tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-59178188321574251782024-02-19T01:23:08.382-06:00desertsealionLife, fun, food, wine, nature, family.desertsealionhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11882968220569166022noreply@blogger.comBlogger26125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5917818832157425178.post-17609736737257680492014-07-08T13:33:00.000-05:002014-07-08T13:33:18.789-05:00<span style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 13px;">Day 1 in Rwanda</span><br />
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This country is beautiful. It is very tropical, with banana, mango, and papaya trees growing everywhere. Everything here is GREEN, except the dirt-- and it is very red. </div>
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Today was a day to tour the facilities in Kigali and Kayonza and meet some of the people in Rwanda involved with Africa New Life Ministries. Most of us on this June mission trip are first-timers to Rwanda except for Katie, her husband Ryan, her sister Hannah, and Hannah's husband Zack. Katie is our team leader. Katie is a PA I worked with in Moscow.</div>
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We toured the 1st school started by Africa New Life Ministries. The New Life Christian Academy in Kayonza is very impressive, and is one of the top schools in the country of Rwanda. The students there are amazing. I was humbled by their faith. Many of these students are orphans and live at the school full time. We had lunch with the group of children sponsored by a Baptist church in Idaho. We had fun with them, singing and watching some pretty funny dancing....mostly by Zack, our team's dentist. Zack & Hannah, Katie and their parents Bruce & Carmen made a home visit with the young man they sponsor. They brought the family a month's supply of food, and a goat! We could not let the goat ride on the bus with us humans, so the poor animal was tied to the back of a bicycle for delivery! And he did not like it one little bit. Arden managed to capture this on the photos here. </div>
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Tomorrow, Arden & I are going to visit the 2 children in Bugesera that we sponsor. Tune in for update and more photos!</div>
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If you are interested in reading more details about our mission and the people we see in clinic and their stories, go to medinrwanda.blogspot.com. This is a blog posted by Katie Fisher, our team leader.</div>
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<span style="line-height: 16.5pt;">I have found the people in Rwanda to be very friendly, they smile all the time! Twenty years ago in 1994, in a span of 3 months, 80% of the population of Bugesera was killed in a mass genocide. There are still many people here who bear the scars of this horrific event. Even today, they remain strong in their faith in God. Everywhere we look, we see clear evidence that in just </span>two decades, this country has made tremendous strides towards healing, forgiveness, and rebuilding a society free from prejudice. <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 13px;">Day 2, Saturday in Kigali, Rwanda</span><br />
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Brenda & Arden Arrington<br /><div>
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We woke to a cool breezy, morning with rain clouds in the sky.</div>
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Our first stop of the day was the Ntarama National Genocide Memorial. This was tough. No pictures allowed inside the church, and with good reason. </div>
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Almost all of the people in our group sponsor children for Africa New Life Ministries here in Rwanda. Even medical missions like ours are structured around home visits to meet your sponsored children. Today we met the two children that we sponsor in Bugesara where we will be doing our clinic Monday-Thursday. </div>
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This was a marvelous day for us both.</div>
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Day 3, Sunday</div>
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The two-hour long service at Africa New Life Church was unforgettable. The praise team was made up of 8 musicians and 7 outstanding vocalists. We have never seen anything like it. It was beautiful, uplifting music, </div>
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After church we had lunch at the original Hotel Rwanda, which has been renamed. Lunch was great and the hotel is beautiful. </div>
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Day 4, Monday FIRST DAY OF CLINIC</div>
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For more information on Special Medical Cases go to medinrwanda.blogspot.com</div>
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desertsealionhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11882968220569166022noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5917818832157425178.post-14994054949389958572013-05-28T22:11:00.002-05:002013-05-28T22:11:26.637-05:00Graduation<span style="font-size: large;">My Son just graduated with a Bachelor of Business Administration in Management Information Systems. Way to Go Samuel!!! I am very proud of your accomplishments.</span><br />
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desertsealionhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11882968220569166022noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5917818832157425178.post-34184225656036153652012-09-21T22:05:00.000-05:002012-09-21T22:05:16.658-05:00<b><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></b>
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">I am so small I can barely be seen. </span></b><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Grand Canyon National Park</td></tr>
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">How can this great love be inside me? </span></b><br />
<b><span style="font-size: large;">Look at your eyes, they are small </span></b><br />
<b><span style="font-size: large;">But they see enormous things.</span></b>desertsealionhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11882968220569166022noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5917818832157425178.post-31850645250504724492012-09-18T07:56:00.000-05:002012-09-18T07:56:38.949-05:00"The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy."<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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desertsealionhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11882968220569166022noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5917818832157425178.post-78307087317707399952012-07-16T20:17:00.000-05:002012-07-16T20:17:09.361-05:00St. Theresa's PrayerSt Theresa's Prayer
May today, there be peace within. May you trust God that you are exactly where you are meant<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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to be. May you not forget the infinite possibilities that are born of faith. May you use those gifts you have received, and pass on the love that has been given to you. May you be content knowing you are a child of God. Let this presence settle into your bones, and allow your soul the freedom to sing, dance, praise, and love. It is there for each and everyone of us.desertsealionhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11882968220569166022noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5917818832157425178.post-76413181175002092152010-09-25T00:16:00.000-05:002010-09-25T00:16:46.037-05:00Tanzania Music and Images<object style="background-image:url(http://i4.ytimg.com/vi/OfrB1gwBdxc/hqdefault.jpg)" width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/OfrB1gwBdxc?fs=1&hl=en_US"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/OfrB1gwBdxc?fs=1&hl=en_US" width="425" height="344" allowScriptAccess="never" allowFullScreen="true" wmode="transparent" type="application/x-shockwave-flash"></embed></object>desertsealionhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11882968220569166022noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5917818832157425178.post-70627073821524101922010-09-08T14:00:00.000-05:002010-09-08T14:00:54.666-05:00Poco -Keep on Tryin' (High Quality)<object style="background-image:url(http://i2.ytimg.com/vi/AWnBD6n9j74/hqdefault.jpg)" width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/AWnBD6n9j74?fs=1&hl=en_US"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/AWnBD6n9j74?fs=1&hl=en_US" width="425" height="344" allowScriptAccess="never" allowFullScreen="true" wmode="transparent" type="application/x-shockwave-flash"></embed></object>desertsealionhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11882968220569166022noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5917818832157425178.post-60190796735886638572010-07-28T13:00:00.005-05:002011-02-25T19:32:30.993-06:00The Story of The DesertSealion<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-g79xYGvd1uMecCwZQRztM1-o7_TmrDMsh4q5WbhW1skBcP42-57HyENeEbKSEDDU2XO44kK9T8RkLJFnjn_DhA_sKviukxl_ImcV10CmY7fhAb3TLLLdYuN1tqdTZpc51g6njWJ5oVI/s1600/Beach+in+Corpus+Christi.