I finally got my braces on Friday. My twelve front teeth are all wired up now. The very next day, a thousand people got to see them..., well, if they had telescope eyes. We were singing with the choir at the Easter services on Saturday and Sunday. I've gotten many positive comments, others don't care, and only one or two people made some kind of disapproving remark. I think my attitude helps. As long as I have them, let's have fun, not trying to hide anything. What better first impression than a big smile?
The toughest thing was singing all those words at a fast pace on the weekend, because it involves a lot of movement of the lips. More than I had realized before.
Thursday, March 31, 2005
Sunday, March 27, 2005
Happy Easter
Because Jesus was raised from the dead, we've been given a brand-new life and have everything to live for, including a future in heaven - and the future starts now!
[1 Peter 1:3-4 (The Message)]
[1 Peter 1:3-4 (The Message)]
Friday, March 25, 2005
ARE YOU A CARROT, AN EGG, OR A COFFEE BEAN?
by Mary Sullivan
A young woman went to her mother and told her about her life and how things were so hard for her. She did not know how she was going to make it and wanted to give up. She was tired of fighting and struggling. It seemed as if as soon as one problem was solved a new one arose. Her mother took her to the kitchen.
The mother filled three pots with water.
In the first, she placed carrots.
In the second she placed eggs.
And in the last she placed ground coffee beans.
She let them sit and boil without saying a word. About twenty minutes later, she turned off the burners.
She fished the carrots out and placed them in a bowl. She pulled the eggs out and placed them in a bowl. Then she ladled the coffee out and placed it in a bowl.
Turning to her daughter, she said, "Tell me what you see."
"Carrots, eggs, and coffee," she replied. (You known the tone of voice.)
She brought her closer and asked her to feel the carrots. She did, and noted that they felt soft.
She then asked her to take an egg and break it. After pulling off the shell, she observed the hard-boiled egg inside.
Finally, she asked her to sip the coffee. The daughter smiled as she tasted its rich aroma.
The daughter then asked, "So, what's the point, mother?" (Remember the tone of voice.)
Her mother explained that each of these objects had faced the same adversity - boiling water - but each reacted differently.
The carrot went in strong, hard, and unrelenting. However, after being subjected to the boiling water, it softened and became weak.
The egg had been fragile. Its thin outer shell had protected its liquid center. But, after sitting through the boiling water, its insides had become hardened.
The ground coffee beans were unique, however. After they were in the boiling water...they had changed the water.
"Which are you?" she asked her daughter. "When adversity knocks on your door, how do you respond? Are you a carrot , an egg, or a coffee bean?"
Think of this: Which am I?
Am I the carrot that seems strong, but with pain and adversity, do I wilt and become soft and lose my strength?
Am I the egg that starts with a malleable heart, but changes with the heat?
Did I have a fluid spirit, but after a death, a breakup, a financial hardship, or some other trial, have I become hardened and stiff? Does my outer shell look the same, but on the inside am I bitter and tough with a stiff spirit and a hardened heart?
Or am I like the coffee bean? The bean actually changes the hot water - the very circumstances that bring the pain. When the water gets hot, it releases the fragrance and flavor of the bean. If you are like the bean, when things are at their worst, you get better and change the situation around you instead of letting it change you.
When the hours are the darkest and trials are their greatest do you elevate to another level?
How do you handle Adversity?
ARE YOU A CARROT, AN EGG, OR A COFFEE BEAN?
A young woman went to her mother and told her about her life and how things were so hard for her. She did not know how she was going to make it and wanted to give up. She was tired of fighting and struggling. It seemed as if as soon as one problem was solved a new one arose. Her mother took her to the kitchen.
The mother filled three pots with water.
In the first, she placed carrots.
In the second she placed eggs.
And in the last she placed ground coffee beans.
She let them sit and boil without saying a word. About twenty minutes later, she turned off the burners.
She fished the carrots out and placed them in a bowl. She pulled the eggs out and placed them in a bowl. Then she ladled the coffee out and placed it in a bowl.
Turning to her daughter, she said, "Tell me what you see."
"Carrots, eggs, and coffee," she replied. (You known the tone of voice.)
She brought her closer and asked her to feel the carrots. She did, and noted that they felt soft.
She then asked her to take an egg and break it. After pulling off the shell, she observed the hard-boiled egg inside.
Finally, she asked her to sip the coffee. The daughter smiled as she tasted its rich aroma.
The daughter then asked, "So, what's the point, mother?" (Remember the tone of voice.)
Her mother explained that each of these objects had faced the same adversity - boiling water - but each reacted differently.
The carrot went in strong, hard, and unrelenting. However, after being subjected to the boiling water, it softened and became weak.
The egg had been fragile. Its thin outer shell had protected its liquid center. But, after sitting through the boiling water, its insides had become hardened.
The ground coffee beans were unique, however. After they were in the boiling water...they had changed the water.
