Bugs Bleat 4Q 05

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Location: Magnolia, Arkansas, United States

Married to the "Wife of my youth." Two great kids, a fantastic daughter-in-love and a super son-in-love. Four super hero grand sons (Ethan, our "miracle" baby is the newest).

Friday, November 25, 2005

Bug's Bleat - - GCF: Ode to Thanksgiving

Volume 7, Issue 47

Hello All,

Thanksgiving was a great day. We congregated at Jimmy and Vanessa’s home in Springhill for the traditional dinner with all the trimmings. The crowd included cousin Claiborne, Aunt Beth, Mammaw Dorothy, Jimmy’s mother Teresa and her husband John, and, was highlighted by Josiah’s entertaining us.
After we ate, Claiborne and John repaired the kid’s refrigerator door while Vanessa and I delivered plates to shut-ins. I can’t remember a more enjoyable Thanksgiving.
~~~~~
We are still “SMOKIN” with super quick connect times via our experimental wireless connection from Magnolia Internet Service. We’re not gonna be able to go back to dial-up.
~~~~~
The Rev. Billy Joe Daugherty, a Magnolia Native who went to school with us, was punched in the face during a church service last Sunday. Billy Joe’s church, Victory Christian Center is one of the largest in the nation.

Billy Joe met with the assailant, but Steven Wayne Rogers showed no remorse and offered no apology during their meeting at the Tulsa Jail.

"He said he'd do whatever he wants, to whomever he wants, whenever he wants," Daugherty said.

Daugherty said he returned to the stage following the attack, not knowing that his face was smeared with blood.

"We immediately forgave the man and acknowledged that he didn't realize what he was doing," Daugherty said. "We prayed that God would help him."

Fifteen years ago, Rogers struck Richard Roberts, son of evangelist Oral Roberts, while Roberts was rehearsing for his "Richard Roberts Live" television show, the Tulsa World reported Wednesday. Roberts did not file charges.

Billy Joe and his lovely wife Sharon, along with Billy Joe’s mother Iru are some of our favorite people. Years ago, Billy Joe and Sharon preached a continuing revival here in Magnolia. That Gospel meeting was one of the catalyst that resulted in the birth of Magnolia Christian Center.
~~~~~
Speaking of men of God, we received the following update from one of our favorite missionaries this week;
“Looking forward to being home. It is just beginning to get Africa hot as we approach our summer. 90 plus degrees so all you suthaners.....kwityerbeliachin bout the weather.

Had a great graduation rehearsal this afternoon. Jesus gives such dignity to these poor people. One student testified in early morning prayer about how excited he was to be getting a diploma. He had never gotten one and really didn't know what was going to be on it. But was just so happy to have finished. He sounded like a kid talking about what they were getting for Christmas. His eyes lit up and it helped remind me how so little can mean so much to these people.

Anyway, blessed are my eyes for the things the lord has allowed me to witness in the nations of the world. And blessed are the people who have helped me get there.

Paul Troquille”
~~~~~
We’re still rounding up letters of support for Dr. Pat Antoon. These letters will be submitted to the U.S. District Court in Dallas prior to his sentencing hearing following his conviction for health care fraud. Letters may be addressed to the Honorable Judge Jorge A. Solis, and mailed locally to 1050 Columbia 36, Magnolia, AR. 71753, or dropped off at Magnolia Christian Center by November 30. We’re writing one and, if you know Dr. Pat, I hope you will to.
~~~~~
Thanks to Sim Bailey and Tim Rice we have a couple of new TV lights at MCC. They let down the “HUGE” chandelier and pulled it out of the way, then built scaffold up to the peak of the ceiling, where they found that the ceiling panels we were going to mount the lights on were hinged and accessible from the attic.
Oh well, work and learn.
These lights effectively double our foot-candles for TV production.
~~~~~
Congratulations to William and Amy Porter. Sydney Elizabeth was born at 12:11 today. She's 20-1/2 inches and weighed in at 8lbs.
~~~~~
Chris Watson wrote to say; “Thanks and blessing from all here. We’re wishing all there the very best of Thanksgiving and the blessed season of Christmas. May God hear our prayers and bring home our troops soon and let there be peace.”
Chris went on to conclude; “...you can say hi to all for me ... I do miss my job. I truly loved my work...”
Chris continues to be a real inspiration to us.
~~~~~
We’re having a little problem with dropping Hemoglobin levels this month. I called the drug company and asked if they’d had more problems with counterfeit medications. They’re gonna get back with me. In the meantime, I’m taking more naps.
~~~~~
Our sincere sympathy is extended to David Cotten and his family in the loss of their mother who passed away Friday, November 18th in Texarkana. Services were held at the Magnolia Christian Center.
~~~~~
“Fire Fly” was a TV series on the Sci-Fi network. We never saw it (and apparently, we were in the majority there) but, thanks to Oscar Heintz, we’ve discovered it on Netflix. It’s a “Space Western” set five hundred years in the future, where a renegade crew aboard a small, mobile, spacecraft tries to survive as they travel the unknown parts of the galaxy and evade warning factions as well as authority agents out to get them.
Nothing so outstanding in the plot line but the execution is fantastic. This series has (had) great writing, acting and production values. The cast chemistry was near perfect and the special effects second to none.
Now, we’re waiting to see the movie when it comes out on DVD in December. If you do want to give it a try, we suggest you get the DVD’s and use your player’s filter to clean up some of the language. Since we watched it that way, we don’t know how much bad language there was, but we enjoy our DVD players “guardian” feature.
If you like quality writing, acting and filming, give “Fire Fly” a try.
~~~~~
It’s never too early to start making your Christmas list. I’m going to keep this one running here for the benefit of my family.
1 Gig USB Key
GPS
$49 office chair from SAMS (5 of them)
AA Batteries
9-volt batteries
AAA Batteries
Digital Video Recorder (Pioneer DVR-533H-S $333 at Beach Camera)
VHS - DVD Recorder (Lite-On LVC-9006 $219 @ Buy.com)
Rechargeable Batteries for the following “Ham” radios: Kenwood TH-22-AT (9.6 volts, 600 mAh battery, 2 each (for our two radios)), Yaesu FT-50 (it takes a FNB-83 7.2V1400mAh battery), Yaesu, VX-1 (it takes a FNB-52LI 3.6V 700mAh Lithium-Ion battery).
New “Rubber Ducky” antennas for the following “Ham” radios: Kenwood TH-22-AT (two radios)
Trackball for the home computer
Computer glasses to use at church (and maybe some new ones to use at home and at work.)
New socks.
Some Warm-up Suits to wear around the house after we get that first gas bill.
Non-skid toilet rug
Oven Thermometer
Refrigerator Thermometer
Blankets or Quilts
A hat (warm, for bald guys winter wear.)
Cordless Screwdriver
Small, lightweight “head light” so I can see small things on the desk or workbench.

This will grow as the season approaches.
~~~~~
Don't forget ... "Da Bleat" is now on the web. Just go to http://bugsbleat4q.blogspot.com
~~~~~
Feel free to share the "Bleat" with any and all. That's why we publish it.
~~~~~
www.aaa.com Regular Mid Premium Diesel
Current Avg. $2.173 $2.307 $2.390 $2.640
http://www.fuelgaugereport.com/
~~~~~
Recipe(s) of the week - Sweet Potato Cheesecake with Candied Pecans - - Tanya Holland
Show: Melting Pot
Episode: Soul Kitchen - Holiday Desserts


Recipe Summary
Difficulty: Medium
Prep Time: 45 minutes
Inactive Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
Yield: 12 servings



For crust:
2 cups graham cracker crumbs
1/4-cup confectioners' sugar
8 tablespoons melted butter
For cheesecake:
2 pounds cream cheese, softened
1 ½ cups granulated sugar
Pinch salt
5 large eggs
2 egg yolks
½ cup sour cream
3 tablespoons flour
1-teaspoon vanilla
1/4-teaspoon ground ginger
1/4-teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
4 sweet potatoes, baked, peeled, and passed through a food mill
Candied Pecans:
1-cup sugar
1 cup toasted pecans
Butter, for greasing the pan


To make the crust: Mix the graham cracker crumbs, sugar, and melted butter in a bowl. Using a tablespoon, press this mixture into a 10-inch spring form pan, and chill for 30 minutes.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Bake crust for 10 minutes and allow to cool. Butter or spray a pan with vegetable spray.
To make the cheesecake batter: Raise oven temperature to 450 degrees F.
In the bowl of an electric mixer, place cream cheese. Use paddle attachment and beat until smooth. Continue to mix and add sugar and salt. Add the eggs 1 at a time, then add sour cream, flour, and spices. Lower speed and add sweet potato puree. Pour the batter into crust lined pan. Place a baking pan of hot water under cheesecake pan. Bake for 15 minutes at 450 degrees F, then lower temperature to 250 degrees F and bake an additional 1-½ hours or until cake center is firm.
For candied pecans: Melt the sugar and cook until temperature reaches 310 degrees F. Stir in nuts until completely coated. Pour onto buttered baking pan. Try to keep the nuts in individual pieces or pulse in food processor for praline effect.
Let the cake cool completely in pan on rack for 30 minutes, then wrap in plastic, still in pan, and refrigerate until completely chilled. Loosen pan sides and remove cheesecake. Carefully slice cake with knife dipped in hot water, then wiped. Garnish with candied pecans.
http://www.foodnetwork.com/food/recipes/recipe/0,1977,FOOD_9936_17465,00.html
~~~~~
Speaking of food, Annette made her world famous egg rolls for supper this evening. All of y’all who haven’t tasted them are deprived.
~~~~~
BreakPoint
With Chuck Colson

Out of the Darkness
From Postmodernism to Faith
November 25, 2005

Can human beings live with meaninglessness? For a long time, leading postmodernists have been telling us that we not only can, but that we have to. Their view is that there is no truth, no standards, no objectivity, and no purpose, so we make the most of the hand we have been dealt. At root, it’s spiritual and intellectual nihilism.

Well-known author Joan Didion wrote about this recently in The Year of Magical Thinking, her book about her husband’s death and her daughter’s illness. As Didion explains it, the idea of meaninglessness had haunted her from childhood. She says, “That the scheme [of things] could destroy the works of man might be a personal regret but remained . . . a matter of abiding indifference. No eye was on the sparrow. No one was watching me.” She was left to try to find what little meaning she could in nature and “the repeated rituals of domestic life,” as she put it.

The problem with that despairing approach, of course, is that the imago Dei, the image of God, is in every one of us. You can tell people life has no meaning, but they know that just isn’t true. And eventually the most ardent postmodern advocate bumps into reality—like Wallace Stevens, leading postmodern poet whose story I tell in my new book, The Good Life. Six months before he died, he was baptized a Christian.

One of the most dramatic cases is Antony Flew, whom I met this summer when I was lecturing in Oxford. Flew was perhaps the leading atheist philosopher in the world. But at 81, he was introduced to the intelligent design movement and the works of Dr. Michael Behe, who found that the human cell structure is irreducibly complex—and therefore could not have arisen by evolution and gradual natural selection. Flew also realized that some of the things that the early writers of the Scripture had written could not have been humanly known at that time, but have subsequently been vindicated by scientific discovery. Flew was a man of integrity, and rather than just changing his mind and going away quietly, he announced to the world that he was now a deist, believing that there was an intelligence in the universe that created this world.

And now another prominent figure has experienced a similar conversion. After writing twenty-five novels steeped in the occult, Anne Rice has returned to Catholicism, the faith of her childhood, and has promised that she will now “write only for the Lord.” She’s written a book, Christ the Lord: Out of Egypt, which I have not read, but reviewers say is a faithful account of the one she calls “the ultimate supernatural hero.” Anne Rice, writing about Jesus instead of vampires? It’s what Newsweek calls a “startling public turnaround”—and that’s putting it mildly.

Rice explains that her previous works were written from the perspective of someone “lost in the darkness, striving to find meaning.” Anne Rice has now found that meaning, just as Wallace Stevens did, and Antony Flew did, and countless others. I’ve long argued that postmodernism can’t survive because deep inside, we know it can’t be true. We know there is meaning and purpose to life. And as these and others are discovering, it’s found ultimately only in one place: as Anne Rice puts it, in Christ the Lord.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
For further reading and information:
Spend a year studying with Chuck Colson: Learn how to identify, advocate, and apply biblical truth in every arena of life. Apply for the 2006 Centurions Program. The deadline is MONDAY, November 28.

Anne Rice, Christ the Lord: Out of Egypt (Knopf, 2005). Read an excerpt.
Melvin Jules Bukiet, “Jesus Wept,” review of Christ the Lord, Washington Post, 13 November 2005, BW04.
David Gates, “The Gospel According to Anne,” Newsweek, 31 October 2005.
“Anne Rice Turns to Jesus,” CNN.com, 7 November 2005.
Marcia Z. Nelson, “Anne Rice: ‘Stations on a Journey’,” Beliefnet, 31 October 2005.
Laura Miller, “The Coffin Was Too Confining,” New York Times, 27 October 2005. (Reprinted by Mezomorf News.)
Mary Ann Gwinn, “Joan Didion Shares What She’s Learned About Grief, Mourning,” Seattle Times, 18 November 2005.
Charles Colson with Harold Fickett, “From Illusion to Reality: Wallace Stevens and the Good Life,” BreakPoint WorldView, July/August 2005.
BreakPoint Commentary No. 050721, “‘A New Knowledge of Reality’: How One Poet Discovered the Good Life.” (Free registration required.)
BreakPoint Commentary No. 050110, “Weighing the Evidence: An Atheist Abandons Atheism.”
Charles Colson with Harold Fickett, The Good Life (Tyndale, 2005).

Articles on the BreakPoint website are the responsibility of the authors and do not necessarily represent the opinions of Chuck Colson or Prison Fellowship Ministries. Links to outside articles or websites are for informational purposes only and do not necessarily imply endorsement of their content.

The BreakPoint Web site and BreakPoint WorldView Magazine feature Colson’s commentaries as well as feature articles by other established and up-and-coming writers to equip readers with a biblical perspective on a variety of issues and topics.
© 2004 Prison Fellowship.
~~~~~

