Ringing in the New Year

I think most of us hope the coming year is better than 2008, for a variety of reasons. Many have had a rough year in more ways than one. I Googled "prayer for the new year" today and came up with the following thoughts (below) from www.appleseed.org.

The reality is that more rough times may be ahead, but one thing I've always liked about the new year is the opportunity to reflect on what I've taken away from the past 12 months and to look ahead to new things to come.

Some things I've taken from the past year include a deeper appreciation for time spent with family and friends. I don't know who came up with the idea that quality is more important than quantity when it comes to time. I've learned this year that quantity counts. One other thing I've learned this year, through of a series of difficult situations with students and classes, is that it's more important to me that I do what's right than to be liked. Let's just say I wouldn't get the award for most popular professor of the year. But I realized doing what's right is all worth it when you see the fruit of it.

No matter what comes, we always have reason to hope, not a worldly hope in material things or outward appearances, but a spiritual hope in what God will do in us through -- and sometimes despite -- outward circumstances.

May God fill you will that hope this week as we ring in 2009.

Recipe for a Happy New Year (Anonymous)

Take twelve fine, full-grown months; see that these are thoroughly free from old memories of bitterness, rancor and hate, cleanse them completely from every clinging spite; pick off all specks of pettiness and littleness; in short, see that these months are freed from all the past—have them fresh and clean as when they first came from the great storehouse of Time. Cut these months into thirty or thirty-one equal parts. Do not attempt to make up the whole batch at one time (so many persons spoil the entire lot this way) but prepare one day at a time.

Into each day put equal parts of faith, patience, courage, work (some people omit this ingredient and so spoil the flavor of the rest), hope, fidelity, liberality, kindness, rest (leaving this out is like leaving the oil out of the salad dressing— don’t do it), prayer, meditation, and one well-selected resolution. Put in about one teaspoonful of good spirits, a dash of fun, a pinch of folly, a sprinkling of play, and a heaping cupful of good humor.


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I Am the New Year (Bible Illustrator)

I am the new year. I am an unspoiled page in your book of time.

I am your next chance at the art of living. I am your opportunity to practice what you have learned about life during the last twelve months.

All that you sought and didn’t find is hidden in me, waiting for you to search it but with more determination.

All the good that you tried for and didn’t achieve is mine to grant when you have fewer conflicting desires.

All that you dreamed but didn’t dare to do, all that you hoped but did not will, all the faith that you claimed but did not have—these slumber lightly, waiting to be awakened by the touch of a strong purpose.

I am your opportunity to renew your allegiance to Him who said, "Behold, I make all things new."


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A Year of Time (Steven B. Cloud, Pulpit Helps, Vol. 14, # 2)

Though even thinking on the subject of time may prove discomforting, it is not a bad idea—especially at the beginning of a new year.

As we look into we look at a block of time. We see 12 months, 52 weeks, 365 days, 8,760 hours, 525,600 minutes, 31,536,000 seconds. And all is a gift from God. We have done nothing to deserve it, earn it, or purchased it. Like the air we breathe, time comes to us as a part of life.

The gift of time is not ours alone. It is given equally to each person. Rich and poor, educated and ignorant, strong and weak—every man, woman and child has the same twenty-four hours every day.

Another important thing about time is that you cannot stop it. There is no way to slow it down, turn it off, or adjust it. Time marches on.

And you cannot bring back time. Once it is gone, it is gone. Yesterday is lost forever. If yesterday is lost, tomorrow is uncertain. We may look ahead at a full year’s block of time, but we really have no guarantee that we will experience any of it.

Obviously, time is one of our most precious possessions. We can waste it. We can worry over it. We can spend it on ourselves. Or, as good stewards, we can invest it in the kingdom of God.

The new year is full of time. As the seconds tick away, will you be tossing time out the window, or will you make every minute count?


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Time for New Beginnings (Taylor Addison, Blue Mountain Arts, 1989)

This is a time for reflection as well as celebration.

As you look back on the past year and all that has taken place in your life,

Remember each experience for the good that has come of it
and for the knowledge you have gained.

Remember the efforts you have made and the goals you have reached.

Remember the love you have shared and the happiness you have brought.

Remember the laughter, the joy, the hard work, and the tears.

And as you reflect on the past year, also be thinking of the new one to come.

Because most importantly, this is a time of new beginnings
and the celebration of life."


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A New Year’s Prayer (Anonymous)

Dear Lord, please give me…
A few friends who understand me and remain my friends;
A work to do which has real value,
without which the world would be the poorer;
A mind unafraid to travel, even though the trail be not blazed;
An understanding heart;
A sense of humor;
Time for quiet, silent meditation;
A feeling of the presence of God;
The patience to wait for the coming of these things,
With the wisdom to recognize them when they come. Amen.


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A New Year (William Arthur Ward)

Another fresh new year is here …
Another year to live!
To banish worry, doubt, and fear,
To love and laugh and give!

This bright new year is given me
To live each day with zest …
To daily grow and try to be
My highest and my best!

I have the opportunity
Once more to right some wrongs,
To pray for peace, to plant a tree,
And sing more joyful songs!


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A New Year’s Prayer

May God make your year a happy one!
Not by shielding you from all sorrows and pain,
But by strengthening you to bear it, as it comes;
Not by making your path easy,
But by making you sturdy to travel any path;
Not by taking hardships from you,
But by taking fear from your heart;
Not by granting you unbroken sunshine,
But by keeping your face bright, even in the shadows;
Not by making your life always pleasant,
But by showing you when people and their causes need you most,
and by making you anxious to be there to help.
God’s love, peace, hope and joy to you for the year ahead.


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A Prayer for the New Year

Come, Holy Spirit,
Spirit of the Risen Christ, be with us today and always.
Be our Light, our Guide, and our Comforter.
Be our Strength, our Courage, and our Sanctifier.
May this new year be a time of deep spiritual growth for us,
A time of welcoming your graces and gifts,
A time for forgiving freely and unconditionally,
A time for growing in virtue and goodness.

Come, Holy Spirit,
Be with us today and always. Amen.


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A Morning Wish (W.R. Hunt)

"The sun is just rising on the morning of another day, the first day of the new year. What can I wish that this day, that this year, may bring to me?

Nothing that shall make the world of others poorer, nothing at the expense of others; but just those few things which in their coming do not stop with me but touch me rather, as they pass and gather strength:

A few friends who understand me, and yet remain my friends.
A work to do which has real value without which the world would feel the poorer.
A return for such work small enough not to tax unduly anyone who pays.
A mind unafraid to travel, even though the trail be not blazed.
An understanding heart.
A sight of the eternal hills and unbelting sea, and of something beautiful the individual hand has made.
A sense of humor and the power to laugh.
A little leisure with nothing to do.
A few moments of quiet, silent meditation. The sense of the presence of God.
And the patience to wait for the coming of these things, with the wisdom to know them when they come."

