IN HIM WE LIVE AND MOVE AND HAVE OUR BEING

Gotta love this dog!!!

noreply@blogger.com (NC Sue) — Sat, 28 Jan 2012 05:00:00 +0000

I posted this video about a year ago, but I still find this dog to be amazing. I wonder how long it took for the two of them to perfect this routine?

The End of the Raven, by Edgar Allan Poe's Cat

noreply@blogger.com (NC Sue) — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 05:00:00 +0000

I don't remember where I found this poem and don't have the author's name. If anyone can supply the name of the clever poet who wrote this, I'll gladly attribute it to him. Or her. Or them.

On a night quite unenchanting,
when the rain was downward slanting,
I awakened to the ranting
of the man I catch mice for.
Tipsy and a bit unshaven,
in a tone I found quite craven,
Poe was talking to a Raven
perched above the chamber door.
"Raven's very tasty," thought I, as I tiptoed o'er the floor,
"There is nothing I like more"

Soft upon the rug I treaded,
calm and careful as I headed
Towards his roost atop that dreaded bust of Pallas I deplore.
While the bard and birdie chattered,
I made sure that nothing clattered,
Creaked, or snapped, or fell, or shattered,
as I crossed the corridor;
For his house is crammed with trinkets, curious and wierd decor -
Bric-a-brac and junk galore.

Still the Raven never fluttered,
standing stock-still as he uttered,
In a voice that shrieked and sputtered,
his two cents' worth - "Nevermore."

While this dirge the birdbrain kept up,
oh, so silently I crept up,
Then I crouched and quickly leapt up,
pouncing on the feathered bore.
Soon he was a heap of plumage, and a little blood and gore -
Only this and not much more.

"Oooo!" my pickled poet cried out,
"Pussycat, it's time I dried out!
Never sat I in my hideout
talking to a bird before;
How I've wallowed in self-pity,
while my gallant, valiant kitty
Put and end to that damned ditty" -
then I heard him start to snore.
Back atop the door I clambered, eyed that statue I abhor,
Jumped - and smashed it on the floor.

The marial art of bathing a cat

noreply@blogger.com (NC Sue) — Thu, 26 Jan 2012 05:00:00 +0000

Recently my husband and I have faced the chore of administering oral medication to two cats who manage to transform themselves into a mass of flailing claws. It put me in mind of this post from a few years ago.

Some people say cats never have to be bathed. They say cats lick themselves clean. They say cats have a special enzyme of some sort in their saliva that works like new, improved Wisk. It dislodges the dirt where it hides and whisks it away.

I've spent most of my life believing this folklore. Like most blind believers, I've been able to discount all the facts to the contrary, the kitty odors that lurk in the corners of the garage and dirt smudges that cling to the throw rug by the fireplace.

The time comes, however, when a man must face reality: when he must look squarely in the face of massive public sentiment to the contrary and announce: "This cat smells like a port-a-potty on a hot day in Juarez."

When that day arrives at your house, as it has in mine, I have some advice you might consider as you place your feline friend under your arm and head for the bathtub:

Know that although the cat has the advantage of quickness and lack of concern for human life, you have the advantage of strength. Capitalize on that advantage by selecting the battlefield. Don't try to bathe him in an open area where he can force you to chase him. Pick a very small bathroom. If your bathroom is more than four feet square, I recommend that you get in the tub with the cat and close the sliding-glass doors as if you were about to take a shower. (A simple shower curtain will not do. A berserk cat can shred a three-ply rubber shower curtain quicker than a politician can shift positions.)
Know that a cat has claws and will not hesitate to remove all the skin from your body. Your advantage here is that you are smart and know how to dress to protect yourself. I recommend canvas overalls tucked into high-top construction boots, a pair of steel-mesh gloves, an army helmet, a hockey face mask, and a long-sleeved flak jacket.
Prepare everything in advance. There is no time to go out for a towel when you have a cat digging a hole in your flak jacket. Draw the water. Make sure the bottle of kitty shampoo is inside the glass enclosure. Make sure the towel can be reached, even if you are lying on your back in the water.
Use the element of surprise. Pick up your cat nonchalantly, as if to simply carry him to his supper dish. (Cats will not usually notice your strange attire. They have little or no interest in fashion as a rule. If he does notice your garb, calmly explain that you are taking part in a product testing experiment for J.C. Penney.)
Once you are inside the bathroom, speed is essential to survival. In a single liquid motion, shut the bathroom door, step into the tub enclosure, slide the glass door shut, dip the cat in the water and squirt him with shampoo. You have begun one of the wildest 45 seconds of your life.
Cats have no handles. Add the fact that he now has soapy fur, and the problem is radically compounded. Do not expect to hold on to him for more than two or three seconds at a time. When you have him, however, you must remember to give him another squirt of shampoo and rub like crazy. He'll then spring free and fall back into the water, thereby rinsing himself off. (The national record for cats is three latherings, so don't expect too much.)
Next, the cat must be dried. Novice cat bathers always assume this part will be the most difficult, for humans generally are worn out at this point and the cat is just getting really determined. In fact, the drying is simple compared to what you have just been through. That's because by now the cat is semi-permanently affixed to your right leg. You simply pop the drain plug with you foot, reach for your towel and wait. (Occasionally, however, the cat will end up clinging to the top of your army helmet. If this happens, the best thing you can do is to shake him loose and to encourage him toward your leg.) After all the water is drained from the tub, it is a simple matter to just reach down and dry the cat.

In a few days the cat will relax enough to be removed from your leg. He will usually have nothing to say for about three weeks and will spend a lot of time sitting with his back to you. He might even become psychoceramic and develop the fixed stare of a plaster figurine.

You will be tempted to assume he is angry. This isn't usually the case. As a rule he is simply plotting ways to get through your defenses and injure you for life the next time you decide to give him a bath.
But at least now he smells a lot better.

Cat Bathing: Version 2

Thoroughly clean the toilet.
Add the required amount of shampoo to the toilet water, and have both lids lifted.
Obtain the cat and soothe him while you carry him towards the bathroom.
In one smooth movement, put the cat in the toilet and close both lids (you may need to stand on the lid so that he cannot escape). CAUTION: Do not get any part of your body too close to the edge, as his paws will be reaching out for any vulnerable surface they can find.
Flush the toilet three or four times. This provides a "power wash and rinse" which I have found to be quite effective.
Have someone open the door to the outside and ensure that there are no people between the toilet and the outside door.
Stand behind the toilet as far as you can, and quickly lift both lids.
The now-clean cat will rocket out of the toilet, and run outside where he will dry himself.

JOB DONE!

Let's get wordless!

noreply@blogger.com (NC Sue) — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 22:00:00 +0000

The Cactus Cuties

noreply@blogger.com (NC Sue) — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 05:00:00 +0000

Listen to this - 5 little girls from Texas, ages 6-8, singing the national anthem.

Amazing.

I promise - if you listen, you won't soon forget it.

The case of the errant embryo

noreply@blogger.com (NC Sue) — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 05:00:00 +0000

This is a "rerun" of an earlier post, but the story is important - and devastatingly true.

As our world becomes more complex and our technology becomes more sophisticated, we face increasingly thorny ethical dilemmas. One of the most disquieting I’ve heard of is that of Carolyn and Sean Savage.

The couple had two sons (now 12 and 14 years old) and wanted a third child. After a series of miscarriages, they decided to go forward with in vitro fertilization. The procedure was successful; they now had an 18-month-old daughter.

Then things got more complicated.

There were still 5 cryopreserved embryos. Carolyn and Sean believe that these embryos constitute life; they do not believe in discarding them. Carolyn said, “We felt strongly that we needed to give every embryo that we created a chance at life.”

Their physician told them that they could possibly hope for one embryo to be viable after the “transfer”, and they went forward with the procedure. Complicating matters still further, at some point along the way they realized that, because of health issues of her own, this would be Carolyn’s last pregnancy.

Not long after the embryo transfer, Sean received a call from their physician. He was told that Carolyn was pregnant, but that a mistake had been made: the wrong embryos had been implanted. Sean was faced with the responsibility of breaking this news to his wife.

