Alexis B

I have moved Blog sites

2006-12-06T13:20:00.001-05:00

This blog has moved to http://alexisbennett1961.blogspot.com/index.html

Please drop by there and check it out

Happy Belated Thanksgiving

2006-10-13T00:32:00.000-04:00

Well I guess it is better late than never.

So I hope everyone had lots of turkey, cranberries, pumpkin pie and all the other trimmings that each individual family enjoy and have as tradition.

Our family had a some what traditional dinner with a few changes made this year. My sister has a friend whom is a gourmet caterer part time and this year her family was away so she joined ours for the weekend. She wanted to contribute therefore her touches were way different than we would usually have.

We normally have peas that end up being thrown at each other; this has been a thanksgiving and Christmas tradition for as long as I can remember, so it was an unfamiliar change to have Brussels sprouts instead. I far prefer peas. Corn was served, a spiced up squash, and carrots. There were so many vegetables and so many left over. I like the Philadelphia cream cheese and sour cream, peas, and moms squash, turkey, stuffing, Mars pumpkin pie and apple crisp, Belles gravy and cranberry.

Ok so I am a traditionalist through and through. I do not adjust well to change. There are 2 times of the year that family times and traditions should remain exactly that.

Now something we started a few years back was sharing around the table what we are thankful for, but since we had an outsider there and dinner was being served her way and things at our table were not the same this never happened. Hopefully we can get back to our family traditions for Christmas.

I will share with you the things I am Thankful for. I am thankful that this year I have been free to be there for my parents and to help around the house in what ever way I can. We have been under renovations for months; we have had new furnaces, central air, new floors, and many other things which needed to be taken care of. I have become a self appointed property manager for my parent’s home. I am also thankful that as my parents are aging and they need to lean on us that I am here and available to help them with what ever they need me for. There have been times in my past that I am not proud of or proud to mention, but I really was not a good and reliable daughter. However as I have aged I am finally able to give back a little that my parent s have given me over the years. They have always been there for me and now I can be there for them. What a gift.

I am grateful for all of my family and for my friends. I am grateful for my church and what it has done and given to me so freely. I am very grateful for my friends The Lavender family and all the special times spent with them and their children, spouses, and grandchildren. Amen for good friends, great family.

Tipsy

2006-10-02T00:25:00.000-04:00

Ok so as promised here are a few pictures of my new baby with some of its new friends. Maybe it she is confused and think they are her mother. Then their are just some ones of her and then me feeding her.

I got her on Wednesday evening and she could barely walk now she walks and is almost running, she climbed out of her first bed ans so now she is in her second bed which is much deeper. She still wets the bed, she will use the kitty litter if i put her in it and rub her under her belly close to her genitals for stimulation like her mother would do. She cleans herself already and is truly becoming a wonderful pet. I never realized how much hand feeding would be.

2am feedings

2006-10-01T23:34:00.000-04:00

Ok so I have been reading some of my friends blogs fairly regularily, especially Sherri, Glenn, & Jonah, on Sherri's page. I love hear all about what is going on in Nashville for them these days. It is nice to see the pics and so forth.

Some of the reading not being a mom has been rather humourous to me and in reallity I have been unable to relate. Well some would say there is poetic justice after all.

Well the other evening I heard of a few small 4 legged creatures that the mother had left and so I took one home with me. I have listened to stories of sleep deprieved Sherri cause of Jonah's irregular schedule, his potty training and many others.

Well since this new little baby of mine was not old enough to be weined from its mother I have been up nights with it for 2am, 4am, and 6am feedings. I have to feed this little baby of mine with a seringe and an eye dropper, it is actually quite cute. I think this baby of mine really thinks I am its mother.

It can be crying in anyone elses hands but when it comes back to me it immediately stops and starts cuddling into me.

I called my new baby Tipsy not after anyone but because it kinda walks like it is drunk and it has a beige tip on the end of its tail. My baby has the cutes little face. it kinda reminds me of a Racoon because of the strip down the from of their face, with out the cirlcles around the eyes.

My little baby is four legged, drinks baby formula, evaporated milk, replinishing milk and my little daring purrs alot, yes it is a little kitten.

I will be posting pictures real soon for all to see my newest pet.

Oliphant Sunset---Lake Huron

2006-09-12T23:35:00.000-04:00

These photos are all copy righted to Alexis Bennett and are not for reuse or resale without her written permission

My Grandparents built their cottage in Oliphant back in 1948/49 and my parent then built our cottage in 1955/56 and we have been going there ever since.

These are a few photos I took a few weeks ago at one of our wonderful sunsets. God blesses us truely with magnificant things like sunsets, sunrises, trees, birds, flowers, lakes, oceans, seas and it ours to enjoy and look after.

Live life to the fullest

2006-09-12T23:11:00.000-04:00

Today I was talking to my cousin’s wife and I decided it was time to write my thoughts down. I called their house to check in to see how my cousin was doing and how his treatments were going. With Cancer you never know from day to day what is going to take place.

He was to have treatment for 12 weeks but his wife said today she actually has lost count as to where they are. There have been so many curves thrown his direction to cause many disruptions to his original treatment plan. During these 12 treatments he was to have three radical treatments which include overnight hospitalization because radiation was a part of those 3 treatments. Some of the disruptions have been a direct result of his blood counts were just to low to give him the chemo, and then the doctors were on holidays and so forth.

Because this seems like it is about half way and today was his second of the three radical treatments we hope that he does not get to sick from it. One of the side effects of this treatment is nausea, and his counts could take another drop and his hair could drop out.

My cousin and his wife have such a positive attitude even though his cancer is stage 4. They both believe that they have to be surrounded only by positive energy and thus do every thing in their realm to create that. My cousin seems to be staying fairly positive even though the doctors can not seem to offer any real answers. His wife told me today that they will not be able to really tell them any thing until around three months after the last treatment. That apparently is when they should be able to see if they have shrunk the tumor at all.

It is so ironic that you go through all this and you do not even know if it is working or not. They have been told it is not about prolonging life but about quality of life.

What I am learning more and more each day is that it is not about quantity but it is about living life to its fullest and the best you can as if today may be your last one here on earth. As I sit here writing this blog tonight I can not help but remember my 2nd cousin whom past away a year ago, as if he was alive tomorrow would be his birthday. He past away from Mad Cow disease.

After many years of living two lives he finally came forth and was living only one life and was trying to live it to the fullest and then a horrific disease took him and all of us by surprise. We just do not know what cards we are going to be dealt but I sure do know I want to live a good full life and that I want to live it the way God wants me to.

Any ways my thoughts are all over the place so I will end for today.

It's been a very Long Time

2006-08-21T09:32:00.000-04:00

Well fellow bloggers, sorry it has been a very long time since I have blogged and lots and lots have been going on since then.

Summer has come and almost gone. So let me bring you all up to speed.

I have spent a lot of time up at our family cottage this year. I have been busy doing things here at the house for my parents. My father has not been very well and therefore since I am capable I have been doing the house hold things. I guess I have become a full time property manager for him.

My cousin whom has cancer is still doing ok but still needs lots of prayer. He has started treatment. They had to stop it for a few weeks while his platelets counts build up again. He is back on again but his counts are going down again. His rash is back again. So if you believe in miracles please pray for him and pray for the cancer to go away.

Let’s see I am golfing this year, after falling 4 years ago and smashing my left knee to pieces, breaking my left ankle on both sides and my left wrist. I was told I might never walk again. So to be playing golf it sure is something I am grateful for. Everyday I wake and put both feet on the ground and able to walk is a true bonus in my life.

I joined the women’s league at one of the local golf clubs in Cambridge. I have connected with some old friends, some new friends, and am really just having a great time.

I took a day trip to Niagara Falls to the Bird Sanctuary. I would not recommend it to anyone. It was expensive, and the birds fly around you but it was not anything like what we expected to see or experience.