Guide words: An Anthology of Inspiration and Humor, p. 13

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New Year’s Message

"I asked the New Year for some message sweet,
Some rule of life with which to guide my feet;
I asked, and paused: it answered soft and low,
‘God’s will to know.’

‘Will knowledge then suffice, New Year?’ Aloud I cried.
And, ere the question into silence died,
The answer came, ‘Nay, but remember, too
God’s will to do.’

Once more I asked, ‘Is there no more to tell?’
And once again the answer sweetly fell,
‘Yes! this thing, all other things above:
God’s will to love.’"

Guidewords: An Anthology of Inspiration and Humor

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New Year’s Prayer (Anonymous)

"Heavenly Father, for this coming year
Just one request I bring.

I do not pray for happiness or any earthly thing.
I do not ask to understand the way you lead me;
But this I ask—teach me to do the thing that pleases You.
I want to know Your guiding voice,
To walk with you each day.

Heavenly Father,
Make me swift to hear and ready to obey;
And thus the year I now begin
A happy year will be,

If I am seeking just to do
The thing that pleases You."


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A Prayer for the New Year
Come, Holy Spirit,
Spirit of the Risen Christ,
Be with us today and always.
Be our Light, our Guide,
And our Comforter.
Be our Strength, our Courage,
And our Sanctifier.

May this new year be a time
Of deep spiritual growth for us,
A time of welcoming
Your graces and gifts,
A time for forgiving freely
And unconditionally,
A time for growing
In virtue and goodness.

Come, Holy Spirit,
Be with us today and always.
Amen.

Christmas cartoons and a quiz

I thought these cartoons and Christmas carol quiz were kind of fun, certainly something you could share with friends and family around the holiday party or dinner table this holiday season. Thought I'd share them with you.

Enjoy,
Anne


What are the names of these famous (and not so famous) Christmas carols? (The first one has been done for you as an example.)

1. Quadruped with crimson proboscis - Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer

2. 5 p.m. to 6 a.m. without noise

3. Miniscule hamlet in the far east

4. Ancient benevolent despot

5. Adorn the vestibule

6. Exuberance directed to the planet

7. Listen, aerial spirits harmonizing

8. Monarchial trio

9. Yonder in the haystack

10. Assemble, everyone who believes

11. Hallowed post meridian

12. Fantasies of a colorless December 25th

13. Tin tintinnabulums

14. A dozen 24-hour Yule periods

15. Befell during the transparent bewitching hour

16. Homo sapien of crystallized vapor

17. I merely desire a pair of incisors

18. I spied my maternal parent osculating a fat man in red

19. Perambulating through a December solstice fantasy

20. Aloft on the acme of the abode

21. Slumber in ethereal quiet.

22. Hey there! The announcing celestial beings carol.

23. O greetings of ease and happiness.

24. On commencement of Yuletide my honey bestowed upon me.

25. Decorate the passage with branches of evergreen sprigs.

26. Once upon a misty night prior to Christ's birthday.

27. Ooh, celestial body of marvel, celestial body of strength.

28. With a vegetable stem smoker and clothes fastening snout.

29. It's a fluff-ball sphere in the cold season.

30. Come on, come on, come on, get moving.

31. O scared darkness, the asterisks are brilliantly shimmering.

32. It's fixin' to appear extremely similar to December 25th.

33. Small children with their optical aids entirely illuminated.

34. Loyal buddies that are important to ourselves collect closely to ourselves again.

35. Boppin' while circling the tannenbaum...

36. Royalty of royalties always and always...

37. O approach, y'all devoted happy and victorious...

38. Urban walkways, congested walkways, trimmed in a festive manner...

39. Ah! The atmospheric condition beyond is terrific...

40. Percussion instruments jingle, are you harking...

41. Remarked the evening breeze to the tiny sheep...

42. Wishing your dates be gleeful and intelligent...

43. Harmony on the planet, kindness to Homo sapiens...

44. Hop in the sack, hide your noggin, since the fat man comes this evening...

45. Ourselves bid yourselves a joyous Noel and a cheerful neoteric 365 days...

Holiday yummies

I've been collecting holiday recipes for a project I'm putting together this holiday season. I thought I'd share a few of my favorites with you here. These come from a variety of sources -- the Hershey's and Nestle Web sites, a cookbook my church put together several years ago, a crockpot cookbook and the Kraft Food Web site.

Happy holiday eating!

Savory Parmesan Bites
1 pkg. (8 oz.) PHILADELPHIA Cream Cheese, softened
1 cup KRAFT Grated Parmesan Cheese, divided
2 cans (8 oz. each) refrigerated crescent dinner rolls
1 cup chopped red peppers
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
HEAT oven to 350°F. Beat cream cheese and 3/4 cup Parmesan with mixer until well blended.
SEPARATE crescent rolls into 8 rectangles; press perforations together to seal. Spread each with 3 Tbsp. cream cheese mixture. Top with peppers and parsley. Fold 1 long side of each dough rectangle over filling to center; fold again to enclose filling. Cut each into 4 squares. Place, seam-sides down, on baking sheet. Sprinkle with remaining Parmesan.
BAKE 13 to 15 min. or until golden brown.

Chicken Tortilla Soup
A great casual holiday meal.

4 boneless, skinless chicken thighs
1 can (4 ounces) chopped mild green chiles, drained
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 yellow onion, diced
2 cans (15 ounces each) diced tomatoes, undrained
½ to 1 cup chicken broth
1 teaspoon ground cumin
Salt and pepper to taste
2 tablespoons fresh, chopped cilantro
4 corn tortillas, sliced into ¼ inch strips
½ cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese to top soup
Put chicken thighs in bottom of crockpot
Combine chiles, garlic, onion, tomatoes,
½ cup broth and cumin in small bowl. Pour mixture over chicken.
Cover, cook on low for 6 hours or high for 3 hours until chicken is tender. Remove chicken; use two forks to shred the meat and return to crockpot. Adjust seasonings and add more broth if necessary.
Just before serving, add tortillas and cilantro to crockpot. Stir to blend.

Overnight Egg Bake
Mike's and my favorite brunch main dish -- perfect for Christmas morning.

3 (12 oz.) cups shredded cheddar
2 (12 oz.) cups shredded mozzarella
6 oz. fresh mushrooms, sliced
1 small red bell pepper, chopped
1 small green pepper, chopped
1/3 cup sliced green onions
1 tablespoon olive oil
8 oz. cooked turkey sausage, cooked
½ cup flour
1 ¾ cup milk
2 tablespoons snipped parsley
8 eggs, beaten

In large bowl, lightly toss cheeses together. Sprinkle half of cheese mixture in ungreased 13-by-9 baking dish. In medium skillet, cook mushrooms, bell peppers and onion in olive oil until vegetables are tender. Arrange vegetables over cheese. Arrange sausage over vegetables. Sprinkle remaining cheese over sausage. (Tip: To make ahead, prepare to this point; cover and refrigerate overnight.)
Heat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly spoon flour into measuring cup; level off. In large bowl using wire wisk, blend flour, milk, parsley and eggs. Pour over layers in baking dish. Bake for 35 to 45 minutes or until mixture is set and top is lightly browned. Let stand about 10 minutes before serving.