Words of the Week:
anodyne: serving to relieve pain.
ingenue: a naive girl or young woman, or an actress representing such a person.
subterfuge: a deceptive device or stratagem.
maelstrom: a large, powerful whirlpool; also, a violent, disordered, or turbulent state of affairs.
crepuscular: pertaining to twilight.
repast: a meal.
soporific: causing sleep; also, something that causes sleep.
from Dictionary.Com


~~~~~
"The trick is to combine your waking rational abilities with the infinite possibilities of your dreams. Because, if you can do that, you can do anything." - Richard Linklater

"I am not in this world to live up to other people's expectations, nor do I feel that the world must live up to mine." - Frederick Perls

"How wonderful it is that nobody need wait a single moment before starting to improve the world." - Anne Frank

"Television news is like a lightning flash. It makes a loud noise, lights up everything around it, leaves everything else in darkness and then is suddenly gone." - Hodding Carter

"Perhaps our national ambition to standardize ourselves has behind it the notion that democracy means standardization. But standardization is the surest way to destroy the initiative, to benumb the creative impulse above all else essential to the vitality and growth of democratic ideals." - Ida M. Tarbell

"Technology ... the knack of so arranging the world that we don’t have to experience it." - Max Frisch

"How wonderful it would be if we could help our children and grandchildren to learn thanksgiving at an early age. Thanksgiving opens the doors. It changes a child's personality. A child is resentful, negative - or thankful. Thankful children want to give, they radiate happiness, they draw people." - Sir John Templeton
~~~~~
Christmas and Candlelight in Old Washington - December 3, 2005
Historic Buildings Decorated with Natural Holiday Style, Special Daylight Tours 1 p.m. - 4 p.m., Candlelight Tours 4 p.m. - 8 p.m., Surrey Rides available at Candle Shop, Music in Historic Churches and 1940 WPA Gym 5 p.m. - 8 p.m, Contact Southwest Arkansas Regional Archives
870-983-2633 for more information

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GCF: Ode to Thanksgiving

The following was first posted at Good Clean Fun on 11/28/1997. Thanks to Charlyn for sharing it with us.

If this was forwarded to you, please consider your own subscription to Good Clean Fun. It's free! A smile will enhance the quality of your life. Just send an email to: good-clean-fun-subscribe@yahoogroups.com or visit the Good Clean Fun web site http://www.slonet.org/~tellswor/ UNSUBSCRIBE INFO for Good Clean Fun is at the end of this email. This email was scanned by Norton AntiVirus 2005 before it was sent.
-----------------------------------

Thanksgiving is upon us, that special time of the year when the whole house gets to be clean at the same time because approximately 100,000 relatives are about to descend to eat a turkey dinner in 20 minutes that took 3 days to prepare, and 5 minutes after they arrive the house looks worse than it did before you spent 3 weeks and several hundred dollars to clean it, shine it, dust it, mop it, wax it, vacuum it, de-cobweb it, wash it's windows, scrub it's carpets, not to mention sanitizing the penicillin experiments that magically appear in it's bathrooms and kitchen, mount an investigation to find out what is taking up all the space in the fridge and throw it all away to make room for $500-worth of groceries so the kids can stand in front of it's open door and whine, "There's never anything to EAT in this house", and above all, banish all the JUNK to the 3-car garage that never has and probably never will have an actual car living in it! But seriously, there are many blessings to be thankful for and I am mindful of many: the love of friends and family, stable employment, good health, and a roof over our heads. However, this year there is one thing I will be especially thankful for - when all is said and done and washed and scrubbed and cooked and put away - I will be thankful that it's OVER!
- Charlyn
_ ____________________________ _

GCF: I Am Thankful.....

This is a repeat from the GCF Archives
--------------------------------------

...for the taxes that I pay because it means that I am employed.

...for the mess to clean after a party because it means I have been surrounded by friends.

...for the clothes that fit a little too snug because it means I have enough to eat.

...for my shadow who watches me work because it means I am out in the sunshine.

...for a lawn that needs mowing, windows that need cleaning and gutters that need fixing because it means I have a home.

...for all the complaining I hear about the government because it means we have freedom of speech.

...for the spot I find at the far end of the parking lot because it means I am capable of walking.

...for the lady behind me in church who sings off key because it means that I can hear.

...for the piles of laundry and ironing because it means I have clothes to wear.

...for weariness and aching muscles at the end of the day because it means I have been productive.

...for the alarm that goes off in the early morning hours because it means that I am alive.

...for getting too much e-mail because it lets me know I have friends who are thinking of me.
_ ____________________________ _

This is a repeat from the GCF Archives
--------------------------------------

GCF: Thanksgiving Prayer

My family traditionally begins the evening meal with a prayer of thanks. When they were old enough, we began letting our children say the meal prayer. Of course at first they would ask for a pony, a new bike, etc. They soon learned the more important things which should be included in the prayer.

At Thanksgiving we had the whole family over. My nine year old wanted to say the prayer. It went like this:

"Heavenly Father, we thank Thee for the turkey, the rolls, the mashed potatoes, the red jingly stuff, and the bread stuff even though I don't like it. We ask that You not let us choke on this food."

(Most of us nearly choked just trying not to laugh!)
_ ____________________________ _

GCF: 12 Reasons to be Thankful You Burnt the Turkey

Found at the Humor Matters website. -Tom
http://www.humormatters.com/
-----------------------------------

1. Salmonella won't be a concern.
2. Everyone will think your turkey is Cajun blackened.
3. Uninvited guests will think twice next year.
4. Your cheese broccoli lima bean casserole will gain newfound appreciation.
5. Pets won't bother to pester you for scraps.
6. No one will overeat.
7. The smoke alarm was due for a test.
8. Carving the bird will provide a good cardiovascular workout.
9. You'll get to the desserts even quicker.
10. After dinner, the guys can take the bird to the yard and play football.
11. The less turkey Uncle You-Know-Who eats, the less likely he will be to walk around with his pants unbuttoned.
12. You won't have to face three weeks of turkey sandwiches.
_ ____________________________ _

GCF: Grandfather Turkey

Tom's note: Many places in the world set aside a time to give thanks, usually a Fall/Autumn festival. While the customs may vary from country to country, the desire to reflect on the blessings of life is common.

Here in the United States, Thanksgiving is celebrated on the fourth Thursday in November, a tradition of remembering the Pilgrims and settling in the New World. Our Canadian neighbors celebrate on the second Monday in October, giving thanks for a successful harvest. Canada is further north and thus, the harvest season falls earlier in Canada compared to the United States. As a bit of Thanksgiving trivia, the first formal Canadian Thanksgiving was held about 40 years prior to the landing of the Pilgrims at Plymouth Rock.

No matter where you are from, it is a time for families to get together, give thanks, and celebrate with food (turkey is one of the traditional items). And don't forget football (I bet those Pilgrims loosened their big ol' buckles and just stared at the camp fire ... until half-time).

Thanksgiving also marks the unofficial beginning of the winter holiday season. All the humor at Good Clean Fun this week will be of the Thanksgiving genre.

This is a repeat from the GCF Archives
--------------------------------------

Just before Thanksgiving, the holding pen was abuzz as Mother Turkey scolded her younger birds. "You turkeys are always into mischief," she gobbled. "If your grandfather could see the things you do, he'd turn over in his gravy."
_ ____________________________ _

GCF: Tennis Bracelet

Emailed to me from another humor list (The Funnies) -Tom To subscribe to The Funnies, send a blank email to: andychaps_the-funnies-subscribe@yahoogroups.com
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A woman sees a beautiful tennis bracelet in a jewelry store window. She goes in and asks the clerk if a small deposit will hold it until her husband does something unforgivable.
_ ____________________________ _
\\\\ \_/ / \ \_/ ////
\ / No sense being pessimistic. \ /
\ _/ It wouldn't work anyway. \_ /
/ / \ (((\ \>|_/ )_______________________( \_| \\\\ \_/ / \ \_/ ////
\ /If a turtle doesn't have a shell,\ /
\ _/ is he homeless or naked? \_ /
/ / \ (((\ \>|_/ )_______________________( \_| \\\\ \_/ / \ \_/ ////
\ / If pro is the opposite of con, \ /
\ _/ is progress the opposite \_ /
/ / of congress? \ (((\ \>|_/ )_______________________( \_| \\\\ \_/ / \ \_/ ////
\ / \ /
\ _/ "Some drink at the fountain of \_ /
/ / knowledge ... others just gargle." \ (((\ \>|_/ )_______________________( \_| \\\\ \_/ / If you line up all the cars \ \_/ ////
\ / in the world end to end, \ /
\ _/ someone would be stupid enough \_ /
/ / to try and pass them. \ (((\ \>|_/ )_______________________( \_| \\\\ \_/ / \ \_/ ////
\ / Budget: A method for \ /
\ _/ going broke methodically. \_ /
/ / \ _ ____________________________ _
/ )| Thomas S. Ellsworth |( / / | tellswor@slonet.org | \ _( (_ | http://www.slonet.org/~tellswor | _) )_
(((\ \>|_/ )_______________________( \_|Stop for a visit, leave with a smile! To join Good Clean Fun, email: good-clean-fun-subscribe@yahoogroups.Com To leave Good Clean Fun, email: good-clean-fun-unsubscribe@yahoogroups.Com Or visit the Good Clean Fun web site at http://www. slonet.org/~tellswor/
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[GCFL.net] Thanksgiving Short Ones

One fellow was violently tearing through his Bible in a desperate search when a friend came up and asked, "Is something wrong?"

"Yes," he said, "I can't remember if the Thanksgiving story is in the Old Testament or New Testament!"

---

Thanksgiving day was approaching, and the family received a Thanksgiving card with a painting of a pilgrim family on their way to church. Grandma showed the card to her small grandchildren, observing, "The Pilgrim children liked to go to church with their mothers and fathers."

"Oh yeah?" her young grandson replied, "so why is their dad carrying that rifle?"

---

Thanksgiving is an emotional time. People travel thousands of miles to be with people they see only once a year. And then they discover that once a year is way too often.

---

Father, bless us according to our thankLESSness, lest Thou bless us according to our thankfulness, and we starve.

Received from Andy Chaps The Funnies.

(-:][:-)

[GCFL.net] Thanksgiving Food For Thought

/* Apparently Monday's joke was from Something BIG Has Been Here written by Jack Pruletsky. Thanks to those that pointed this out to us. */

Q: What happened to the turkey that got in a fight?
A: He got the stuffing knocked out of him!

Q: Why wouldn't the turkey eat any dessert?
A: He was stuffed!

Q: Why was the turkey made the drummer?
A: Because he had the drumsticks!

Q: When did the Pilgrims first say, "God Bless America"?
A: The first time they heard America sneeze.

Knock, knock.
Who's there?
Gladys.
Gladys who?
Gladys Thanksgiving!!!

May your stuffing be tasty;
May your turkey be plump,
May your taters 'n gravy have nary a lump,
May your yams be delicious,
May your pies take the prize,
May your Thanksgiving dinner
Stay off of your thighs.

Received from ladyjjoke.

(-:][:-)

[GCFL.net] First Time Turkey Cooker

As we enjoy the holidays, remember to be nice to those first-time turkey cookers...

One year at Thanksgiving, my mom went to my sister's house for the traditional feast. Knowing how gullible my sister is, my mom decided to play a trick. She told my sister that she needed something from the store.

When my sister left, my mom took the turkey out of the oven, removed the stuffing, stuffed a Cornish hen and inserted it into the turkey, and re-stuffed the turkey. She then placed the bird(s) back in the oven.

When it was time for dinner, my sister pulled the turkey out of the oven and proceeded to remove the stuffing. When her serving spoon hit something, she reached in and pulled out the little bird.

With a look of total shock on her face, my mother exclaimed, "Patricia, you've cooked a pregnant bird!" At the reality of this horrifying news, my sister started to cry.

It took the family two hours to convince her that turkeys lay eggs!

Received from Linda Priddy.

(-:][:-)

[GCFL.net] The Turkey Shot Out Of The Oven

/* Thursday is Thanksgiving Day in the U. S. so we are having a Thanksgiving week here at GCFL! We hope you all have a great Thanksgiving holiday, but be sure to take a moment to give thanks for all the things you are (or should be) thankful. :) */

The turkey shot out of the oven
and rocketed into the air,
it knocked every plate off the table
and partly demolished a chair.

It ricocheted into a corner and
burst with a deafening boom,
then splattered all over the kitchen,
completely obscuring the room.

It stuck to the walls and the windows,
it totally coated the floor,
there was turkey attached to the ceiling,
where there'd never been turkey before.

It blanketed every appliance,
it smeared every saucer and bowl,
there wasn't a way I could stop it,
that turkey was out of control.

I scraped and I scrubbed with displeasure,
and thought with chagrin as I mopped,
that I'd never again stuff a turkey
with popcorn that hadn't been popped.

Received from LaVonne.