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 221px; height: 166px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-g79xYGvd1uMecCwZQRztM1-o7_TmrDMsh4q5WbhW1skBcP42-57HyENeEbKSEDDU2XO44kK9T8RkLJFnjn_DhA_sKviukxl_ImcV10CmY7fhAb3TLLLdYuN1tqdTZpc51g6njWJ5oVI/s320/Beach+in+Corpus+Christi.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5499026990810966994" /></a><br /><br />The Sea Lion<br />John Eldredge (The Journey of Desire)<br />Once upon a time there lived a sea lion who lost the sea. He lived in a country<br />known as the barren lands. High on a plateau, far from any coast, it was a place so dry and dusty that it could only be called a desert. A kind of course grass grew in patches here and there, and a few trees were scattered across the horizon. But mostly, it was dust, and sometimes wind, which together make on very thirsty. <br /><br />Of course, it must seem strange to you that such a beautiful creature should wind up in a desert at all. He was, mind you, a sea lion. But things like this do happen. How the sea lion came to the barren lands, no one could remember. It all seemed so very long ago. So long in fact, it appeared as though he had always been there. Not that he belonged in such an arid place. How can that be? He was after all, a sea lion. But as you know, once you have lived so long in a certain spot, no matter how odd, you come to think of it as home. <br /><br />There was a time, many years back, when the sea lion, knew he was lost. In those days, he would stop every traveler he met to see if he might help him find his way back to the sea. But no one seemed to know the way. On he searched, but never finding. After years without success, the sea lion took refuge beneath a solitary tree beside a very small water hole. The tree provided refuge from the burning rays of the sun, which was very fierce in that place. And the water hole, though small and muddy, was wet, in its own way. Here he settled down and got on as best as he could. Had you journeyed in those days through the barren lands, you might have seen the lion for yourself. Quite often in the evening, he would go and sit upon his favorite rock, a very large boulder, which lifted him off the burning sand and allowed him a view of the entire country.<br />There he would remain for hours into the night, silhouetted against the sky. And on the best nights, when the wind shifted to the east, a faint smell of salt air would come to him on the breeze. Then he would close his eyes and imagine himself once more at the sea. When he lay himself down to sleep, he would dream of a vast, deep ocean. Twisting and turning, diving and twirling, he would swim and swim and swim. When he woke, he thought he heard the sound of breakers. The sea was calling to him...<br />The sea lion loved his rock, and he even loved waiting night after night for the<br />sea breezes that might come. Especially he loved the dreams those memories would stir. But as you well know, even the best of dreams cannot go on, and in the morning when the sea lion woke, he was still in the barren lands. Sometimes he would close his eyes and try to fall back asleep but it never seemed to work, for the sun was always very bright.<br />Eventually it became too much for him to bear. He began to visit his rock only<br />on occasion. “I have too much to do, “He told himself. “I cannot waste my time just idling about. He really did not have so much to do. The truth of it was, waking so far from home was such a disappointment, and he did not want to have those wonderful dreams anymore. The day finally came when he stopped going to his rock altogether, and he no longer lifted his nose to the wind when the sea breezes blew.<br /><br />The sea lion was not entirely alone in those parts. For it was there that he met<br />the tortoise. Now this tortoise was an ancient creature, so weathered by his life in the barren lands that at first, the sea lion mistook him for a rock. He told the tortoise of his plight, hoping that this wise one might be able to help him. “Perhaps” the tortoise mused, “this is the sea”. His eyes appeared to be shut against the bright sun, but he was watching the sea lion very closely. The sea lion swept his flippers once against his side, gliding to the end of the water hole and back.” I don’t know” he said, “It isn’t very deep.” “Isn’t it”, “Somehow, I thought the sea would be broader, deeper. At least, I hoped so.”<br /><br />“You must learn to be happy here” the tortoise told him one day. “For is<br />unlikely you shall ever find this sea of yours.” Deep in his old and shriveled heart, the tortoise envied the sea lion and his sea... “But I belong to the sea. We were made for each other...” Perhaps but you have been gone so long now, the sea has probably forgotten you”. This thought had never occurred to the sea lion. But it was true; he had been gone for a long, long time. “If this is not my home, how can I ever feel at home here?” the sea lion asked. “You will in time.” The tortoise appeared to be squinting, his eyes a thin slit. “I have seen the sea, and it is no better than what you have found here.” “You have seen the sea!” “Yes. Come close” whispered the tortoise, “and I will tell you a secret. I am not a tortoise. I am a sea turtle. But I left the sea of my own accord many years ago, in search of better things. If you stay with me, I will tell you stories of my adventures.”<br /><br />The stories of the ancient tortoise were enchanting and soon cast their spell upon the sea lion. As weeks passed into months, his memory of the sea faded. “The desert” whispered the tortoise, “is all that is, or ever will be.” When the sun grew fierce and burned his skin, the sea lion would hide in the shade of the tree, listening to the tales woven by the tortoise. When the dry winds cracked his flippers and filled his eyes with dust, the sea lion would retreat to the water hole. And so the sea lion remained, living his days between water hole and tree. The sea no longer filled his dreams.<br /><br />It was in May that the winds began to blow. The sea lion had grown used to<br />wind, and at first he did not pay much heed at all. Years of desert life had taught him to turn his back in the direction from which the wind came and cover his eyes with his flippers so that the dust would not get in. Eventually the wind would always pass. <br /><br />But not this time. Day and night it came, howling across the barren lands. There was nothing to stop its fury, nothing to even slow it down. For forty days and forty nights the wind blew. And then, just as suddenly as it had begun, it stopped. The sea lion lifted himself to have a look around. He could hardly believe his eyes. <br /><br />Every single leaf had been stripped from his tree. The branches that remained, with only a twig or two upon them, looked like an old scarecrow. And I do not need to tell you that there was no longer any shade in which to hide. But worse than this, much worse indeed, was what the sea lion saw next.<br /><br />The water hole was completely dry.