Candy Cane Blossoms
These are the cookies pictured above.

• 48 HERSHEY'S KISSES Brand Candy Cane Mint Candies
• 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter or margarine, softened
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1 egg
• 1-1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 2 tablespoons milk
• Red or green sugar crystals, granulated sugar or powdered sugar
Directions:
1. Heat oven to 350°F. Remove wrappers from candies.

2. Beat butter, granulated sugar, egg and vanilla in large bowl until well blended. Stir together flour, baking soda and salt; add alternately with milk to butter mixture, beating until well blended.

3. Shape dough into 1-inch balls. Roll in red sugar, granulated sugar, powdered sugar or a combination of any of the sugars. Place on ungreased cookie sheet.

4. Bake 8 to 10 minutes or until edges are lightly browned and cookie is set. Remove from oven; cool 2 to 3 minutes. Press a candy piece into center of each cookie. Remove from cookie sheet to wire rack. Cool completely. About 4 dozen cookies.

Rich Raspberry Swirl Brownies
I started making these several years ago. Very rich, so cut them into small pieces. They are soooo good!

• 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 3/4 cup baking cocoa
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, softened
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 3 large eggs, divided
• 1/2 cup chopped pecans
• 1/2 cup seedless red raspberry jam
• 1 2/3 cups (10-oz. pkg.) NESTLÉ® TOLL HOUSE® SWIRLED™ Semi-Sweet & Premier White Morsels, divided
Directions:
PREHEAT oven to 350° F. Grease 9-inch-square baking pan.

COMBINE cocoa, flour and salt in small bowl. Beat butter, granulated sugar, brown sugar and vanilla extract in large mixer bowl until creamy. Add 2 eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Gradually beat in flour mixture. Spread 1 cup batter into prepared baking pan. Sprinkle pecans over batter. Stir jam until smooth. Drizzle over pecans. Beat remaining batter and egg in same large bowl until light in color. Stir in 1 cup Swirled Morsels. Spread evenly over raspberry jam. Top with remaining Swirled Morsels.

BAKE for 30 to 33 minutes or until center is set.

Rich Chocolate Chip Toffee Bars
Another holiday favorite. Can you tell I like rich desserts? Another treat to cut into small pieces.

2 1/3 cups flour
2/3 cup packed light brown sugar
¾ cup butter or margarine
1 egg, slightly beaten
2 cups (12 oz. package) semi-sweet chocolate chips, divided
1 cup chopped nuts
1 can (14 oz.) sweetened condensed milk
1¾ cup (10 oz package) English toffee bits, divided

Heat oven to 350. Grease 9x13-inch baking pan. Stir together flour and brown sugar in large bowl. Cut in butter with pastry blender or two knives until mixture resembles course crumbs. Add egg; mix well. Stir in half of chocolate chips and all of nuts. Reserve 1½ cups of mixture. Press remaining crumb mixture onto bottom of pan.
Bake 10 minutes. Pour sweetened condensed milk evenly over hot crust. Top with half of toffee bits. Sprinkle reserved crumb mixture and remaining chocolate chips over top.
Bake 25-30 minutes or until golden brown. Sprinkle with remaining toffee bits. Cool completely. Cut into bars.

A sign that you're under stress

Want a good chuckle? A family member sent this to me by e-mail. I had to share it here since we're about to enter a season typically characterized by stress.

The picture here has two identical dolphins in it. It was used in a case study on stress levels at St. Mary's Hospital.

Look at both dolphins jumping out of the water. The dolphins are identical. A closely monitored, scientific study revealed that, in spite of the fact that the dolphins are identical, a person under stress would find differences in the two dolphins. The more differences a person finds between the dolphins, the more stress that person is experiencing. Look at the photograph and if you find more than one or two differences, you may want to take a vacation.

Happy Thanksgiving to you!

Road tripping

I never blogged about our weekend/day trips to see the fall colors in the high country, so here's the tale of our adventures and a few pictures for you to enjoy.

A few months back, we planned a two-day trip to the Aspen area in late September, around the time we thought the colors would be at their peak. Well, we were a few days too early. The warm fall days slowed down the changing of the leaves this year. We enjoyed those two days but decided the following Saturday (Sept. 27) to do a power road trip in a day.

We left at 3:30 a.m., drove four hours to the Maroon Bells -- probably THE most photographed site in Colorado -- and spent the morning there taking pictures and hiking. Then we headed south on Highway 133 over McClure Pass, then over Kebler Pass to Crested Butte. It sprinkled/drizzled much of the way over Kebler, but we still had a great time. The colors were amazing -- we highly recommend it to anyone looking for a great place to see fall in Colorado. It's a dirt road but totally accessible by a passenger car.

We pulled into Crested Butte around 5 p.m., grabbed some coffee for the road and then headed home through Gunnison on Highway 50 and Fairplay & Bailey by way of U.S. 285. What a day! In all we were gone 19 hours. But seeing the fall colors at their peak in some of Colorado's most spectacular places was worth it.

The following weekend (Oct. 3 & 4), we decided to do another road trip of all road trips -- hey, you have to do these kinds of things while you have the time and opportunity, right? We drove Friday afternoon five hours to Montrose in western Colorado. The next morning we went to the Dallas Divide, another well-known place to take photos in Colorado. We had never been there before, but we know now where we're going back next fall. We drove into Telluride, probably the most out-of-the-way of Colorado's ski resorts. We went back to Montrose via Last Dollar Road, which is really a four-wheel drive road but we did it in our Nissan Sentra -- yes, it can be done if you drive slowly. This road has some beautiful aspen forests and spectacular vistas of the San Juans. We headed back home via Olathe, Delta, then again over Highway 133 and McClure Pass. The pass was ablaze with color that day, but we couldn't see much out the car windows because it was a downpour.

Needless to say, last weekend we did absolutely nothing. After so much road tripping, it was nice to sit around.

The fall colors in the mountains are done now. It has since snowed, and now it's that quiet, kind of lifeless season between the glory of fall and the activity of the winter ski season. The first of the ski areas opened today, believe it or not, but the season won't be in full swing until late November. It's fall in Denver now, and we're scouting out places this weekend to take more pictures.

Then we're off on another crazy road trip - a trek across Kansas to our final destination of Columbia, Missouri. The Colorado Buffaloes are playing the Mizzou Tigers at Missouri's homecoming on Oct. 25. We're going to the game and will spend the weekend in my old stomping grounds -- Mizzou is my alma mater. (With the Missouri football team at No. 11 in the polls, this is payback for my college years, when Colorado had the good football team and Missouri was terrible.)

And undoubtedly we'll see another part of the country ablaze with fall colors along the way.