(-:][:-)

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TEST FOR SMART PEOPLE

The following short quiz consists of 4 questions and will tell you whether you are qualified to be a professional. Scroll down for each answer. The questions are NOT that difficult. But don't scroll down UNTIL you have answered the question!

1. How do you put a giraffe into a refrigerator?

The correct answer is: Open the refrigerator, put in the giraffe, and close the door. This question tests whether you tend to do simple things in an overly complicated way.

2. How do you put an elephant into a refrigerator?

Did you say, "Open the refrigerator, put in the elephant, and close the door?" Wrong Answer!

Correct Answer: Open the refrigerator, take out the giraffe, put in the elephant and close the door.

This tests your ability to think through the repercussions of your previous actions.

3. The Lion King is hosting an animal conference. All the animals attend . . . except one. Which animal does not attend?

Correct Answer: The elephant. The elephant is in the refrigerator. You just put him in there.

This question tests your memory.

Okay, even if you did not answer the first three questions correctly, you still have one more chance to show your true abilities.

4. There is a river you must cross, but it is used by crocodiles, and you do not have a boat. How do you manage it?

Correct Answer: You jump into the river and swim across. Have you not been listening? All the crocodiles are attending the Animal Conference.

This tests whether you learn quickly from your mistakes.

According to Anderson Consulting Worldwide, around 90% of the professionals they tested got all questions wrong, but many preschoolers got several correct answers. Anderson Consulting says this conclusively disproves the theory that most professionals have the brains of a four-year-old.

Send this out to frustrate all of your smart friends.

Thanks to John Chadsey
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Welcome to You Make Me Laugh, a free newsletter from Crosswalk.com, the world's largest Christian website.
Today's Clean Laugh

Sauce Control Center

Becky prepared a pasta dish for a dinner party she was giving. In her haste, however, she forgot to refrigerate the spaghetti sauce, and it sat on the counter all day. She was worried about spoilage, but it was too late to cook up another batch. She called the local Poison Control Center and voiced her concern. They advised Becky to boil the sauce again.

That night, the phone rang during dinner, and a guest volunteered to answer it. Becky's face dropped as the guest called out, "It's the Poison Control Center. They want to know how the spaghetti sauce turned out."

*Thanks to Pastor Tim for this joke!*
http://www.cybersalt.org/cleanlaugh

(-:][:-)

*Favorite Flower*

While attending a marriage seminar on communication, Tom and his wife Peg listened to the instructor declare, "It is essential that husbands and wives know the things that are important to each other."

He addressed the men, "Can you describe your wife's favorite flower?"

Tom leaned over, touched his wife's arm gently and whispered, Pillsbury All-Purpose, isn't it?"

The rest of the story is not pleasant.

*Thanks to Pastor Tim for this joke!*
http://www.cybersalt.org/cleanlaugh

(-:][:-)

*Where'd we get him?*

Little Johnny's new baby brother was screaming up a storm. He asked his mom, "Where'd we get him?"

His mother replied, "He came from heaven, Johnny."

Johnny says, "WOW! I can see why they threw him out!"

*Thanks to Pastor Tim for this joke!*
http://www.cybersalt.org/cleanlaugh

(-:][:-)

Last Minute Turkey

It's the day before Thanksgiving and the butcher is just locking up when a man pounds on the door. "Please let me in," says the man, "I forgot to buy a turkey and my wife will kill me if I don't come home with one."

"OK" says the butcher. "Let me see what's left." He goes into the freezer and discovers that there's only one scrawny turkey left. He brings it out to show the man.

"That one's too skinny. What else have you got"? says the man. The butcher takes the bird back into the freezer and waits a few minutes then brings the same turkey back out to the man.

"Oh no," says the man, "that one doesn't look any better. You better give me both of them."

*Thanks to Pastor Tim for this joke!*
http://www.cybersalt.org/cleanlaugh

(-:][:-)

Turkey Hotline

2 True stories from the Butterball Turkey Hotline, where people call to get advice on how to cook a Turkey from the experts:

* Thanksgiving Dinner on the run. A woman called to find out how long it would take to roast her turkey. To answer the question, the Talk-Line home economist asked how much the bird weighed. The woman responded, "I don't know, it's still running around outside."

* Tofu turkey? No matter how you slice it, Thanksgiving just isn't Thanksgiving without turkey. A restaurant owner in California wanted to know how to roast a turkey for a vegetarian menu

* Then there's the time a lady was picking through the frozen turkeys at the grocery store, but couldn't find one big enough for her family. She asked a stock boy, "Do these turkeys get any bigger?" The stock boy replied, "No ma'am, they're dead."

*Thanks to Pastor Tim for this joke!*
http://www.cybersalt.org/cleanlaugh

(-:][:-)

"Eye Laugh"

Vision Sketch

http://www.cybersalt.org/g05.php?id=162

Thanksgiving Paws

http://www.cybersalt.org/go.php?id=cw343

Thanksgiving

http://www.cybersalt.org/go.php?id=cw328

"Body Shop Tow"

http://www.cybersalt.org/g05.php?id=181

"Dish Bath"

http://www.cybersalt.org/g05.php?id=186

(-:][:-)

-=+=-
Daily devotionals are available at http://link.Crosswalk.Com/UM/T.asp?A1. 39. 17757. 1. 494611 You can access more information on Crosswalk's Fun page http://www.Crosswalk.Com/fun/! Crosswalk gives credit to the author of a joke when author is known. Feel free to send notification to admin@cybersalt.org in cases where credit has not been given to the author! -SUBSCRIPTION INFO- * Copyright2004 Crosswalk.Com, Inc. and its Content Providers. All rights reserved. Introducing www.Crossguide.Com Where Christians find Products, Services & Ministries.
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"Don't strive for recognition, but work for achievement." -- Vanessa Malone
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Madeleine Begun Kane Latest Columns - - http://www.madkane.com/genderatwork.html - - Gender At Work "Our Portia has come up with an excellent solution." A trial judge said this about me several years ago in open court, when I was still a full-time litigator. I've never forgotten it. Not because it was a compliment to be compared to so formidable a lawyer as Shakespeare's Portia, although I think he meant it as a compliment..."
http://www.madkane.com
http://www.madkane.com/notable.html (Notables Weblog)
http://www.madkane.com/bush.html (Dubya's Dayly Diary)
Subscribe to MadKane Humor Newsletter (weekly) here:
http://www.madkane.com/email.html
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Google Sightseeing - - http://www.googlesightseeing.com/ - - This site features the best tourist spots in the world via Google Maps' satellite imagery.
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Emile Berliner and the Birth of the Recording Industry - - http://lcweb2.loc.gov/ammem/berlhtml/berlhome.html - - This site is a selection of more than 400 items from the Emile Berliner Papers and 108 Berliner sound recordings from the Library of Congress's Motion Picture, Broadcasting and Recorded Sound Division. Berliner, an immigrant and a largely self-educated man, was responsible for the development of the microphone and the flat recording disc and gramophone player.
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Fact Monster: Online Almanac, Dictionary, Encyclopedia, and Homework Help - - http://www.factmonster.com/ - - Fact Monster is the largest free reference site just for kids! Get homework help and find facts on thousands of subjects, including sports, entertainment, geography, history, biography, education and health.
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Body Mass Index Calculator - - http://www.cdc.gov/nccdphp/dnpa/bmi/calc-bmi.htm - - BMI stands for Body Mass Index. It is a number that shows body weight adjusted for height. BMI can be calculated with simple math using inches and pounds, or meters and kilograms. For adults aged 20 years or older, BMI falls into one of these categories: underweight, normal, overweight, or obese. BMI is not the only indicator of health risk. BMI is just one of many factors related to developing a chronic disease (such as heart disease, cancer, or diabetes). Other factors that may be important to look at when assessing your risk for chronic disease include: diet, physical activity, waist circumference, blood pressure, blood sugar level, cholesterol level, and family history of disease.
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Cost-of-Living Wizard - - http://swz.salary.com/CostOfLivingWizard/layoutscripts/coll_start.asp - - Considering a new city? Salary.com's cost-of-living calculator will compare living-cost indexes and salary differentials to help you make an informed comparison. Learn how your disposable income will be affected by a relocation between any combination of 300-plus U.S. cities. The Cost-of-Living Wizard also reports the salary adjustment needed to maintain your standard of living, and what salary increase or decrease is likely given local market factors. Related site: Salary Value Index.
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BONUS SITE: The United States Welcomes Highest Number of Travelers in History - - http://www.cbp.gov/xp/cgov/newsroom/press_releases/11142005.xml - - U.S. Customs and Border Protection Commissioner Robert C. Bonner recently announced that the number of travelers cleared into the U.S. by air reached the highest number in history.
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Virtual Hospital - - http://www.cbp.gov/xp/cgov/newsroom/press_releases/11142005.xml - - Virtual Hospital is a digital health sciences library created in 1992 at the University of Iowa to help meet the information needs of health care providers and patients. The goal of the Virtual Hospital digital library is to make the Internet a useful medical reference and health promotion tool for health care providers and patients. The Virtual Hospital digital library contains thousands of textbooks and booklets for health care providers and patients.
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How Thanksgiving Works - - http://people.howstuffworks.com/thanksgiving.htm - - Thanksgiving stands out in the holiday season because it is open to just about everybody. It isn't tied to any specific religion, and you can pretty much celebrate it however you want. The only essential traditions are to enjoy a meal with friends or family and to give thanks for what you have. In the world of holidays, Thanksgiving is about as simple and pure as it gets. The holiday also honors American history, of course. In countless Thanksgiving plays, American children have told the story of the first Thanksgiving when the Pilgrims and the Native Americans celebrated the autumn harvest in cooperation and acceptance. Have you ever wondered where the particulars of this story and the other details of Thanksgiving actually come from? In this article, we'll look at the origins of the many things we associate with this day.
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"As Americans tuck into their Thanksgiving meals, they can take heart that new research shows a generous helping of cranberry sauce may actually offer benefits for their teeth. Cranberries, which already are known to help thwart urinary tract infections, may also prevent tooth decay and cavities, dental researchers reported in the January issue of the journal Caries Research. The same sticky compounds in the small, hard red fruit -- which is boiled into a jelly that is a staple at American winter holiday meals -- that help keep bacteria at bay in the bladder also appear to help prevent bacteria from clinging to teeth, according to the researchers. They also found it seemed to help ward off plaque, a gooey substance formed from bits of food, saliva, and acid that can harbor bacteria and eventually irritate the gums."
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"The Army is offering a series of new incentives to young officers to stem a rising exodus in the past two years of West Point and ROTC scholarship grads. The number of lieutenants and captains leaving had dropped after the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks. But it has increased almost to pre-9/11 levels because of mounting concerns about repeat tours of duty in Iraq and Afghanistan, according to military analysts such as Bob Scales, a retired Army major general and former commandant of the Army War College. The percentage of young West Point graduates leaving the Army rose from 6.5% in 2003 to 10.7% in fiscal 2005, which ended Sept. 30. That compares with 11.6% who left in 2000. The number of scholarship ROTC graduates who left rose from 5.1% in 2003 to 9.3% in 2005. In 2000, 10.6% left." -
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"Women do not develop high blood pressure from a coffee drinking habit but there is a link between hypertension and drinking colas that may have nothing to do with caffeine, a study said on November 8, 2005. 'We found strong evidence to refute speculation that coffee consumption is associated with an increased risk of hypertension in women,' wrote study author Wolfgang Winkelmayer of Brigham and Women's Hospital and the Harvard School of Public Health. Previous studies have offered conflicting findings about the relationship between coffee consumption and hypertension, but many experts have concluded healthy peoples' bodies learn to tolerate a daily cup or two." -
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"A Boeing Co. jet arrived in London from Hong Kong on November 10, 2005, breaking the record for the longest nonstop flight by a commercial jet. The 777-200LR Worldliner - one of Boeing's newest planes - touched down at London's Heathrow Airport after a journey of more than 13,422 miles. The previous record was set when a Boeing 747-400 flew 10,500 miles from London to Sydney in 1989. A representative of Guinness World Records, which monitored the flight, presented Boeing's Lars Andersen with a certificate confirming it was for the longest nonstop commercial flight. Captain Suzanna Darcy-Hennemann, was at the controls when the plane left Hong Kong, said the trip east across the Pacific had been bumpy. 'But we had a great ride across the United States ... and across the Atlantic we saw our second sunrise of the trip,' she said. The jet spent 22 hours and 43 minutes in the air." -
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"Scientists have discovered a biological brake for a hunger hormone: a competing hormone that seems to counter the urge to eat. The substance, named obestatin, has been tested just in laboratory rats so far. But if it pans out, the discovery of the dueling hormones could lead not only to a new appetite suppressant, but also help unravel the complex ways that the body regulates weight. It turns out that the same gene sparks production of the two opposing hormones, Stanford University researchers say in the journal Science." -
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"If some of the numbers being cited about identity theft are to be believed, it's just a matter of time before some unseen cyberhustler steals your name, empties your bank account and wrecks your financial reputation. You can almost hear the maniacal laughter. By some measures, one in five Americans has been hit. Another common statistic is that 10 million people fall victim every year. Making matters even scarier, new laws in California and other states have forced companies to essentially tell all U.S. consumers when their personal data have been compromised - even if the files have not actually been maliciously used. In response, Congress is considering bills to restrict the flow of personal information. And identity theft monitoring services have sprung up that can cost consumers well over $100 a year." -
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"The holidays are fast approaching. You're stressed, trying to diet and tempting foods abound. It's a recipe for overeating, according to researchers who found that when rats are stressed, deprived of food and then exposed to chocolate -- they overeat. 'Our findings contribute to the understanding of how feeding behavior is regulated,' Dr. M. Flavia Barbano from the Universite Victor Segalen, Bordeaux 2 in France told Reuters Health. 'Research in this field could help us to better establish the origins of the obesity epidemic that Western countries are facing today.' Working with laboratory rats, Barbano along with her colleague, Dr. Martine Cador tested three aspects of eating behavior: motivation (how bad did the animals want the food); anticipation (how excited were they to get it); and intake (how much did they eat), in relation to how hungry or satisfied the animals were and how palatable the food was."
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A friend is someone we turn to when our spirits need a lift
A friend is someone we treasure for our friendship is a gift.
A friend is someone who fills our lives with beauty, joy, and grace
And makes the world we live in a better and happier place.
There is a miracle called friendship, that dwells in the heart.
You do not know how it happens or when it gets it's start
But you know the special lift it always brings.
You realize that friendship is a most precious gift!