"Which are you?" she asked her daughter. "When adversity knocks on your door, how do you respond? Are you a carrot , an egg, or a coffee bean?"
Think of this: Which am I?
Am I the carrot that seems strong, but with pain and adversity, do I wilt and become soft and lose my strength?
Am I the egg that starts with a malleable heart, but changes with the heat?
Did I have a fluid spirit, but after a death, a breakup, a financial hardship, or some other trial, have I become hardened and stiff? Does my outer shell look the same, but on the inside am I bitter and tough with a stiff spirit and a hardened heart?
Or am I like the coffee bean? The bean actually changes the hot water - the very circumstances that bring the pain. When the water gets hot, it releases the fragrance and flavor of the bean. If you are like the bean, when things are at their worst, you get better and change the situation around you instead of letting it change you.
When the hours are the darkest and trials are their greatest do you elevate to another level?
How do you handle Adversity?
ARE YOU A CARROT, AN EGG, OR A COFFEE BEAN?
Tuesday, March 22, 2005
Water for Life
Today is World Water Day. 
Here are some water-related facts:
Here are some water-related facts: - 1.1 billion people lack access to safe drinking water.
- 2.2 billion people lack access to improved sanitation (latrines, hand washing, etc.).
- Safe drinking-water and basic sanitation help prevent water-related disease, including diarrhoeal diseases, and others.
- The reliability of drinking-water supplies and improved water management in human settlement areas reduce transmission risks of malaria and dengue fever.
Monday, March 21, 2005
Quote of the Day
" What a tiring way to live, when your self-worth is constantly relying on the affirmation and approval of others."
Darlene Zschech
Saturday, March 19, 2005
Back to the basics
Telling The Truth:
Why don't you start with something simple? Start by admitting the truth about yourself. Let no creed, tradition, reputation, or religion hold you back. If it is true about you, own up to it and let the chips fall where they may.
Why don't you start with something simple? Start by admitting the truth about yourself. Let no creed, tradition, reputation, or religion hold you back. If it is true about you, own up to it and let the chips fall where they may.
Saturday, March 12, 2005
The Book Stops Here
Wired 13.03: The Book Stops Here
A fascinating article about the history of Wikipedia and the people behind it.
A fascinating article about the history of Wikipedia and the people behind it.
Friday, March 11, 2005
LIGHTER OF LIGHTS
Lighter of lights – illumine us
Fire of fires – thaw us
Power of powers – strengthen us
Lover of lovers – warm us
Teller of tales – encourage us
Destroyer of darkness – save us
Touchstone of truth – examine us
Summoner of stars – amaze us
Wellspring of wisdom – weather us
Water of life – refresh us
Dancer of days – delight in us
Breath of the universe – bless us
Ruth Burgess
Cited from Grace's Lent Blog
Thursday, March 10, 2005
Would you pay 5 cents for a song?
A McGill academic has a plan to end file swapping and save the music industry. Here's an excerpt from the article:
Pearlman proposes putting all recorded music on a robust search engine -- Google would be an ideal choice, but even iTunes might work -- and charging an insignificant fee of, say, five cents a song. In addition, a 1 per cent sales tax would be placed on Internet services and new computers -- two industries that many argue have profited enormously from rampant file-sharing, but haven't had to compensate artists.
The assumption is that if songs cost only 5 cents, people would download exponentially more music.
Read more...
Pearlman proposes putting all recorded music on a robust search engine -- Google would be an ideal choice, but even iTunes might work -- and charging an insignificant fee of, say, five cents a song. In addition, a 1 per cent sales tax would be placed on Internet services and new computers -- two industries that many argue have profited enormously from rampant file-sharing, but haven't had to compensate artists.
The assumption is that if songs cost only 5 cents, people would download exponentially more music.
Read more...
Tuesday, March 08, 2005
Gender Equality Beyond 2005
I just found out that today is International Women's Day.
International Women’s Day is celebrated in many countries around the world. It is a day when women are recognized for their achievements without regard to divisions, whether national, ethnic, linguistic, cultural, economic or political. It is an occasion for looking back on past struggles and accomplishments, and more importantly, for looking ahead to the untapped potential and opportunities that await future generations of women. (For more see History.)
International Women’s Day is celebrated in many countries around the world. It is a day when women are recognized for their achievements without regard to divisions, whether national, ethnic, linguistic, cultural, economic or political. It is an occasion for looking back on past struggles and accomplishments, and more importantly, for looking ahead to the untapped potential and opportunities that await future generations of women. (For more see History.)
Tuesday, March 01, 2005
Everybody's weird
When we enter relationships with the illusion that people are
normal, we resist the truth that they are not. We enter an endless
attempt to fix them, control them, or pretend that they are what
they're not. One of the great marks of maturity is to accept the
fact that everybody comes "as is."
-John Ortberg in his new book "Everybody's Normal Till You Get To Know Them"
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