At the Maroon Bells near Aspen

The Dallas Divide -- the gateway to the San Juan Mountains in southwestern Colorado
The town of Telluride
One of my favorite shots of the Maroon Bells
Maroon Creek

Talking politics

I thought this article in today's Rocky Mountain News was great.

For the newspaper feature writing class I'm teaching this semester, it's an excellent example of how to take a topic that real people can relate to -- talking politics with others in a heated political campaign -- and turn it into a story.

I'm not sure I'll even try the tips the story suggests, and there are several reasons for that. Mostly I'm just tired of the political campaign season and its emotionalism. The mute button on the remote control has become my saving grace -- I just can't take another political ad. I skip most of the political stories online and in the newspaper. I already know who I'm voting for and what I'm voting for/against in terms of ballot issues, and nothing anyone says -- even a discussion, heated or not, with friends or colleagues -- is going to change my mind.

In the classroom, I keep my mouth shut (for the most part) regarding politics. I feel like I'm outnumbered about 25,000 to one on campus -- you can guess my political affiliation from that statement. My family is definitely divided on politics. The good news is my husband and I see the same way on most everything, so at least there's peace at home. The bad thing is we have such similar temperaments, and this political season has just made us mad. We've both had to avoid all things politics lately.

There's a group of senior citizens at a local Starbucks I frequent who show up about the same time every day and talk -- you guessed it -- politics. They've been doing this for several years, and I find it entertaining to listen to them. The Republicans seem outnumbered by the Democrats in the group, but it's rather heartening to me that they're all still friends. I never hear any shouting come from their corner of the coffee shop. Perhaps we all have something to learn from them.

Media overload

I'm not sure about you, but I've been overwhelmed with the last few weeks of media coverage of the country's financial woes.

Between the recent events in Congress and the upcoming presidential election, I've hit what I call "media overload" -- and I keep telling myself I ought to go on a media fast. Yes, fast from all the "talking heads" for a period of time, clear my head of the preponderance of opinions. My husband and I have done this sort of fasting before -- once on accident while we were on vacation at a hotel where there were no TVs in the rooms, and once on purpose because we needed to clear some space in our heads. It's amazing how worry, anger and strife dissipated during those fasts.

I'm not sure I'll actually follow through on this desire to give up the media for a while. It is, after all, election season, and even if I tried to fast from it all, I still can't get away from the advertising on fliers and bumper stickers, can't escape the discussions and opinions I hear walking the halls where I teach, etc. Even trying to mind my own business and drink a cup of coffee at Starbucks, I inevitably overhear someone pontificating about these issues. It's also awfully hard to fast from the media when you're in it and teaching it to other people -- particularly in the middle of a presidential campaign like this one.

This evening I read a story about the financial situation that was a bit of a breath of fresh air, which is the next best thing to the fast I probably won't do. I wanted to pass along the link. It's the only thing I've read in the past two weeks that looks at the issue from a spiritual perspective. I don't know about you, but I need that perspective today.

Click here to read the story

Who's responsible for the mess?

Here's an interesting editorial from Investor's Business Daily about the source of our country's financial crisis. A lot of words have been exchanged this week in the political realm about who's responsible.

The Real Culprits In This Meltdown
By INVESTOR'S BUSINESS DAILY | Posted Monday, September 15, 2008 4:20 PM PT

Big Government: Barack Obama and Democrats blame the historic financial turmoil on the market. But if it's dysfunctional, Democrats during the Clinton years are a prime reason for it.

Obama in a statement yesterday blamed the shocking new round of subprime-related bankruptcies on the free-market system, and specifically the "trickle-down" economics of the Bush administration, which he tried to gig opponent John McCain for wanting to extend.

But it was the Clinton administration, obsessed with multiculturalism, that dictated where mortgage lenders could lend, and originally helped create the market for the high-risk subprime loans now infecting like a retrovirus the balance sheets of many of Wall Street's most revered institutions.

Tough new regulations forced lenders into high-risk areas where they had no choice but to lower lending standards to make the loans that sound business practices had previously guarded against making. It was either that or face stiff government penalties.

The untold story in this whole national crisis is that President Clinton put on steroids the Community Redevelopment Act, a well-intended Carter-era law designed to encourage minority homeownership. And in so doing, he helped create the market for the risky subprime loans that he and Democrats now decry as not only greedy but "predatory."

Yes, the market was fueled by greed and overleveraging in the secondary market for subprimes, vis-a-vis mortgaged-backed securities traded on Wall Street. But the seed was planted in the '90s by Clinton and his social engineers. They were the political catalyst behind this slow-motion financial train wreck.

And it was the Clinton administration that mismanaged the quasi-governmental agencies that over the decades have come to manage the real estate market in America.

As soon as Clinton crony Franklin Delano Raines took the helm in 1999 at Fannie Mae, for example, he used it as his personal piggy bank, looting it for a total of almost $100 million in compensation by the time he left in early 2005 under an ethical cloud.

Other Clinton cronies, including Janet Reno aide Jamie Gorelick, padded their pockets to the tune of another $75 million.

Raines was accused of overstating earnings and shifting losses so he and other senior executives could earn big bonuses.

In the end, Fannie had to pay a record $400 million civil fine for SEC and other violations, while also agreeing as part of a settlement to make changes in its accounting procedures and ways of managing risk.

But it was too little, too late. Raines had reportedly steered Fannie Mae business to subprime giant Countrywide Financial, which was saved from bankruptcy by Bank of America.

At the same time, the Clinton administration was pushing Fannie and her brother Freddie Mac to buy more mortgages from low-income households.

The Clinton-era corruption, combined with unprecedented catering to affordable-housing lobbyists, resulted in today's nationalization of both Fannie and Freddie, a move that is expected to cost taxpayers tens of billions of dollars.

And the worst is far from over. By the time it is, we'll all be paying for Clinton's social experiment, one that Obama hopes to trump with a whole new round of meddling in the housing and jobs markets. In fact, the social experiment Obama has planned could dwarf both the Great Society and New Deal in size and scope.

There's a political root cause to this mess that we ignore at our peril. If we blame the wrong culprits, we'll learn the wrong lessons. And taxpayers will be on the hook for even larger bailouts down the road.

But the government-can-do-no-wrong crowd just doesn't get it. They won't acknowledge the law of unintended consequences from well-meaning, if misguided, acts.

Obama and Democrats on the Hill think even more regulation and more interference in the market will solve the problem their policies helped cause. For now, unarmed by the historic record, conventional wisdom is buying into their blame-business-first rhetoric and bigger-government solutions.

While government arguably has a role in helping low-income folks buy a home, Clinton went overboard by strong-arming lenders with tougher and tougher regulations, which only led to lenders taking on hundreds of billions in subprime bilge.

Market failure? Hardly. Once again, this crisis has government's fingerprints all over it.

How much do you know about your country?

A friend recently sent me the following from msnbc.com:

Could you pass the latest citizenship test?