<br /><br />Three weeks after the wind ceased to blow, the sea lion had a dream. Now as I<br />told you before, there were other nights which he had dreamed of the sea. But those were long ago and nearly forgotten. Even still the ocean that filled his dreams this night was so beautiful and clear, so vast and deep, it was as if he were seeing it for the first time. The sunlight glittered on its surface, and as he dived, the waters all around him shone like an emerald. If he swam quite deep, it turned to jade, cool and dark and mysterious. But he was never frightened, not at all. For I must tell you that in all his dreams of the sea, he had never before found himself in the company of other sea lions. This night there were many and they, round about him, diving and turning, spinning and twirling. They were playing.<br /><br />Oh, how he hated to wake from that wonderful dream. The tears running down<br />his face were the first wet thing he had felt in weeks. But he did not pause even to wipe them away, he did not pause, in fact, for anything at all. He set his face to the east, and he began to walk as best a sea lion can.<br />“Where are you going?” asked the tortoise...<br /><strong>“I am going to find the sea”</strong>desertsealionhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11882968220569166022noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5917818832157425178.post-41552145450283236832010-07-28T12:09:00.003-05:002010-07-28T12:24:46.079-05:00STRESS RELIEF THROUGH ECO-THERAPY<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwuEgJ392ucUzvkiwnPVBmKvFYD2Piv4T-LPUrx0tufnfMlZQCfsxixg1t1qbic2RnAMVt9VZRgR8rjwv0uuT_mwRQPKJK20O_h-m00O0ah4K_edJ-LJomUmvuobQQto158tWICrXjYkA/s1600/IMG_3852.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwuEgJ392ucUzvkiwnPVBmKvFYD2Piv4T-LPUrx0tufnfMlZQCfsxixg1t1qbic2RnAMVt9VZRgR8rjwv0uuT_mwRQPKJK20O_h-m00O0ah4K_edJ-LJomUmvuobQQto158tWICrXjYkA/s320/IMG_3852.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5499007881977707410" /></a><br /><br /><em><strong>Article by Johnny Bowden, PhD</strong></em>“Recently, I spent the weekend with my brother and his wife, at their lakeside cabin in the mountains of Massachusetts. I arrived late Friday evening after four days of non-stop meetings in Manhattan. The next morning before anyone was up, I got into a kayak and paddled to the center of the lake, and stopped to catch my breath—not so much from the exercise, but from the spectacle of nature. Gazing at the gently rolling hills that framed the lake, watching the water sparkle as the sun climbed higher in the sky, listening to a chorus of birds playing along with the water lapping against the kayak, I was transfixed. The stress I had carried with me from New York, that unsettled feeling of having to tie up loose ends, and a looming book deadline, all seemed inconsequential. I was surveying the big picture, watching the hills turn from green to blue as the clouds rolled by, breathing in pine and fresh water and honeysuckle, and from my perspective, all was right with the world. It struck me that at that moment that there was no place on earth I would rather have been. That was the power of being totally in the present, and it was exhilarating. I paddled back to shore, with my batteries fully recharged. It was so much like “therapy” that it got me wondering if being outdoors has the same effect on other people.<br />As it turns out, a British mental health organization has recently coined the term “eco-therapy” to describe what they believe should be a frontline treatment modality for a number of mental health problems. Mind, a non-profit agency that dates back the 1940s, has done a substantial amount of research on the connection between health, well being and mother nature. As they define it, eco-therapy can encompass anything from flying a kite to gardening, to taking regular walks, but the exercise must take place in a “green environment”--in other words, a natural setting, one where you can escape office buildings, traffic, and the concrete jungle of stress and responsibilities. The scientists at Mind believe--with quite a bit of research to back them up--that what they call “green exercise” (namely outdoor activities) have profound mental health benefits. In fact, research dating back to at least the 1980’s demonstrates that exposure to the outdoors can have a remarkable effect on variables ranging from depression to energy to concentration.<br />In one research study, a walk in a country park was compared with a walk inside a mall. By keeping the amount of walking and the level of intensity constant, researchers could identify whether simply being outdoors had any additional benefit to the exercisers, like increasing their energy, their sense of well-being or their overall mood. The results were dramatic. A whopping 71 percent reported feeling better after the “green walk.” And while half the mall-walkers reported increased feelings of tension and 44 percent reported lower feelings of self-esteem, fully 90 percent of the outdoor exercisers reported increased self-esteem after their country walk, and 71 percent said they felt less tense.<br />One reason for the healing power of green is what’s called the “restorative effect”. “There are actually two different restorative effects,” said Stephen Kaplan, PhD, of the University of Michigan, and one of the leading researchers in the field. “One is the reduction of stress which can be seen in measurably lower levels of stress hormones like cortisol. The other is recovery from mental fatigue.”<br />Stress is one of the biggest energy-robbers on the planet. But what to do about it? Sometimes the answer is as simple as opening the front door. At a time when our rural areas represent a smaller proportion of our environment than ever before, and prescription antidepressants represent a multi-billion dollar industry, “green activities” may be the ultimate definition of a “natural” cure for low energy.<br />In a second similar study, 94 percent of subjects reported that “green activities” had benefited their mental health, including generating the feeling of lifted depression. Ninety percent felt it was the combination of exercise together with nature that was responsible for the effect. Typical comments included: “I feel better about myself and have a sense of achievement." and “I am more relaxed, have better focus of mind, greater coordination and greater self-esteem.”<br /> <br />The research is clear--green is golden, and nature lifts your mood as it decreases stress.”<br />Jonny Bowden, PhD, is a best-selling author, sought after speaker and a nationally-recognized expert in nutrition, weight-loss and fitness. This article was adapted from The 150 Most Effective Ways to Boost Your Energy.desertsealionhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11882968220569166022noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5917818832157425178.post-45360043731730319272010-05-12T16:39:00.005-05:002010-07-25T19:33:37.915-05:00<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJJmAMIavf71GO0W0dvMUBNVuFRcqicuDs8pcQAfDvSd-PBq4ngeZV9tDNUIlG2QFAxv05-xRkLxLkjDHHwu0ECoTWZ0_t3qf26JdqxdlOSdc12FpJYS6B3TNQHXp6yM3LXxxz5IfHhvU/s1600/SarahProm2010.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJJmAMIavf71GO0W0dvMUBNVuFRcqicuDs8pcQAfDvSd-PBq4ngeZV9tDNUIlG2QFAxv05-xRkLxLkjDHHwu0ECoTWZ0_t3qf26JdqxdlOSdc12FpJYS6B3TNQHXp6yM3LXxxz5IfHhvU/s320/SarahProm2010.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5470505222744875122" /></a><br />A LETTER TO MY DAUGHTER UPON YOUR GRADUATION FROM HIGH SCHOOL <br /><br />Life is uncertain. As you close one chapter in your lifebook and open a new one, I want to give you a gift. This is a letter to you, Sarah. It’s a list of 10 things I hope you will remember in the days and years ahead. These are like suggestions, or maybe principles that can help you live a fulfilling and beneficial life. With that preface, here goes. <br /><br />Dear Sarah, <br />I’d like to pass along a few thoughts to you about living a good life. I hope somehow these thoughts will stay with you even when I cannot. <br /><br /><strong>1. Remember that life is not about you.