The couple met with the doctor, who told them that there were two options to choose from: (1) they could terminate the pregnancy, or (2) they could take the pregnancy to term, but if they did so, they would have to give the child to the biological parents.

Sean and Carolyn’s religious faith is important to them, and their beliefs made the thought of abortion untenable. They decided to go forward with the pregnancy, knowing full well that they would be unable to keep the child.

14 weeks into the pregnancy, the Savages had their attorney contact the child’s biological parents. Ultimately, the two couples met face-to-face, and the biological parents will attend the birth of their son, which will be via Caesarean section.

“It’s been hard,” Carolyn said when interviewed for the TODAY show. “We’ve been rooting for the baby the whole time. We moved from a position of shock to a realization that this was actually going to happen. We needed to put the needs of the pregnancy and the child first. It’s just been difficult, but we feel we made the right decisions on how to handle it.”

But though the pregnancy has been difficult, the Savages recognize that the delivery will be even more difficult. They’ve asked the biological parents to give them the opportunity to say “hello” and “goodbye” to the child; after that, they don’t know if they will have another opportunity to see the child or to learn how he is doing.

Meanwhile, there are still 5 cryopreserved embryos at the fertility clinic, and as Carolyn is unable to safely become pregnant again, the Savages are currently pursuing the option of having a surrogate carry their remaining child or children to term.

If you’d like to read more about this story, go here. Also, you can view an interview with Sean and Carolyn Savage here. And please leave a comment to let me know what you think.

Ask them what they mean by "choice".

noreply@blogger.com (NC Sue) — Sun, 22 Jan 2012 05:00:00 +0000

I am a nurse and, about 25 years ago, I had just come back into relationship with God. At the time, I believed in and defended a woman’s right to choose abortion.

I had the opportunity to interview for a position as a nurse on a women’s gynecological oncology unit. The interview went quite well, and I was definitely interested in taking the position. But as I prepared to leave, the manager of the unit said, “Oh… by the way… We sometimes get patients who’ve had late term abortions. Sometimes the baby will be born alive. You’ll be expected to place ‘it’ in a basin in the utility room and take care of the mother.”

I was shocked. All of the sudden, I understood exactly what it meant for me to be pro-choice. We weren’t talking about “choice” here; we were talking about a baby. We were talking about life. I couldn’t do it.

I began to listen more intently to some of the debates that raged over when life begins. Is it with fertilization? Implantation? Cell differentiation and specialization? Evidence of a beating heart? Brainstem formation?

It became clear to me that the question “When does life begin?” is a bad one. It places us on a slippery slope, because there is so much we don’t know… and so much we have to answer for if we’re wrong.

Read these words from Gianna Jessen, who testified before the Constitution Subcommittee of the House Judiciary Committee on April 22, 1996.

My name is Gianna Jessen. I am 19 years of age. I am originally from California, but now reside in Franklin, Tennessee. I am adopted. I have cerebral palsy. My biological mother was 17 years old and seven and one-half months pregnant when she made the decision to have a saline abortion. I am the person she aborted. I lived instead of died.

Fortunately for me the abortionist was not in the clinic when I arrived alive, instead of dead, at 6:00 a.m. on the morning of April 6, 1977. I was early, my death was not expected to be seen until about 9 a.m., when he would probably be arriving for his office hours. I am sure I would not be here today if the abortionist would have been in the clinic as his job is to take life, not sustain it. Some have said I am a "botched abortion", a result of a job not well done.

There were many witnesses to my entry into this world. My biological mother and other young girls in the clinic, who also awaited the death of their babies, were the first to greet me. I am told this was a hysterical moment. Next was a staff nurse who apparently called emergency medical services and had me transferred to a hospital. I remained in the hospital for almost three months. There was not much hope for me in the beginning. I weighed only two pounds. Today, babies smaller than I was have survived.

A doctor once said I had a great will to live and that I fought for my life. I eventually was able to leave the hospital and be placed in foster care. I was diagnosed with cerebral palsy as a result of the abortion. My foster mother was told that it was doubtful that I would ever crawl or walk. I could not sit up independently. Through the prayers and dedication of my foster mother, and later many other people, I eventually learned to sit up, crawl, then stand. I walked with leg braces and a walker shortly before I turned age four. I was legally adopted by my foster mother's daughter, Diana De Paul, a few months after I began to walk. The Department of Social Services would not release me any earlier for adoption.