In October 2008 a new version of the U.S. citizenship test will be taken by all applicants. Could you pass it? The questions are usually selected from a list of 100 samples that prospective citizens can look at ahead of the interview. Some are easy, some are not. We have picked some of the more difficult ones.

NOTES: Candidates are not given multiple choices in the naturalization interview. The following questions have been adapted from the immigration service’s sample questions.


1. Who wrote the Declaration of Independence?

George Washington

Thomas Jefferson

James Madison

John Hancock


2. When was the Constitution written?

1774

1776

1787

1865


3. What are the first words of the Constitution?

When, in the course of human events

In order to form a more perfect Union

To whom it may concern

We the People


4. What do we call the first ten amendments to the Constitution?

The Preamble

The Bill of Rights

The Statute of Liberty

Declaration of Independence


5. Which of the following is NOT a right outlined in the Preamble to the Declaration of Independence?

Life

Liberty

Right to bear arms

Pursuit of Happiness


6. Which one of these is a right guaranteed by the First Amendment? Freedom of the press

Right to trial by jury

Right to bear arms

Right to happiness


7. How many amendments does the Constitution have?

10

17

23

27


8. Why does the United States flag have 13 stripes?

One for each state in the Union

The number of seats in the Cabinet

They represent the 13 original colonies

One for each article of the Constitution


9. Which of these was NOT among the original states?

New Hampshire

New York

Delaware

Maine


10. What territory did the United States buy from France in 1803?

Louisiana

Vermont

Alaska

Maine


11. Under our Constitution, some powers belong to the federal government. Which of the following is NOT a federal power?

To declare war

To print money

To declare treaties

To provide education


12. Which of the following is NOT one of the three branches of the government?

Federal

Judicial

Executive

Legislative


13. The House of Representatives has how many voting members?

100

365

435

646


14. We elect a U.S. Senator for how many years?

2

4

6

8


15. In what month do we vote for President?

January

February

September

November


16. If both the President and Vice President can no longer serve, who becomes President?

Secretary of State

Secretary of Defense

The Speaker of the House

President Pro Tempore of the Senate


17. Who was president during World War I?

Theodore Roosevelt

Warren G. Harding

Franklin Roosevelt

Woodrow Wilson


18. How many justices are there on the U.S. Supreme Court?

3

5

7

9


19. Who is the Chief Justice of the United States?


John Paul Stevens

John G. Roberts, Jr

Antonin Scalia

Samuel Alito


20. What did Susan B. Anthony do?


Hid John Wilkes Booth, the assassin of Abraham Lincoln

Designed and made the original U.S. flag

Designed the original U.S. currency

Fought for women’s rights


Click here to actually take the quiz and see how you score. (By the way, I took it and got one wrong.)

Whose You Are

Just wanted to share a little portion of a Bible study on King David that Mike and I just started last week. It's called Annointed, Transformed, Redeemed, and it's based on an event called "Deeper Still" that Priscilla Shirer, Beth Moore and Kay Arthur hosted in Nashville.

Technically it's a women's study -- kudos to my husband for his willingness to do a study written for women -- but it's appropriate for anyone. We wanted to do a study on David, and this is only of the only ones we found out there. Besides, I figure anything involving these three dynamic women is worth doing. If you've ever done any of their studies, you know what I'm talking about.

We really enjoyed the following part from the first session, taught by Priscilla Shirer. We have the audio version of it, but I can't upload it to this blog. So the written version will have to do.

May it be thought-provoking and encouraging to you today.


WHOSE YOU ARE
By Priscilla Shirer

I will say this until the day that I die:

He is the First and the Last,
The Beginning and the End,
He’s the Keeper of creation and
The Creator of all.
He’s the Architect of the universe and
The Manager of all time.

He always was, always is, always will be
Unmoved, unchanged, undefeated and never undone.

He was bruised but brought healing.
He was pierced but eased pain.
He was persecuted but brought freedom.
He was dead and brings life.
He is risen to bring power and
He reigns to bring peace.

The world can’t understand Him,
Armies can’t defeat Him,
Schools can’t explain Him and
Leaders, they can’t ignore Him.

Herod couldn’t kill Him,
Nero couldn’t crush Him,
The new age cannot replace Him and
Oprah cannot explain Him away.

You remind yourself that
He is light,
He is love,
He is longevity and
He is the Lord.

He is goodness and kindness and faithfulness and He is God.
He is holy and righteous and powerful and pure.

His Ways are right,
His Word eternal,
His Will unchanging and
His Mind is on us.

He’s our Savior,
Our Guide,
Our Peace,
Our Joy,
Our Comfort,
Our Lord and
He rules our lives.

I serve Him because
His bond is love,
His yoke is easy,
His burden is light and
His goal for us is abundant life.

I follow Him because
He’s the Wisdom of the wise,
The Power of the powerful,
The Ancient of Days,
The Ruler of rulers,
The Leader of all leaders.

His goal is a relationship with me.

He’ll never leave you,
Never forsake you,
Never mislead you,
Never forget you,
Never overlook you and
Never cancel your appointment in His appointment book.
Never.

When you fall, He’ll lift you up.
When you fail, He’ll forgive you.
When you’re weak, He’s strong.
When you’re lost, He’s your way.
When you’re afraid, He’s your courage.
When you stumble, He will steady you.
When you’re hurt, He’s going to heal you.
When you’re broken, He will mend you.
When you’re blind, He will lead you.
When you’re hungry, He will feed you.
When you face trials, He’s with you.

When I face persecution, He shields me.
When I face problems, He will comfort me.
When I face loss, He will provide for me and
When we face death, He will carry us all home to meet Him.

He is everything
For everybody,
Everywhere,
Every time
And in every way.

He is your God and that is who you belong to.

From baseball to drugs back to baseball: Josh Hamilton's story

If you have any interest in this week's Major League Baseball All-Star Game in New York, then you know about Josh Hamilton, a player for the Texas Rangers who wowed everyone Monday night in the event's home run derby.

It's an event where big home-run hitters in all of Major League baseball try to get as many home runs as they can in three rounds of competition. Hamilton hit a record-breaking 28 homers in the first round. Crack after crack of the bat, Hamilton and the crowd watched, amazed, as the balls flew into the crowd, many of them into the upper decks of the stadium -- those are some home runs! Hamilton said before the event he wanted to hit one out of the ballpark. He didn't. He didn't even end up winning the competition, but all the sports talk today is about his first round with 28 homers.

Last night's derby isn't what makes him so amazing, though. It's his story -- from No. 1 draft pick in 1999 to drug addict back to baseball again. This morning I watched an old story on ESPN about Hamilton. It made no mention of how he made his amazing comeback to baseball. A colleague of Mike's sent him this story, linked below, which alludes to the how and why. This ESPN.com article is Hamilton's story in his own words, written last year. I thought you'd like to read it. It's kind of long, but it's well worth the read.

