Happy New Year!

May the new year bring you unbridled joy, abundant health, and
the manifestation of unrealized dreams, in every area of your life!
Happy New Year!

Merry Christmas!

May your holiday season be filled with peace, joy, grace, laughter, and hope! Here's to you and your family, experiencing God's great love during this most wonderful time of the year.
MERRY CHRISTMAS!

Out Of The Mouth Of Babes...

Happy Thanksgivings!

May your holiday traditions continue this year, with warm smiles, wonderful memories and the love that can only be felt among family and friends! Plus, may the turkey, dressing and pumpkin pie be absolute perfection! HAPPY THANKSGIVING!!

Welcome Back, Old Friend!

It's back!! Yes, the McRib is now available at all Mickey D's for the first time in 16 years!

News of this...er, delicacy has caused a frenzy on the internet.

Devotees of this cult classic, can now enjoy the spicy tangy bbq sauce, pickles, onions and...uh..pork something or other!

Ok, fine. Don't tell me what's in it--who actually needs to know? Just make sure mine comes with fries and a coke. And don't forget the extra napkins!

Turn! Turn! Turn!

Summer is now over! It's time now to transition into fall.
That means cool crisp temperatures and a change in scenery.
For many, autumn is the most beautiful time of the year.

Maybe you're planning to take a fall getaway to enjoy the foliage.
If you're looking forward to taking in nature's breathtaking beauty, it just so happens, that we've got a few suggestions for ya! Enjoy.

When Pigskins Fly!

Aahh...it's finally here! As the NFL season revs up, the fans of 32 teams are brimming with confidence, optimism and unrealistic dreams for their heroes.

But, you and I know, that the cream rises to the top. When it's all said and done, only two teams will be left standing to fight for the season's ultimate glory. With that in mind, I present to you, your two Superbowl teams:

N'awlins vs. Indy!


That's right, it's a Superbowl rematch between last year's combatants: the New Orleans Saints and the Indianapolis Colts! And your winner is:





Two Dat Baby! Two Dat!

You Say The Tweetest Things!

Not long ago, a research firm conducted a study on posts that appear on Twitter. The results were interesting. According to the company, 40% of 'tweets' were nothing but "pointless babble". Only 8.7% of messages were found to have pass-along value.

A message classified as babble would be something like : “I’m having a sandwich.”

Interesting, huh? Gotta go now--I happen to be enjoying a BLT.

Never Let 'Em See Ya Sweat!

For most of the country, it's been a scorcher of a summer! Unfortunately, there's still plenty of summer left. So, we thought you could use some tips on staying cool and safe--compliments of the Red Cross.


Red Cross Heat Safety Tips:



Dress for the heat: Wear lightweight, light-colored clothing. Light colors will reflect away some of the sun's energy. It is also a good idea to wear hats or to use an umbrella.

Drink water: Carry water or juice with you and drink continuously even if you do not feel thirsty. Avoid alcohol and caffeine, which dehydrate the body. Avoid using salt tablets unless directed to do so by a physician.
Eat small meals and eat more often. Avoid high-protein foods, which increase metabolic heat.

Slow down: Avoid strenuous activity. If you must do strenuous activity, do it during the coolest part of the day, which is usually in the morning between 4 and 7 a.m.
Stay indoors when possible. If air-conditioning is not available, stay on the lowest floor out of the sunshine. Remember that electric fans do not cool, they simply circulate the air.

Be a good neighbor: During heat waves, check in on elderly residents in your neighborhood and those who do not have air conditioning.
Learn Red Cross first aid and CPR.


Know What These Heat-Related Terms Mean:



Heat cramps: Heat cramps are muscular pains and spasms due to heavy exertion. Although heat cramps are the least severe, they are an early signal that the body is having trouble with the heat.

Heat exhaustion: Heat exhaustion typically occurs when people exercise heavily or work in a hot, humid place where body fluids are lost through heavy sweating. Blood flow to the skin increases, causing blood flow to decrease to the vital organs. This results in a form of mild shock. If not treated, the victim may suffer heat stroke. Signals of heat exhaustion include cool, moist, pale flushed or red skin; heavy sweating; headache; nausea or vomiting; dizziness; and exhaustion. Body temperature will be near normal.

Heat stroke: Also known as sunstroke, heat stroke is life-threatening. The victim's temperature control system, which produces sweating to cool the body, stops working. The body temperature can rise so high that brain damage and death may result if the body is not cooled quickly. Signals include hot, red and dry skin; changes in consciousness; rapid, weak pulse; and rapid, shallow breathing. Body temperature can be very high—sometimes as high as 105 degrees.