</strong><br />This is a hard thing to remember, especially since, there is no experience we’ve had that we were not the absolute center of. Even so, resist the temptation to think life is about you. Take time to look upward at the night sky, especially the exquisite planet Saturn, a sight almost too good to be true. Look beyond Saturn to the other planets and stars in our Milky Way galaxy. Scientists think there may be 10,000 civilizations at our level of technological advancement in the Milky Way galaxy alone. And look beyond our home galaxy to the magnificent sight of Andromeda, 2 million light years away and our nearest neighbor of the 125 billion galaxies in the universe. Whatever this is all about, it’s not mainly about you. <br /><br />Also, take time to look outward. Of the nearly 7 billion people on planet Earth, you are one of the most fortunate ones: well-fed, well-clothed, well-housed, well-educated, and well-loved. If the primal urge that animates life on this planet is the desire merely to survive, the concern that dominates most people’s daily lives has bypassed you. You have done nothing to deserve this favored treatment. You’ve been lucky, that’s all, and for reasons not of your own making. Remember: life is not about you. <br /><br /><strong>2. Never forget that life is all about you.</strong> <br />Jesus once said, “From everyone to whom much has been given, much will be required.” When it comes to confronting the global challenges of this generation, relatively few young people in the world can make the kind of difference you can make. You possess or have ready access to everything you need to help people whose lives are ravaged by poverty, disease, oppression, and violence. The problems of the world are your problems, and the quality of life on our planet in upcoming years will be about you—your commitments, your choices, and your actions. Never forget that life—your life and all of life—is about you and the difference you make. <br /><br /><strong>3. Relationships of necessity will forge your character. </strong><br />Some of the most important relationships in your life are ones that you did not choose. You did not choose your mother or your father. You also did not choose your stepmother. Though all of us love you deeply, none of us is perfect, and there are doubtless things you would change about each of us. Nonetheless, these and other relationships of necessity—with teachers, classmates, colleagues, and bosses, among others—pose an essential test of your character. Will your relationship with these people be framed by their limitations or by your aspirations? You may not have chosen someone’s presence in your life, and you may not be able to change their personality, but you can determine your attitude and your approach toward them. The way you deal with relationships of necessity will forge your character. <br /><br /><strong>4. Relationships of choice will determine your destiny.</strong> <br />Someone once said that we become the average of the five people with whom we spend the most time. Increasingly for you, these five will be relationships not of necessity, but of choice. Choose wisely and well. Some people will bring out the worst in you, or what is more likely, will make you feel all right about being second-rate and mediocre. Others will help you become first-rate, even better than you would be on your own. Continue to surround yourself with the best friends and colleagues you can find: you’ve made excellent choices thus far. Your relationships of choice will determine your destiny. <br /><br /><br /><strong>5. Mastery will give you a sense of purpose and accomplishment.</strong><br />Sigmund Freud identified love and work as the twin pillars of human endeavor. By love he meant relationships that give us a sense of wholeness and belonging, and by work he meant pursuits that give us a sense of competence and completion. It takes time and devotion to master anything worthwhile, whether it’s playing the piano, baking a soufflé, teaching organic chemistry, negotiating a corporate merger, or navigating your way around the night sky. Today, we expect things to happen quickly, even instantly. Good things almost never do. They take time. Cultivate the pleasure of anticipation; develop the discipline of a long commitment in the same direction. Master at least a couple of things—one that will earn you a livelihood and another that gives you pleasure despite its lack of economic value. <br /><br /><strong>6. Being a dilettante will give you a sense of playfulness and wonder.</strong> <br />The secret to a satisfying life is having the discipline to do a few things well and the courage to do a lot of things badly. If you’re going to have any fun in life, you have to be willing to make a fool out of yourself from time to time. Otherwise, you’ll take yourself too seriously, and all manner of bad things will happen as a result. I realize that when I walk down the street singing a tune from Wicked or Mama Mia or even a popular one from the radio, it’s more entertaining to me than it is to you. Even so, remember to lighten up once in a while. Make a mess of something. Be a dilettante, a dabbler, an amateur. If you don’t, your life will soon become risk-free and insipid. People will start yawning when you approach, and dogs will fall asleep. Always keep in touch with your inner kindergartener. Nurture a sense of playfulness and wonder. <br /><br /><br /><strong>7. Open yourself to the kindness of strangers.</strong> <br />You will need the help and support of many people in your life, most of whom you haven’t met yet. You don’t even know who they are. Make certain, however, that you watch for them and welcome them when they show up. People who are complete strangers to you today might be close friends in a few months, key classmates in a couple of years, and vital business colleagues in a decade or two. They’ll never have a chance to join your team unless you’re open to their presence and their kindness. Give people a chance to show up for you. Keep your mind and heart open to the kindness of strangers. <br /><br /><strong>8. Protect yourself from the brutality of friends.</strong> <br />The odds are overwhelming that if you suffer physical or emotional violence in your life, it will come at the hands of someone you know. Of course, you should also protect yourself from the brutality of strangers, but you already know how to do that, and it’s often easier to see those dangers lurking. The brutality of friends is more difficult to defend against. A classmate who betrays a sensitive confidence, a date who violates the intimacy limit you’ve set, a spouse who treats you in a humiliating and degrading way—these situations pose a mortal danger to your long-term physical and emotional health. The question isn’t whether you’ll know what you should do, but whether you’ll be immobilized by the bonds of friendship and commitment. Remember that any relationship based on physical or emotional brutality isn’t worth saving. You are worth saving. Protect yourself, and if need be, save yourself from the brutality of friends. <br /><br /><strong>9. The experience of beauty will connect you with what endures.</strong> <br />You have the good fortune of being surrounded by beauty. Our home, while not grand or lavish, is a place of modest beauty. We also live near museums and concert halls, which we will enjoy whenever possible. We are blessed to have beautiful mountains and clear rivers right at our back door. Beauty in all its forms is important—but not only because beautiful things look and sound better than ugly things. Remember however, that beauty has built-in consequences. The consequences are best captured in our language by a single word, fairness, which refers both to the loveliness of a face and to the ethical requirement to be fair, play fair, or distribute fairly. Beauty issues a call to those who encounter it; it creates a covenant with those who experience it. It is a call to symmetry and equality—not just in music and art, but also in our relations with each other and with our world. Beauty is a call to be just. <br /><br /><br /><br /><strong>10. The presence of ugliness will remind you of what needs to be transformed.