Let old friends know you haven't forgotten them, and tell new friends you never will.
Remember, everyone needs a friend, someday you might feel like you have NO FRIENDS at all, take comfort in knowing somebody out there cares about you and always will...

Thanks to Trina Montgomery
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Our Church, Magnolia Christian Center, has the following mission statement. Our purpose is to build a great church for the glory of God through the great commission and the great commandment. MCC' Vision - That MCC will be a place hopping with children, energized with teenagers, balanced with diversity and transformed by the power of God! We want to turn uninterested people into interested people and win the lost to make fully devoted followers of Christ.
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Companies Ban 'Christmas,' Not Worried About Backlash

Several retailers have joined in the push to ban the use of "Christmas" in their in-store promotions and retail advertising. The new push to eliminate "Christmas" and replace it with "Happy Holidays," "Season's Greetings," etc. is gaining ground with several retailers participating.

Not wanting to offend a handful of complainers, these companies are willing to offend the vast majority who hold Christmas as a time to celebrate the birth of Christ. Their attitude is that those who identify themselves as Christians don't care if they eliminate "Christmas."

While it is too late to make changes this year, we have already sent letters to several major retailers we have identified as participating in banning "Christmas," asking them to put Christmas back into their in-store promotions and retail advertising next year. We have sent letters to the chairmen of Target, Home Depot, Wal-Mart, Kmart/Sears, Costco, Kohl's and Lowe's about their practice. (Lowe's even refuses to promote their trees as Christmas trees, but calls them "Holiday Trees." Their toll-free number is 1-800-445-6937.)

Please sign our petition letting these companies know that banning "Christmas" in their promotions and advertising next year will result in a loss of business. As we identify other companies participating in this practice, we will contact them.

We need your support to be effective. That is why we need your petition. Please help us get the word out by forwarding this to your friends and family. Many of them will want to participate. We will keep you informed on which companies make changes and which ones refuse.

Click Here To Sign The Petition Now!
http://www.afa.net/petitions/signpetition.asp?id=1480
Thanks for caring enough to get involved.

Sincerely,

Donald E. Wildmon, Founder and Chairman
American Family Association

P.S. "There is an anti-Christian bias in this country, and it is more on display at Christmas season than any other time." – Bill O'Reilly, The O'Reilly Factor, Fox News Channel (Speaking about the decision of Target and other stores to ban the use of "Merry Christmas" in their stores and advertising.)
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Statement at a football game
This is a statement that was read over the PA system at the football game at Roane County High School, Kingston, Tennessee, by school Principal, Jody McLoud. "It has always been the custom at Roane County High School football games to say a prayer and play the National Anthem, to honor God and Country."
Due to a recent ruling by the Supreme Court, I am told that
saying a Prayer is a violation of Federal Case Law. As I understand the law at this time, I can use this public facility to approve of sexual perversion and call it "an alternate lifestyle," and if someone is offended, that's OK. I can use it to condone sexual promiscuity, by dispensing condoms and calling it, "safe sex." If someone is offended, that's OK.
I can even use this public facility to present the merits of killing an unborn baby as a "viable means of birth control." If someone
is offended, no problem... I can designate a school day as "Earth Day" and involve students in activities to worship religiously and praise the goddess "Mother Earth" and call it "ecology."
I can use literature, videos and presentations in the classroom that depict people with strong, traditional Christian convictions as "simple minded" and "ignorant" and call it "enlightenment."
However, if anyone uses this facility to honor God and to ask Him to bless this event with safety and good sportsmanship, then Federal Case law is violated. This appears to be inconsistent at best, and at worst, diabolical. Apparently, we are to be tolerant of everything and anyone, except God and His Commandments.
Nevertheless, as a school principal, I frequently ask staff and students to abide by rules with which they do not necessarily agree. For me to do otherwise would be inconsistent at best, and at worst, hypocritical... I suffer from that affliction enough unintentionally. I certainly do not need to add an intentional transgression.
For this reason, I shall "Render unto Caesar that which is Caesar's," and refrain from praying at this time. "However, if
you feel inspired to honor, praise and thank God and ask Him, in the name
of Jesus, to bless this event, please feel free to do so.
As far as I know, that's not against the law----yet." One by one, the people in the stands bowed their heads, held
hands with one another and began to pray. They prayed in the stands. They prayed in the team huddles. They prayed at the concession stand and
they prayed in the Announcer's Box! The only place they didn't pray was in the Supreme Court of the United States of America - the Seat of "Justice" in the "one nation, under God."
Somehow, Kingston, Tennessee, remembered what so many have forgotten. We are given the Freedom OF Religion, not the Freedom FROM Religion.
Praise God that His remnant remains! Jesus said, "If you are ashamed of Me before men, then I will be ashamed of you before My Father."

Thanks to Randy Maness
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Special Offer to OneMillionDads.com: Lessons from the Lion

The movie, The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, based on the 1950s literary masterpiece written by C.S. Lewis is scheduled for worldwide release on December 9.

To help parents make the most of their children's interest in the highly-publicized Narnia story, author Michael Pritchard of Memphis, Tennessee, is offering a companion workbook titled Lessons from the Lion: Your Family's Guide to "The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe."

Lessons from the Lion is a 33-page illustrated workbook designed to be an interactive learning guide for teaching biblical lessons and fostering spiritual discussions based on the truths presented in Lewis' beloved story throughout which Christianity is embedded.

"The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe is an amazing story about four siblings who enter a fantasy world and experience adventures beyond their imagination," Pritchard explains. "They encounter talking animals, an evil queen and a majestic lion as they journey throughout the land of Narnia. During their adventures, the children come face to face with temptation and fear which, in the end, help them to grasp a true understanding of forgiveness and salvation."

The workbook provides thought-provoking questions to help parents stimulate discussion with their children as the whole family is challenged to think deeper about the story.

"There's no better time for someone to learn about Christ than when he's young and more open to Christ's teachings," says Pritchard, a former youth worker at Bellevue Baptist Church of which the late Dr. Adrian Rogers was pastor for 32 years. "This workbook is a way for parents to nurture the spiritual growth of their children."

The workbook is targeted at elementary-age children and is available at an introductory price of $4.99 as a downloadable PDF file at LessonsfromtheLion.com or through links at the website for American Family Association. Several buying options are available, some of which include a teacher's edition with additional activities, teaching tips and reproducible activities as well as a special hardback, read-aloud version of C.S. Lewis' beloved story.

Sincerely,

Donald E. Wildmon, Chairman
OneMillionDads.com
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TGIF-Today God Is First


Are You a Romans 8:14 Christian?
by Os Hillman, November 19, 2005
For if you live according to the sinful nature, you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the misdeeds of the body, you will live, because those who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God. - Romans 8:13-14

Joshua and Caleb are described in Scripture as men who had a different spirit. They were two of the 12 spies sent into the Promised Land to determine if it could be taken, as God had promised it to them. The other ten gave a bad report that instilled fear in the people, which ultimately caused a rebellion. This resulted in an entire generation dying in the desert. Joshua and Caleb were the only two who were led by the Spirit of God, versus the spirit of fear. They were the only ones to enter the Promised Land from their generation.

Are you a person led by the Spirit? The verse above tells us that those who are led by the Spirit are sons of God. "But because My servant Caleb has a different spirit and follows Me wholeheartedly, I will bring him into the land he went to, and his descendants will inherit it" (Num. 14:24). Caleb was a Romans 8:14 man! The Spirit led him. He was not led by fear.

Many of us have failed to enter into our own Promised Land because we have failed to be led by the Spirit rather than by fear. Fear prevents us from entering into what God has promised for each of us. God has reserved an inheritance for us that is exceedingly good. God described the Promised Land as a land of milk and honey. Our own Promised Land is the same. But you must be led by the Spirit to enter in. You cannot be led by fear, reason and analysis, or even skill. The Spirit must lead you.

Commit yourself to being a Romans 8:14 man or woman. Then you will enter into the land God has promised for you.

-=+=-

Share TGIF With A Friend - - http://www.marketplaceleaders.org/pages.asp?pageid=27851
Copyright 2005. www.MarketplaceLeaders.org
---------------------------------------------------
To contact Os Hillman, request reprint permission, or to book Os to speak in your town write to os@marketplaceleaders.org. Marketplace Leaders Website: http://www.marketplaceleaders.org/ Copyright 2005
--------------------------------------------------
Please recommend this TGIF daily devotional to everyone interested in applying their faith to their worklife. Tell them to subscribe at http://www.TodayGodIsFirst.com