General Care for Heat Emergencies:



Heat cramps or heat exhaustion: Get the person to a cooler place and have him or her rest in a comfortable position. If the person is fully awake and alert, give half a glass of cool water every 15 minutes. Do not let him or her drink too quickly. Do not give liquids that contain alcohol or caffeine. Remove or loosen tight clothing and apply cool, wet cloths, such as towels or sheets. Call 9-1-1 or the local emergency number if the person refuses water, vomits or loses consciousness.

Heat stroke: Heat stroke is a life-threatening situation! Help is needed fast. Call 9-1-1 or your local emergency number. Move the person to a cooler place. Quickly cool the body. Immerse victim in a cool bath, or wrap wet sheets around the body and fan it. Watch for signals of breathing problems. Keep the person lying down and continue to cool the body any way you can. If the victim refuses water or is vomiting or there are changes in the level of consciousness, do not give anything to eat or drink.

Whew...We Can All Breathe Easier Now!

Now that the LeBronathon is over, we can all get back to our regularly scheduled routines. Unless of course, you just happen to reside in Cleveland (when will the heartache end?), or in
Miami (please try to stay humble and use an adequate SPF).

Regardless, I wish all involved well...until they play the Lakers!

Happy 4th Of July!

Here's hoping you and your family have a fun and safe 4th!

In between the burgers, hotdogs, ice cream and fireworks,
don't forget to give thanks for living in the good ol USA!

Happy 234th America!!

...And The Livin' Is Easy?

Aah...summertime. It's the moment you've been waiting soo long for--vacation time! And, let's face it, you really deserve it too!

So, because I care, here's a little somethin' I found from Ezine Articles, to help make your summer vacation the best one ever!



Top Summer Vacation Tips
By Jolana Klobouk


Whether you are traveling by plane, train or automobile, summer vacations are the perfect opportunity to get away to a favourite spot or experience new sights and adventures. Most important, it is a time to be together and enjoy each other's company. If however, your trip is not planned correctly, you will spend your vacation stressed out! So regardless if you are packing up the kids in the back of the van or traveling solo to exotic destinations, here are some travel tips to make this summer vacation your best one yet:

Pack Right

Easier said than done right? Packing is a fine balance of bringing what you really need without taking too much. How do you do it? Planning ahead and having a really good list. Bring anything you absolutely must have, bring co-ordinated clothing you can mix and match and make sure to have a list prepared well in advance so you don't forget anything. Don't bring too much of anything, you will not wear six pairs of shoes I promise you, and don't bring anything that can be bought along the way if you really need it.

Have Plenty of Sun Screen, Hats and Sunglasses

The sun is stronger in the summer time and UV rays keep increasing. There is nothing worse then getting sunburned on the first few days of your summer vacation and spending the rest of it uncomfortable. Sun protection is more important now then ever before.

Be Flexible

Leave a little wiggle room in your plans. Give yourself plenty of time for delayed flights and traffic jams. Even if you do not get an opportunity to do something as planned, enjoyable rest stops or detours can be used to explore and can end up being even more memorable than the planned stops.

Bring A Camera

This one sounds obvious I know, but you would be surprised how many people either forget to bring the camera or the extra batteries or the memory card (in the old days it used to be the film) etc. Prepare your camera gear in advance so you have it ready to go, you do not want to miss that great sunset or your child's first encounter with the dolphin.

Keep The Kids Amused

If you are traveling with kids, unless you love to hear "Are we there yet?" over and over, make sure they have enough to stay amused. Have them pack their own travel bags with things they love in order to keep themselves occupied during the trip on the plane or in the car. You can also find inexpensive travel games in stores, or you can play your own such as "I Spy" or the license plate game.

Be Prepared For Rain or Cooler Weather

There is nothing worse then packing t-shirts and shorts only to be hit with a cool spell and spending your summer vacation trying to stay dry and warm. Even if you are traveling to a hot desert, be prepared with basic rain gear and a warm jacket and vice versa.

Be Ready For An Emergency

If traveling by car keep an emergency kit handy that includes jumper cables, basic hand tools, flares or reflective warning triangles, a first aid kit, a flashlight with fresh batteries, and a cell phone if possible.

What Not To Do On Your Summer Vacation

There are a few things you should also not do in order to have a great summer vacation. First, try to avoid traveling during peak times, this means long weekends in the summer, unless you are a sucker for punishment. It also means rush hours in the city if you are driving, try to plan your time around these hours.

Don't break the bank. A recent Expedia survey found that 57 percent of travelers blow their vacation budgets on food and drinks. Ways to get around this include staying at all inclusive resorts and booking rooms with a kitchenette. Before you visit a particular city, check out what activities are free to do there. Especially for kids, there may be lots of parks, museums or just interesting things to look at that will not cost anything.

And the most important tip for having a great summer vacation? Don't overdue it. You are on vacation, don't plan too much into a short amount of time, and leave room to just r-e-l-a-x. Enjoy the glorious summer days and nights, as we all know, they go by way to fast.