I also spent some time with friends at their rented cottage in Southampton, and they came and spent an evening at my place and we had a wonderful time. I also took a week’s holiday with a friend at the cottage and we had another friend and her grandson up. It was a very pleasurable time. During me week’s holiday I spent a lot of time loading old slides into my computer in order to turn them into DVD's to show the family. What fun that was and great memories.

I guess like usual the best times for me thus far this summer are the sunsets in Oliphant, the time spent with family at the cottage.

I will try to post again soon with some of the summer photo's. Until we meet again enjoy the rest of your summer.

Rockstars DOWNHERE Can not Live on Bologna Sandwiches

2006-05-11T09:45:00.000-04:00

NEW ALBUM WIDE-EYED AND MYSTIFIED RELEASES MAY 23RD
PRE-ORDER YOUR COPY TODAY OR BUY IT ON THE 23RD AT A STORE IN YOUR AREA

Schedule for the next tour is as follows:

» 5.20.06 6:00PMRedmond, WA

» 5.21.06 9:00AMRedmond, WA

» 5.21.06 6:00PMRenton, WA

» 5.24.06 7:30PMSanta Clarita, CA

» 5.26.06 7:00PMFairfield, CA

» 5.27.06 6:00PMCarlsbad, CA

» 5.28.06 8:00AMCarlsbad, CA

» 5.28.06 10:25AMDel Mar, CA

» 5.29.06 7:20PMShocko Springs, Alabama

» 6.4.06 12:45PMDenmark

» 6.15.06 6:25PMWilmore, KY

» 6.16.06 6:00PMAtlanta, GA

» 7.14.06 11:40PMNashville, TN

» 7.15.06 10:20AMMcHenry, MD

» 8.3.06 4:00PMGilford, NH

» 8.4.06 1:55AMGilford, NH

» 8.5.06 11:00AMMonterey, CA

» 8.11.06 7:40PMHuntsville, AL

So since rockstars can not live on Bologna Sandwiches you need to rush out and pre-order this album or buy it on May 23rd.

March 22 2006

2006-03-26T22:58:00.000-05:00

What a wonderful day. 45 years ago I was born and so was my twin sister. We got 2 birthdays that year because 6 months later a wonderful couple from Cambridge adopted us.My birthday once again this year dragged on for 2 weeks.

It started out where my good friend who celebrates also on March 22 her birthday, went out for our annual birthday lunch. Sandy came to Cambridge where we met at my home. Upon her arrival to my home she gave me a wonderful bunch of fresh cut Tulips and a really cool book. We left my house to go for lunch. As we started to drive down the road we decided to go to the Blackshop Restaurant instead of just a cafe. We decided that we really should celebrate our birthdays and friendship with an extra special lunch. As we sat and shared stories of things happening in our lives, family and friends we realized that we have known each other now for 22 years. We also spent talking about Sandra’s new career at ICOL. For me this is probably one of the longest and closest friends I have ever had. Time can pass by for days, weeks, months & when we get together or connect on the phone it is like no time has passed.

I have been so blessed by Sandy and her family over the years I watched her children develop into fine adults. Both develop wonderful careers for them selves, become partners to that special someone and for Shes to become a mother herself. I have been truly blessed to be a part of that. Thank you all for accepting me into your lives and families I am truly honored to share in this.

Then moving along I decided I would like to cook for some very special friends just to say thank you for being important in my life so I did that last Sunday afternoon. Most that know me know I love to cook gourmet fancy meals. Being single I do not usually cook like that for myself. I love to entertain and to do new fun things. So off to the St. Lawrence Market I headed to buy some special items. I got blue potatoes; no one had ever seen nor heard of them before. I got the best beans I have seen in a very long time, and the best thing I got was the gigantic strawberries. They were wonderful. What a wonderful lunch and afternoon visiting and talking with my special friends.

Now Tuesday night my best friend’s son Glenn the guy at the end with hair and a beard plays in a Christian rock band Downhere and they were kicking off the introduction of their new album with a Canadian concert opening in Cambridge. Of course I wanted to go and support them. Two really cool things happened at this concert. First was I gave myself a Birthday present I wanted to give myself for a very long time! As a young child I always remember my parents had an adopted child from Can Save the Children Fund. Our adopted child was Nim Lou who my parents met in Hong Kong I think years ago. Then about oh I would say around ten years ago I started doing the Operation Christmas Child shoe boxes with my niece and nephew and then I got my mother to once again adopt a child. It has always been in my heart to do this some day. I have never made it happen. This year I decided it was time to take this on. My cousin works for World Vision, Downhere promotes World Vision at all their concerts and the World Vision commercials always break my heart every time I see them. I took action and I now have an adopted child named Alinafe Munthali from Malawi.

The second thing that happened was that Downhere's promoters CMC Distribution had a couple of raffles, one for a pair of Kingdom Bound tickets and one for a Fender Electric Guitar. Now any one who knows me and the Lav family know I gave Jonah a toy guitar for his birthday, Miles a toy piano for his birthday and for Christmas I gave to them both a set of toy drums. So me and my sick sense of humor thought it would be funny to enter their names and mine into the draw thinking we would never win in a million years. Well I won the guitar. So I ask my self over and over what I am going to do with an Electric Guitar. I kept getting the answer sell it. Now any reasonable offer I would sell this guitar. Well I will keep you informed about this guitar, as time passes by.

Wednesday was my actual Birthday. I got several calls through out the day from friends and family. Last year my friend Joan and I went out for dinner and our plan afterwards was to go to a movie. Well we had some time between dinner and the movie so we decided to have a pedicure to help time pass by, oh what a treat. So again this year I decided this would be fun to do on my actual Birthday and Joan agreed to join me for a pedicure. So I went to the Lav house for dinner and then Joan & I went for a pedicure and Glen our chauffer for the night went and saw a movie. We had decided after the pedicure we would go back to the Lav house for a chocolate fondue, but when we arrived there everyone had gone off to bed so we decided we would do this on the weekend.

Normally every year for years I plan my own birthday party and it usually consist of a bunch of my friends getting together for dinner and bowling or something fun afterwards. This year I decided I just wanted to spend it with my Sunday lunch gang. We all went for Thai food and it was great. The restaurant turned down the lights and brought ice-cream with sparklers, singing happy birthday. I was so embarrassed but at the same time thought it was cool. Then Joan had us all back to their place for the chocolate fondue and she surprised me with a cake.

I was so touched. Like my friend Sandy and her family I have been so blessed by the Lavender Family as well. You all have accepted me into their lives unconditionally and I cherish all the special times we have together. Thanks to you all for being in my life and for sharing your lives with me. I so love all the warm hugs and kisses from those two adorable little men. It has been so neat in the short time that you have been in my life to see you 3 become parents, and to watch and be apart of their lives as they grow and develop into little men. Thank you for giving me the gift of friendship.

And I think or hope that my final birthday celebration was tonight at my older brothers home. He had all my siblings and their spouses and children for dinner. Jamie does this every year and it is so very nice of him. He and his wife Marlene are fabulous cooks and we always have a great meal. The kids are always so much fun to play with. They are all getting so excited cause in about 3 weeks we leave on our family cruise. All 18 of the Bennett clan are off to the Cayman Islands and Jamaica on a cruise supplied by our parents for their 50th wedding anniversary. Thanks mom & dad what a wonderful gift to all of us. It was nice to end such a wonderful week with my family, sharing, laughing and just being together. My niece Kate who is gong to be 20 is away at 2nd yr in University, Mike just turned 18 and is school captain, & chair person for his school for the Relay for life. Oh how they grow up and make ya feel so old. Benny 12, turning into a teenager this November is off to high school this fall. MacKenzie and Rob are not far behind. And well they others they just are still at that young funny silly age. So much fun to be with. God may have not Blessed me with my own children but he sure Blessed me with a wonderful niece and wonderful nephews. MacKenzie loves music and is hoping to get a small band together of his friends; he has an acoustic and went nuts to hear I won an Electric Fender Guitar. So guess who know owns it. Yes MacKenzie. He has been taking lessons for over a year and he is buying an amp from a friend. He made me a deal i could not refuse, he is a wheeler and a dealer and I am just glad to see the smile on his face when he went home tonight. I makes it all worth while. He is so excited he is probably sleeping with his new guitar as we speak.