I have continued in physical therapy for my disability, and after a total of four surgeries, I can now walk without assistance. It is not always easy. Sometimes I fall, but I have learned how to fall gracefully after falling 19 years.

I am happy to be alive. I almost died. Every day I thank God for life. I do not consider myself a by-product of conception, a clump of tissue, or any other of the titles given to a child in the womb. I do not consider any person conceived to be any of those things.

I have met other survivors of abortion. They are all thankful for life. Only a few months ago I met another saline abortion survivor. Her name is Sarah. She is two
years old. Sarah also has cerebral palsy, but her diagnosis is not good. She is blind and has severe seizures. The abortionist, besides injecting the mother with saline, also injects the baby victims. Sarah was injected in the head. I saw the place on her head where this was done. When I speak, I speak not only for myself, but for the other survivors, like Sarah, and also for those who cannot yet speak ...

Today, a baby is a baby when convenient. It is tissue or otherwise when the time is not right. A baby is a baby when miscarriage takes place at two, three, four months. A baby is called a tissue or clumps of cells when an abortion takes place at two, three, four months. Why is that? I see no difference. What are you seeing? Many close there eyes...

The best thing I can show you to defend life is my life. It has been a great gift. Killing is not the answer to any question or situation. Show me how it is the answer. There is a quote which is etched into the high ceilings of one of our state's capitol buildings. The quote says, "Whatever is morally wrong, is not politically correct." Abortion is morally wrong. Our country is shedding the blood of the innocent. America is killing its future.
All life is valuable. All life is a gift from our Creator. We must receive and cherish the gifts we are given. We must honor the right to life.

Interested in learning more about Gianna? Visit her website at http://www.giannajessen.com/. And listen to the voice of an angel singing there. That’s Gianna.

H/T to Jill Stanek for posting about Blogging For Choice!

"Find fuel in any failure."

noreply@blogger.com (NC Sue) — Sat, 21 Jan 2012 05:00:00 +0000

H/T to SparkPeople for pointing the way to this video!

I never looked at the consequences of missing a big shot. Why? Because when you think about the consequences you always think of a negative result. Some people get frozen by that fear of failure. They get it from peers or from just thinking about the possibility of a negative result. They might be afraid of looking bad or being embarrassed.

I realized that if I was going to achieve anything in life I had to be aggressive. I had to get out there and go for it. I don’t believe you can achieve anything by being passive. I’m not thinking about anything except what I’m trying to accomplish. Any fear is an illusion. You think something is standing in your way, but nothing is really there. What is there is an opportunity to do your best and gain some success.

If it turns out my best isn’t good enough, then at least I’ll never be able to look back and say I was too afraid to try. Failure always made me try harder next time. That’s why my advice has always been to ‘think positive’ and find fuel in any failure. Sometimes failure actually just gets you closer to where you want to be.

If I’m trying to fix a car, every time I try something that doesn’t work, I’m getting closer to finding the answer. The greatest inventions in the world had hundreds of failures before the answers were found...But obstacles don’t have to stop you.

If you run into a wall, don’t turn around and give up. Figure out how to climb it, go through it, or work around it.

– Michael Jordan.

An excellent question.

noreply@blogger.com (NC Sue) — Fri, 20 Jan 2012 12:53:00 +0000

"They say imitation is the greatest compliment, but are your actions worthy of imitation?"

Source: SparkPeople's "Healthy Reflections" for today.

Our Lady of the Chain

noreply@blogger.com (NC Sue) — Fri, 20 Jan 2012 05:00:00 +0000

This post is a "rerun", but I'm sharing it again because I still find it interesting. I'm fairly certain that this devotion is unfamiliar to many of us.

___________________________

I ran into a title for Mary the other day that I’d never heard before: Our Lady of the Chain. I did a bit of research and found some interesting background.