</strong> <br />A famous artist once said that he wanted his paintings to be so beautiful that when one came upon them, all problems would subside. The experience of beauty makes problems go away, in two senses. At its most powerful, beauty transfixes and transforms us. The same emotion that stirs your soul when you listen to the brilliant notes of classical music of Bach or Beethoven should also stir your soul in as deep an emotion when looking at a world where so many children have so little hope. To be stopped short by the simple calm of a rolling meadow at dawn or a willow pond at dusk is to recognize that violence has no place in human relations. To be captivated by the elegance of the most beautiful ball gown or a Van Gogh painting is to know the obscene calamity that hunger and poverty represent. To be riveted by the sight of an exuberantly colored butterfly is to know that we must stand strong against those who would crush the fragile and oppress the weak. Pay attention to ugliness everywhere you find it. Ugliness will remind you of what needs to be transformed. <br /><br />I have two more things to add. They’re not on the list because they are far too important. <strong>Your integrity</strong>: being honest with yourself and truthful with other people. <strong>Life is a lot simpler when the person you are to yourself is the person you are to everyone else.</strong> It may at times seem otherwise, but if you begin adjusting the facts to create a façade, people will eventually discover that you’re a phony. You don’t need to say everything you know—please don’t. But always know that what you say is true. Ride your integrity like the wind. <br /><br />My final note is about <strong>gratitude</strong>, which we've talked about a lot over the years. It is the key to a well-lived life. A discipline of gratitude constantly recognizes the truth about our lives: we are utterly dependent upon the sources that make our lives possible, from the sun and the seas, to parents and plants, as well as invertebrates, instructors, and the ionosphere. Remember to say thank you. An ethic of gratitude works for a future in which all relationships—among humans, as well as between humans and the physical world—are fair, constructive, and beautiful. Remember to do your part to nurture the world that nurtures you in return. <br /><br />I love you very much, and I’m proud of you. I’m grateful that I’m your mother. For me, this is a Happy Day. Love, Momma<br /><br />A sermon preached by Galen Guengerich All Souls Unitarian Church, New York City June 21, 2009 (I loved it so much I thought you would benefit from his wisdom.)desertsealionhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11882968220569166022noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5917818832157425178.post-48224696377873621392010-03-04T15:01:00.000-06:002010-03-04T15:02:44.971-06:00<object width="330" height="273"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/GApmVkm4B1I&hl=en&rel=0"></param><param name="wmode" value="transparent"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/GApmVkm4B1I&hl=en&rel=0" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" width="330" height="273"></embed></object><br><object width="330" height="200"><embed src="http://lyrics.stlyrics.com/lyrscroll.swf?page=http%3A//www%2Estlyrics%2Ecom/lyrics/crash/inthedeep%2Ehtm" bgcolor="#FFFFFF" width="330" height="200" name="lyrscroll" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowScriptAccess="never" allownetworking="all" /></object><br><a href="http://www.stlyrics.com" target="_blank">Lyrics</a> | <a href=http://www.stlyrics.com/lyrics/crash/inthedeep.htm target=_blank>Kathleen York - In the Deep lyrics</a>desertsealionhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11882968220569166022noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5917818832157425178.post-36998856936755708752010-01-22T17:03:00.000-06:002010-01-22T17:04:04.534-06:00The Days are long, but the years are short. (From the Happiness Project)<a href="http://www.theyearsareshort.com/">http://www.theyearsareshort.com/</a>desertsealionhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11882968220569166022noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5917818832157425178.post-40235256972131827282010-01-22T17:00:00.000-06:002010-01-22T17:00:00.299-06:00The Happiness Project<a href="http://www.happiness-project.com/">The Happiness Project</a>desertsealionhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11882968220569166022noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5917818832157425178.post-8583805031318386102009-11-04T11:12:00.004-06:002009-11-04T11:18:19.241-06:00PERCEPTION<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpxDwxngHzGJ0ixIp9q-OKSzelExdg84gZ1S6DI6wVp49NKuE1vVchsx7kgQVKjt4T3Z_wyFVdSYMvWvK3tdb6QsuEyGX9gbH9RqN8VaVEBQmVss3i14su5aXXzLIVqYrndj7ysMADbv8/s1600-h/IMG_3255.JPG"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 320px; FLOAT: right; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5400298954692844546" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpxDwxngHzGJ0ixIp9q-OKSzelExdg84gZ1S6DI6wVp49NKuE1vVchsx7kgQVKjt4T3Z_wyFVdSYMvWvK3tdb6QsuEyGX9gbH9RqN8VaVEBQmVss3i14su5aXXzLIVqYrndj7ysMADbv8/s320/IMG_3255.JPG" /></a><br /><div>Something to think about….<br />Washington, DC Metro Station on a cold January morning in 2007. The man with a violin played six Bach pieces for about 45 minutes. During that time approximately. 2 thousand people went through the station, most of them on their way to work. After 3 minutes a middle aged man noticed there was a musician playing. He slowed his pace and stopped for a few seconds and then hurried to meet his schedule.</div><br /><div><br /><strong>4 minutes later:<br /></strong>The violinist received his first dollar: a woman threw the money in the hat and, without stopping, continued to walk.<br /></div><br /><div><strong>6 minutes:</strong><br />A young man leaned against the wall to listen to him, then looked at his watch and started to walk again. </div><br /><div><br /><strong>10 minutes:<br /></strong>A 3-year old boy stopped but his mother tugged him along hurriedly. The kid stopped to look at the violinist again, but the mother pushed hard and the child continued to walk, turning his head all the time. This action was repeated by several other children. Every parent, without exception, forced their children to move on quickly.</div><br /><div><br /><strong>45 minutes:</strong> </div><br /><div>The musician played continuously. Only 6 people stopped and listened for a short while. About 20 gave money but continued to walk at their normal pace. The man collected a total of $32.</div><br /><div><br /><strong>1 hour:</strong><br />He finished playing and silence took over. No one noticed. No one applauded, nor was there any recognition.<br /></div><br /><div>No one knew this, but the violinist was Joshua Bell, one of the greatest musicians in the world. He played one of the most intricate pieces ever written, with a violin worth $3.5 million dollars. Two days before Joshua Bell sold out a theater in Boston where the seats averaged $100.<br />This is a true story. Joshua Bell playing incognito in the metro station was organized by the Washington Post as part of a social experiment about perception, taste and people’s priorities.<br /></div><br /><div><strong><span style="color:#993300;">The questions raised:<br />*In a common place environment at an inappropriate hour, do we perceive beauty?<br />*Do we stop to appreciate it?<br />*Do we recognize talent in an unexpected context?</span></strong></div><br /><div><br />One possible conclusion reached from this experiment could be this:<br />If we do not have a moment to stop and listen to one of the best musicians in the world, playing some of the finest music ever written, with one of the most beautiful instruments ever made. How many other things are we missing?<br /></div><br /><div>Food for thought....... </div>desertsealionhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11882968220569166022noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5917818832157425178.post-84813865622184985372009-10-27T13:58:00.003-05:002009-10-27T14:35:57.938-05:00New Seasons<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjosPi8yo29S-qu6JvflPzsVKa4eDH-ipdpBZlHy9izUH8GNoxWjIDyjqWEqq8wZYEn67vuX9rGN70YaeV4Q-qlabsZsrUXDabd8uWSj4lF4LEVxp11KMJVtR8e9o1sQC89mjsnA0fYvT0/s1600-h/IMG_3249.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5397356567981150866" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjosPi8yo29S-qu6JvflPzsVKa4eDH-ipdpBZlHy9izUH8GNoxWjIDyjqWEqq8wZYEn67vuX9rGN70YaeV4Q-qlabsZsrUXDabd8uWSj4lF4LEVxp11KMJVtR8e9o1sQC89mjsnA0fYvT0/s320/IMG_3249.JPG" /></a><br /><div align="left"><span style="font-family:lucida grande;font-size:100%;"><strong>Everywhere, there is life.<br /></strong></span><span style="font-family:lucida grande;font-size:100%;"><strong>Birds are still flying, wildlife still feeding, people still buzzing around.<br />But to me, it is all different somehow.