Well thanks to all who helped me to celebrate my Birthday.

You all made it so very special and I do thank you for that.

Till next year, wait maybe I will start counting backwards from now on.

Reflections

2006-03-20T10:13:00.000-05:00

Well another year has come and will be gone as of Wednesday. As they say it s..... To be me. Lately I have had several reminders that I might be getting old and that things are changing for the better in my life.

I have been 9 yrs with out drugs or alcohol, and the past is in the past. From time to time some of the people from the past pop up in my life. All I have to do is speak to them for a few short minutes to realize we are not on the same pages any more and that my book has gotten a whole lot more interesting.

Just over 4 yrs ago I gave my life back to Christ. It was rocky at first but these days things seem to be on a whole lot more of an even keel. Things that use to disturb me for long periods and send me into hibernation (depressions) for weeks only last for days or hours now. When I trust the Lord he seems to never let me down but to carry me forth. He seems to be my driving force these days.

I am doing things today in my life that I never in a million years thought I would be doing. I go to home league at the church every Tuesday. Most of the women are older than me, but it is very enjoyable to socialize and share with them. I run a bible study every Sunday morning at the church. It is awesome. We have been following the Purpose Driven Life by Rick Warren. It is a 40 day study that we are doing over 40 weeks. We are on week 17 and thus far we have learned so much of what God is asking us to do. It is also giving me an opportunity to meet and bond with 7 other women that maybe under normal circumstances we would not meet and get to know. I also have had the opportunity to be a youth leader of the older youth, unfortunately most of those youth are so busy in school, with work and life that they do not want to spend time at youth group but with their boyfriends/girlfriends, friends and just plan socializing.

I never dreamed that I would ever be this involved with the happenings at my church. I use to feel like an outsider sitting looking in but never as I belong. Today I feel I do belong and that people respect me and value me as a member. It takes a long time but eventually as they see you in action, people start to warm up to you.

My circles of friends have changed drastically from the old days. Most of my friends today are from my church. Most of them accept me for who I am and encourage me to keep up the positive changes in my life. I have no desire for the old life and hate when the old Alexis pop in from time to time for visits. Those visits are usually short and are dangerous, but I see them more rapidly these days and nip them right in the bud.

God is God, God is great, God Loves me and I love me. Wow who would ever think I would be saying that.

I am turning 45 years old this week and I am single, never married, no children, and am on disability. This is not exactly how I pictured my life would be at 45. I think it is exactly where God wanted me to be. He is still molding me for bigger and bigger things. I am not sure what but in his time he will revel it to me. I may not have children but I have 1 niece, 7 nephews and friends with children and grandchildren, who I can share in their lives. It is so very awesome. God has blessed me with other people’s children.

Even though I am not where I thought I would be I am exactly where he wants me to be and he is building me and molding me for something. Am I willing and ready, I think so. Am I preparing for it, I hope so. In his time I will know what it is he is asking of me and I pray I am up to hearing, seeing and speaking what it is he is asking of me.

Another thing that happened in my life that I have always wanted to do but never thought it would happen did happen this year. I was able to go and serve my fellow man in the USA after Katrina hit. This was awesome. I got to speak to the people, pray with them, and give them words of encouragement. I want to do so much more of this kind of work. I believe and trust God will lead me there when the time is right.

So at 45 years old I am not sure what my life is about, but each day that I have had regrets they are starting to dissipate and I am starting to prepare for his work. What I do know even though this is not the path I thought I would be on God has taken me on this route for a reason and will take to where ever he wants me to be.

I am blessed with a wonderful family, great friends, a fabulous church and church family. I am blessed to be alive, fairly healthy and am working towards a healthier life style. So I am glad to becoming older and wiser this year.

COME EAT A BUG!

2006-03-14T23:27:00.000-05:00

Well anyone who knows me well knows that when I get a bug in my ear, well nothing stops me. I read in the paper last week about Bugfest 2006 at Wings of Paradise® Butterfly Conservatory in Cambridge, Ontario Canada.

Some people might ask what is Bugfest 2006 Well this is what it is:

COME EAT A BUG! Dailytasting 1:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m

SEE LIVE INSECTS! Jewel Beetles, Hissing Cockroaches, Millipedes, Tarantulas, and more!

INSECTS OF THE WORLD See interesting insects on display from around the world and learn how insects impact our lives!

PARADISE AWAITS Enter a lush tropical garden bursting with life!Featuring 100's of free-flying butterflies and 75 different species of flowering plants, trees and bushes

Well if you know me well you know I will try anything once. I am almost embarrassed to say that Wings of Paradise has been open for 6 years and I have never gone to see what it is all about. I have heard of Bugfest before as well but never got the courage up to go. This year I set my mind to it. I invited several different young people from my church to go with me but I had no real takers. I asked my nephews but no real keen interest, girls and sports is what interest them mostly these days.

So I got a couple of friends and off we went. They were going to have nothing to do with trying any of the bug food. Now the menu seemed pretty calm to what you see on fear factor so I was game to try. They were serving tea biscuits with crickets, grubs and some kind of worm in it as an appertizer, then grub soup, and for dessert cricket ice cream.

Now it was all pretty tasty but I am not sure if I could eat that for days on end or not.

My two friends were definitely not going to have anything to do with it what so ever. So when we were all done looking at everything and spending an hour in with the butterflies we went to the real cafeteria for some lunch. We all decided to have soup and a sandwich. I decided to go and get some more grub soup to add to my soup. While there I also grabbed a couple of the tea biscuits. I offered to one of my friends to try the teabiscuits I got with my soup. She did and loved it. So I offered her the second one. They were gone in seconds.
When I told her what she had just eaten she said she could not even tell she had just eaten a bug or two. So I just proved it was mind of matter but still could not convince her to try the rest.
They just missed out in a wonderful experience.

Winter Bugs or Sickness

2006-03-05T11:05:00.000-05:00

So lately I have been out of commission due to a flu bug and strep throat. I woke up in the middle of the night last Thursday with what felt like a rock in the back of my throat. My throat was very dry and sore. I had the chills and a high fever.

Lucky for me I already had a doctor's appointment for later Friday afternoon. I went to my doctor and he told me I had strep and he gave me a prescription for some kind of throat gargle and penicillin.

It took till Sunday for my fever to break. And I just got my voice back yesterday.

There have been so many people down this year with some kind of flu or sore throat. I decided I needed to look up the definitions to some key words. I always use the Webster Dictionary when I look up words.

The first word I chose to look up was Common Cold, Flu, which lead to Influenza. And because the doctor said he was going to treat me for a Strep throat I thought I should also look up what that means.