This devotion began in the 14th century in Palermo, Italy. Three young men were condemned to death by hanging. They were being led to the gallows under heavy guard when the skies grew dark and a terrible storm arose. The guards, the condemned men, and the people who had gathered to witness the execution sought shelter in the Church of St. Mary of the Port. The fierce storm continued, forcing the execution to be postponed.

The guards secured the condemned men with extra chains and secured the doors of the church. The guards eventually fell asleep. The condemned men found themselves in front of an image of Mary, and they prayed for deliverance. As they prayed, the chains they were bound with fell to the ground. The doors of the church opened by themselves, and the men heard words coming from Mary’s image: “Go, you are free, do not fear. The Divine Infant whom I hold in my arms has heard your prayers and has granted your freedom."

When they awoke, the guards searched for and ultimately found the prisoners. The King heard about their experience in the church and granted the men their freedom, saying, “The Blessed Virgin Mary has set them free, so will I.”

News of the miracle spread throughout Italy, and the image became known as “Our Lady of the Chain”.

____________________________________

For more information about this devotion, see here. And if you have a heart for prisoners, please pray for Robert, a man on death row. I've been corresponding with Robert for more than a decade, and he told me that he was just informed that he has been scheduled for execution next month.

Do, or do not. There is no 'try'. – Yoda

noreply@blogger.com (NC Sue) — Thu, 19 Jan 2012 05:00:00 +0000

When I was a boy, my father used to take me bowling, and I wasn’t very good. But I always made excuses why I wasn’t very good. My father said, ‘Quit that. The reason you’re not a good bowler is that you don’t practice.’ And he was right.

Now if I have a defect, I work at it. I don’t make excuses.

– Jason Kidd, 1995 NBA co-rookie of the year

Another Wordless (Almost) Wednesday Post

noreply@blogger.com (NC Sue) — Tue, 17 Jan 2012 22:00:00 +0000

A few months ago, I was puttering along the road hoping to run into something picturesque. I doubt I could quickly find this particular location, but the little town of Bonsai, NC seemed to be just what I was looking for. Next time I'll hope for some blue skies as well!

Learning without letters

noreply@blogger.com (NC Sue) — Tue, 17 Jan 2012 05:00:00 +0000

Many years ago, when I was a young nurse, I had a patient who was illiterate. She had spent only a brief time in elementary school, and hadn’t “learned her letters”. She was quite elderly, so it had been something on the order of 75 years since she’d had any formal schooling at all. She was one of those people who had to “make a mark” in order to give consent to medical procedures.

I’m no Einstein, and I haven’t gone through school as far as I could have or should have, but I confess that I had always felt a bit condescending towards people who couldn’t read or write. I figured there are ways to get back on track to a basic education even if economic conditions or family tragedies interrupt the usual trajectory of education. So I questioned the ability and ambition of someone who remained illiterate well into adulthood. And my patient turned those assumptions upside down.

I remember walking into her room one day and seeing head bent over the pages of a worn King James Bible as she laboriously traced her finger across the page, her lips moving all the while. I was frankly puzzled, and I got a lesson in humility when I learned more about her story.

This woman had faithfully attended her church every time the doors opened throughout her entire life, and her copy of the King James Bible came with her each time. She would sit beside someone who was literate, and this person would point out each word as the Scripture was read. Over time, my patient taught herself to follow along with the preacher as he read the Bible lesson for the day. And although she couldn’t differentiate an “A” from a “Q”, she learned the shape of the words and could read King James English. I've often wondered what she could have achieved if she'd had the advantages I've been blessed with. She'd had virtually no formal education, yet she taught me much. She had internalized God’s Word in a way I could never hope to.

I pray I may learn from her!

Cuban-Style Black Bean Soup

noreply@blogger.com (NC Sue) — Mon, 16 Jan 2012 11:39:00 +0000

I got this recipe from SparkPeople's website. You'll find lots of good healthy lifestyle tips there!

Ingredients

1 large red bell pepper
1 medium yellow bell pepper
1 medium green bell pepper
1 jalapeno
1 medium white onion
2 cloves of garlic
8 oz. chicken, beef, or vegetable stock
3 cups black beans
1 tbsp paprika
3 tsp ground cumin (or more, if you're me!)
2-3 tbsp olive oil
Salt and black pepper to taste.

