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Saturday, April 2, 2011

So Cool!

This is live streaming video of an eagle's nest near Decorah, Iowa.  There are 2 adult eagles, 2 eggs that are about to hatch and one eaglet that's less than 24 hours old.  (Parental Advisory: Keep in mind, this is nature in it's most real form.  Bunnies are not cute, they're food, and there is the possibility of harm coming to the eaglets.) 



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Friday, April 1, 2011

Feeding Frenzy Friday XVII

The Feeding Frenzy Friday item for this week is pasta sauce.  To learn more about this, click here.

Tuesday, March 29, 2011

Why I Believe in Music Education...

...or at least part of the reason.



This is not meant to "bash" our education system or anything of that sort.  However, I believe that every child should learn to do at least one thing they can take "beyond" the A.  For some students that is creating beautiful art, for others it's throwing the perfect fast ball, for others it's interpreting the music written on the page, for still others it's writing a perfect paper or solving math problems.  All subjects are important.  When students have found a place they belong and something they love to do, we will be much closer to solving the bullying, gang and drug related problems of our world.  Just my humble opinion.

Friday, March 25, 2011

Feeding Frenzy Friday XVI

This week's Feeding Frenzy Friday item is canned vegetables.

God's Work

I will not try to do God's work today.

I spent a few minutes in the Eucharistic Chapel in my church this morning.  There was a book of daily meditations sitting on the kneeler and after a few minutes of private prayer, I picked it up and found today's meditation.  The above quote was at the bottom of the page and quickly caught my eye.  My first thought was "What?  Why not?"  Then, I read the whole meditation.  I don't have it in hand right now, so I can't quote it verbatim, but the general idea is that so often we get in God's way or exhaust ourselves trying to do things that are in God's hands alone.  We need to trust more and do God's job less.  I really felt like a burden had been lifted right off my shoulders.  I only have to do my own work today, not God's...He's perfectly capable.  :)

Monday, March 21, 2011

Jake and Nina Adoption Fund

Borrowed from their Razoo page (set up for them by another one of their friends):

Jake and Nina are two loving, awesome people who have been trying desperately to add a child to their family for 3+ years. God, apparently, has plans for them to help add to their family through adopting a baby boy or girl.


Jake and Nina met in 2005 and knew they were meant for each other right away. Nina knew he was the guy she was going to marry after only a month of dating. They were married in August 2007 and began trying for a baby soon thereafter. After a year of trying and many doctor's visits the year after that, they decided God had other plans for them. They've been trying to save up the money for adoption but it is a long road to save $25,000.

Nina has cried on my shoulder many times in frustration and sadness over not having a child of her own. Money should not be the reason holding these two awesome people back.

Nina works with autistic children as a behavior therapist/music therapist and Jake is an office manager. They are fabulous with kids and wonderful people. Let's do this for them!


Jeremiah 29:11
For I know the plans I have for you, says the Lord. Plans for good and not for evil. To give you a future and a hope.

From me:
Nina and I were friends ever since college.  She has always been a wonderful and supportive friend to me.  I would like to be able to be the same to her.  She and Jake would make fantastic parents.  The best I can do (for right now) to help them out is spread the word and pray.  If that's all you can do as well, please do.  If you are able and feel called to help them out financially, I've put Razoo's widget on the side of my blog.  Here is the direct link to the page if you would prefer.

Wednesday, March 16, 2011

Prayers for Japan

Watching the disaster unfold in Japan has been awful.  First, because I have friends in Japan (I heard from them rather quickly...thank God for FaceBook) and then because the whole thing is awful to begin with and just keeps getting worse.  I get a lot of my news online...it takes me less than the 1/2 hour news program to skim through the headlines and read the articles/watch the videos that interest me.  In situations like this, I usually watch a lot of the coverage.  This time, though, watching those walls of water wipe away cars and houses that I know still had people in them once was more than enough.  I felt so ill, I've avoided the video clips ever since.

It is times like this that we see the best humanity has to offer, but unfortunately, we also often see the worst.  One family spent a day or so thinking their daughter was dead (she wasn't) because some hoaxer added her name to an online list of the dead.  News programs are already warning of scammers posing as charities to steal the money.  Honestly, I don't understand how people can do these things and sleep at night.  The company I prefer to give any donation I can to is Catholic Relief Services (because of their low overhead and high accountability).  They are BBB approved and were already in the region.  Their web page is http://crs.org/japan/.  You do not have to take my word for it.  The Compass Newspaper, published by the Diocese of Green Bay, provided the link.

I know I have readers in Japan (could just be my friends, but the numbers seem a little too high to be just two people).  Please know that our prayers are with you.  Stay safe and God bless.