So there you have it a very comprehensive look at the definitions to winter bugs they call common cold, flu, strep and others that arrived from the original three I was looking up. If I had to sum it up in layman's terms I would just have to say I had a high fever, a very inflamed sore throat, with the chill, and a common cold that is following now that I am over the flu, & strep. I guess what this means is total rest, staying away from others so they do not get what we have, lots of fluids, popsicles. Snuggle in for a short hopefully winters nap.

common cold
Function: noun
1: an acute disease of the upper respiratory tract that is marked by inflammation of the mucous membranes of the nose, throat, eyes, and eustachian tubes and by a watery then purulent discharge and is caused by any of several viruses (as a rhinovirus or an adenovirus)

flu
Function: noun
Etymology: by shortening
1 : INFLUENZA
2 : any of several virus diseases marked especially by respiratory symptoms

Influenza
Function: noun
Etymology: Italian, literally, influence, from Medieval Latin influentia; from the belief that epidemics were due to the influence of the stars
1a: an acute highly contagious disease caused by any of several single-stranded RNA viruses (family Orthomyxoviridae) and characterized by sudden onset, fever, prostration, severe aches and pains, and progressive inflammation of the respiratory mucous membrane; broadly
b: a human respiratory infection of undetermined cause
2 : any of numerous febrile usually virus diseases of domestic animals marked by respiratory symptoms, inflammation of mucous membranes, and often systemic involvement

inflammation
Function: noun
1 : a local response to cellular injury that is marked by capillary dilatation, leukocytic infiltration, redness, heat, and pain and that serves as a mechanism initiating the elimination of noxious agents and of damaged tissue
2 : the act of inflaming : the state of being inflamed

streptococci
Etymology: New Latin
1: any of a genus (Streptococcus) of spherical or ovoid chiefly nonmotile and parasitic gram-positive bacteria that divide only in one plane, occur in pairs or chains, and include important pathogens of humans and domestic animals; broadly
2: a coccus occurring in chains

strep throat
Function: noun
1: an inflammatory sore throat caused by hemolytic streptococci and marked by fever, prostration, and toxemia -- called also septic sore throat

prostration
Function: noun
1 a : the act of assuming a prostrate position
b : the state of being in a prostrate position : ABASEMENT
2 a : complete physical or mental exhaustion : COLLAPSE
b : the process of being made powerless or the condition of powerlessness

toxemia
Function: noun
Etymology: New Latin
1: an abnormal condition associated with the presence of toxic substances in the blood

Relay for Life

2006-03-02T11:10:00.000-05:00

Well since my last post I have been in bed with a terrible strep throat and high fever. But this has given me lots of time to do something’s that I needed to get into place.

As many of you will know June 9th and 10th is the Relay for life Walk. It takes place every year out at the Waterloo Police Recreational Association. It is a walk to raise funds to help the fight against cancer.

The first lap is always the survivors lap. Our team has 4 people walking that lap.

Here are the results for Relay for Life 2005 they were amazing, over $350,000 was raised in the Waterloo Region. This was $13,000 more than 2004. Nationally $31.3 million was raised.

This year our Team is made up of people who have lost loved ones to cancer, people who know or have family members that are survivors, and we have two members who have actually battled the fight against cancer, and I personally have my father and a family member walking the survivors lap.

One in two people are affected by this disease Cancer, so come on out and support this walk, sponsor us or if you are a survivor walk the victory lap. If you have 10 people you can also form your own team and enter the walk as well.

Presently I am looking for one more member for our team. So come join our team, we need you.

If you want to sponsor us please go to the following Canadian Cancer Society and click on the following spot Pledge a participant - search by first or last name. Then click next and then type in my name and follow the rest, step by step. Thank you for your support.

Lets Drive Cancer Out Of This World together.

CANCER

2006-02-20T23:19:00.000-05:00

I really am starting to hate the word CANCER

What does this word mean: (according to the Webster Dictionary)

1 capitalized
a: a northern zodiacal constellation between Gemini and Leo
b (1): the 4th sign of the zodiac in astrology -- see ZODIAC table
(2): one born under the sign of Cancer
2 [Latin, crab, cancer]
a: a malignant tumor of potentially unlimited growth that expands locally by invasion and systemically by metastasis
b: an abnormal bodily state marked by such tumors
3: something evil or malignant that spreads destructively

4 a: an enlarged tumor like plant growth (as that of crown gall)
4b: a plant disease marked by such growths

I have made one of the definitions bold so that it would stand out. I want it to stand out because it is exactly how I feel about the word. "Something Evil, and Spreads destructively." It seems these days every time you turn around you hear of someone you know who has been diagnosed with it, living with it, or dying from it.

There seems to be no rime or reason to how, whom, when or where this awfully disease will attack. I have known babies who have died from this disease, old people young people all ages, sizes, colors and races. From the most health addict to the person who never looks after themselves.

When you read some of the facts I have included you will see that an estimate of 69,500 deaths will occur in Canada. Cancer is the leading health concern for Canadians with 2 in 5 Canadians facing a cancer diagnosis in their lifetime.

In 2005, it is estimated that:

-149,000 Canadians will be diagnosed with cancer – 3,500 more than last year
-69,500 Canadians will die from cancer – 1,200 more than last year

And these numbers will continue to increase. If current trends continue, over the next 30 years it is estimated that:

-almost 6 million Canadians will be diagnosed with cancer.
-about 3 million will die from cancer.
-direct cancer healthcare costs will be more than $176 billion.
-over $248 billion in tax revenues will be lost because of disability due to cancer.

CANADA IS FACING A CANCER CRISISand WE NEED YOUR HELP to stop it. SIGN THE PETITION NOW

Here are some facts from the Canadian Cancer Society website:

Current Incidence and Mortality

An estimated 149,000 new cases of cancer and 69,500 deaths from cancer will occur in Canada in 2005.

The total number of lung cancer cases (men and women combined) is greater than the number of either prostate or breast cancer cases.

Lung cancer remains the leading cause of cancer death for both men and women.

Overall, colorectal cancer is the second leading cause of death from cancer.

Estimates for Cancer Incidence and Mortality, Canada, 2005

An estimated 149,000 new cases of cancer and 69,500 deaths from cancer will occur in Canada in 2005.

Men outnumber women for both new cases and deaths, by 4.7% for incidence and 11.9% for mortality (Table 1).

Three types of cancer account for at least 50% of new cases in each sex: prostate, lung, and colorectal cancers in males, breast, lung, and colorectal cancers in females.

Twenty nine percent of cancer deaths in men and 25% in women are due to lung cancer alone (Figures 1.1 and 1.2). Comparisons during years prior to 2003 with respect to colorectal cancer mortality should be made with caution because of a change in classification practices (see Appendix II for further details).

Lung cancer will continue as the leading cause of cancer death in Canadian women in 2005, accounting for an estimated 8,300 deaths, compared with the 5,300 deaths expected for breast cancer. This reflects the rapid increase in lung cancer mortality rates among women over the past three decades, while age-standardized breast cancer mortality rates declined slightly. Lung cancer incidence among women also continues to rise. With an estimated 10,200 new cases, lung cancer is the second leading form of cancer in women, ahead of the 9,000 new cases expected for colorectal cancer, which ranks third. Breast cancer continues to lead in incidence among Canadian women, with slightly more than twice as many new cases as lung cancer.

In Canadian men in 2005, prostate cancer will continue as the leading form of cancer diagnosed, with an estimated 20,500 newly diagnosed cases, compared with 12,000 lung cancers. Prostate cancer estimates were produced by a variation on the methods employed for other cancers (see Appendix II: Methods). Lung cancer will remain the leading cause of cancer death in Canadian men in 2005; the estimated 10,700 lung cancer deaths far exceed the 4,500 deaths due to colorectal cancer, the second leading cause of cancer death in men. Prostate cancer is third in mortality, causing 4,300 deaths.

So some of you might be wondering why am I writing about this. My dad has cancer, my mothers parents both die from cancer, my dad's brothers wife died of cancer, my mom's sisters husband has cancer, other relatives have died or live with cancer, some young and some old. I have had many friends die of cancer and diagnosed with cancer, and just recently another person whom I know has just been diagnosed with cancer.

Cancer is running ramped in Cambridge, Ontario and Canada, I am sick of this disease and its effect on us. Instead of Cancer killing us we need to kill Cancer. Every time you turn around someone is saying this is not good for you, it causes Cancer, it feels like everything gives you cancer, so how do you kill it before it kills you. I wish I had the answers to this.

I know I can only do my little part and that is I support the Canadian Cancer Society and last year I was involved in the Relay for life. It is my plan this year God willing to get involved again.
Maybe if we all do our little part we can change this numbers from 2 out of 5 to better odds.

Relay for Life local chapter is Waterloo Region is Relay For Life

Catch Up

2006-02-15T23:02:00.000-05:00

Wow I can not believe it has been almost a month since my last post. Where has the time gone?