A week in the Big Apple

New York skyline from Ellis Island











Restaurant in Little Italy















At a Yankees game. This is the last year of the old Yankees Stadium, constructed in 1923. The new stadium is under construction right across the street.












South Street Seaport















Part of the reality of New York -- piles of garbage bags along the streets. There aren't too many places to put garbage ready for pickup in crowded Manhattan, so you end up navigating around it wherever you walk.














With our friend Donn (longtime friend of Mike's dad) in Brooklyn












Central Park













At Times Square. The entire area is the very picture of consumerism. The constant stream of people is unbelievable.














Statue of Liberty












The best part of New York -- pizza shops and hot dog stands everywhere!











Central Park again















Monument Park at Yankees Stadium, a shrine to all the famous Yankees players. We arrived at the stadium two and a half hours early and stood in line for an hour to see this place. I have a growing appreciation for baseball, but I thought it was a little over the top, especially the handful of people I saw kissing plaques to players like Mickey Mantle and Joe DiMaggio.











Trinity Church spire in the middle of Wall Street area. Ground Zero isn't far from here. We couldn't see much (it's all under construction), but being where the Twin Towers fell was meaningful. Especially touching was St. Paul's Chapel, a church across the street from Ground Zero that became an impromptu place of volunteer ministry as people combed through the wreckage of the towers for several months following 9/11.



It's been WAY too long since I've posted here. It has been a busy couple of months -- I taught a class in June, did a big writing project that I just finished today, and my husband Mike and I spent last week in New York City visiting a friend and seeing the sights. I've posted some photos from our trip.

We did a lot in five days in NYC. We walked around Wall Street and Ground Zero, the South Street Seaport, went to a Yankees game, walked through Central Park and down Fifth Avenue, did a short tour of Greenwich Village, Soho and Little Italy. We spent a day visiting the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island and saw "The Lion King" on Broadway. Finally we had lunch at Tavern on the Green, walked across the Brooklyn Bridge and did a short walking tour of the Brooklyn Heights neighborhood. Can you tell we did a lot of walking?

Things we love about New York: The subway (public transportation is so convenient there); pizza and deli sandwich shops on every corner; the distinctiveness of the neighborhoods, culturally, architecturally and otherwise; the peace and quiet of Central Park in the middle of the big city, unless you happen to go on a day when a Bon Jovi concert is going on there, like we did on Saturday; and the "busyness" of everything in New York. Nowhere else in the world are so many things happening at once. The sheer number of people on Manhattan (not even counting all the summer tourists) is staggering.

The crowds, the heat & humidity and the pace of the city wore on us after several days. We were glad to return home to our quiet little lives in Denver. That's another thing we love about going on any vacation, whether to New York City or somewhere else: We love going away, but being in another place somehow makes us more thankful for the home we have.

Tornadoes hit home

We were on vacation in Washington D.C. last week when we found out about the tornadoes that struck the Greeley, Colo. area, where Mike and I lived for many years. The tornadoes didn't make news in D.C. -- I just happened to be browsing the Internet one day, logged on to a Denver TV station's Web site and saw photos of the tornado damage.

The tornadoes hit a 35-mile region last Thursday. Amazingly, only one person was killed. The hardest hit was Windsor, a charming little town between Greeley and Fort Collins. One tornado came within two blocks of our former pastor's house. One of my good friends was at work when the tornado struck her building in Windsor. There was no basement, so she and her co-workers went inside a first-floor bathroom. She and another one of colleagues prayed aloud the entire time. "Were you afraid?" I asked her. "No, I wasn't afraid," she said. "I just felt this incredible peace."

She told me it didn't look or sound like what tornadoes are supposed to be like -- or at least what other people have described them to be. Photos reveal a low, big black cloud, but no funnel. My friend said she and her colleagues watched the storm for quite a while before it became apparent that a tornado was headed straight toward them. There was no sound of a freight train. My friend said it was eerily silent, then suddenly everyone's ears started popping because of the air pressure. When they ventured outside a few moments later, they saw cars in the parking lot with their windows literally sucked out of them. And across the street buildings that had been standing a few minutes before looked like piles of sticks. Click here to see aerial footage of the tornado damage.

Since the Weld County tornadoes, even worse storms have hit Iowa and Minnesota. I'm watching a news story about the damage there as I write this, and I'm amazed at what I see. One town was obliterated, entire neighborhoods now just mountains of stuff.

It's hard to put storms like these in perspective unless it directly affects you. Still, the fact that the tornadoes in Weld County hit so close to home for us -- we know so many people in the area -- makes me realize how fragile our lives really are. The tornadoes will undoubtedly draw the Northern Colorado community closer together. I've always thought people in the Greeley area are the salt of the earth, and what's happened will make them even more so.

One Windsor tornado victim was quoted in a news story today as saying, "I have my old life, and I have my new life" -- meaning her life before the tornado, and her life after. All of it certainly makes the worries of everyday life (rising gas prices, work stress, family woes, etc.) seem more trivial -- and more bearable.

My favorite time of year

Spring is my favorite time of year. I had fun taking these pictures this week of the blooming fruit trees in our neighborhood. (Spring is about two weeks late this year -- I have been waiting for these pink and white blooms to appear since early April, and they just started this week.) You'd never know it was spring today because of the snowshowers that blanketed the ground with another round of winter this morning.

I'm not sure when spring became my favorite season. When I was a kid, it was winter, mostly because I grew up skiing, ice skating, sledding and doing other winter things. I think my four years in college in Missouri woke me up to the wonder of spring. There it lasts a lot longer, and the blooming of the season is much more diverse -- with dogwoods and redbuds, real April showers (not snow) and blooming flowers that last. In Denver spring seems to take so long to start, then winter comes back, then spring returns for a short while before, all of a sudden, it's summertime.

Hope you're enjoying the newness of the season wherever you are.

Today Show comes to Colorado

My friend Linda and I on the slopes.











Linda gets into her monoski
















Volunteers unload all the goodies (ski equipment) from the Today Show truck.






Today Show weatherman Al Roker interviews Broncos quarterback Jay Cutler.
The crowd gathers with signs to welcome the Today Show crew.
A truck dumps more snow onto the Today Show "set" at Eldora Ski Area near Boulder, CO.
The Today Show crew sets up equipment (i.e. lots of lights)before airing live -- 7:15 a.m. Eastern, 5:15 a.m. Mountain -- on Tuesday, April 15.


Before the weekend I wanted to post some photos of what I was doing EARLY Tuesday morning.

A friend of mine involved in a disabled ski program at Eldora Ski Area outside Boulder invited to drive up at 4:30 a.m. to be at the ski area for a live feed of the Today Show. The NBC morning show was there as part of weatherman Al Roker's "Lend a Hand" charity program. The program donated a bunch of snowboards, skis, parkas, etc. to the disabled ski program, which is the only all-volunteer ski program of its kind in Colorado.

