraid and ran for his life.” (I Kings 19:3) I have a cartoon on my desk. It is from the book Who Moved My Cheese? It simply says, “What would you do if you weren’t afraid?” I wonder if God asked Elijah that in the cave (post-broom tree)? I wonder if God is asking us that? If so, about what? 3. Where/When/How have we experienced discouragement? “He came to a broom tree, sat down under it and prayed that he might die.” (I Kings 19:4) Who hasn’t been there--at some time or other? Where you just think: “Who needs this? Lord, you might as well just go on and take me Home.” 4. What is our agenda? “And the word of the Lord came to him: ‘What are you doing here, Elijah?’” (I Kings 19:9) We all have agendas. That started back in Eden. We want what we want. And we want it right now. I have rarely encountered anyone (even in the Body of Christ) who didn’t have an agenda. There simply is no such thing as a “free” lunch. 5. How do we get back? “The Lord said to him, ‘Go back the way you came. . .’” (I Kings 19:15) How do we get back to our “first love?” All was not lost for Elijah. God still had plenty for him to do, much left to accomplish. He does for us, too. . . So, where are you this morning on this continuum? Omphaloskepsis? Are you experiencing the mighty power of the Lord in your life? Are you afraid? Are you discouraged? What is your agenda? How are you gonna “get back?” We do not journey alone. . . (1 Comment |Comment on this)
Tuesday, February 27th, 2007
9:01 am	Amazed..... Thought of the day:  "One day someone will walk into your life and make it clear why it never worked out with anyone else."  :) (1 Comment |Comment on this)
Sunday, December 17th, 2006
10:26 pm	some quotes to think about......... “That night, Mary found herself in completely unfamiliar territory. She didn’t recognize this place or this road, didn’t even recognize her own body. Shifting her weight once again on the back of the donkey, she readjusted the bulk of her belly. The rhythm of Joseph’s footfall, the endless shuffling of hooves on the dusty road might have been enough to hypnotize her, if it weren’t for this overwhelming discomfort. Impossible to sleep, impossible to rest. Impossible to even explain this situation. She had endured the sly glances from the boys in her village, had been pained by the way the girls avoided her. And now, far from home and far from the comfort of her own mother’s wisdom and experience, she faces her destiny alone. Over and over she remembers the words of the angel: ‘Nothing is impossible with God.’ She knows. This is no mistake. He called her by name.” (“The Road to Bethlehem” by Beverly Darnall and Amy Grant) “We pray that all of us see past the glitter to His glory; Past the twinkle lights to the Light of the world; Past the wreaths of holly to the crown of thorns; Past the fruitcake to the bread of life; Past the drink of merriment to the cup of salvation; To the end that when the past is past, all those we love will be present To receive the crowns of life and gladly lay them at the throne of the King of CHRISTmas!” (From an old Steve Wilson Christmas card) “If Jesus is Lord of my life and my Christmas, I am challenged to submit all the priorities of my personal and professional life to this primary fact.Jesus Christmases in us whenever people come home to themselves in our presence, and when they feel a little less hopeful and joyful because we are absent.Christmas is the promise that the God who came in history and comes daily in mystery will one day come in glory. God is saying in Jesus that in the end everything will be all right. Nothing can harm you permanently, no suffering is irrevocable, no loss is lasting, no defeat is more than transitory, no disappointment is conclusive.” (Brennan Manning) “. . .the horrific miracle of a baby born to die. . .born in a smelly stable. . .delighted by a shining star. . .among wise men with gold on their fingers and shepherds with sheep dung on their feet. . .the gentle Lamb and the fiercest Lion. . .” (Michael Card) “’Business!’ cried the Ghost, wringing its hands again. ‘Mankind was my business. The common welfare was my business; charity, mercy, forbearance, and benevolence, were, all, my business. The dealings of my trade were but a drop of water in the comprehensive ocean of my business!’” (Jacob Marley’s ghost in A Christmas Carol) “’Strange, isn’t it? Each man’s life touches so many other lives, and when he isn’t around, he leaves an awful hole to fill, doesn’t he? . . .You see, George,you really had a wonderful life. Don’t you see what a mistake it would be to throw it away?’” (Clarence Oddbody, AS2, in “It’s A Wonderful Life”) “What then can I give Him,/Empty as I am?/If I were a shepherd,/I would give a lamb./If I were a wise man,/ I would know my part./What then can I give Him?/I must give my heart.” (“In The Bleak Mid-Winter”) (Comment on this)
Wednesday, December 13th, 2006
6:21 pm	Finals week........ so..i don't know why this week isn't called dead week instead of last week....cause finals are freaking gonna kill me............and...i have a lot of anxiety right about two days ago.......til like friday..........AGHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!! (1 Comment |Comment on this)
Wednesday, December 6th, 2006
12:23 am	Chicago Rolls Out Cold-Weather Prostitutes AHAHAHAHA so........Keith sent this to me and seriously i can't stop laughing...just check it out for yourself....... http://www.theonion.com/content/node/55668 (1 Comment |Comment on this)
Sunday, November 19th, 2006
3:08 pm	AHAHAHA...This is awesome!! (1 Comment |Comment on this)
Monday, November 13th, 2006