Things have been very busy for me and also very rewarding. As I mentioned in my last post my father had eye surgery in the beginning of the New Year. He has been having a lot of trouble with his vision and there for is not driving. My younger brother was so kind to offer to fly me home on his air points if I drove my parents to Florida. Well things did not work out where I could use his points but I did drive my parents to Florida. We did the drive in 2 days which was fine with me, as it gave me an extra day to enjoy in Florida.

Boy for retired people who should just be relaxing taking it easy they sure do have lots of things happening.

We did lots of shopping, had lunch with friends and went to there place to relax afterwards. What a place. We were invited to go with a bunch of my parent’s friends for a train ride and lunch. Mom and I were not to sure what dad committed us to. But the train ride was at Port Manatee it actually ended up being very interesting. The train was more like a golf cart tram and took about an hour to tour the whole port. I would recommend it to any that is in that area. After that we went to the Holiday Inn for an all you can eat buffet. It was good but not a lot of choice. Afterwards Mom, Dad and I decided to go to the Red Barn Flea Market to see what bargains we could get. I got a belt and a few gifts, mom got some watches and well dad he got some gags toys, and some cd's. All exhausted we head back to the condo for a nap, I was hoping to go to the pool or beach.

We designated Monday as my tanning day but it was over cast and crappy so no sun. Oh well time with my parents was more fun.

On the Thursday before I was to catch my plan home we decided to go to Tampa early to MUSEUM OF SCIENCE & INDUSTRY (MOSI) to see the famous exhibit of Bodies by Dr. Gunther von Hagens: A Life In Science Provocative. Awe-inspiring. Human. Gunther von Hagens' BODY WORLDS 2: The Anatomical Exhibition of Real Human Bodies is a revealing and thought-provoking look at the hidden wonders of the human body. Featuring over 200 real human specimens including entire bodies, individual organs and body slices, this exhibition offers an once-in-a-lifetime chance to see and understand our own anatomy and health. You'll gain a new appreciation and respect for what it means to be human. This exhibit is also on right now at the Ontario Science Centre

If any of you go and see it I look forward to hearing from you and what you think

God Knows Best

2006-01-19T08:37:00.000-05:00

About a month ago I wrote about how disappointed I was that I was not able to go back to Biloxi and that I knew God had other plans for me but I was not sure what they were.

Well ever since that I have been so busy my head is spinning. Christmas at our house is always busy and crazy and this year was no different, infact it was a fun zoo with the children running here nd there all over. This is what makes Christmas so fun.

Then since Christmas has been over I have been busy with my computer business. Lots of new customers and 3 sales thus far and more still pending. So God is being Good to me right now. Thank you Lord for this.

I also took a week to go to Quebec to visit and help a friend of mine out. Her 17 year old daughter was pregnant and ready to deliver any day. Unfortunately she did not go into labout till a week later. She gave birth to a healthy baby boy.

And finally their once was a time in my life that I was not there for my family in times of need but now for the past 8 or 9 years I have been getting far better at this. Lately I am there at a drop of a hat as they say. My dad has been having a great deal of trouble with his eye for the past few years. And for the last 3 or 4 weeks he has gotten double vision and is not driving. So mom and I have been sharing driving him around here and there.

A week ago he had a skin graph done in London to build up and reenforce the lower eye lid. So far we have had to make 3 trips back and forth to London and next week he sees the surgeon hopefully for the last time and then they will be off to Florida. I have been offering to drive them down and fly home and my baby brother has offered to give me airmiles to fly me home but thus far my parents are being stubborn and refusing the offer.

It would be nice to go down and see there new place for a few days to help mom unpack and carry everything up into there condo. I guess they are not ready to accept the fact they are older and could use this extra help. They say maybe next year. HEHEHEHE, private family joke ok Hughy.

Any ways when ever they need me I am there ready and willing to help.

This week has also been crazy at the house cause we are getting 2 new furnaces what a huge ordeal this is, more than any of ever imagined. So I have had to be here at the house watching over things.

So I guess God knew better than I that I just needed to be here in Cambridge to help out my family and my friends.

God is good and where ever he leads me I will follow. I try harder each day to hear him and to follow what it is he is directing me to do. Like I always say one door closes and another will open it just might not be what we were thinking it might be and that is ok.

What is Today's Society Coming To?

2006-01-15T23:02:00.000-05:00

Do people in today’s society just not have morals any more? I guess to answer that we need a clear precise definition of what Moral(s) means:

If you look at the Webster Dictionary definition it is not as clear as Encarta so for this post I am going to choose to use the Encarta definition.

involving right and wrong: relating to issues of right and wrong and to how individual people should behave
derived from personal conscience: based on what somebody's conscience suggests is right or wrong, rather than on what rules or the law says should be done
according to common standard of justice: regarded in terms of what is known to be right or just, as opposed to what is officially or outwardly declared to be right or just a moral victory
encouraging goodness and decency: giving guidance on how to behave decently and honorably
good by accepted standards: good or right, when judged by the standards of the average person or society at large
able to tell right from wrong: able to distinguish right from wrong and to make decisions based on that knowledge7. based on personal conviction: based on an inner conviction, in the absence of physical proof moral certainty

My next question then would be do people of today’s society just not know right from wrong?

Ok so have I peaked your curiosity as to why I am asking these questions? On July 29, 2002 a friend’s daughter was taken from them. I can not even begin to say I know what it is like for them because I myself do not have children. What I can tell you is that I have watched them and been there with them through this tragedy.

One of the things that my friends have worked so hard is to make sure that their daughter’s gravesite is always kept nicely groomed and well kept. They decorate it for each season and they cherish each item they lay there for their child's memory. It helps with peace in their souls to go to the gravesite daily. However they have had so many battles in the cemetery since they buried their daughter there.

They first had a battle with the people who run the cemetery and the bi-laws. Well they helped to form a committee and to get new livable bi-laws in place. They have abided by them faithfully.

They also very shortly after laying to rest their daughter had everything stolen from the gravesite. Many friends and family members brought mementoes to the site and a lot of Angels. Someone or Somebody's came to the site and stole them all.

For the longest time things went along ok and once in a while something went missing, but again this summer things began on a regular basis to go missing. It is hard to say what is happening. Could it just be somebody passing through and see something they like and take it, could it be a group of people hanging out in between Toyota and the cemetery partying and then think they might just go have fun taking things from graves. Could it be cemetery workers removing things they do not believe match bi-law codes. I guess there could be a lot of different could be's.

Bottom line it is just wrong no matter why or who is doing it. So now I need to define the word Wrong:

not conforming to accepted standards: not in accordance with law, morality, or with people's sense of what is acceptable behaviorIt's wrong to steal.
unsuitable: unsuitable, or showing poor judgment on the part of the person who chooses

What angers me the most is that what ever the could be's is I do not think they have any idea the further pain and suffering they are causing this family. Maybe they were just not taught it is wrong to steal period. Maybe they have not been taught respect for the dead. Maybe they have never had to experience this for them selves.

It’s the same old story how young people go out starting at the first site of pumpkins on peoples doors steps, grab them and smash them in the street. No concern for the time and effort spent carving them.

Or the people who steal lights off your Christmas trees to smash them in the street to hear the bang. No regard as to how long it took you to put them up, and the cost to replace them.

These might be small funny antics for youth, but remember with most antics there is always someone whom gets hurt in the end. You might think it is cute to take something from the gravesite and that no one will miss it or even noticed but they do. Like the inside of our homes we have inventory of everything there. For some people they have inventory at their love ones final resting place.

I am not sure if this is a personal attack on my friend’s gravesite for some sick reason or why they keep attacking their gravesite on a regular basis but I wish they would stop. Every time something is stolen from the gravesite it just opens another wound on top of another wound.

