Thursday, March 27, 2008

Spotty & Dotty Paws

My son brought home a small craft the other day with a bunch of Lisa Frank stickers on it!

There's something amazingly comforting in knowing that my dear childhood friend is still around, sharing her colorful (and somewhat phychedelic) spirit. Including, but not limited to Painter Panda, Dancing Dolphins, and my personal favorite Spotty & Dotty Paws! Who doesn't love multi-colored dalmations when they're 12? Who, I ask!!

Hip-Hip-Hooray for Lisa Frank! (who now operates out of a 320,000 sqft facility in Arizona... there's hope yet for the next generation!)

Happy day.

Who wants to play MASH?

Thursday, March 20, 2008

Vice President, John Wayne

When I heard the audio of Vice President Cheney's interview with ABC's Martha Raddatz I thought

so.

When our Vice President sounded amazingly like John Wayne, my reaction was

so.

So. You have to check this out. ABC is, of course, only playing part of the interview in video clips online. So. I found the full transcript.

Please do me a favor and read the transcript before you go hunting for a video because the only video (I could find) shows just this one little part:

MARTHA: Let me go back to the Americans. Two-thirds of Americans say it's not worth fighting, and they're looking at the value gain versus the cost in American lives, certainly, and Iraqi lives.

THE VICE PRESIDENT: So?

MARTHA: So -- you don't care what the American people think?

THE VICE PRESIDENT: No, I think you cannot be blown off course by the fluctuations in the public opinion polls. Think about what would have happened if Abraham Lincoln had paid attention to polls, if they had had polls during the Civil War. He never would have succeeded if he hadn't had a clear objective, a vision for where he wanted to go, and he was willing to withstand the slings and arrows of the political wars in order to get there. And this President has been very courageous, very consistent, very determined to continue down the course we were on and to achieve our objective. And that's victory in Iraq, that's the establishment of a democracy where there's never been a democracy, it's the establishment of a regime that respects the rights and liberties of their people, as an ally for the United States in the war against terror, and as a positive force for change in the Middle East. That's a huge accomplishment.

So.

So - there's a whole big meaningful interview I hope you'll read.

I also think that it's ironic Charles Gibson is doing a bit to commemorate 5 years in Iraq. He's talking from the Iraqi's point of view and starts by saying that 55% of the Iraqi people believe the quality of life has improved, up from only 39% last summer.

Did you catch that? Let me break it down for you.

55% of Iraqi's think their life is better because of the sacrifices being made (ours and theirs). Up 16% since the troop surge... up, in contrast, to the approval rating of our Congress which is lingering somewhere around 21%. I think it's also an interesting tidbit that Congress' high rating was last summer, at 37%, and that it's dropped 16% since then... 16%... hmmmm... isn't that how much improved Iraqi's feel life is? I n t e r e s t i n g.

You see - here's the issue I hear being brought up by Cheney's reaction to, yet another question about, some popular opinion poll and how it should be impacting decisions made in the White House.

Our Vice President understands fully the gravity of the War in Iraq.

So.

He's not going to let the opinion of the spoiled brats here at home sway what he knows is good, even if it is difficult. (And did you catch his point that we might still have slavery if Lincoln had listened to popular opinion or quit when it became difficult?) And now we have a mixed race "black" man running for President.

And yes, you heard me right. I think most Americans are spoiled rotten brats. Why do you think we have wildly popular shows like Supernanny? In which they prove time and again it's not the kids misbehaving, it's the parents... you know, those people being asked questions in popular opinion polls... (who might not be able to tell you the name of our V.P)

Why don't we hear from our V.P. more often? I think American's would connect with John Wayne, ahem, excuse me - Dick Cheney.

Monday, March 17, 2008

Book Review

I love this book!!


"I became a Christian and all I got was this lousy T-shirt" by Vince Antonucci.

You must go get it now and read it (if I haven't already slid a copy under your nose).

It was like a rollercoaster into my heart! One minute I'd laugh so hard I cried, the next I just cried. I heard God speak to me thru the stories and experiences shared by Vince. I don't think I've had a book affect me so personally before. Maybe it's just me, but I hope that it's the same for you. Because it's been one of those rides where you get off and run to the back of the line to have another go!

It is about being real; experiencing Christianity, not just admiring the brochure. It will ask you who you are, what you’re doing, and where you’re going. And as you go along you will find that the answers are demanded in several forms - to you personally, to God, and to whoever keeps you accountable.

Starting March 30th our church will launch an all-church study based on this book and the (free) companion materials offered thru Baker Books and Vince Antonucci. I help coordinate small groups and am so jazzed about this I am positive that the people in our church are going to start calling me the "Lousy" cheerleader... a title I'll wear proudly!


I would like to take this time to admit a couple things for those of you who have read the book already:

When Jesus got in the boat, he asked me "What are you doing?" Not like the friend wanting to know whatcha doin', or Mom scolding you - but in a gentle why-are-you-doing-
that kind of way. I find that I am now asking myself this question on a regular basis thru my day.


I read this book before my husband but couldn't help myself when I got to death-wish dog and read the entire part out loud to him while we snarfled and snorted in fits of laughter.

I have challenged myself to spend more time reading God's word and listening to Him.