I'd never been to a Today Show taping. It was cold, windy, dark and definitely early (it was a live feed for the eastern time zone audience), but I estimated about 250 people showed up. Some people painted signs and held them up, as is typical for a Today Show audience. Most just stood around trying to get a glimpse of Al Roker and Denver Broncos quarterback Jay Cutler when he showed up. Why Cutler was there, no one really knew. He's not involved in the disabled ski program, but he sure did plug his own charity on camera.

One funny thing that proves everything is staged for TV: Before the taping began, the Today Show people had extra snow transfered by truck into the staging area . . . I guess so that whever Al Roker was standing, it would look like winter. You see, in spite of the cold on Tuesday morning, it is springtime in the Rockies, and much of the snow at the base of ski areas has melted. In fact, most Colorado ski areas, including Eldora, had closed for the season the weekend before the Today Show came.

And for the camera, of course, there was the staged unloading of all the ski equipment from the "Lend a Hand" truck. People from REI and Office Depot were there up in front, their company logos prominently displayed on hats and T-shirts. The ironic thing is that in a conversation with a ski program volunteer later in the day, I learned that the volunteers have been going around to area businesses for years trying to drum up donations of equipment for skiing, office stuff, etc. Few were that interested until the Today Show announced it was coming and offered them an opportunity to be the heroes on national TV.

Another ironic thing was that they also got a donation of a car. I had to laugh when one of the volunteers looked at the Subaru Outback and said, loud enough for everyone to hear, "What do we need a car for?" I think they'd rather have more ski equipment so disabled people can learn to ski.

The best part was after the show, Eldora opened two of its lifts to the disabled ski program. (I'm not a part of it, but I'm thinking about volunteering next year.) It felt way too early to be skiing -- by the time the Today Show people started packing up to leave, it was only about 7:30 a.m. But I got in a few runs with some new friends who, despite their disabilities, smile all the time, have postive attitudes and share a passion for skiing.

Whew!

Wow, it's been a crazy last couple of weeks.

I'm kind of bleary-eyed because I just finished a huge editing project. I helped my friend Lisa Gibson through the first edit of a book she wrote. Her brother was killed on Pan Am Flight 103 over Lockerbie, Scotland, a terrorist bombing that was eventually linked to a Libyan intelligence agent. That agent was eventually convicted, although the country of Libya never officially admitted any wrongdoing. The December 1988 bombing was the worst terrorist attack against Americans until Sept. 11, 2001, when terrorism became a household word. Lisa went through 15 years of healing and a couple of years ago started a foundation aimed at building bridges with the leaders of developing countries. The first country she's helping is Libya, which has had a strained relationship (that puts it lightly) with the United States since the Lockerbie bombing.

Lisa has an amazing story of forgiveness and what it looks like to love your enemies. It was a pleasure to be a part of the editing process of her book. She hasn't found a publisher yet -- part of the reason for an initial edit is to make the book as presentable as possible before giving it to a publisher. But she has quite a few publishers interested in looking at it. She has an important voice in the debate about terrorism and how to respond to it. She was 18 when her brother died, and much of her life has been centered on the healing process and now reconciliation with those who caused so much pain.

For me now it's on to other writing and editing projects. I've got just a few assignments on my plate right now. I'm excited about the opportunity this summer to spend some concentrated time sowing into my writing business. Since I started teaching college journalism classes three years ago, I've taught every summer as well. Although teaching gets easier as you go, it still takes up a huge chunk of time with all the preparation and grading involved. Therefore I haven't spent the time needed to really invest in building up contacts and clients in the writing world, although I've been able to do a lot through word of mouth. Can you believe I've been working as a freelancer for four years without business cards? I have a business name and a logo design but no cards. That's another thing on the to-do list for the summer.

On a roller-coaster ride

If you've ever read or even thumbed through the book of Daniel, you know it's rich with history, drama and some downright confusing, albeit intriguing, stuff. I first studied this Old Testament book of the Bible in the fall of 2006. This spring I'm doing the same study again -- Beth Moore's study, "Daniel: Lives of Integrity, Words of Prophecy" -- with a fantastic group of women at my church.

As we moved from the chapter 6 (the famous "Daniel in the lion's den" chapter) to chapter 7 last night, we all concluded we're embarking on a roller-coaster ride. Since I've done the study before, I know it's an accurate description. We'd better hang on and enjoy the ride.

The first half of Daniel centers around Daniel living in the decadent culture of Babylon, which has a lot of similarities to our American culture -- a society focused on self-indulgence, pleasure, youth, beauty and an "all-about-me" attitude. In fact, the Beth Moore version of the study draws such a parallel between Babylon and the society in which we live, it's impossible not to be challenged by it. Living biblically truly goes against the grain of our culture, and the disturbing part is most Christians have allowed the culture to have more of an influence on us rather than us having a greater influence on it.

The second half of Daniel centers around biblical prophecy -- i.e. dreams and visions Daniel has about historical empires (prophecy we can now look back at as history) and the still-to-come return of Christ. This is rich stuff -- challenging, mind-boggling, confusing at times, but so fascinating. It's a roller-coaster ride to say the least.

The most important thing I learned from studying this part of Daniel a couple of years ago is that you can't read the book of Revelation without understanding Daniel, and you can't read Daniel without Revelation. Amazing, huh? That a man who lived in ancient Babylon and a disciple of Jesus (John, the author of Revelation) who lived centuries later both prophesied about the same events. I've also learned that our tendency as Christians is to want to know the exact times, places, etc. of the return of Christ. The bottom line is that most of those details are a mystery, and we have to live with that "grayness," if you will, as opposed to the black-and-white of knowing for sure. All we know is the big WHAT -- that Christ will return, that He will right every wrong, and we will come face-to-face with Him. The thought of that scares some people, but it excites me.

A woman in our Bible study group said last night that some people approach the return of Christ as if they're throwing up their hands in the air on a roller-coaster ride. Others squeeze their eyes shut, bury their face in the shoulder of the person next to them and wonder why they got on the roller coaster in the first place. On a real roller coaster, I am the latter. On this figurative roller coaster, though, I want to be throwing my hands up in the air in joyful anticipation.

Picture of love

I'm borrowing today's blog entry from Valorie Burton, a Maryland-based author, speaker and life coach. A friend referred me to her Web site and weekly newsletter. Click here for more information about her.

I thought Burton's take on the "love" chapter in 1 Corinthians 13 was thought-provoking. I realize Valentine's Day was two weeks ago, but I think we could all use a daily dose of inspiration/guidance about love . . . and not just the romantic kind of love. How are you doing at loving the people in your life?