Os Hillman Copyright 2005
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Activities and Events of Interest
~~~
Albemarle Kids' Christmas Party - Saturday, December 3, 10 am to 1 pm - SAU Skating Rink
~~~
Albemarle Christmas Party - December 6 and December 8
~~~
The Emancipation Proclamation will be on display at the Clinton Library September 22-25, 2007.
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"September 11 WDYTJWD" W. P. Florence
Justice first, then peace."
"September 11" Never forget.--Tony Moses
"ONE NATION UNDER GOD ...the only way"--Phillip Story
"We have nothing to fear but fear itself." -- Franklin D. Roosevelt
"Keeping my head down but face toward Heaven" - - Jody Eldred, ABC News Cameraman in Kuwait
"Remember Pearl Harbor? Remember 9/11!" --"Bug"
Tell the people you love that you love them, at every opportunity. - - George Carlin
"Stop telling God how big your storm is. Instead, tell the storm how big your God is!" - - Queen E. Watson
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NEVER FORGET! We're listing the names of our soldiers killed weekly. These records can be found at http://www.defenselink. mil/releases/

The Department of Defense announced the death of two soldiers who were supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom. They died of injuries sustained in Bayji, Iraq, on Nov. 17, when their HMMWV was involved in a vehicle accident during convoy operations. Both soldiers were assigned to the 3rd Special Troops Battalion, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division, Fort Campbell, Ky. Killed were:
01. Spc. Vernon R. Widner, 34, of Redlands, Calif., in Tikrit, Iraq, on Nov. 17.
02. Pfc. Anthony A. Gaunky, 19, of Sparta, Wis., at Landstuhl Regional Medical Center in Landstuhl, Germany, on Nov. 18.

03. Sgt. Luis R. Reyes, 26, of Aurora, Colo., died en route to Ali Al Salem, Kuwait, on Nov. 18, when the bus in which he was riding rolled over. Reyes was assigned to the Army National Guard's 947th Engineer Company, Durango, Colo.

04. Pvt. Christopher M. Alcozer, 21, of DeKalb, Ill., died in Mosul, Iraq, on Nov. 19, when his unit was attacked by enemy forces using small arms fire and grenades. Alcozer was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 1st Infantry Regiment, 172nd Stryker Brigade Combat Team, Fort Wainwright, Alaska.

05. Staff Sgt. Ivan V. Alarcon, 23, of Jerome, Idaho, died in Tal Afar, Iraq, on Nov. 17, when his HMMWV accidentally rolled over during combat operations. Alarcon was assigned to the Army's 473rd Quartermaster Company, Hunter Army Airfield, Ga.

06. Master Sgt. Anthony R. C. Yost, 39, of Flint, Mich., died in Mosul, Iraq on Nov. 19, when a vehicle-borne improvised explosive device detonated near his position during combat operations. Yost was assigned to the 3rd Battalion, 3rd Special Forces Group, Fort Bragg, N.C.

07. Sgt. Dominic J. Sacco, 32, of Albany, N.Y., died in Taji, Iraq, on Nov. 20, when his M1A1 Abrams tank was attacked by enemy forces using small arms fire. Sacco was assigned to the Army's 1st Battalion, 13th Armor Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Armored Division, Fort Riley, Kan.

08. Lance Cpl. Tyler J. Troyer, 21, of Tangent, Ore., died Nov. 19 from wounds received as a result of small arms fire while conducting combat operations against enemy forces near Al Karmah, Iraq. He was assigned to 2nd Battalion, 2nd Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division, II Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Lejeune, N.C

09. Lance Cpl. Miguel Terrazas, 20, of El Paso, Texas died Nov. 19 from an improvised explosive device while conducting combat operations against enemy forces in the vicinity of Hadithah, Iraq. He was assigned to 3rd Battalion, 1st Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division, I Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Pendleton, Calif. During Operation Iraqi Freedom, his unit was attached to 2nd Marine Division, II Marine Expeditionary Force (Forward).

The Department of Defense announced the death of four soldiers who were supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom. They died in Bayji, Iraq on Nov. 19, when an improvised explosive device detonated near their HMMWV during combat operations. The soldiers were assigned to the 1st Battalion, 187th Infantry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division, Fort Campbell, Ky. Killed were:
10. 1st Lt. Dennis W. Zilinski, 23, of Freehold, N.J.
11. Staff Sgt. Edward Karolasz, 25, of Powder Springs, N.J.
12. Cpl. Jonathan F. Blair, 21, of Fort Wayne, Ind.
13. Spc. Dominic J. Hinton, 24, of Jacksonville, Texas.

14. Spc. Michael J. Idanan, 21, of Chula Vista, Calif., died in Bayji, Iraq on Nov. 19, when an improvised explosive device detonated near his HMMWV during combat operations. Idanan was assigned to the 1st Squadron, 33rd Cavalry, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division, Fort Campbell, Ky.

15. Spc. Matthew P. Steyart, 21, of Mount Shasta, Calif., died in Shah Wali Kot, Afghanistan, on Nov. 22, when an improvised explosive device detonated near his HMMWV during patrol operations. Steyart was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 508th Infantry Regiment, Vicenza, Italy.

16. Pfc. John W. Dearing, 21, of Hazel Park, Mich., died in Habbaniyah, Iraq on Nov. 21, when an improvised explosive device detonated near his HMMWV during combat operations. Dearing was assigned to the Army National Guard's 1st Battalion, 125th Infantry Regiment, Saginaw, Mich.

17. Petty Officer 3rd Class Emory J. Turpin, 23, of Dahlonega, Ga., died Nov. 20 when he drowned in the Seychelles. Turpin was assigned to Naval Mobile Construction Battalion 74 currently deployed to the Seychelles.

18. Sgt. Denis J. Gallardo, 22, of St. Petersburg, Fla., died in Tal Afar, Iraq, on Nov. 22, from a non-combat related illness. Gallardo was assigned to the Army's 2nd Squadron, 3rd Armored Cavalry Regiment, Fort Carson, Colo.

19. Spc. Allen J. Knop, 22, of Willowick, Ohio, died in Baghdad, Iraq, on Nov. 23, from non-combat related injuries. Knop was assigned to the Army's 2nd Battalion, 502nd Infantry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division, Fort Campbell, Ky.

http://icasualties.org/oif/default.aspx
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Please remember to pray for the American soldiers stationed everywhere around the globe and especially in Iraq. Times have been and are very tough and it would be nice if you would all just say a prayer for their safety and for their families.
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Scheduled Activities
~~~
Alcoholics Anonymous meets at 8 p.m. Monday - Friday. At noon on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays and at 7 p.m. Sunday at 914 N. Vine
~~~
Columbia County Amateur Radio Club meets Every second Thursday @ 7:00 p.m. Union Street Station. And YOU'RE invited. Net is every Sunday at 20:30 on 147.105.
~~~
Columbia County Diabetes Support Group - Every third Monday, 7:00 p.m. room 222, Magnolia Hospital
~~~
"Focus on the Family" with Dr. James Dobson weekday afternoons at 1 PM on KVMA am 630 it's a great show!
~~~
MCC - Abraham Prayer - Sunday at 5:00 p.m and Wednesday from 11:30 am to 1:00 pm
~~~
MCC - "Beth Moore" Video Class - Thursday nights at 5:45 pm
~~~
MCC - "Faith Builders" Small group meets at 1051 Columbia 36 the second and fourth Tuesdays, 6:30 pm to 7:45 pm.
~~~
MCC - Firm Foundations Class, Sunday 9:30 to 10:15 a.m
~~~
MCC - Meadow Brook Nursing Home Ministry Tuesday from 10:00 to 11:00 a.m
~~~
MCC - Mom's Day Out - Every Tuesday and Thursday from 9 to 2.$10 for the first child, $5 for the second. Call 234-3225 for reservations.
~~~
MCC - Nursing Home Ministry - Meadowbrook Every Tuesday from 10 to 11 am. Taylor, the last Thursday each month.
~~~
MCC - Over comers: Fridays @ 7:00 p.m- Director, Traci Foster invites you to a 12 step Christian support program. For anyone with a life controlling problem. Child care is provided.
~~~
Men's Prayer Breakfast held every Tuesday morning at 6 AM in Miller's Cafeteria. If you aren't a regular participant at the Men's Prayer Breakfast, you're missing some great food, fellowship and inspired teaching of the Word. Hope to see you there.
~~~
Narcotics Anonymous 5-6 pm every Monday at 220 Pine street.
~~~
TOPS (Take Off Pounds Sensibly) 5 pm every Tuesday in the Magnolia Hospital break room.
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Emergency Phone Number 911
(Fire, Police, Ambulance, Sheriff, etc. )
Central Dispatch 234-5655
(Non - Emergency Number)
Direct Numbers
Ambulance - 234-7371 (24 Hour)
Jail - 234-5331 (24 Hour)
Poison Control - 800-222-1222 (24 Hour)
http://www. aapcc. org/
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"There is not enough darkness in the world to put out the light of one candle."
"Laugh whenever you can and cry if you need to." -- "Bug"
"I read the end of the book. We win!" -- "Bug"
"We may not be able to cure the world, but we don't have to make it sicker." -- "Bug"
"There just ain't enough fingers for all the holes in the dike." - - "Bug"
"It's no big deal doing what God tells you to do. A big deal would be NOT doing what God tells you to do. Just ask Jonah." - - Paul Troquille
"A simple way to take measure of a country is to look at how many want in ... and how many want out." - - Tony Blair
"Information is the currency of democracy." - Jefferson
~~~~~
Hope you enjoy the newsletter.
Again, thanks to all our contributors this week.

God bless and GOD BLESS AMERICA!!!
Phil 4:4-7 1 Cor 12:27-30 Psa 69:29-31 1 Chr 9:26-30
God is Good and Faithful CU 73 IC JFM CSP NREMT-I KC5HII

P. S. If you'd like to be added to the distribution, just drop us E-mail at KC5HII@Magnolia-Net.Com. We offer "Da Bleat" as text, a "Blog" and as a newsletter with pictures in Word and PDF format. For the "Blog" version just go to http://bugsbleat4q.blogspot.com/ to see the latest issue. This week, "Word" and "PDF" subscribers get to see photos of our Thanksgiving group, Sim, the scaffold builder, Bailey and one of our favorite kids with Annette.
Let us hear from you if we can switch you over to the "Word" or "PDF" version of "Da Bleat".
If you'd prefer to read "Da Blog" version, just drop us a note at KC5HII@Magnolia-Net.Com and we'll switch you from e:mail delivery to "Da Bleat" Blog. Of course "Da Bleat" is now on the web. Just go to http://bugsbleat4q.blogspot.com to see the latest issue (usually updated sometime Friday evening or Saturday morning. We appreciate your encouragement. We also appreciate your communication when you desire to be taken off our mail list. If you are on this mail list by mistake or do not wish to receive "Da Bleat," please reply back and tell us to discontinue service to you. This email was scanned by Norton AntiVirus 2005 before it was sent.
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Friday, November 18, 2005

Bug's Bleat - - GCF: Skywriting

Volume 7, Issue 46

Hello All,

The Malone’s bagged their first deer of the season Monday evening. They were returning from an Assembly of God Presbyters meeting in Shreveport when the deer intersected with their van just west of Sarepta, LA.
The van was totaled, along with the deer, but the kids are O.K.
Anyone know of a good used mini van for sale?
~~~~~
We got our “Burton” Computer moved into the Kitchen and connected to the Wireless antenna. We are “SMOKIN” with super quick connect times. I hope Keith leaves this “experiment” up and running at our house for a while.
It was much much much easier putting “Da Bleat” together with these quick page loads.
~~~~~
When the news hurts.
Our friend and brother, Pat Antoon was in the news this week. Several times in fact. He was convicted of fraud in a Dallas Federal Circuit Court. I believe that Pat is innocent and we’re praying for his triumph when his case is appealed.
The Banner News reporting has been, for the most part, strictly factual. However, today’s paper included a long rant by the Prosecutor in the case. I’d have felt better if Pat’s attorney had been given equal time. I assume that many people have been complaining to the Banner News about the tone of the reporting in the Antoon case because the paper also had an editorial comment defending their recent stories. The title of the editorial was “It’s news, even when it’s bad.”
That’s a true statement, but it doesn’t help my feelings. I don’t like bad news. Just like I don’t like movies with sad endings. I refuse to watch any of the movies where John Wayne gets killed.
I know there’s bad news in the world, and I don’t need my local media to remind me of it.
In Pat’s case, I know he was convicted, but I don’t believe it was justice.
You see, our legal system isn’t based on justice. It’s based on law and, in many cases, who has the best lawyer. The recent revelations that many people on death row were found innocent when DNA testing was performed supports this conclusion. There are almost no rich death row inmates. Do only poor people commit murder? As Robert Frost once said; "A jury consists of twelve persons chosen to decide who has the better lawyer."
The statue of “Blind Justice” on many court buildings just reinforces my point. If Justice wasn’t blind, she could see the facts in a case and wouldn’t convict innocent people, nor let the guilty go free.
My mother loved to visit our local court. She enjoyed the lively give and take of the lawyers and the judge, especially when Rodney Chambers was presiding. Annette, on the other hand, is too tender hearted to feel anything but sadness and sorrow when confronted with people before the bench.
My experiences have taught me to believe in our court system but not to trust it. I was up for jury duty a few years back, but was never chosen for any of the cases. The problem seemed to be that I was too well read, or experienced or educated. Each time a case came up, they asked us if we knew anything about the subject (not the case itself, just the subject.) Each time, I raised my hand and each time I was rejected for Jury Duty. As Mark Twain said; “We have a criminal jury system which is superior to any in the world; and its efficiency is only marred by the difficulty of finding twelve men every day who don't know anything and can't read.”
If we were really seeking justice, wouldn’t we want jurors who knew something of the matter under discussion? Instead, we seek people who can judge a case on the merits of the evidence and the law only. The only time this seems to fall apart is in personal injury cases. Juries tend to favor the plaintiff, maybe because they are portrayed as “the little guy” vs. the “big bad defendant” also known as “the big guy.”
~~~~~
Friends of Dr. Pat Antoon are rounding up letters of support for the Magnolia Physician. These letters will be submitted to the U.S. District Court in Dallas prior to his sentencing hearing following his conviction for health care fraud. Letters may be addressed to the Honorable Judge Jorge A. Solis, and mailed locally to 1050 Columbia 36, Magnolia, AR. 71753, by November 30.
I’m writing one and, if you know Pat, I hope you will to.
~~~~~
Even though we’re hurting for Pat and Mandy, we know that God rules and they will be blessed. Which reminds me of all the people I’m thankful for.
I'm very thankful to be married to a wonderful, woman. And, this week, we're extremely thankful that the kids weren’t seriously hurt in their accident.
I’m thankful for our kids and their spouses. They’re not only fun, they're compassionate and loving. And, of course, Dustin, Zac and Josiah are the greatest GRAND KIDS anyone could have. Of course, we’re thankful that another great grandchild is on the way.
We have a FANTASTIC church family and our small group is made up of SUPER Christians. Our new Pastors are the best and our fellowship is “going and blowing” for the Lord.
Both Annette and I work with some truly great people. We look forward to going to work each day. (And you would too if you could work with Bud, Mary, Steve, Ted, Clarice, Marji, Shirley, Joe, Daphne, Jim, Linda, Hal, Oscar, Anita and the gang. But more than anything, I'm thankful for my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
P.S. We are bound to thank God always for you, brethren, as it is meet... 2 Thessalonians 1:3
(Thanks to Ben & Trina Montgomery. We miss you Ben.)
~~~~~
While Joe Tudor was in Puerto Rico this week, the refinery had contracted an ambulance service to provide 24-hour paramedic coverage during a turnaround. The ambulance parked at the plant had "Jerusalem" emblazoned across the front in large letters above the windshield. On each side of the ambulance, across the top of the body, were the words:

JESUSCRISTO ES VIDA

Not far from the plant, there is an exit off the highway, and a big concrete wall along the exit ramp. The community had a mural painted on the wall, and part of the mural is a portrait of Christ, and the words:
Jesús dijo: Yo soy la luz del mundo (Jesus said: I am the light of the world.)

Joe commented; “It sure is great to be reminded not only of the life and light Jesus gives, but that there are good people who are not ashamed to proclaim it.”
~~~~~
Congratulations to Josh and April Hines on the birth of Jessalynn Love Hines! Jessalynn was born on 11/15 at 1:00 a.m. weighing 8 lbs. and was 22" long.
Congratulations also to Harold Hines, the proud grandfather!!!
~~~~~
It’s never too early to start making your Christmas list. I’m going to keep this one running here for the benefit of my family.
1 Gig USB Key
GPS
$49 office chair from SAMS (5 of them)
AA Batteries
9-volt batteries
AAA Batteries
Digital Video Recorder (Pioneer DVR-533H-S $333 at Beach Camera)
VHS - DVD Recorder (Lite-On LVC-9006 $219 @ Buy.com)
Rechargeable Batteries for the following “Ham” radios: Kenwood TH-22-AT (9.6 volts, 600 mAh battery, 2 each (for our two radios)), Yaesu FT-50 (it takes a FNB-83 7.2V1400mAh battery), Yaesu, VX-1 (it takes a FNB-52LI 3.6V 700mAh Lithium-Ion battery).
New “Rubber Ducky” antennas for the following “Ham” radios: Kenwood TH-22-AT (two radios)
Trackball for the home computer
Computer glasses to use at church (and maybe some new ones to use at home and at work.)
New socks.
Some Warm-up Suits to wear around the house after we get that first gas bill.