Man of Steel!

This weekend, we honor everyone's favorite superhero--Dad!!
So, be sure to take time, this Sunday, to share special moments
and memories with the guy who's always been super in your eyes!
HAPPY FATHER'S DAY!

Jumpin' The Shark...

Ok, maybe that was a tad harsh. It's too soon to say that about the latest Apple wonder machine--the iPad.

But, do we really need this? It's the ultimate in technological indulgence--The iPad Supreme Edition, designed and crafted by Stuart Hughes!


The Wi-Fi + 3G, 64 GB iPad is made of solid gold and encrusted with 25.5 karats of flawless diamonds. The rear case and bezel is solid 22-karat gold and, on the back, the Apple logo shimmers with 53 individually set gems. All for just $192,000!

Alright, so the iPad hasn't jumped the shark--I just had to rant.
Now, shall I put you down for two?

An Anthem For Mom!

This Sunday, we honor the most important woman in our lives--Mom!

We remember the person who's made tremendous sacrifices for our benefit--the one who's been our teacher, best friend, and the one we could never do with out.

And for those whose moms have passed on--well, her love continues to live on!

This one's for you, Mom...

Hope For Haiti!

This past weekend, I was fortunate enough to attend and be part of Healing Hands International's 4th Annual Walk For Water.

The event was a 4 mile walk, to raise funds to drill wells, to provide clean safe drinking water for the people of Haiti.

Over 300 turned out to participate! It was quite an event on a beautiful spring day!

Walk leader Samuel(from Haiti) and Christina Stegler

Rarin' To Go To Help Haiti!

The Walk Is Underway!

A Time Of Renewal!

I just love springtime! To me, it's a physical manifestation of what's happening spiritually. After a long harsh winter, all now begins to look and feel, fresh and new!

Isaiah 43:19 says, "Behold, I will do a new thing; now it shall spring forth; shall you not know it?..."

Take some time to seek God, and let Him reveal to you, the new things that He's now causing to blossom in your life!

Oh, It's On Now!

Hoop fans rejoice--it's here! March Madness has arrived with it's usual frenzy! According to a survey, the NCAA's annual tournament costs U.S. employers $1.8 billion! 45% of workers enter office pools and spend about 20 minutes of their workday focusing on basketball.

So, just how hard is it to pick a perfect bracket? Check out the article below.



A Gazillion Chances To Miss A Pick
By Marlen Garcia
USA TODAY



DePaul math professor and NCAA basketball tournament buff Jeffrey Bergen has numbers that will make your head spin on how difficult it is to predict early winners in the tournament.

Bergen shared facts and figures with USA TODAY. They might help you or they may not help you as you fill out your bracket for your office pool or just for your own enjoyment. And they might intimidate you.

Either way, the odds are certainly daunting:

*The number of ways to fill out a bracket, once the play-in game is out of the way: 9,223,372,036,854,775,808.

*You are much more likely to win a multimillion-dollar lottery on consecutive weekends than getting a perfect bracket.

It would be easier to sit down today and correctly predict the winner of each of the next 12 World Series.

It would be the same as correctly predicting the winner of every presidential election (Democrat vs. Republican) through the year 2260.

*It is virtually impossible to pick all of the first-round games correctly. The number of ways for the first round to turn out: 4,294,967,296.

Yet if you assume all of the No. 1 seeds will win in the first round, then the number of ways to pick all of the first-round games drops to 268,435,456.

If you assume all of the Nos. 1 and 2 seeds will win in the first round, then the number of ways to pick all of the first-round games drops to 16,777,216.

*The number of ways to pick the teams that will make the Final Four: 65,536.

If you assume that teams only seeded No. 1 through No. 8 will make the Final Four (this usually happens), then the number of ways to pick the teams that will make the Final Four drops -- to 4,096.

On the other hand, the NCAA is considering expanding the tournament to 96 teams.

If the tournament has 96 teams, then the number of ways to fill out a bracket explodes -- to39,614,081,257,132,168,796,771,975,168.

It would be only slightly easier to predict the winner of every game in a 96-team tournament than it is to win the state lottery four weeks in a row while buying one ticket a week.

Or it is the same as today predicting the winner of every presidential election (Democrat vs. Republican) through the year 2388.

Will the Chicago Cubs win the World Series by then?

(c) Copyright 2010 USA TODAY, a division of Gannett Co. Inc.

Helping Chile

On Saturday, February 27, a massive 8.8 earthquake (one of the strongest on record), rocked the South American country of Chile. With the death toll in the hundreds, rescuers search for the trapped and missing.

You can assist the people of Chile with your prayers and financial support.