Directions

Heat olive oil in the bottom of a deep pot.
Begin by sauteing the chopped onion and garlic; be sure the pieces are chopped to a manageable size.
Once the onion has just started to lighten and turn soft, throw in the peppers.
Once the color of the peppers starts to brighten and the onion is almost clear, throw in the jalapeno, paprika and cumin.
When the veggies are coated and cooked to your comfort level, lower heat and pour in broth. If you like a meaty bean soup, add the meat of your choice at this point.

Drain, but don't rinse, black beans. Pour them into the veggie and broth mix, and simmer until beans are tender.

Number of Servings: 6

Adapted from a recipe submitted by SparkPeople user ALABAMASLAMMA.

"Aw shucks", or "Aw sh**"

noreply@blogger.com (NC Sue) — Mon, 16 Jan 2012 05:01:00 +0000

I used to frequent an online bulletin board which was purported to be a place where faith is shared. One day, an online friend of mine posted a wonderful new thread. It was a heartwarming story, a true one, one of those that makes you feel kinda cuddly inside. You know the kind I mean, right? Where you say, "Aw, shucks" or "How nice" or something like that. In fact, that was basically the thrust of the first response to this thread.

Then came the second response.

All of the sudden, someone had managed to derail the nice topic and make it contentious. And one person after another responded in a somewhat-more-heated fashion until... WHAMMO...

At least 2 people said they were leaving the discussion board because of just this sort of behavior.

I used to visit another online forum with the same sort of purpose - faith sharing. And the same thing used to happen there. People of faith (?) quibbling over every point of doctrine, every interpretation of Scripture, every opinion. In truth, I'm not sure I saw one single post on either of these boards that didn't sink into sniping of some degree or another.

What's going ON here, people?

I've read through the Bible a time or two and have spent the better part nearly 60 years attending church regularly. I am no contemplative, but I talk with God regularly. He has graced me with insights far more often than I deserve. I've learned a couple of things through the years, and freely acknowledge that I have far, far more to learn. But it seems to me that there is no divine directive to challenge everything other people say.

This contentiousness is by no means limited to people of faith. In the world of political opinion, it is far worse. Whether the discussion centers on Obama or Bush, socialism or democracy, there is a tendency to demonize the other person's point of view and, for that matter, to make saints of those whose views parallel our own.

Again... What's going ON here, people?

The truth of the matter is, there's a little bit of saint and a whole lot of sinner in each of us. Each of us brings different life experiences to the table, and these have helped to shape somewhat different viewpoints. Not everything "different" is wrong. Not everything "same" is right.

Does this mean that "anything goes"? Of course not. There will be times when it would be wrong to go along with the crowd. But there are other times when a different opinion is simply that. A different opinion.

It is possible to disagree without disrespect.

The way we treat other people is a reflection of who we are. Hopefully, at least on occasion, we can be magnanimous enough to grant someone the right to think differently than we do or, assuming a correction is necessary, we can offer it gently. Every major faith has something on the order of "the Golden Rule". It seems to me that, if nothing else, we should all be able to agree that this is a fine way to treat each other.

A few more thoughts on forgiveness

noreply@blogger.com (NC Sue) — Sun, 15 Jan 2012 05:00:00 +0000

My Protestant readers may well be unfamiliar with the book of Sirach, which is a book in the Catholic Bible. Here's a little information about it for those who may not know its history.

The book itself is referred to as either Sirach or Ecclesiasticus. It's estimated that the book was written between 200-175 B.C. There have been claims that the book was written by King Solomon, but this has been disproven. It was written by Ben Sirach, who was a Jewish scribe living in Jerusalem. The book was originally written in Hebrew or Aramaic. Later, the grandson of the original author translated the book from its original language into Greek. It was thought that the original manuscript was lost, but fragments have since been found.