This will grow as the season approaches.
~~~~~
Don't forget ... "Da Bleat" is now on the web. Just go to http://bugsbleat4q.blogspot.com
~~~~~
Feel free to share the "Bleat" with any and all. That's why we publish it.
~~~~~
www.aaa.com Regular Mid Premium Diesel
Current Avg. $2.250 $2.389 $2.476 $2.725
http://www.fuelgaugereport.com/
Wal-Mart in Magnolia today, $2.18
~~~~~
Recipe(s) of the week - French Onion Soup - courtesy Alton Brown


Difficulty: Easy
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour 45 minutes
Yield: 8 servings



5 sweet onions (like Vidalias) or a combination of sweet and red onions (about 4 pounds)
3 tablespoons butter
1-teaspoon salt
2 cups white wine
10 ounces canned beef consume
10 ounces chicken broth
10 ounces apple cider (unfiltered is best)
Bouquet garni; thyme sprigs, bay leaf and parsley tied together with kitchen string
1 loaf country style bread
Kosher salt
Ground black pepper
Splash of Cognac (optional)
1 cup Fontina or Gruyere cheese, grated



Trim the ends off each onion then halve lengthwise. Remove peel and finely slice into half moon shapes. Set electric skillet to 300 degrees and add butter. Once butter has melted add a layer of onions and sprinkle with a little salt. Repeat layering onions and salt until all onions are in the skillet. Do not try stirring until onions have sweated down for 15 to 20 minutes. After that, stir occasionally until onions are dark mahogany and reduced to approximately 2 cups. This should take 45 minutes to 1 hour. Do not worry about burning.
Add enough wine to cover the onions and turn heat to high, reducing the wine to a syrup consistency. Add consume, chicken broth, apple cider and bouquet garni. Reduce heat and simmer 15 to 20 minutes.
Place oven rack in top 1/3 of oven and heat broiler.
Cut country bread in rounds large enough to fit mouth of oven safe soup crocks. Place the slices on a baking sheet and place under broiler for 1 minute.
Season soup mixture with salt, pepper and cognac. Remove bouquet garni and ladle soup into crocks leaving one inch to the lip. Place bread round, toasted side down, on top of soup and top with grated cheese. Broil until cheese is bubbly and golden, 1 to 2 minutes.

http://www.foodnetwork.com/food/recipes/recipe/0,1977,FOOD_9936_156,00.html
~~~~~
BreakPoint
With Chuck Colson

The Right Story
Walk the Line
November 18, 2005

Early in the new film Walk the Line, opening today, a twelve-year-old Johnny Cash is talking with his adored older brother Jack. Johnny asks how Jack is able to remember all the stories in the Bible. Jack, who wants to be a preacher, responds, “You can’t help people unless you can tell ’em the right stories.”

It’s a truth that the filmmakers clearly bore in mind as they made the movie. Walk the Line, a beautifully made film about Cash’s early years, is many stories in one: a story of sin, self-absorption, recklessness, grace, and redemption.

It’s not a pretty story, by any means. Johnny Cash once told Rolling Stone that he was “the biggest sinner of them all.” He was looking back on years of drug addiction, infidelity, a failed first marriage, and more—sins that are depicted frankly in the movie. As we see him grow more and more successful as a singer and songwriter, we also see his life and marriage begin to fall apart.

Though Johnny Cash kept singing about the Gospel message he had learned as a child, he was no longer living out that message. As he put it in the Rolling Stone interview, “I was separated from God, and I wasn’t even trying to call on Him. I knew that there was no line of communication. . . . I had drifted so far away from God and every stabilizing force in my life that I felt there was no hope.”

Just as he did in real life, Johnny in the movie has to hit bottom before his life begins to turn around, with the help of his future wife June Carter, her family, and their solid Christian faith.

But June had her own demons to battle. A musician and performer since the age of ten, as a young woman June had maturity well beyond her years. She went through two divorces and for years struggled against her attraction to Johnny, who for much of that time was a married man.

As I said, it’s a messy, often painful story.

Johnny and June Carter Cash, however, in their later years were widely known and respected as devout Christians, people of great strength, compassion, and integrity.

I got to know Johnny when he accompanied me to what was then one of the most brutal prisons in America, the Angola penitentiary in Louisiana—an amazing day of singing and preaching. Johnny Cash was the real thing. I can testify it, as could the hundreds of inmates who met Christ that day.

Unfortunately, this film ends before the full story of Cash’s conversion to Christ and the good things he did thereafter could be told. That story would have been a great movie, but maybe that’s too much to expect of Hollywood. Even so, as it is, in spite of portraying drug use and domestic violence, the film is appealing to nonbelievers, because it’s the story of two seekers who, after a great deal of pain, start down the path to true healing. It does allude to God’s plan, but stops there.

We need to be ready to fill in the details about how Cash found his redemption in Christ, the One who truly transforms lives.

Walk the Line, reviewers are saying, has Oscar written all over it, so the crowds will be huge. It’s the kind of story—the right story, as Johnny’s brother, Jack, would say—that will encourage people to examine the direction and meaning of their lives. Just be sure your friends and neighbors who see the movie know the whole story—especially the real-life ending.

For further reading and information:

Spend a year studying with Chuck Colson: Learn how to identify, advocate, and apply biblical truth in every arena of life. Apply for the 2006 Centurions Program. The NEW deadline is November 28.

See the official movie site for Walk the Line.

Steve Beard, “An Incomplete Cash: Walking into a Ring of Fire,” National Review Online, 18 November 2005.

Brian Mansfield, “Even in Death, Man in Black Looms Large,” USA Today, 4 November 2005.

Steve Beard, “The Man Came Around,” BreakPoint WorldView, March 2005.

Steve Beard, “God Bless Johnny Cash,” Thunderstruck.org.

Peter T. Chattaway, “The Man in Black,” Christianity Today, 15 November 2005.

Ted Olsen, “Johnny Cash’s Song of Redemption,” Christianity Today, 20 October 2003.

John Fischer, “When Sinners Go Marching In,” BreakPoint Online, 9 October 2003.

Nicholas Patterson, “Why We Still Need Johnny Cash,” Friction magazine, 24 April 2001. Reprinted from Reckon magazine. (Contains a little profanity.)

Jim Dahlman, “Carter, Cash, Movies and Faith,” The Culture Beat, 12 November 2005.

William Booth, “Playing It Straight,” interview with actress Reese Witherspoon, who plays June Carter Cash in Walk the Line, Washington Post, 13 November 2005, N01.

Henry Cabot Beck, “Director: Live Prison LP Made Cash a Parole Model,” New York Daily News, 17 November 2005.

David Edelstein, “A Phoenix (and a Witherspoon) from the Cashes: Walk the Line Never Wobbles,” Slate, 17 November 2005.

Brad Schmitt, “Film’s Portrayal of Mom Upsets Cash Daughter,” Tennessean, 10 November 2005.

Catherine Barsotti and Robert Johnston, Finding God in the Movies (Baker, 2004).

Articles on the BreakPoint website are the responsibility of the authors and do not necessarily represent the opinions of Chuck Colson or Prison Fellowship Ministries. Links to outside articles or websites are for informational purposes only and do not necessarily imply endorsement of their content.

The BreakPoint Web site and BreakPoint WorldView Magazine feature Colson’s commentaries as well as feature articles by other established and up-and-coming writers to equip readers with a biblical perspective on a variety of issues and topics.
© 2004 Prison Fellowship.
~~~~~

Words of the Week:
diadem: a crown.
ebullient: high-spirited.
aplomb: confidence; coolness.
kobold: a kind of domestic spirit in German mythology.
prestidigitation: sleight of hand.
rubicund: inclining to redness; ruddy.
lambent: playing on the surface; flickering.
from Dictionary.Com

~~~~~
"Never go to excess, but let moderation be your guide." - Cicero

"The despotism of custom is everywhere the standing hindrance to human advancement." - John Stuart Mill

"You cannot acquire experience by making experiments. You cannot create experience. You must undergo it." - Albert Camus

"To be seventy years young is sometimes far more cheerful and hopeful than to be forty years old." - Oliver Wendell Holmes

"The deepest feeling always shows itself in silence; not in silence, but restraint." - Marianne Moore

"Nothing endures but personal qualities." - Walt Whitman
~~~~~
Christmas and Candlelight in Old Washington - December 3, 2005
Historic Buildings Decorated with Natural Holiday Style, Special Daylight Tours 1 p.m. - 4 p.m., Candlelight Tours 4 p.m. - 8 p.m., Surrey Rides available at Candle Shop, Music in Historic Churches and 1940 WPA Gym 5 p.m. - 8 p.m, Contact Southwest Arkansas Regional Archives
870-983-2633 for more information

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GCF: Skywriting

Emailed to me from another humor list (The Funnies) -Tom To subscribe to The Funnies, send a blank email to: andychaps_the-funnies-subscribe@yahoogroups.com

If this was forwarded to you, please consider your own subscription to Good Clean Fun. It's free! A smile will enhance the quality of your life. Just send an email to: good-clean-fun-subscribe@yahoogroups.com or visit the Good Clean Fun web site http://www.slonet.org/~tellswor/ UNSUBSCRIBE INFO for Good Clean Fun is at the end of this email. This email was scanned by Norton AntiVirus 2005 before it was sent.
-----------------------------------

One clear autumn day, my daughter and I were watching skywriters advertise the opening of a new store in our area. Five planes, flying in perfect formation, spelled out the name, then flew out of sight.

Right behind was another plane, flying alone. "What's that plane doing?" my daughter asked.

Tongue firmly in cheek, I replied, "Spell check."
_ ____________________________ _

GCF: London Building

Emailed to me another humor list (Pastor Tim's Clean Laugh List) -Tom Subscribe to Pastor Tim's Clean Laugh list at the website: Subscribe
-----------------------------------

A Texan was taking a taxi tour of London and was in a hurry. As they went by the Tower of London the cab driver explained what it was and that construction of it started in 1346 and was completed in 1412.

The Texan replied, "Shoot, a little ol' tower like that? In Houston we'd have that thing up in two weeks!"

Next they passed the House of Parliament - started in 1544 and completed in 1618.

"Well boy, we put up a bigger one than that in Dallas and it only took a year!"

As they passed Westminister Abbey the cab driver was silent.

"Whoah! What's that over there?" asked the Texan

The driver replied, "I don't know, it wasn't there yesterday."
_ ____________________________ _

GCF: Speedy Comeback

Emailed to me from another humor list (You Make Me Laugh) -Tom To subscribe to You Make Me Laugh, send a blank email to: SUBSCRIBE-laugh@lists.crosswalk.com
-----------------------------------

The police officer got out of his car and the kid, that was stopped for speeding, rolled down his window.

"I've been waiting for you all day," the officer said.

The kid replied, "Well, I got here as fast as I could."

When the officer finally stopped laughing, he sent the kid on his way without a ticket.
_ ____________________________ _

GCF: Boat Name

Emailed to me from another humor list (Marty's Joke of the Day) -Tom To subscribe to Marty's Joke of the Day, send a blank email to: martysjotd-subscribe@yahoogroups.com
-----------------------------------

My friend wanted a boat more than anything. His wife kept refusing, but he bought one anyway.

"I'll tell you what," he told her. "In the spirit of compromise, why don't you name the boat?" Being a good sport, she accepted.

When her husband went to the dock for the maiden voyage, this is the name he saw painted on the side: "For Sale."
_ ____________________________ _
/ )| Thomas S. Ellsworth |( / / | tellswor@slonet.org | \ _( (_ | http://www.slonet.org/~tellswor | _) )_
(((\ \>|_/ )_______________________( \_| \\\\ \_/ / \ \_/ ////
\ / Why is it called a TV "set" \ /
\ _/ when you only get one? \_ /
/ / \ (((\ \>|_/ )_______________________( \_| \\\\ \_/ / \ \_/ ////
\ / Never argue with a fool. \ /
\ _/ People might not \_ /
/ / know the difference. \ (((\ \>|_/ )_______________________( \_| \\\\ \_/ / Good things come in small \ \_/ ////
\ / packages because big things \ /
\ _/ can't, unless they're inflatable \_ /
/ / or require some assembly. \ (((\ \>|_/ )_______________________( \_| \\\\ \_/ / The man who can smile \ \_/ ////
\ / when things go wrong \ /
\ _/ has thought of someone \_ /
/ / to blame it on. \ _ ____________________________ _
/ )| Thomas S. Ellsworth |( / / | tellswor@slonet.org | \ _( (_ | http://www.slonet.org/~tellswor | _) )_
(((\ \>|_/ )_______________________( \_|Stop for a visit, leave with a smile! To join Good Clean Fun, email: good-clean-fun-subscribe@yahoogroups.Com To leave Good Clean Fun, email: good-clean-fun-unsubscribe@yahoogroups.Com Or visit the Good Clean Fun web site at http://www. slonet.org/~tellswor/
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[GCFL.net] Sanity Test

During a visit to the mental asylum, a visitor asked the director, "What is the criterion that defines a patient to be institutionalized?"

"Well..." said the director, "we fill up a bathtub, and we offer a teaspoon, a teacup, and a bucket to the patient and ask him to empty the bathtub."

"Oh, I understand," said the visitor. "A normal person would choose the bucket as it is larger than the spoon or the teacup."

"Noooooooo!" answered the director. "A normal person would pull the plug."

(You are not required to tell anyone how you would have done on this test.)

Received from William Jamerson.

(-:][:-)

[GCFL.net] Is That You?

St. Peter is very busy in Heaven, so he leaves a sign by the Pearly Gates: "For Service Ring Bell." Away he goes; he barely gets started when BING! the bell rings. He rushes back to the gates, but no one's there.

St. Peter goes back to work when suddenly BING! the bell rings again. He rushes back to the gates, but no one's there. A little annoyed, St. Peter goes back to work.