<br />I am wonderstruck.<br />Snow does not gracefully descend,<br />But blows around me like wisps of nothing.<br />The Wind, in her mighty glory,<br />Blows the snow in the peaks of the high mountains<br />And appear as white flags flapping in the sky, as in surrender.<br />It excites me.<br />How foreign it feels, anticipating a storm not involving hurricanes.<br />Life is surreal</strong></span></div>desertsealionhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11882968220569166022noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5917818832157425178.post-91904766339435506872009-10-23T21:07:00.003-05:002010-01-12T12:57:38.024-06:00<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhosCvxKW-CpO558ixQDU3grKxnl4lg7bkz9w8NHPYW9KMY_2Mox7O3t2vU6NAT4u7bHHW9hVfcRD2mn7w0JfYf8x0hlaZLuSqKnQQXpeH6jPQ2qLIe_yclIAj5sDsKwC-Z5LBTvD5jQ88/s1600-h/IMG_3240.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5395987361021131826" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhosCvxKW-CpO558ixQDU3grKxnl4lg7bkz9w8NHPYW9KMY_2Mox7O3t2vU6NAT4u7bHHW9hVfcRD2mn7w0JfYf8x0hlaZLuSqKnQQXpeH6jPQ2qLIe_yclIAj5sDsKwC-Z5LBTvD5jQ88/s320/IMG_3240.JPG" border="0" /></a> I started a new life. I moved 1856 miles away from a place that I basically called home for almost 50 years and moved to an area of the country where I know no one. I live in small town America, where the speed limit on most of the roads in town is 25 mph. And on the interstate you can drive for long periods of time and never come even close to getting run over by an 18-wheeler. So unlike IH-10 in my part of Texas. This little town of Blackfoot Idaho is known as the potato capital of the world, but also is home of the Eastern Idaho State Fair. It is located in what is known as the Snake River Valley. It is the perfect place to live.<br /><br />Moving here 4 months ago, I rented a small little basement apartment site-unseen. It was unfortunate because we received more rain in the 1st month I was here than Idaho had seen in.....well, most folks said they had NEVER seen this much rain. I guess I brought it with me from Texas. The problem was, my little apartment flooded....twice in the 1st 3 weeks in Idaho. I left Texas and the infamous hurricane alley to come to the arrid desert of Idaho only to get flooded?? Something's wrong with that picture. So I moved. To an above-the-ground-townhouse. It hasn't flooded (but it hasn't really rained since I moved either.....go figure!).<br /><br />So here I am, up here in Idaho. Don't know a soul. Started a new job. Had to find my way around the community. And slowly in the last few months, I have cultivated a network of people who I can call friends. I have joined some clubs, gotten out and gone to wine bars, and to church, joined a southeast Idaho Singles group. And have met some really great people. I stay active. Every weekend I am out doing something. I go exploring to the Grand Teton National Park or Yellowstone either of which is only 2 hours away. I go hiking and camping. I joined a gym and try to exercise daily. I am looking forward to learning some of the winter sports because I do not plan to stay cooped up in my apartment for the whole winter waiting for the spring to come. I want to grab a hold to life....at whatever season it presents itself to me and fully embrace it.<br /><br />Lots of my friends are amazed that I had the courage to give up my life down there in Texas and move this far away. But it was one of those things, scarey though it was, you just jump off and do with your whole heart. You have to have the right attitude. You have to realize that you can be yourself and meet people and they will take you in. Important advise I can offer to anyone who is planning on moving away on their on is be positive no matter what happens. Because the unexpected will happen, just go with the flow and have a plan B in place. Remember what Abe Lincoln said: "A man is about as happy as he makes up his mind to be." So just be happy, right where you are. Another tip is to get out there and meet people, as hard as that sounds just do it. You can go to more places than just bars or churches. There are lots of organizations looking for volunteers to help out and that is a great way to get blended into the community and make new contacts. Do not let yourself get depressed! Plan an outing on your day off. Go to a park, throw a frisbee, play with your dog outside, pack a picnic lunch and take a drive, or hike. You will meet people along your trail. I have had a great time visiting museums and hiking the trails around here. I don't spend much money doing it either. Just a little on gas, because I take my own snacks.<br /><br />Moving on your own will give you some days of deep inward peace and loneliness. Sometimes it feels awful and almost unbearable to be up here without my kids. (My daughter, a senior in high school, chose to stay in Tx and live with her dad and graduate). She is moving here after graduation. My boys are in college. Anyway, this has been a time of self discovery and of learning about me. What I really want out of life and what I really want for my future. I know that there are some things that have been brought into a sharper focus since I have been here alone than if I would have stayed in Texas with everyone around me telling me what I should do, how I should feel, and which way I should go. I really am happy that I made the decision to make this move at this time in my life. It is good. Life is good.desertsealionhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11882968220569166022noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5917818832157425178.post-78121310712701558932009-04-11T21:14:00.000-05:002009-04-11T21:15:14.168-05:00Love"Love is a temporary madness. It erupts like an earthquake and then subsides. And when it subsides you have to make a decision. You have to work out whether your roots have become so entwined together that it is inconceivable that you should ever part. Because this is what love is. Love is not breathlessness, it is not excitement, it is not the promulgation of promises of eternal passion. That is just being "in love" which any of us can convince ourselves we are. Love itself is what is left over when being in love has burned away, and this is both an art and a fortunate accident. Your mother and I had it, we had roots that grew towards each other underground, and when all the pretty blossom had fallen from our branches we found that we were one tree and not two. - Captain Corelli's Mandolin.desertsealionhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11882968220569166022noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5917818832157425178.post-52625654851171670452009-02-14T20:21:00.000-06:002009-02-14T20:22:22.163-06:00Cities I've Visited<div id="ta_travelmap" style="width:430px;"><br /><img src="http://www.tripadvisor.com/CommunityMapImage?id=28275604&type=TRIPADVISOR&size=LARGE"><br /><ol id="ta_favoritelist"><br /></ol><br /><ul id="ta_links"><br /><li>Create your own <a href="http://www.tripadvisor.com/MemberProfile-cpt" style="font-size:10px; font-family:Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; color:#3860B0; text-decoration:none;">travel map</a> or <a href="http://www.travelpod.com/" style="font-size:10px; font-family:Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; color:#3860B0; text-decoration:none;">travel blog</a></li><br /><li><a href="http://www.tripadvisor.com/" style="font-size:10px; font-family:Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; color:#3860B0; text-decoration:none;">Travel Info</a> at TripAdvisor</li><br /></ul><br /></div><br /><script src="http://www.tripadvisor.com/MapEmbed?mid=28275604&nop=true&frm=fb"></script>desertsealionhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11882968220569166022noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5917818832157425178.post-17465982156925135602009-01-25T16:29:00.002-06:002009-01-25T16:33:49.544-06:00God Bless the USAIf you have not been to Vegas, these are the Fountains at the Bellagio. They play music with a water show of the fountains. It is truly spectacular. Make time to see it if you get the chance to go there.