The individuals whom are responsible for doing this know who they are and if by any remote chance you are reading this I hope you will read the definition of moral(s) again and realize right from wrong and know that you do not have to answer to me or anyone one but God and do not forget he sees everything. He knows who you are and when it is your time to join him he will want you to answer for this. They start answering now by putting a stop to this very nasty unmoral behavior immediately and start by returning the stolen items to the graveside if you can.

I feel so angry towards the individuals who have been doing this and I am praying you will find it in your hearts to stop doing wrong and start doing right. Get some MORALS

The Salvation Army--Tsunami Relief efforts

2005-12-24T12:56:00.000-05:00

The Salvation Army in India

The Salvation Army first established its presence in India in 1882 and its membership now totals 352,346. Currently there are 1,410 Salvation Army churches, 1,314 outposts, 218 social institutions (which include hostels, children’s homes and hospitals) and 73 schools.

India Central Coastal Rehabilitation Program

Purpose:

To re-establish the lives of 2,776 families who depend on the fishing industry. By working with and strengthening the capacity of local institutions, this project will improve previous living conditions and create sustainable development for the most marginalized groups in Indian society.

Results to Date:

9 supplementary feeding programs for 2,832 families
31 new fishing boats supplied
16 boat engines replaced
68 boat engines repaired
4,973 fishing nets supplied

India South East
Tsunami Rehabilitation

Purpose:

To rebuild several villages in the Nagapattinam and Cuddalore districts and the small state of Pondicherry. The reconstruction of damaged housing, the building of new homes and the provision of fishing equipment will allow for livelihood rehabilitation and help these communities to become self sufficient.

Results to Date:

88 new fishing boats supplied, 10 on order
22 fishing boats repaired, 50 on order
40 new outboard motors supplied, 63 on order
40 new kattamarans supplied. 60 on order
510 fishing nets supplied, 250 on order
130 cold boxes supplied, 285 on order
260 boat lights supplied, 150 on order

The Salvation Army in Indonesia

The Salvation Army commenced its work in Indonesia in 1894 with a network of educational, medical and social services. These programs continue as its 42, 581 members operate 196 churches, 128 outposts, 94 schools, 6 hospitals, 18 clinics and 21social institutions.

Indonesia
Aceh Post Tsunami Construction

Purpose:

To construct 500 new homes in the village of Suak Ribee in Aceh Meulabuh. All 500 homes will be equipped with basic household items and come complete with electricity, water and toilet facilities. On December 26, 2005, all beneficiary families will receive written title to both the completed homes and the land.

Results to Date:

408 new homes have been completed
92 homes are under construction
727 new homes to be built in January 2006

The Salvation Army in Sri Lanka

The Salvation Army first established its services in Sri Lanka (then Ceylon) in 1883 and currently maintains 45 churches and outposts in the country. Its 4,500 members help run 28 institutions that include hostels, day-care centres, community centres and hospitals.

Sri Lanka Tsunami Reconstruction Program

Purpose:

Provide permanent housing solutions for 650 families in the Galle and Kalutara districts. Provide household kits to 650 families. Establish rainwater storage facilities at 650 new homes that will benefit 3,250 people with clean drinking water. Re-establish the livelihood of 1,200 families through the provision of business skills and employment creating business opportunities. Conduct substance abuse surveys that will educate 27,531 people about the negative consequences of drug and alcohol abuse. Establish 3 community centres in Galle, Hikkaduwa and Kalutara that will include education facilities for children, HIV/AIDS and trauma counseling, gender awareness and a variety of other community services. Establish community based early tsunami warning systems in the Galle and Kalutra districts.

Results to Date:

A detailed funding proposal has been finalized and submitted to the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA), for use of government matching funds.

Tsunami: A Year Later

2005-12-24T12:37:00.000-05:00

Tsunami: A Year Later

Michael Stittle, CTV.ca News

One year after a massive tsunami struck Banda Aceh, the reconstruction continues. The natural disaster altered the city's landscape forever. But, less visible are the deep psychological wounds carried by the survivors.

"Everybody has a story here of what happened to them," Canadian Red Cross worker Russ Froese told CTV.ca. "I'm so impressed by how resilient these people are and how they get on with life. But if you scratch the surface you find all kinds of issues."

The island of Sumatra is a highly earthquake-prone area. Tremors are as common as the rain, and residents never feared the shaking until Dec. 26, 2004.

"We get tremors every week," Froese said. "And if there are any large tremors, people don't take them in stride like they used to. There's a lot of terror in their eyes. They'll be calling relatives; they'll be looking to the ocean to see if another wave is coming."

Froese said the anniversary will be a dark, sorrowful affair. Everyone has lost friends and family.

"The anniversary is going to be something that is very personal for people," he said.

"We're not trying to have big events, because people will be going to mass graves, which are all over the city, and doing very personal things to commemorate their loss and remember people."
The Canadian Red Cross has committed itself for 10 years to help rebuild the city. It is a complex operation. Most of Banda Aceh survived the tsunami relatively unscathed, including the city's airport and downtown area. However, the outlying coastal area -- roughly a third of the city -- was wiped out, destroying the fishing industry.

"They had a lot of the villages and housing right near the water," Froese said.

"It's not habitable now because the land is sunk. A lot of it is underwater. The wells have been tainted by seawater. You have to move them and that's where the problems have arisen.

Because you have to find replacement land, get the government to come up with a policy of who's going to pay for it, and register people."

According to Froese, most of the land was never registered before the disaster. It must now be done in the customary Muslim manner, he said, using witnesses. But in some villages, where the tsunami killed up to 80 per cent of the population, there are no witnesses left.

Waiting for housing

In Banda Aceh, an estimated 70,000 homeless can only wait, their lives still on hold.
Zoelfitri, who like some Indonesians only goes by one name, lives in a homemade shanty on the outskirts of the city, where he cares for what remains of his family. He knows that international aid has reached Banda Aceh, but is frustrated with the results.

"We know a lot of money is going to Aceh, but where is it? Where are the buildings? Where is the construction?" Zoelfitri, 32, told The Associated Press.

Aid organizations are working hard to construct new homes. Sewage pipes are also being laid, and a major road on the west side of the city is being rebuilt.

According to AP, roughly $4.5 billion US in relief money has been collected for Banda Aceh and the province of Aceh:

The World Food Program estimates it has spent more than $125 million US in Aceh during 2005. Of that amount, $20 million US bought helicopters and airplanes to transport survivors and cargo, while $26 million purchased 72,000 tons of food aid.

British-based Oxfam gave $11.5 million for public health, including sanitizing water and the construction of new wells.

Save the Children has focused on restoring schools, investing $1 million US on text books and supplies. About 20 per cent of Aceh's schools were destroyed.

There are billions of dollars still to be used, as charitable organizations like the Canadian Red Cross prepare to spend years in the reconstruction.

Banda Aceh is not alone in its struggle to rebuild. The United Nations estimates that more than 230,000 people died either directly or in the weeks that followed the Dec. 26, 2004 tsunami. At least 31,229 people died in Sri Lanka, 10,749 in India and 5,395 in Thailand.

Many of the survivors are still waiting for adequate shelter.

"Large numbers of survivors remain forced to live in sub-standard conditions that fail to meet criteria for adequate housing and living conditions dictated by international human rights standards," the UN said in a statement.

Sri Lankans hope for change

The problem is typical of many areas in Southeast Asia. In Galle, Sri Lanka, the conditions are far worse. About 95 per cent of the population is still homeless, living in flimsy shacks with little protection against the heat and rain.

Shivani, who lives in a tin-roofed temporary shelter in Galle with her daughter, is one of the many victims waiting for help.

"I'm not asking for a palace," Shivani told CTV's Matt McClure. "Just a small home like we had before, where my daughters and I can forget about everything we lost that day."

Basic sanitation problems, like garbage collection, remain unresolved. Worse, when the tsunami struck it carried waste that polluted the city's water supplies.