Suddenly, BING! the bell rings again. St. Peter goes back; again, no one's there. "Okay, that's it," St. Peter says. "I'm going to hide and watch to see what's going on." So St. Peter hides, and a moment later, a little old man walks up and rings the bell.

St. Peter jumps out and yells, "Aha! Are you the guy who keeps ringing the bell?"

"Yes, that's me," the little old man says.

"Well, why do you keep ringing the bell and going away?" St. Peter asks.

"They keep resuscitating me," he replies.

Received from Doug Burton.

(-:][:-)

[GCFL.net] Three Men on a Trip

Fred, Jim, and Scott were at a convention together and were sharing a large suite on the top of a 75-story skyscraper.

After a long day of meetings, they were shocked to hear that the elevators in their hotel were broken and they would have to climb 75 flights of stairs to get to their room.

Bill said to Jim and Scott, "Let's break the monotony of this unpleasant task by concentrating on something interesting. I'll tell jokes for 25 flights, Jim can sing songs for the next 25 flights, and Scott can tell sad stories for the rest of the way."

At the 26th floor, Bill stopped telling jokes and Jim began to sing. At the 51st floor, Jim stopped singing and Scott began to tell sad stories.

"I will tell my saddest story first," he said. "I left the room key in the car!"

Received from Tom Ellsworth.

(-:][:-)

[GCFL.net] A 21st Century Marriage

I stopped at a florist shop after work to pick up roses for my wife. As the clerk was putting the finishing touches on the bouquet, a young man burst through the door, breathlessly requesting a dozen red roses.

"I'm sorry," the clerk said. "This man just ordered our last bunch." The desperate customer turned to me and begged, "May I please have those roses?"

"What happened?" I asked. "Did you forget your wedding anniversary?"

"It's even worse than that," he confided. "I crashed my wife's hard drive!"

Received from Jokes Central.

(-:][:-)

[GCFL.net] Waiting in Long Checkout Lines

Reasons I'd like to thank Wal-Mart, Kmart, Target, and my local grocer for having twenty-five checkout lanes and only three open at any given time:

Waiting in long lines keeps my domestic brain from going completely idle -- there's so much to learn!

Did you know they now sell primed faux wood moldings for the home? I hate to prime. I don't mind striking up conversations with perfect strangers though. One lady told me which DMV office had the shortest wait and officers who actually smile. Another trapped customer gave me her great-grandmother's secret pickling recipe.

I also learned to be grateful I don't live next door to the snot-nosed whiny child hanging upside down from the shopping cart in front of me; how many calories are in a Tic Tac; items once marketed as "Only available through this exclusive TV offer!" eventually make it to the store in a box marked, "As seen on TV"; and that Oprah was abducted by aliens who also share an affinity for jersey sheets and private chefs. Which reminds me of other reasons I don't mind waiting in long checkout lines:

I can catch up on my magazine reading without buying any.

I have time to leave my cart in line and run back to get the thirteen things on my list I forgot.

I can be one of those annoying cell phone users and catch up on all my phone calls to my insurance agent, mother-in-law, and Auntie Babe.

I can catch a quick catnap now rather than on the drive home.

I can assess what other people have in their carts and get exciting new dinner ideas.

I can finally apply my top coat of nail polish with plenty of drying time.

I can run next door and pick up my dry cleaning.

I can update my coupon organizer and leave the trash in the we-never-open-enough-checkout-lanes store instead of my purse.

I can clean out my purse and leave the trash in the we-never-open-enough-checkout-lanes store instead of my car.

I can practice my standup comedy routines on unsuspecting fellow customers.

I can practice some standing yoga poses and then do those isometric muscle-contracting exercises no one else in line is supposed to know you're doing.

I can taste test my package of the newest low-carb, zero-transfat, Splenda-saturated cookies.

I can breathe heavily on my T-bones so they're defrosted in time for dinner and I won't have to leave them out on the driveway in the hot late afternoon sun as I normally do.

I can scribble notes for next week's column on the box of sugar bomb cereal -- maybe something about the merits of grocery delivery.

Copyright 2005 Karen Rinehart.
http://www.busstopmommies.com/

Received from Karen Rinehart of The Bus Stop Mommies.

(-:][:-)

-=+=-
– NEW! Go to http://www.gcfl.net/archive.php?funny=20050124 to rate this funny from 0 to 5.
-=+=-
Brought to you by GCFL.net: The Good, Clean Funnies List "A cheerful heart is good medicine!" (Prov 17:22a) Go to http://gcfl.net/mlfrontend.php to change your subscription options or unsubscribe. To email this funny to a friend, go to http://gcfl.net/emailit.php?funny=20050107 The latest GCFL funny can always be found on the web at http://gcfl.net/latest.php
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It's just a joke. Really.

Are you a Democrat, Republican or Southern Republican?

Here is a little test that will help you decide.

The answer can be found by posing the following question:

You're walking down a deserted street with your wife and two small children.

Suddenly, an Islamic Terrorist with a huge knife comes around the corner, locks eyes with you, screams obscenities, praises Allah, raises the knife, and charges at you. You are carrying a Glock cal .40, and you are an expert shot. You have mere seconds before he reaches you and your family.

What do you do?

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Democrat's Answer:

Well, that's not enough information to answer the question!

Does the man look poor? Or oppressed?

Have I ever done anything to him that would inspire him to attack?

Could we run away?

What does my wife think?

What about the kids?

Could I possibly swing the gun like a club and knock the knife out of his hand?

What does the law say about this situation?

Does the Glock have appropriate safety built into it?

Why am I carrying a loaded gun anyway, and what kind of message does this send to society and to my children?

Is it possible he'd be happy with just killing me?

Does he definitely want to kill me, or would he be content just to wound me?

If I were to grab his knees and hold on, could my family get away while he was stabbing me?

Should I call 9-1-1?

Why is this street so deserted?

We need to raise taxes, have a paint and weed day and make this happier, healthier street that would discourage such behavior.

This is all so confusing! I need to debate this with some friends for few days and try to come to a consensus.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Republican's Answer:

BANG!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Southern Republican's Answer:

BANG! BANG! BANG! BANG! BANG! BANG! BANG! BANG! BANG! click .....

(sounds of reloading).

BANG! BANG! BANG! BANG! BANG! BANG! BANG! BANG! BANG! click.

Daughter: "Nice grouping, Daddy! Were those the Winchester silver Tips or Hollow Points?

Son: "Git-r-Dun, Pop! Can I shoot the next one?!"

Wife: "You ain't taking that to the Taxidermist!"

Thanks to Daphne Roberts
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Welcome to You Make Me Laugh, a free newsletter from Crosswalk.com, the world's largest Christian website.
Today's Clean Laugh

Behavior Modification

One morning I was called to pick up my son at the school nurse's office.

When I walked through the main entrance, I noticed a woman, curlers in her hair, wearing pajamas. "Why are you dressed like that?" I asked her.

"I told my son," she explained, "that if he ever did anything to embarrass me, I would embarrass him back. He was caught cutting school. So now I've come to spend the day with him!"

*Thanks to Pastor Tim for this joke!*
http://www.cybersalt.org/cleanlaugh

(-:][:-)

Finally Heard

Heather and Marcy hadn't seen each other in awhile, so they decided to meet for lunch.
The talk naturally got around to their respective love lives. Marcy confided that there really wasn't anyone special in her life. Heather, on the other hand, was beaming about the new man she had found.

"He's perfect. He's handsome, and last night when we went out to dinner, he said the four little words I've been waiting to hear a man say to me!"

"He said 'will you marry me'?" Marcy asked.

Heather replied, "No, he said 'put your money away'."

*Thanks to Pastor Tim for this joke!*
http://www.cybersalt.org/cleanlaugh

(-:][:-)

Black Canyon Biker

A man decided that he was going to ride a 10-speed bike from Phoenix to Flagstaff. He got as far as Black Canyon City before the mountains just became too much and he could go no farther.

He stuck his thumb out, but after 3 hours he hadn't gotten a single person to stop. Finally a guy in a Corvette pulled over and offered him a ride. Of course, the bike wouldn't fit in the car. The owner of the Corvette found a piece of rope lying by the highway and tied it to his bumper. He tied the other end to the bike and told the man that if he got to going too fast to honk the horn on his bike and he would slow down.

Everything went fine for the first 30 miles. Suddenly, another Corvette blew past them. Not to be outdone, the Corvette pulling the bike took off after the other. A short distance down the road, the Corvettes--both going well over 120 mph--blew through a speed trap. The police officer noted the speeds from his radar gun and radioed to the other officer that he had 2 Corvettes headed his way at over 120 mph.

He then relayed, "And you're not going to believe this, but there's guy on a 10-speed bike honking to pass."

*Thanks to Pastor Tim for this joke!*
http://www.cybersalt.org/cleanlaugh

(-:][:-)

Subway Drop

The Manhattan Commuter train was packed. Suddenly there was a jingle on the floor. Most necks were craned. One elderly gentleman, however, bent down and picked something up. He then asked, "Did anyone drop a half dollar?"

"I did," answered three men at once.

"Well," said the elderly gent with a smile, "here's a dime of it."

*Thanks to Pastor Tim for this joke!*
http://www.cybersalt.org/cleanlaugh

(-:][:-)

*Military Computer*

The Pentagon recently unveiled its new super computer to the top brass. This fantastic device, capable of making bazillions of decisions in split nanoseconds, is designed to solve all military problems with the greatest of ease.

To test its capabilities, the brass poses a tactical problem to it and then asks for a decision, "Attack or Retreat?"

The computer hums a bit, blinks a myriad of lights and answers, "Yes."

The brass, somewhat confused by this answer, replies, "Yes what?"

The computer instantly replies, "Yes, sir!"

*Thanks to Pastor Tim for this joke!*
http://www.cybersalt.org/cleanlaugh

"Eye Laugh"

"Wonka Wesleyan"

http://www.cybersalt.org/g05.php?id=158

Dodge Hose

http://www.cybersalt.org/g05.php?id=179

Nike Tour

http://www.cybersalt.org/g05.php?id=180

Gas Price Beater

http://www.cybersalt.org/g05.php?id=185

Dog Birthday

http://www.cybersalt.org/g05.php?id=183

(-:][:-)