<br /><br /><object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/kQAllh7hPJ8&hl=en&fs=1"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/kQAllh7hPJ8&hl=en&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object>desertsealionhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11882968220569166022noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5917818832157425178.post-36979285359775045742009-01-25T15:31:00.000-06:002009-01-25T15:33:19.110-06:00Life on a Train<object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/A__BItnzJb4&hl=en&fs=1"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/A__BItnzJb4&hl=en&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object>desertsealionhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11882968220569166022noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5917818832157425178.post-50862279497871977092009-01-25T10:54:00.000-06:002009-01-25T14:57:39.712-06:00Cooking<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8FLgXFXnoPVj88s-bAjJeFHu9vOn5fsddj9MZmSSn31Xob605QVJm8pxf8ebZrMKJ7Bm_BUj7qYzBe4xllIFLSrG3xeAYM9rPWs0mccdaSEf7qw4og6Yn2YYHxqVryVUYXCALmrlbf2c/s1600-h/l_4a8bace3f88a492386a42f555394b875%5B1%5D.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8FLgXFXnoPVj88s-bAjJeFHu9vOn5fsddj9MZmSSn31Xob605QVJm8pxf8ebZrMKJ7Bm_BUj7qYzBe4xllIFLSrG3xeAYM9rPWs0mccdaSEf7qw4og6Yn2YYHxqVryVUYXCALmrlbf2c/s320/l_4a8bace3f88a492386a42f555394b875%5B1%5D.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5295338410417270802" /></a><br />I love to cook. I know....everyone says that, but I truly do. It is like therapy for me. Some people like digging in their garden, pulling weeds, some like yoga, or computing. But there is nothing I would rather be doing than cooking. <br /><br />It gives me great satisfaction to cook for my family and get accolades for my efforts. They are rarely home to eat these days but when they are I treasure the moments. <br /><br />So weekends I usually cook up a lot of stuff....so that we have food during the busy week ahead. I have tried some recipies that are really amazing this weekend (and some that were just ok) and so I decided to post them on my blog. Now I realize there are about a ba-zillion food/cooking/recipe/diet related blogs and websites out there...but I figured what the hay....no one looks at mine. So what's the harm. And at least I'll have a place to go back and refresh my memory on what I did with a particular recipe. So if by chance you do happen upon my blog and find one of these recipes...then good for you. Because, I have tried them in my very own kitchen and with my very own hard-to-please teenagers and young adult children. And the recipes posted will have been a hit or will say if they are at least edible.<br /><br />So Here goes:<br /><br /><strong>SWEET POTATO PANCAKES WITH SPICED PECANS AND PEACH BUTTER</strong><br /><br /><em>This is, without a doubt,one of the best recipies I've ever tried. With or without the spiced pecans or the peach butter (although, I highly recommend the peach butter, yummo!) the pancakes are delicious. You can eat them with just plain maple syrup, or alone with nothing at all. Yes! They are just that good. They take a little work but the extra effort is worth it, cause they are light and fluffy and melt-in-your-mouth-delicious. I made up a whole batch and froze them. We'll see how they freeze. This recipe gets high marks in my book. You should try it.</em><br /><br />2 3/4 cup all-purpose flour<br />1 teaspoon salt<br />5 1/2 tablespoons sugar<br />1/2 tablespoon baking soda<br />1/2 tablespoon baking powder<br />3 cups buttermilk (I used more to thin the batter out some)<br />3 large eggs (room temperature)<br />2 tablespoons melted butter<br />1 large sweet potato baked and mashed<br />2 tablespoons honey<br />1 teaspoon cinnamon<br />1/2 teaspoon nutmeg<br />Spiced Pecans<br />Peach Butter<br /><br />In a large bowl combine the flour, salt, sugar, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, and nutmeg. In small bowl separate the eggs, reserving the whites to fold in later. In a separate bowl, mix together the buttermilk, the 3 egg yolks, and melted butter. Whisk in the cooled mashed sweet potato & the honey. Add dry ingredients to buttermilk mixture and mix well. With a mixer beat egg whites until white peaks form, about 2 min. Then gently fold egg whites into the pancake batter. Let batter stand for 1 hour. (Or you can make it a day ahead of time and cook the next morning). Laddle the batter onto med hot griddle and cook till golden on each side serve immediately with peach butter and spiced pecans.<br /><br /><strong>PEACH BUTTER</strong><br />1/2 cup peaches diced<br />1/2 lb butter softened<br />1/4 cup brown sugar<br />Pinch sea salt<br />In medium combine ingredients and mix well until smooth. Cover and refridgerate until ready to serve.<br /><br /><strong>SPICED PECANS</strong><br />1 cup Pecans, chopped<br />1/2 tablespoon butter<br />1/2 tablespoon honey<br />1/4 tsp cayenne pepper<br />1/4 tsp sea salt<br />Heat a Skillet ove medium heat. Add all ingredients and cook until the pecans are lightly brown caramelized, about 8-10 min. Remove from heat, cool, store in airtight container.desertsealionhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11882968220569166022noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5917818832157425178.post-8563129098546970952008-10-02T19:03:00.001-05:002010-01-12T13:04:00.952-06:00Recovering from Youthitis<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgb7mAUDbXdWs2nqY9TIFheXsSZ6nqsdSB9lkJ95XVzxWYLze2RdU4Xa0u0eJ2UOixr7JCD7HTCK6lFDDmR3J9ZriTiNcistmUXpsMGBteUPqh0LH21MpvuzG9BeYCUgk_usjI5cK9zH_Q/s1600-h/beach.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5252714340912759282" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgb7mAUDbXdWs2nqY9TIFheXsSZ6nqsdSB9lkJ95XVzxWYLze2RdU4Xa0u0eJ2UOixr7JCD7HTCK6lFDDmR3J9ZriTiNcistmUXpsMGBteUPqh0LH21MpvuzG9BeYCUgk_usjI5cK9zH_Q/s320/beach.jpg" border="0" /></a><br />Another excerpt from The Age of Miracles<br /><br /><br /><br />One day I looked at myself in the mirror and indulged in full-scale self pity. Oh….I remember when I was young, I thought. "My skin was tighter, my breasts were higher, my rear was firmer, my entire body was voluptuous, I had so much more energy, I glowed, I wish I realized what I had when I had it….now I'll never have it again."<br /><br /><br /><br />Then there was another voice in my head that interviened that said "oh, SHUT UP!" Let me give you a run down of what it was really like when you were younger.<br /><br />Your nerves were jangled.<br /><br />Your heart was restless.<br /><br />Your mind was disordered.<br /><br />Your appetites were addictive.<br /><br />Your love affairs were tragic.<br /><br />Your talents were squandered.<br /><br />Your opportunities were wasted.<br /><br />And you were never at peace.<br /><br /><br /><br />What you did then, in fact, is exactly what you are doing now. You kept thinking……that <strong>if only</strong> things were different you'd be happy. So then, it was what ever man or job or resources were there to save you. Now, it's…"<strong>if only</strong> you were still young."<br /><br /><br /><br />So reality check…..in those days:<br /><br />You looked good but didn't know it.<br /><br />You had everything but you didn't appreciate it.<br /><br />You had the world at your feet but you didn't realize it.<br /><br /><br /><br />You know what it was like??? <strong><span style="font-size:130%;">It was just like now</span></strong>!<br /><br /><br /><br />And thus began my recovery from youthitis. I slip back into it every once in a while, but as time goes on, I snap out of it faster and faster. I realize it's nothing more than a mental habit to idealize another time, another condition, another reality, as simply a way to avoid the reality of my life right now. <strong><em>And in avoiding the reality of our present circumstances we avoid the miracles they offer.</em></strong> Everyone does it, because that's the way the ego mind works. But we can stare down this self-defeating habit and <span style="font-size:130%;"><span style="font-size:100%;">cultivate a truer perspective</span><strong> , that wherever we are is the perfect place, and whatever time it is now is the perfect time.