How magnificent is God?

Spero News - Wichita Episcopalian in evolution controversy
Carol Rupe said those who say Christians can't believe in evolution are being too narrow. "I think that makes God very small, if you say he created all of this in six literal days," she said. "I just think he's much more magnificent, much larger, than that."

It's so good to hear this from a Christian here in the US. In other parts of the world, this wouldn't be seen as a problem, but here it's always a big deal.

Rosa Parks dies

Rosa Parks, 92, died Monday, marking the end of an era. Parks became famous nearly 50 years ago when she refused to give up her seat to a white man on a Montgomery, Alabama city bus. Read more

When is it due???

Last month when I went to Germany someone was asking me "When is it due?" I pretended not to know what the heck they were talking about, even though I pretty soon figured that they were thinking I was pregnant. I'm just somewhat overweight, though. And they didn't notice my braces! I almost told them the date my braces are due to come off. Some people just pay attention to the wrong things :-)

And that was not the only person who asked. My mom told me that someone inquired about the same thing after I had left. I hope they're all embarrassed when they find out what's really going on.

Swan's Braces

I finally put my braces blog up. I have updated it with pictures and descriptions for my first half year of braces. Go and have a look at Swan's Braces.

Newts

He's waving good-bye. We've had newts for several years - we got our first pair in 1996 - but now it's time for them to go to another home. We just don't have the time or the energy any more to take care of them, so we are sending them to other people who do. A few of the newts already have arrived at their new home; for others, we are still negotiating who's going to get them.

Swan

I took the picture of this swan during my trip to Germany last month. I love it that my name is associated with this great looking bird.

Sail away!

Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn't do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor.
Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.

--Samuel Clemens (Mark Twain)

Quote of the day

People who are unable to trust will never experience love.
- TrueFaced, p. 90

Free Book!

I haven't read this book, but it sounds really interesting and you can even get it for free:

Somebodies and Nobodies is a book about rankism that dares to imagine a "dignitarian" world: one in which we treat each other with dignity regardless of our rank. When we treat people of different ranks with equal dignity, we overcome "rankism," just as we overcome racism by treating people of different races with equal dignity. Overcoming rankism is the next, natural, evolutionary step for democracy.

Supplies are very limited, so order today! Simply Join BookCrossing (also free of cost), and check the option to receive your free copy of this book. It couldn't be easier!

Back from Germany

I'm back from my trip to Germany. The outcome of the election was certainly very unusual for Germany. I'll post a picture or two from the trip soon.