Earlier this week, I shared a post about forgiveness. This passage from Sirach is a reinforcement of the message from that post:

Wrath and anger are hateful things,
yet the sinner hugs them tight.
The vengeful will suffer the LORD's vengeance,
for he remembers their sins in detail.
Forgive your neighbor's injustice;
then when you pray, your own sins will be forgiven.
Could anyone nourish anger against another
and expect healing from the LORD?
Could anyone refuse mercy to another like himself,
can he seek pardon for his own sins?
If one who is but flesh cherishes wrath,
who will forgive his sins?
Remember your last days, set enmity aside;
remember death and decay, and cease from sin!
Think of the commandments, hate not your neighbor;
remember the Most High's covenant, and overlook faults.

- Sirach 27:30 - 28:7

Yahweh, I know you are near...

noreply@blogger.com (NC Sue) — Sat, 14 Jan 2012 05:00:00 +0000

The buzzard, the bat, and the bumblebee

noreply@blogger.com (NC Sue) — Fri, 13 Jan 2012 05:00:00 +0000

If you put a buzzard in a pen that is 6 feet by 8 feet and is entirely open at the top, the bird, in spite of its ability to fly, will be an absolute prisoner. The reason is that a buzzard always begins a flight from the ground with a run of 10 to 12 feet. Without space to run, as is its habit, it will not even attempt to fly, but will remain a prisoner for life in a small jail with no top.

The ordinary bat that flies around at night, a remarkably nimble creature in the air, cannot take off from a level place. If it is placed on the floor or flat ground, all it can do is shuffle helplessly and, no doubt, painfully, until it reaches some slight elevation from which it can throw itself into the air. Then, at once, it takes off like a flash.

A bumblebee, if dropped into an open tumbler, will be there until it dies, unless it is taken out. It never sees the means of escape at the top, but persists in trying to find some way out through the sides near the bottom. It will seek a way where none exists, until it completely destroys itself.

In many ways, there are lots of people like the buzzard, the bat, and the bumblebee. They are struggling about with all their problems and frustrations, not ever realizing that the answer is right there "above" them.

- Author Unknown

Care for a drink of corrosive liquid?

noreply@blogger.com (NC Sue) — Thu, 12 Jan 2012 05:00:00 +0000

If so, grab a can of Mountain Dew... because according to this article, the makers of Mountain Dew say that their beverage will dissolve the carcass of a mouse.

This was the defense offered by Mountain Dew when a man sued the company after allegedly finding a dead mouse in his can of the carbonated concoction. The manufacturer said this was not possible, because in the 15 months between canning the beverage and the supposed discovery of the deceased creature, the mouse would have largely been dissolved, leaving only a "jelly-like substance".

Here's a direct quote from the article cited above:

"I think it is plausible that it could dissolve a mouse in a few months," said Yan-Fang Ren of the University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry, who has studied the effects of citric acid on bones and teeth. "But dissolving [the mouse] does not mean it will disappear, because you'll still have the collagen and the soft tissue part. It will be like rubber."

According to Ren, Mountain Dew contains citric acid, a substance naturally found in citrus fruits that exists as a powder in its purified, industrialized form. Most citrus sodas mix in the stuff to give drinks their tangy bite, while most colas, such as Coca Cola and Pepsi, incorporate phosphoric acid for the same effect. Consequently, these drinks have a low pH value around 3 (very acidic). Coca Cola, with its dark coloring and non-fruity flavor, may be the soft drink most often compared to battery acid, but in 2004, a well-known study led by dentist J. Anthony von Fraunhofer found that citrus sodas like Mountain Dew and Sprite erode tooth enamel around six times faster than colas.

And we're supposed to drink this stuff? Really?

Texture-ific shots from Arizona

noreply@blogger.com (NC Sue) — Tue, 10 Jan 2012 06:00:00 +0000

This is what the LORD says:

“In the time of my favor I will answer you, and in the day of salvation I will help you;

I will keep you and will make you to be a covenant for the people,
to restore the land and to reassign its desolate inheritances, to say to the captives, ‘Come out,’ and to those in darkness, ‘Be free!’

“They will feed beside the roads and find pasture on every barren hill. They will neither hunger nor thirst, nor will the desert heat or the sun beat down on them. He who has compassion on them will guide them and lead them beside springs of water.