This week, I would like to serve as your loving reminder of what it means to love someone. These are seven straightforward, at times difficult, but always effective strategies for loving others - and experiencing more love in your life. Saint Paul wrote them in the 13th chapter of his first letter to the Corinthians. We often hear the scripture recited at weddings. This week, meditate on these seven principles. Find news ways to express love on a daily basis and strengthen your daily interaction with others -- whether loved ones or strangers, co-workers or neighbors. The greatest use of your life is to love. When you apply this kind of love to a situation, it never fails:

1. LOVE IS PATIENT.
People won't always do what you want when you want them to. Practice being patient - whether with your children, your significant other or the grocery cashier who takes too long to ring up your order. Everything happens for a reason - and that includes the timing of when things happen. Be patient and learn the lesson that comes in the process of enduring the wait. Sometimes the lesson is simple: Slow down and enjoy life.

2. LOVE IS KIND.
Every single day, choose to be kind. Ask yourself each morning, "How could I be a blessing to someone today?" Whether it is a kind word, a loving gesture or helping someone in need, seek ways to be kind daily. Not only will it be a blessing to those you encounter, but it feels good to your soul.

3. LOVE DOES NOT ENVY.
There will always be someone who appears to have "more" or to be doing better. Make a decision not to be envious of others, but in every circumstance of life to find a reason to be thankful. Jealousy poisons your attitude, builds resentment and can ruin relationships. Rather than envying others, learn from them. Even be inspired by them. And simultaneously, choose to be content with what you have while you journey towards something better.

4. LOVE DOES NOT BOAST AND IS NOT PROUD.
Resist the temptation to boast about yourself, your accomplishments or your loved ones. It often only makes others feel "less than," which of course, is not an expression of love. Practice humility. Allow your accomplishments to speak for themselves. Others often notice your good work and deeds, even without you having to make a big deal of them. In fact, it is far more attractive to simply "be" great than to try to convince others of your greatness.

5. LOVE IS NOT RUDE OR EASILY ANGERED.
We've all had our moments when our behavior has been less than considerate. Next time you feel the urge to be rude, inconsiderate or to jump to conclusions, stop yourself. Take a deep breath and ask, "What would be a more loving response to this situation?" That doesn't mean that you allow others to walk all over you. You can speak the truth to people in a very matter of fact way, without being rude. Be considerate of others feelings and be willing to give people the benefit of the doubt.

6. LOVE KEEPS NO RECORD OF WRONGS.
Have you ever known someone who remembered every mistake you ever made or everything you ever did wrong? As you have grown and become a better person, all they can remember is the person you used to be. It is very frustrating and you may even find yourself ready to distance yourself from that person. Learn from the past behavior of others - and protect yourself accordingly, when necessary - but resist the temptation to continually bring up everything someone has done wrong. Love others by encouraging them towards a better future, not defining them by their past.

7. LOVE REJOICES IN THE TRUTH.
So often, it seems we are afraid of the truth. When something is wrong, we pretend everything is OK. Often both parties will pretend even when both parties know there is a problem. One of the most important love skills you can learn is to be honest. Refuse to live lies or to accept lies as truth. Have truthful conversations with yourself and others. It allows you to get to the core of issues faster. It empowers others to trust you. It relieves the stress of tiptoeing around the real issues. Learn to speak the truth in a spirit of love and kindness, and your life will be richer and more fulfilling.

Running away from politics

I think I've had enough. And it's only February.

I'd already had enough with the bantering going on the last few weeks between Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton.

Then today came the New York Times article about John McCain's alleged "romantic" relationship with a female lobbyist -- although the article never provided any evidence that he'd had a romantic relationship with the woman. At least the story provided some discussion in my reporting class this morning over the use of anonymous sources. Anonymous sources should be avoided, I tell my students all the time, for the very reasons today's story highlights. How do we know the story is true if the sources aren't named? How do we know there's any credibility behind the information? Ah, yes, I forgot . . . if it's about a politician, it must be true if there's an anonymous source. Watched "All the President's Men" lately?

I'm not a huge fan or follower of politics, and the last two months have done nothing to change my point of view. This election -- and we haven't even entered the official election season yet -- has already done me in. I'm tired of talking about it with my students. I'm tired of hearing about it on talk radio. I'm tired of the news reports with the latest on the candidate of the day. It's just too much. I started to launch into a spew of negativity about politics this morning when my husband cut me off. "Let's talk about something else," he said. Good idea.

So this blog is where I can get it off my chest once and for all that I'm done! I think I'm going to take a vacation when the Democratic National Convention comes to Denver this August. And declare a media fast for that week. I don't want to be anywhere near it.

Baseball season, anyone? Only 38 more days until opening day. Go Rockies!

Sometimes you just need some good news

"Sometimes you just need some good news." That's what my husband Mike said this week after we got two pieces of news we'd been hoping for.

First, the insurance check for the water damage in our condo is on the way! The water heater in the unit above us went out in early December and caused quite a bit of damage to our place. We cleaned up, had walls and carpet padding torn out and then embarked on a long season of getting estimates from contractors and WAITING. Looking back on it, we didn't have to wait all that long. Insurance settlements just don't happen quickly. I got a dose of reality and gratitude this week when I talked to a colleague whose house was destroyed in a fire a couple of weeks ago. She and her husband have to live in a double-wide trailer while their house is being repaired for the next nine months. Talk about perspective. Anyway, the news this week means we can move forward on our own repairs and start putting the condo back together. The first stage will happen next week when a contractor comes in to rebuild walls and repaint.

Second, I found out this week something unusual. I've had these really annoying digestive problems for months -- terrible gas & bloating, acid reflux, etc. I went to a gastroenterologist (a good one, as it turns out) last summer and discovered I'm lactose-intolerant, which is actually more common in adults than most people realize. (It means I lack the enzyme in my body to digest the sugar -- lactose -- present in milk and other dairy products.) Anyway, the symptoms started flaring up again around mid-November, but I knew it couldn't be the lactose because I've been on a diary-free diet since June.

I went through more rounds of tests, and it turns out my stomach takes twice as long to empty as a normal person's -- yeah, go figure. Who knew? I certainly didn't. It's unclear what's causing that -- it could be a viral infection that has damaged the nerves of my stomach, thus keeping it from contracting properly. Anyway, I'm on some medication now to speed things up in my tummy, and it's helping!!! Halleluiah! I've never had a chronic health issue that drives me crazy to the point of total frustration. I've known people who live with health issues just as frustrating, and you never really know what they're going through until you experience it yourself.

Those are our two bits of good news this week. And next week at this time, there will be more good news. I'll be done with the Beginning Reporting class that demands pretty much all of my attention for the first five weeks of the semester. It's been a good class, but I'm wiped out, and so are my students. It's like boot camp for wannabe journalists. The students take a daily Associated Press Stylebook quiz (the journalist's bible), have writing assignments everyday (just like the pace of being a real journalist), and get zeros on stories that they turn in late, misspell a name or get a fact wrong (they're always shocked to see that first zero, but it teaches them to pay attention). I think I may have weeded a few students out of the journalism program, but the class has inspired the rest to step up, get serious and keep going. Both of those are good things. Journalism is too demanding and too important a job for the half-hearted, at least the kind of journalism I teach my students to do.