Recovery has been slow partly because the tsunami crippled the city's infrastructure, leaving Galle's workers helpless to rebuild. The mayor, Mohammad Arif, still remembers the desperation in the first days following the disaster.

"When we saw this devastation, we didn't know what to do," he said. "We were not eating, we were not drinking, because we were so sorry."

Aid groups like the Federation of Canadian Municipalities (FCM) are hoping that rebuilding the city's infrastructure will help solve Galle's homeless crisis. FCM has an $11-million partnership with Sri Lanka to restore its municipalities.

One year after the tsunami brought so much destruction to Banda Aceh and Galle, aid workers know it will take far longer before their efforts bring noticeable results. In Banda Aceh, where most of the city survived, the slow progress can be baffling.

"On one hand, you've got a city that is working, thriving, moving along," Froese said. "It's so frustrating not to be able to just turn this around."

Tsunami relief effort is not over

2005-12-24T12:32:00.000-05:00

Clinton warns tsunami relief effort is not over

CTV.ca News Staff

Former U.S. President Bill Clinton, the UN special envoy for tsunami recovery, is urging the international community to follow through on its promises for help, almost one year after the disaster devastated Southeast Asia.

"One year ago ... millions of ordinary people across the globe rallied to the immediate aid of communities devastated by the tsunami," Clinton said in remarks prepared for the one-year anniversary and published Saturday in the International Herald Tribune.

"Now our collective challenge is to finish the job, to leave behind safer, more peaceful and stronger communities."

On Dec. 26 last year, the most powerful earthquake in four decades -- stronger than magnitude 9, ripped apart the ocean floor off Sumatra island, sending giant waves crashing into Indian Ocean coastlines from Malaysia to east Africa.

Villages in Indonesia and Sri Lanka were carried away, five-star resorts in Thailand were flooded, and entire islets temporarily disappeared in the Maldives.

Although there are conflicting reports on the death toll, it's believed more than 230,000 were killed either directly in the disaster or in the weeks that followed.

According to the UN, almost 400,000 houses were reduced to rubble, more than 2 million people left homeless, and the livelihoods of 1.5 million swept away.

Though the international community responded with donor pledges of some $13.6 billion US, many refugee camps are still overflowing and concerns linger about the pace of the reconstruction.

Indeed, thousands of survivors have been found new homes but humanitarian agencies say they are only about 20 per cent of the total number that still need homes.

Meanwhile, two days before the first anniversary of the tsunami, survivors gathered to mark the grim date.

Peter Pruchniewitz, 68, who was swept from his hotel room and lost a friend to the disaster, returned from Zurich to attend the ceremonies in Thailand. When asked why, he told The Associated Press, "to remember."

The ceremony in Thailand is one of the first of hundreds which are to be held in the dozen countries ravaged by the tsunami.

At Bang Niang beach in Thailand's Phang Nga province, hundreds of mourners, including Western tourists, Buddhist and Muslim villagers watched as the nomadic Moken (or sea gypsy) tribe launched a ceremonial bird-shaped boat laden with offerings into the Andaman Sea to ward off evil spirits.

In Indonesia, which took the brunt of the deadly tsunami, workers at a historic mosque in a coastal suburb of Banda Aceh were preparing for special services on Monday.

Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono intends to join survivors in prayers on Monday evening, officials said.

During his two-day trip to Aceh, Yudhoyono is also expected to visit mass graves and respect a moment of silence at the Baiturrahim mosque.

Updated Katrina Fast FactsFriday, December 02, 2005 --

2005-12-13T13:07:00.000-05:00

The Salvation Army responded immediately following Hurricanes Katrina, Rita, and Wilma, serving the immediate needs of survivors by providing shelter, food, water, ice, cleaning supplies, baby supplies, and hygiene products.

Over One Million have been served in at least 30 states. The following information represents the Southern Territory’s fifteen states and the District of Columbia.

The Salvation Army has served 5,324,043 hot meals, 7,516,515 sandwiches, snacks & drinks.
The Salvation Army has provided 178 Mobile Feeding Units (Canteens),
11 Field Kitchens, capable of producing 20,000 hot meals per day (each), (Incl. 8 Southern Baptist Kitchens.) in the many areas affected.
The Salvation Army has distributed 157,957 Cleaning Kits. (Broom, bucket, mop & detergent) and 185,363 Food Boxes (groceries.)
The Salvation Army has ministered through Pastoral Care to 238,134 individuals.
The Salvation Army has registered and begun helping with 263,608 Social Services Cases.
The Salvation Army Team Emergency Radio Network (SATERN) has received over 61,000 inquiries and has found 25,508 survivors.
Salvation Army officers, employees and volunteers have served a total of 751,062 hours.
The Salvation Army has assisted a total of 1,368,603 individuals

Christmas

2005-12-09T10:33:00.000-05:00

Far away and long ago.....down through the corridors of time...before the foundations of the world..God in all His splendour...gave thought to creating this place called earth..A place where He could manifest His glory in beauty and majesty.....So....."In the beginning...God created the heavens and the earth"..Genesis 1:1...What a beautiful beginning!!!

Colossians reads.....Col. 1:16 "For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: ALL THINGS WERE CREATED BY HIM, AND FOR HIM.." We were created for HIM??? God?? The creator of the universe??? Why??? Because God had a purpose...a purpose that only a Divine Father could ever have. He wanted fellowship with someone...anyone who would want to.

God could have created mankind like a scientist would build robots....only to move or talk or listen or react at his command! But God wanted more......He wanted someone who would WILLINGLY CHOOSE to love Him!!! As a parent..don't we much more appreciate knowing our children love and obey us .....just because.. Instead of what we do for them..or what they're going to get out of it??? Of course, we do.. So why shouldn't our Heavenly Father expect as much. He wants us to want and love Him because WE WANT TO!!

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So He makes this perfect plan....creates a perfect place...puts Adam into the picture and even gives him THE perfect wife...in a perfect environment...The Garden of Eden!!! So what happened?? Did He make a mistake?? Absolutely not!!!

What happened was.."The Test"....SIN......and the "free will" to make the decision to choose "To Sin?" or "Not To Sin?". THAT is the question.. Well, we all know the story...The serpent.....the fruit...the tree of knowledge of good and evil........and two human beings with their 'free will'. Hmmmmmmm...what do they do??? They choose not to consult God about this dilemma, but rather listen to what is given them in the choice of...."Yea, hath God said, Ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden?"..and..."Ye shall not surely die...For God does know that in the day you eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened..and you shall be as gods, knowing good and evil". Genesis 3:1b, 4b, 5. Wow!!!!!! Gods....Us??? Sounds pretty tempting, eh? Yummy???.........NOT!!!

Well, God in all His glory..creating the perfect couple in the perfect environment..because of His holiness and His standards...has to do what was necessary..."And the Lord God said unto the serpent......Because you have done this...you are cursed above all cattle...etc."........"And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed, it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel." Genesis 3:14a, 15.....A way out????? Exactly!!!! The first promise of the Savior to come...the first prophecy concerning the Lord Jesus....and strewn throughout the Old Testament Scriptures..God shares His plan of redemption for mankind!!!

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He gave a choice.....it was made......and then price had to be paid..Ephesians 1:3, 4 reads.."Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ; According as he has chosen us in him BEFORE THE FOUNDATION OF THE WORLD, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love...". "For God so loved the world..that He gave His only begotten Son..that WHOSOEVER believes in Him..should NOT perish..but have EVERLASTING LIFE." John 3:16. Commonly called, "The Gospel In a Nutshell".

God made a way of escape......because of Who He is and being the Holy God that He is...He could not allow sin to enter His presence....So in order for this to take place ......a PERFECT, SINLESS SUBSTITUTE..had to take our place as a sacrifice had to be made. A supreme sacrifice....made by a "lamb without spot or blemish". The Lord Jesus Christ.