12:16 pm	Courage... “Life is so daily.” (Bob Benson) “Never forget in the darkness what you’ve heard in the light.” (Unknown) “Then He said, ‘Go out, and stand on the mountain before the Lord.’ And behold, the Lord passed by, and a great and strong wind tore into the mountains and broke the rocks in pieces before the Lord, but the Lord was not in the wind; and after the wind an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake; and after the earthquake a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire; and after the fire a still small voice.” (I Kings 19:11-12) “Courage doesn’t always roar. Sometimes courage is the quiet voice at the end of the day saying, ‘I will try again tomorrow.’” (M. A. Hershey) The last quote reminded me of the prophet Elijah who was running a little low on courage himself once upon a time. . .He was just coming off of a “spiritual high.” He had just witnessed God move in one of the most powerful ways in all of Scripture. He had just (in the Lord’s might) “outdueled” 450 prophets of Baal and 400 prophets of Asherah--all of whom “eat at Jezebel’s table.” You remember the story..... They built an altar on Mount Carmel. Elijah sent word for all of Israel to come and “let’s settle this thing once and for all”--is Baal God or is Jehovah God? They place the sacrifice on the altar. The one whose God can rain down fire and consume the sacrifice is, indeed, God. The prophets of Baal dance around the altar, they scream/they shout, they cut themselves with knives--no fire. Elijah calls on Jehovah, God of Israel. His fire not only consumes the sacrifice, but the altar, the moat of water around it--and all of Jezebel’s boys. Incredible display of Divine power! Within 24 hours, Jezebel gets word to our man Elijah. “You are ‘toast.’ You are ‘history.’ May the gods do the same thing to me if you do not end up as dead as those prophets by this time tomorrow.” Elijah freaked out. . . Well, what “good ol’ RBA Soli Deo Gloria thought” is this: Elijah ran because of fear; Elijah hid in a cave because of fear; we do the same thing. We see and feel God in our lives, but we tend to look for God in the Big Things (as Elijah did: earthquake, fire, and wind). We must listen for the “still small voice.” As God told Elijah, “You are not alone.” “Go back the way you came.” “I’m not done with you.” When depression overcomes us, when we feel in the valley rather than on the mountain top, we need to remember to be still and listen--for God is not done with us. . . So, what did God whisper to Elijah? We may not know ‘til Heaven. Perhaps it was, “Courage doesn’t always roar. Sometimes it is the quietvoice at the end of the day saying, ‘I will try again tomorrow’”. . . (2 Comments |Comment on this)
Tuesday, November 7th, 2006
9:20 pm	We are all leaders. . . “A true leader has the confidence to stand alone, the courage to make tough decisions, and the compassion to listen to the needs of others. He does not set out to be a leader but becomes one by the quality of his actions and the integrity of his intent.” (“The Essence of Leadership”) “Anyone can follow a path, but only a leader can blaze one. That’s not often easy. If you’re a leader, a lot of people depend on you: --Family and friends need leaders who model purpose-driven lives. --Children need leaders who help them reach their potential. --Churches need leaders who chart the course and equip the saints. --Businesses need leaders who build great places to work while making a profit. --Communities need leaders who create a better place to live. As others depend on you, upon whom can you depend? The answer is God, the Ultimate Leader! God is the Ultimate Leader, and He calls every believer to lead others. Every time God desired to do something great, He called a leader to step forward. Today, He still calls leaders to step forward for every work--both large and small.”(Leadership Promised for the Every Day by John Maxwell) “Leadership at the Point of the Bayonet” 1. Strive to be a leader of character, competence, and courage. 2. Lead from the front. Say, ‘Follow me!’ and then lead the way. 3. Stay in top physical shape--physical stamina is the root of mental toughness. 4. Develop your team. If you know your people, are fair in setting realistic goals and expectations, and lead by example, you will develop teamwork. 5. Delegate responsibility. . .let them do their jobs. You can’t do a good job if you don’t have a chance to use your imagination or your creativity. 6. Anticipate problems and prepare to overcome obstacles. Don’t wait until you get to the top of the ridge and then make up your mind. 7. Remain humble. Don’t worry about who receives the credit. Never let power or authority go to your head. 8. Take a moment of self-reflection. Look at yourself in the mirror every night and ask yourself if you did your best. 9. True satisfaction comes from getting the job done. The key to a successful leader is to earn respect--not because of rank or position, but because you are a leader of character. 10. Hang tough!--Never, ever, give up.”(Major Dick Winters, Easy Company, 506th Parachute Infantry Regiment,101st Airborne Division, from Beyond Band of Brothers) I forget how many thousands of websites you get if you “google” the word “leadership.” It is a worthy study. . .we are all leaders. Whether it is Lincoln on Leadership or Jim Collins’ level 5 leaders (people of personal humility and professional will)--may we study leadership; may we understand leadership; may we lead well those entrusted to us. .. (Comment on this)
Tuesday, October 17th, 2006
9:01 pm	umm.....wow I read this on duffey's bullitan on the facebook.com...it's pretty intresting........read on........ Thanksgiving is coming up and more than likely there will be a turkey on your Thanksgiving table somewhere. If not a whole one, then at least a turkey breast or leg. But what about turkey testicles? More than likely you have never tried them. I was unaware that there was such a thing. But in Fort Myers Beach, they are carrying on a long tradition; the Turkey Testicle Festival. Many more festivals like it are held each year across the nation, some celebrating the fruit of various other animals. But this year there was some controversy over the name in Fort Myers Beach. It seems that the head of the town council wanted to drop testicle from the name in favor of calling it the Tom Turkey Festival. But in the end the vote was four to one to keep the name so that if you so desire you can go to the Turkey Testicle Festival in Fort Myers Beach, and for your donation of $5.00 or canned food you too can try Turkey Testicles. If you want of course. To read more, visit: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/15299262/ (Comment on this)