</strong></span> That doesn't mean we can't or shouldn't improve things, particularly ourselves. But indulging the thought that if only we were younger things would be better is a sure fire way to age with pain.desertsealionhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11882968220569166022noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5917818832157425178.post-37825638601089517412008-10-02T18:58:00.000-05:002008-10-02T19:02:16.548-05:00The Present Moment<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEik9ap6z2iGOgwtjBUFjacN7BKjHx3j9IrkFTMyHq4SWtx_3OI7sUxY2HwIm-AGs2N5fJTS-CXjeeWkDDrf_Y3yGcu-M1XCLsJIzHuoorKZZEaIeyOJ2z_j9nUUUilB-VqcE1zOORm22vA/s1600-h/The+Power+of+the+Sun.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEik9ap6z2iGOgwtjBUFjacN7BKjHx3j9IrkFTMyHq4SWtx_3OI7sUxY2HwIm-AGs2N5fJTS-CXjeeWkDDrf_Y3yGcu-M1XCLsJIzHuoorKZZEaIeyOJ2z_j9nUUUilB-VqcE1zOORm22vA/s320/The+Power+of+the+Sun.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5252710840922236194" /></a><br />Living in the Present Moment<br /><br /> <br /><br />The current book I am reading is by Marianne Williamson. The follow blog is an excerpt from her book The Age of Miracles: I highly recommend this book to those of us in mid life and beyond.<br /><br /> <br /><br />"Wherever you've been, whatever you've done so far your entire life was building up to this moment. Now is the time to burst forth into your greatness. A greatness you could never have achieved without going through exactly the things you have gone through. Everything you've experienced was grist for the mill by which you became who you are. It is not too late. You are not too old. You are right on time. And you are better than you know."<br /><br /> <br /><br />At a certain point life becomes less about who you're becoming and more about who you've become. What you used to think of as the future has become the present and you can't help but wonder if your life wouldn't be better if you had just lived it more fully back then. But how could you? You were so busy thinking about the future.<br /><br /> <br /><br />But once you are past a certain age, you cannot believe that you wasted even one minute of your youth not enjoying it. And the last thing you want to do now is steel any more life from yourself by failing to be deeply in it while it's happening. You finally get it, not just theoretically, but viscerally….That THIS MOMENT IS ALL WE HAVE. You don't close your eyes anymore and wonder who you might be in 20 years. If you're smart, you study the tape of your current existence to monitor how you are doing now. You begin to see the present as an ongoing act of creation. You look more closely at your thoughts, behavior, and interactions with others. You understand that if you are coming at life from fear and separation, then you have no reason but to expect fear and separation in return. You seek to increase your strengths and decrease your weaknesses. You look at your wounds and you ask God to heal them. You ask forgiveness for the things you are ashamed of. You no longer seek your satisfaction in things outside yourself, or completion in other people, or peace of mind in either the past or the future. You are who you are. Not who you might one day be. Your life is what it is. Not what it might someday be. Focusing on who you are and what your life is right now, you've come to the ironic and almost amusing realization that, actually the real fun is in the journey itself.desertsealionhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11882968220569166022noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5917818832157425178.post-53359730421140437352008-10-02T18:36:00.000-05:002008-10-02T18:55:55.606-05:00somewhere i have never travelled e.e.cummings<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgP4GQLalPk3ZsAVkuHuhfRLSK9AHzrP-DCikfHeyRlzK06ZnBGUfn618p2INYSIObPIjmlRn8iQ6xcj3XmdYfes7IxGAP2XPniBmxK0xGHPVT7DoJPoiZaqhk0XTm4JYijXqwuhZzZ0ew/s1600-h/The+moon+and+star+on+earth.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgP4GQLalPk3ZsAVkuHuhfRLSK9AHzrP-DCikfHeyRlzK06ZnBGUfn618p2INYSIObPIjmlRn8iQ6xcj3XmdYfes7IxGAP2XPniBmxK0xGHPVT7DoJPoiZaqhk0XTm4JYijXqwuhZzZ0ew/s320/The+moon+and+star+on+earth.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5252708904141119282" /></a><br />I love ee cummings. I have been a fan since high school (a pretty long time). His poetry is subtly errotic, if you have ever really studied it. <br /><br /><strong>somewhere i have never travelled,gladly beyond <br />by E. E. Cummings </strong><br /> <br />somewhere i have never travelled,gladly beyond<br />any experience,your eyes have their silence:<br />in your most frail gesture are things which enclose me,<br />or which i cannot touch because they are too near<br /><br />your slightest look will easily unclose me<br />though i have closed myself as fingers,<br />you open always petal by petal myself as Spring opens<br />(touching skilfully,mysteriously)her first rose<br /><br />or if your wish be to close me, i and<br />my life will shut very beautifully ,suddenly,<br />as when the heart of this flower imagines<br />the snow carefully everywhere descending;<br />nothing which we are to perceive in this world equals<br />the power of your intense fragility:whose texture<br />compels me with the color of its countries,<br />rendering death and forever with each breathing<br /><br />(i do not know what it is about you that closes<br />and opens;only something in me understands<br />the voice of your eyes is deeper than all roses)<br />nobody,not even the rain,has such small handsdesertsealionhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11882968220569166022noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5917818832157425178.post-18617944456407393112008-10-02T18:24:00.000-05:002008-10-02T18:35:33.313-05:00Living a Longer, Healthier, Happier Life<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-xzz6eBUkN6Z7TOY9iIGwu1jjwR7DUaofJzdMGtLR075uy-j0xNLKeaGoBGqKgOhnyf2OHyZ019YbeUcp9lN3b8OeP3-I-jkYqk4rQM1KSHuqzfqdMf3mWtD2EXFjRSmQ4O9nQB-lotg/s1600-h/Golden+Maple+Leaf.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-xzz6eBUkN6Z7TOY9iIGwu1jjwR7DUaofJzdMGtLR075uy-j0xNLKeaGoBGqKgOhnyf2OHyZ019YbeUcp9lN3b8OeP3-I-jkYqk4rQM1KSHuqzfqdMf3mWtD2EXFjRSmQ4O9nQB-lotg/s320/Golden+Maple+Leaf.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5252703147182077570" /></a><br />Your health and your life are in YOUR hands. You determine how well you will live. Ask yourself, are there changes that I need to make in my life to improve my health? And if I continue on this same trajectory will it take me to where I want to be in 1 year.....3 years....5 years....etc. We have a weight loss program at our clinic that has proven to be very successful at helping people change their lives.....and it is more than just weight loss that occurs. It is a life changing process. It is a way of thinking differently about food and exercise and a way of living where you see the healthier choices you can make that will benefit you and the planet we live on. You see......you change your life when you change your mind! So I thought I would share some of the anti-aging tips with you....and maybe plant a seed.<br /><br />Additional Tips for Successful Weight loss<br /><br />1. Drink ½ to 1 gallon of water a day<br /><br />2. Walk an hour a day (or 10,000 steps)<br /><br />3. 2 organic apples daily <br /><br />4. 2 organic grapefruits daily <br /><br />5. Raw Organic Apple Cider Vinegar <br /><br />6. Drink green tea <br /><br />7. Whole Food Supplement <br /><br />8. Coral Calcium<br /><br />9. Eat Breakfast <br /><br />10. Eat Six Times Per Day (small meals)<br /><br />11. Eat Dinner Before 6 pm <br /><br />12. Eat Protein Before Bed <br /><br />13. Eat Hot Peppers <br /><br />14. Use Cinnamon <br /><br />15. Eat Salad With Lunch and Dinner <br /><br />16. No Trans Fat <br /><br />17. No High Fructose Corn Syrup <br /><br />18. Avoid Artificial Sweeteners <br /><br />19. No MSG <br /><br />20. No nitrites <br /><br />21. Limit Carbonated Beverages <br /><br />22. Limit Ice Cold Beverages <br /><br />23. No Fast Food!! <br /><br />24. Eat 100% Organic Food <br /><br />25. Use Natural Sweeteners <br /><br />26. Infrared Sauna <br /><br />27. Get Sun <br /><br />28. Get Some Sleep <br /><br />29. Massage <br /><br />30. Yoga <br /><br />31. Breathe <br /><br />32. Chamomile tea <br /><br />33. Listen to Destressing CDs <br /><br />34. Add fiber <br /><br />35. Lift weightsdesertsealionhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11882968220569166022noreply@blogger.com0