Luke 1:27, 28a, 30b, 31-33, 35 "To a virgin bethrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David; and the virgin's name ws Mary. And the angel came in unto her, and said.."Hail thou that art highly favored, the Lord is with thee......."Fear not Mary..for thou hast found favour with God.."And, behold , thou shalt conceive in thy womb,and bring forth a son, and shall call his name JESUS. He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest; and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David; And he shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of his kingdom there shall be no end..."...The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the highest shall overshadow thee; therefore also that holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God."

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So...salvation's plan was begun...God chose to send His only Son into the womb of a woman..to be born as a human...so the God incarnate or 'in the flesh' could be made known and real to all those who knew Him. But..did they know Him?? Did they recognize their Messiah or Savior? Unfortunately not!! He lived a life....apart from His Father and from the Glory of Eternity Past and Present and chose to die for our sins..and become that supreme Sacrifice. You know that story, too, don't you? Yes, He was mocked, ridiculed, spat upon, beaten, stabbed, made to be a "king" with the crown of thorns, and then finally....the ultimate...crucifixion upon a cross....a death only for the worst of criminals....and then if that wasn't so horrible........the complete separation from His Father. The Holy God that could not look upon sin..He had to turn His face from the terribly mauled precious face of His Son...because He was to bear the SIN for ALL mankind.

If you haven't already.... Visit this site called "John 3:16" See what Jesus did for YOU!!!

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But this story has a wonderful end.....Jesus just didn't die for our sins.........He ROSE from the dead...to become the first fruits of the resurrection. The hope for us all to come..I Corinithians 15 reads..."But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the firstfruits of them that died. For since by man came death, by man came also the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ, shall all be made alive." (Verses 20-22). And also..I Corinthians 15: 3,4 "For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures."

Very simple....why do so many people make it so difficult?? They say....."There has to be MORE than to just accept that Jesus came to be our substitute...die on the cross...be buried...and rise from the dead. I have to do more, don't I?"..

"For WHOSOEVER shall call upon the name of the Lord SHALL BE SAVED!!!!!" Romans 10:13. And, friend..that WHOSOEVER is YOU!! Put your name in its place. Don't delay.......don't wait ANOTHER Christmas to miss that special Gift that God sent just to you.....He's been knocking and knocking for years at your heart's door...."Behold..I stand at the door and knock..if any man (or woman) hear my voice and open the door....I will come in to sup with him and he with me."..Rev. 3:20.

Get into the wonderful family of God. A family that will be there for you with the unfailing love of a Father who loves you beyond measure...

Christmas celebrations in the West today

2005-12-09T09:43:00.000-05:00

Christmas celebrations in the West today

From November onwards, it is impossible to forget that Christmas is coming. Coloured lights decorate many town centres and shops, along with shiny decorations, and artificial snow painted on shop windows.

In streets and shops, 'Christmas trees' (real or plastic evergreen 'conifer' trees) will also be decorated with lights and Christmas ornaments.

Shopping centres become busier as December approaches and often stay open till late.Shopping centre speaker systems systems will play Christmas 'carols' - the traditional Christmas Christian songs, and groups of people will often sing carols on the streets to raise money for charity. Most places of work will hold a short Christmas party about a week before Christmas. Although traditional Christmas foods may be eaten, drink (and plenty of it) means that little work will be done after the party!

By mid-December, most homes will also be decorated with Christmas trees, coloured lights and paper or plastic decorations around the rooms. These days, many more people also decorate garden trees or house walls with coloured electric lights, a habit which has long been popular in USA.

In many countries, most people post Christmas greeting cards to their friends and family, and these cards will be hung on the walls of their homes. In UK this year, the British Post Office expects to handle over 100 million cards EACH DAY, in the three weeks before Christmas.

Christmas cards

The custom of sending Christmas cards started in Britain in 1840 when the first 'Penny Post' public postal deliveries began. (Helped by the new railway system, the public postal service was the 19th century's communication revolution, just as email is for us today.) As printing methods improved, Christmas cards were produced in large numbers from about 1860. They became even more popular in Britain when a card could be posted in an unsealed envelope for one half-penny - half the price of an ordinary letter.

Traditionally, Christmas cards showed religious pictures - Mary, Joseph and baby Jesus, or other parts of the Christmas story. Today, pictures are often jokes, winter pictures, Father Christmas, or romantic scenes of life in past times.

The old man with the sack

'Father Christmas' (or 'Santa Claus') has become the human face of Christmas. Pictures will be seen everywhere of the old man with long white beard, red coat, and bag of toys. Children are taught that he brings them presents the night before Christmas (or in some countries on December 6th - St. Nicholas' Day), and many children up to the age of 7 or 8 really believe this is true. In most countries, it is said that he lives near the North Pole, and arrives through the sky on a sledge (snow-cart) pulled by reindeer. He comes into houses down the chimney at midnight and places presents for the children in socks or bags by their beds or in front of the family Christmas tree.

In shops or at children's parties, someone will dress up as Father Christmas and give small presents to children, or ask them what gifts they want for Christmas. Christmas can be a time of magic and excitement for children.

Who was he?

Father Christmas is based on a real person, St. Nicholas, which explains his other name 'Santa Claus' which comes from the Dutch 'Sinterklaas'. Nicholas was a Christian leader from Myra (in modern-day Turkey) in the 4th century AD. He was very shy, and wanted to give money to poor people without them knowing about it. It is said that one day, he climbed the roof of a house and dropped a purse of money down the chimney. It landed in the stocking which a girl had put to dry by the fire! This may explain the belief that Father Christmas comes down the chimney and places gifts in children's stockings.

Boxing Day

In English-speaking countries, the day following Christmas Day is called 'Boxing Day'. This word comes from the custom which started in the Middle Ages around 800 years ago: churches would open their 'alms boxe' (boxes in which people had placed gifts of money) and distribute the contents to poor people in the neighbourhood on the day after Christmas. The tradition continues today - small gifts are often given to delivery workers such as postal staff and children who deliver newspapers

Encarta definition of Christmas

2005-12-09T09:21:00.000-05:00

Christ·mas [ kríssməss ] (plural Christ·mas·es)
noun
Definitions:

1. festival celebrating birth of Jesus Christ: a Christian festival marking the birth of Jesus Christ.December 25.
2. Christmas period: the period around December 25, or the Christian church season extending from December 24 to January 6
3. quarter day: in England, Wales, and Ireland, one of the four quarter days, falling on December 25

Christmas in Biloxi

2005-12-08T23:02:00.000-05:00

Well as many of you know I was to be leaving tomorrow for Biloxi Mississippi. There was a major mess up. The person who told me to be ready to go should never have told me I was going cause the Salvation Army's policy once you have gone to a particular mission you can not return to the same one.

As you know I was so excited about being able to go back. Well my heart was crushed and I am pretty devastated I can not go. However I know that nothing happens in Gods World without a reason. I am not sure at this time what the reason is but what I do know is he will reveal this to me in his time as well.

People and friends have been very generous in what they have given me for toys and gifts to send the Children in Biloxi. I have spoken to my contact within the Army and he will make arrangements for these gifts to get to Mississippi for me. Thank you all for your continued love and support.

Prayer request for now are as follows:

* people of Mississippi
* Major Rob Vincent and his family
* Coastwide Security---for the owners and their family
* for all the people affected by natural disasters Tsunami, Hurricane Katrina, Rita, Wilma, earthquake in Pakistan, by man made disasters caused by war, and many others
* for those grieving the lost of love ones, grieving the lost of their homes and worldly belongings and many more
* for the relief workers and also the over seas missionaries
* For the Salvation Army as a whole
* for the kingdom of God

This list could go on and on

I do ask also for personal prayer that the Lord will guide me and direct me as to what he wants me to be doing. I ask that you pray for my strength, courage, wisdom, and endurance to wait and listen for his directions to me.

I have always said as one door closes another will open. I still believe that I just hope this door will be revealed to me sooner than later. I need a focus.

God Bless

Please keep coming back for more updates about everything.