How you can help:
• American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee
• American Red Cross
• AmeriCares
• Convoy of Hope
• Direct Relief International
• Doctors Without Borders
• Global Giving
• Habitat for Humanity
• International Medical Corps
• Operation Blessing International
• Salvation Army
• Save the Children
• UNICEF



Texting donations for Chile:
In addition to your donation amount, standard text messaging fees may apply.
Convoy of Hope: Text 4CHILE to 50555 ($10 donation)
Habitat for Humanity: Text CHILE to 25383 ($10 donation)
OperationUSA: Text REBUILD to 50555 ($10 donation)
Salvation Army: Text CHILE” to 52000 ($10 donation)
World Vision: Text CHILE” to 20222 ($10 donation)
UNICEF: Text YOUTH to 20222 ($10 donation)

Well, Dat's The End Of Dat!

Congratulations to the entire Who Dat Nation! After 43 years of futility, the New Orleans Saints are world champions, defeating the Indianapolis Colts, 31-17 in Superbowl XLIV!

Now with the Superbowl behind us--here are some musings from America's national holiday...

Concerning the halftime show--let's just say "I won't get fooled again"...My favorite commercials from Super Sunday--Snickers with Betty White & Abe Vigoda, Brett Favre as Superbowl MVP in the year 2020, the little kid protecting his mama and his Doritos, and Audi's eco-friendly "Green Police". But my absolute favorite Superbowl commercial is below. I think it's brilliant!

Superbowl XLIV

One of the nation's favorite holidays is almost upon us--Superbowl Sunday! With that in mind, arm yourself with knowledge about the big game, with this great article by
K. Jessie Austin at Associated Content.

Enjoy and may the best team win!



Fun Facts About The Superbowl

Whether you like football or not, it's still fun to impress your friends and family with your infinite knowledge of Super Bowl trivia. In fact, if you don't like football, it will give you something to do during the game to entertain yourself while everyone else watches. Plus not all of the commercials can be as good as expected, so when a lame one comes on your fellow partygoers will be happy someone is there to fill the lull with interesting facts.

On the Monday following Super Bowl Sunday, 6 percent of Americans will call in sick from work. Also on that Monday the sales of antacids will increase by 20 percent. Remember to keep that in mind while you are choosing your Super Bowl Snacks, or buy your antacid ahead of time.

A popular snack consumed by football fans is guacamole. On Super Bowl Sunday these fans will eat around 8 million pounds of it. And they're not eating it by itself; they are eating it with 14,500 tons of chips to dip into it.

Another popular way to dine while watching the game is on the grill. Super Bowl Sunday is the most popular winter grilling day of the season. All together, football fans will probably spend around $50 million on food during the 4 days leading up to the Super Bowl.

Most people will spend Super Bowl Sunday at some sort of party or get together, as only 5 percent of Americans will watch the game by themselves. The average number of people at a Super Bowl Party is 17.

How popular is the Super Bowl? Very popular. 9 out of the 10 most viewed television programs of all time have been Super Bowl games.

Everyone knows the most exciting part of the Super Bowl is watching all the new commercials. Budweiser has been the sole Super Bowl advertiser from the beer category for 13 years.

The Super Bowl has started at or around 6pm Eastern Standard Time since the 1980's.

The only other day of the year with more alcohol-related car accidents than Super Bowl Sunday is St. Patrick's Day...

During the football season over 700.00 footballs are made for official NFL use. 72 of these balls are used for play during the Super Bowl.

Devastation In Haiti

Your prayers and financial assistance are needed for the millions
affected by the recent earthquake in Haiti.

Here's how you can help:

Action Against Hunger, 877-777-1420

American Red Cross, 800-733-2767

American Jewish World Service, 212-792-2900

AmeriCares, 800-486-4357

Beyond Borders, 866-424-8403

CARE, 800-521-2273

Catholic Relief Services, 800-736-3467

Childcare Worldwide, 800-553-2328

Direct Relief International, 805-964-4767

Doctors Without Borders, 888-392-0392

Feed My Starving Children, 763-504-2919

Food for the Poor, 800-427-9104

Friends of WFP, 866-929-1694

Haiti Children, 877-424-8454

Haiti Marycare, 203-675-4770

Haitian Health Foundation, 860-886-4357

Hope for Haiti, 239-434-7183

International Medical Corps, 800-481-4462

International Rescue Committee, 877-733-8433

International Relief Teams, 619-284-7979

Medical Teams International, 800-959-4325

Meds and Food for Kids, 314-420-1634

Mennonite Central Committee, 888-563-4676

Mercy Corps, 888-256-1900

Operation Blessing, 800-730-2537

Operation USA, 800-678-7255

Oxfam, 800-776-9326

Partners in Health, 617-432-5298

The Salvation Army, 800-725-2769

Samaritan's Purse, 828-262-1980

Save the Children, 800-728-3843

UNICEF, 800-367-5437

World Concern, 800-755-5022

World Relief, 800-535-5433

World Vision, 888-511-6548