I will turn all my mountains into roads, and my highways will be raised up.
See, they will come from afar—some from the north, some from the west, some from the region of Aswan."

Shout for joy, you heavens; rejoice, you earth; burst into song, you mountains!
For the LORD comforts his people and will have compassion on his afflicted ones.

Isaiah 49:8-13

Cat door installed... by a blonde

noreply@blogger.com (NC Sue) — Tue, 10 Jan 2012 05:00:00 +0000

ATTENTION: Before all the blondes in the world begin shooting flames my way, please note. This is a JOKE. I didn't write it. Some GUY wrote it. Flame HIM - not me! I'm not trying to perpetuate anti-blonde prejudice. Some of my best friends are blonde. And besides, I'm a bit on the blonde side myself.

Poor little "Snookums", needs to go outdoors once in a while. So, my darling wife decided to install a little door with hinges, so "Snookums" can go outside whenever she wants.

My wife is very clever and handy with tools, so I decided to let her "handle" the installation all by herself. (Actually, she really doesn't want any help from me because I just might to tell her "how" to do it, or "where" to install it!) She is always telling me, "Just because I'm blonde, doesn't mean I can't do anything"! So, I decided to just sit back and videotape her while she is working. (Besides, it's HER cat, and I never did like that fleabag, anyway!) Being the thoughtful and understanding husband that I am, it's only right that I applaud her for a "Job-Well-Done"!

Oh, did I mention that my wife is blonde?

Okay, it's time to watch the video!

Beezow Doo-Doo Zopittybop-Bop-Bop arrested in Wis.

noreply@blogger.com (NC Sue) — Mon, 09 Jan 2012 11:18:00 +0000

Nope. I'm not kidding. Read all about it here.

Roasted Parmesan Potatoes

noreply@blogger.com (NC Sue) — Mon, 09 Jan 2012 05:00:00 +0000

Here's a recipe I found on SparkPeople. It's quick and easy to prepare, serves 4, and has less than 100 calories per serving. What's not to like?

Ingredients
4 medium Russet Potatoes, washed skin on diced
1 Tbsp. olive oil
3 Tbsp. grated parmesan cheese
2 tsp. dried parsley
1 tsp. paprika
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. cayenne pepper

Directions
Preheat oven 450 degrees. Spary sheet pan with cooking spray. Slice potatoes in half then cut into half inch cubes. Place potatoes in a medium bowl and toss with oil. Combine parmesan, parsley, paprika, garlic powder, salt, and cayenne pepper in a small bowl. Add Parmesan mixture to potatoes. Toss to coat evenly. Arrange Potatoes on baking sheet. Bake, turing once until potatoes are lightly browned and easily pierced with a knife, about 25 min.

On forgiveness

noreply@blogger.com (NC Sue) — Sun, 08 Jan 2012 05:00:00 +0000

Forgiveness does not mean that we will cease to hurt. The wounds are deep, and we may hurt for a very long time. Just because we continue to experience emotional pain does not mean that we have failed to forgive.

Forgiveness does not mean that we will forget. That would do violence to our rational faculties. Helmut Thielicke, a German pastor who endured the darkest days of the Nazi Third Reich, says, "One should never mention the words ‘forgive’ and ‘forget’ in the same breath." No, we remember, but in forgiving we no longer use the memory against others.

Forgiveness is not pretending that the offense did not really matter. It did matter, and it does matter, and there is no use pretending otherwise. The offense is real, but when we forgive, the offense no longer controls our behavior.

Forgiveness is not acting as if things are just the same as before the offense. We must face the fact that things will never be the same. By the grace of God they can be a thousand times better, but they will never again be the same.

What then is forgiveness? It is a miracle of grace whereby the offense no longer separates. Forgiveness means that we will no longer use the offense to drive a wedge between us, hurting and injuring one another. Forgiveness means that the power of love that holds us together is greater than the power of the offense that separates us.

– Richard J. Foster.

We've all been hurt. We've all hurt other people. All of us need to be forgiven. And all of us need to give and receive the freedom that only forgiveness can bring.

One heck of a ventriloquist!

noreply@blogger.com (NC Sue) — Sat, 07 Jan 2012 05:00:00 +0000