-=+=-
Daily devotionals are available at http://link.Crosswalk.Com/UM/T.asp?A1. 39. 17757. 1. 494611 You can access more information on Crosswalk's Fun page http://www.Crosswalk.Com/fun/! Crosswalk gives credit to the author of a joke when author is known. Feel free to send notification to admin@cybersalt.org in cases where credit has not been given to the author! -SUBSCRIPTION INFO- * Copyright2004 Crosswalk.Com, Inc. and its Content Providers. All rights reserved. Introducing www.Crossguide.Com Where Christians find Products, Services & Ministries.
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"Don't strive for recognition, but work for achievement." -- Vanessa Malone
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Madeleine Begun Kane Latest Columns - - http://www.madkane.com/radio_interview_humor.html - - When Radio Interviews Go Wrong "Every so often, radio talk shows give up their quest for amusing guests and interview me instead. I always welcome the opportunity to be exposed to a 4:30 a.m. audience of roughly eleven people..."
http://www.madkane.com
http://www.madkane.com/notable.html (Notables Weblog)
http://www.madkane.com/bush.html (Dubya's Dayly Diary)
Subscribe to MadKane Humor Newsletter (weekly) here:
http://www.madkane.com/email.html
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Hindenburg (LZ-129) - - http://www.nlhs.com/hindenburg.htm - - At 803.8 feet in length and 135.1 feet in diameter, the German passenger airship Hindenburg (LZ-129) was the largest aircraft ever to fly. The commercial flights of Hindenburg, along with Graf Zeppelin, pioneered the first transatlantic air service. She carried hundreds of passengers and traveled thousands of miles before being destroyed in a tragic fire on May 6, 1937 at NAS Lakehurst. This site takes you for a trip through Hindenburg's history.
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Official Veterans Day Web Site - - http://www1.va.gov/opa/vetsday/ - - Armistice Day officially became a holiday in the United States in 1926, and a national holiday 12 years later. On June 1, 1954, the name was changed to Veterans Day to honor all U.S. veterans. In 1968, new legislation changed the national commemoration of Veterans Day to the fourth Monday in October. It soon became apparent, however, that November 11 was a date of historic significance to many Americans. Therefore, in 1978 Congress returned the observance to its traditional date. Related sites: InfoPlease: Veterans Day / Library of Congress: Veterans History Project / Most Commonly Asked Veterans Day Questions.
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News Archives - - http://www.ibiblio.org/slanews/internet/archives.html - - This site provides links to United States news archives available on the Web.
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EarthCam - - http://www.earthcam.com/ - - This site provides links to live cameras worldwide. Related site: WebCam Central.
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Las Vegas: An Unconventional History - - http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/amex/lasvegas/ - - The companion site for a PBS special airing November 14-15, 2005. Las Vegas history involves risk takers of every kind: frontiersmen, gamblers, mobsters, nuclear scientists, soldiers and airmen, movie stars, businessmen, and thousands of Americans looking to better their lives.
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FBI: Most Wanted - - http://www.fbi.gov/mostwant.htm - - Each year millions of Americans are victimized by the scams and schemes perpetrated by white collar crime predators. Corporate fraud, health care fraud, telemarketing fraud, and bank fraud are just a few of the criminals' weapons of choice. Billions of dollars are estimated to be lost annually as a result of these fraudulent activities which are carried out by individuals, companies, or groups of individuals. You can help protect American citizens from these criminals who often target the elderly. Related site: Monthly Fugitives.
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What Is Phishing (Or, How to Fight Phishing at the User-Interface Level) - - http://www.oreillynet.com/pub/a/network/2005/10/25/what-is-phishing.html - - Phishing (also known as carding or spoofing) derives its name from the use of sophisticated lures (such as emails designed to look like they come from a real company or institution) that are created by unsavory characters to "fish" for users' financial information, credit card details, and passwords. A phishing attack succeeds when a user is tricked into forming an inaccurate mental model of an online interaction and thus takes actions that have effects contrary to the user's intentions. Because inferring a user's intentions can be difficult, building an automated system to protect users from phishing attacks is a challenging problem.
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National Library of Medicine - - http://www.oreillynet.com/pub/a/network/2005/10/25/what-is-phishing.html - - This site by the National Institutes of Health provides access to MedlinePlus. Use MedlinePlus to find topics on conditions, diseases and wellness. hospitals and physicians. and drug information. Also available is current health news and online health exhibitions.
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"Nearly 40 percent of U.S. adolescents who give cigarette smoking a try do so because they saw it in movies, a study said on November 7, 2005. The study, described as the first national look at the influence of movie smoking on youths, urged Hollywood to cut back on depictions of smoking or shots of cigarette brands. The industry also should consider adding a mention of smoking to movie rating data that now mention explicit sex, violence and profanity, it said. Researchers at Dartmouth Medical School asked 6,522 children aged 10 to 14 to identify films they had seen from a list of 50 randomly selected box office hits released in the United States from 1998 to 2000."
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"Many smokers think that nicotine causes cancer, and they are therefore very reluctant to use nicotine replacement in the form of patches or gum to help them quit smoking, according to surprise findings of a survey reported here at the annual meeting of the American College of Chest Physicians. The survey consisted of 1,139 people -- 482 men and 657 women -- enrolled in a smoking cessation program at North Shore-Long Island Jewish Health System in Great Neck, New York. The participants were questioned about the their beliefs regarding smoking and the risk of developing cancer, and nicotine's part in that cancer risk." -
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"A simple, at-home treatment -- a single light box and the over-the-counter drug melatonin -- allows travelers to avoid jet lag by resetting their circadian body clock before crossing several time zones, according to new research being published in The Endocrine Society's Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism. This treatment can also help those with delayed sleep phase syndrome (DSPS), a persistent condition that results from a misalignment between a person's internal biological clock and the external social environment. Both bright light and melatonin have successfully been used in laboratory and field settings to 'phase advance' (resetting the circadian clock earlier in time so that all the circadian rhythms of the body occur earlier) thereby helping people adapt to night shift work or to a new time zone following rapid transmeridian jet travel. Melatonin alone has been shown to synchronize the circadian clock of the blind to the 24-hour day."
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"One simple question - Do you have trouble breathing? - may reveal as much about someone's risk of dying as the most relied-upon sign, chest pain. Even people without any other cardiac symptoms were up to four times more likely to die of heart problems in the next few years if they had shortness of breath, a study of nearly 18,000 people suggests. 'Shortness of breath is not a sign to be ignored. It means make sure that your doctor knows about your symptoms,' said Dr. Daniel S. Berman, senior author of the study, done at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles." -
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"Repairs to New Orleans' levees may not be enough to protect people moving back to the devastated city if another hurricane comes before the tropical storm season ends this month, engineers said November 2, 2005. Dozens of breaches continue to mar the city's levee system, including a large seep at the Industrial Canal last week, according to engineering experts who have examined the floodwalls. Repairs have gotten better in recent days, the experts told a Senate panel investigating floodwall failures after Hurricane Katrina. But the initial rebuilding process was done with little or no engineering guidance and perhaps substandard materials, they said." -
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"Measuring the ratio between waist and hip sizes is the best way of checking for the risk of heart attack in the obese, a global study showed on November 3, 2005. After studying over 27,000 people in 52 countries, researchers said the waist-to-hip ratio was a far more effective way of measuring heart attack risk than the traditional body mass index method. 'Substantial reassessment is needed of the importance of obesity for cardiovascular disease in most regions of the world,' said Professor Salim Yusuf, from McMaster University in Ontario, Canada. Obesity already affects more than 300 million people worldwide."
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"Hurricane victims in Florida and along the Gulf Coast have to be asking themselves something survivors of tornadoes, blizzards and earthquakes also wonder: Is there any place you can go that is safe from natural disasters? The West has earthquakes and wildfires. Move to the Midwest and you could find yourself in Tornado Alley. The Northeast? Blizzards, ice storms and heat waves. Experts say trying to escape catastrophic weather is a little like trying to escape from, well, the weather. Short of building a new Biosphere, it is nearly impossible to completely avoid quakes, hurricanes, tornadoes, blizzards or heat waves."
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|------------ Safety From The Heart ----------|

November 16, 2005

I can't remember if this has ever been posted...it's a good thing to know. My father suffered a severe stroke and has never been the same. Had he (or us, for that matter) seen the warning signs, maybe life would be different for him today.

During a BBQ a friend stumbled and took a little fall - she assured everyone that she was fine (they offered to call paramedics) and just tripped over a brick because of her new shoes. They got her cleaned up and got her a new plate of food - while she appeared a bit shaken up, Ingrid went about enjoying herself the rest of the evening. Ingrid's husband called later telling everyone that his wife had been taken to the hospital - (at 6 pm, Ingrid passed away.) She had suffered a stroke at the BBQ - had they known how to identify the signs of a stroke perhaps Ingrid would be with us today.

Recognizing a Stroke

----- A neurologist says that if he can get to a stroke victim within 3 hours he can totally reverse the effects of a stroke...totally. He said the trick was getting a stroke recognized, diagnosed and getting to the patient within 3 hours which is tough.

RECOGNIZING A STROKE

Thank God for the sense to remember the "3" steps. Read and Learn!

Sometimes symptoms of a stroke are difficult to identify. Unfortunately, the lack of awareness spells disaster. The stroke victim may suffer brain damage when people nearby fail to recognize the symptoms of a stroke.

Now doctors say a bystander can recognize a stroke by asking three simple questions:

1. *Ask the individual to SMILE.

2. *Ask him or her to RAISE BOTH ARMS.

3. *Ask the person to SPEAK A SIMPLE SENTENCE (Coherently) (i.e. . . it is sunny out today) If he or she has trouble with any of these tasks, call 9-1-1 immediately and describe the symptoms to the dispatcher.

After discovering that a group of non-medical volunteers could identify facial weakness, arm weakness and speech problems, researchers urged the general public to learn the three questions. They presented their conclusions at the American Stroke Association's annual meeting last February. Widespread use of this test could result in prompt diagnosis and treatment of the stroke and prevent brain damage.

The warning signs of a stroke are:
a.. Sudden numbness or weakness of the face, arm, or leg, especially on
one side of the body.
b.. Sudden confusion, trouble speaking, or understanding.
c.. Sudden trouble seeing in one or both eyes.
d.. Sudden trouble walking, dizziness, loss of balance or coordination.
e.. Sudden, severe headache with no known cause.

BE A FRIEND AND SHARE THIS ARTICLE WITH AS MANY FRIENDS AS POSSIBLE, you could save their lives.

|------------ Safety From The Heart ----------|
Stairway to Heaven
Today's Safety From the Heart message is from Dale Mann.
------------ ---------------------------- ----------

At Albemarle Corporation hearing studies are done so that employees won't suffer from hearing damage. Signs are posted, etc. when hearing protection is needed in high noise areas. I want to relay an experience which occurred while I was in the Navy in '73 to show how long-term hearing can be effected by not using prescribed hearing protection .

My General Quarters battle station on the USS Bainbridge was as a number one loader on the 3x50's. You had to climb up on the gun mounts and you stood with your back to another person's in between 2 guns with 2 other people on the outside of each gun loading shells into the chamber. All four number one loaders would be putting shells into the chamber at a time which caused the guns to act like an automatic, you could put out a steady stream of fire.

I received OJT for this duty which consisted of climb your behind up there, load the shells into the chamber, don't stop until instructed and don't drop any shells or you'll send us all to glory. That was all the detail I needed and I was fully trained. The first time I did this my ears were ringing after we got through firing and I couldn't hardly hear for awhile. I asked the old crusty Chief Boatswain's Mate about needing hearing protection. He asked me if I was crazy, that is what the cigarette butts were used for. I told him I supposed I was just born fool like that and so from then on used this trick of the trade every time we fired the guns.

You get a complete physical when you get out of the service. At this time it was discovered that I had high pitch hearing loss. The Dr said likely what occurred was listening to loud music, etc. in bars from Olongapo City to Tijuana. I told him right, I was listening to Led Zeppelin playing "Black Dog" while I was climbing the "Stairway to Heaven" to the gun mounts.

Hearing loss of any sort can affect your quality of life. If you like to sing and show off when you get slightly intoxicated, you can't really hit the high notes without hearing well. And I suppose other things could be affected by inability to hear correctly.

WEAR HEARING PROTECTION

|------------ Safety From The Heart ----------|
November 15, 2005
Blinded by the Sun

This was written by a man in New Mexico, but it could have been written by many of us here in South Carolina who are fighting the glaring sun almost every day driving to and from work.

Dorothy
------------ ---------------------------- ----------
I was driving home on New Mexico Highway 47 just where it crosses over Interstate 25. The overpass angled up, then curved gently to the left--straight into the rays of the afternoon winter sun. I slowed down and tried to shield my eyes, but I was almost completely blinded. I couldn't have seen an 18-wheeler stopped ahead of me in the road, much less an automobile. If there was an accident ahead or if someone suddenly slowed down, I'd never know it until it was too late.

That got my attention and started me thinking about the need, for safety's sake, to wear effective, glare-reducing sunglasses when driving. In areas where the sunlight is very bright or when drivers have to look directly into the glare of the rising or setting sun, this is a valid safety concern, according to a local optician, Richard Serna.

But, I wondered, would the inexpensive sunglasses typically sold for $5 to $10 at the local drugstore do the job? Not really, according to Serna. He explained that to be effective, driving sunglasses must have features not found on drug or discount store "cheapies."

"What you really need is a sunglass with an anti-reflective coating," Serna said. He explained the coating is made up of layers of titanium dioxide and silicon dioxide applied to the back of the lens. The coating dramatically reduces both the glare and reflected light seen by the wearer. The "cheapie" sunglasses don't come with anti-reflective coating, according to Serna. "They are just stamped-out acrylic lenses which have a lot of aberrations (visual irregularities) in them. They may have a dark tint and they may be UV coated, but the eye has to fight to see through the flaws."

Of course, the most annoying glare comes through your windshield and directly into your eyes. Because of that, good driving sunglasses should also have polarized lenses, according to Serna.

A good pair of driving sunglasses can also protect against other hazards. By screening out much of the sun's ultraviolet rays, sunglasses can reduce eye fatigue for drivers, Serna said. In addition, there is the long-term health problem of cataracts, a very real threat to people who live where the sunlight is especially bright, Serna added.

What about drivers who wear prescription lenses such as bifocals in order to see things up close like the dashboard and also at longer distances down the road? There are two inexpensive options for such drivers, according to Serna. These are clip-ons--which attach to the front of the wearer's normal eyeglass frame, and slip-overs--which slip over the top of the frame and wrap around behind the normal lenses. In addition, Serna added, some custom eyeglass frames are designed to accept clip-ons which precisely match the shape of the lens. Although a bit more expensive than the clip-ons and slip-overs, these add very little bulk to the wearer's normal glasses. Serna added that clip-ons and slip-behinds suffer from visual imperfections much like inexpensive sunglasses. However, matched with an anti-reflective coating on the wearer's regular glasses, they provide anti-glare protection for drivers who need to wear corrective lenses to drive safely.

So what are you going to pay for quality driving sunglasses? That depends on your budget. Whatever the price, being able to see through the glare beats being "blinded by the light."

|------------ Safety From The Heart ----------|
November 11, 2005
Today's Safety From the Heart message was submitted by Keith Black.
------------ ---------------------------- ----------

What To Do If Your Car Catches on Fire

A fire in one's car or other motor vehicle is a frightening situation which can quickly involve great personal danger to vehicle occupants and bystanders. Although every vehicle fire incident will have certain unique factors present at the time, the National Safety Council offers the following step-by-step general suggestions on what to do if your car (or other motor vehicle) catches on fire.

While you are moving on a roadway:

Signal your intentions and move to the right lane.
Get onto the shoulder or breakdown lane.
Stop immediately.
Shut off the engine.
Get yourself and all other persons out of the vehicle.
Get far away from the vehicle and stay away from it. Keep onlookers and others away.
Warn oncoming traffic.
Notify the fire department.
Don't attempt to try to put out the fire yourself. (The unseen danger is the possible ignition of fuel in the vehicle's tank.)

While the vehicle is stopped in traffic or parked:

Shut off the engine.
Get far away from the vehicle.
Warn pedestrians and other vehicles to stay away.
Notify the fire department.
Don't attempt to try to put out the fire yourself. (The unseen danger is the possible ignition of fuel in the vehicle's tank.)

In all vehicle fire situations, the first thing to think about is personal safety; any vehicle can be replaced?humans cannot. Think and act quickly, in the safest way possible.
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TOURBUS - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -:) - :)- :)
Volume 11, Number 25 --- 17 November 2005
Tourbus Home - http://www.TOURBUS.com
Best of Tourbus -- http://tourbus.com/best.html

+---------------------------------------+
TODAY'S TOURBUS TOPICS: Internet Software / CDROM Tips

Today's TOURBUS will challenge you to stretch your online horizons by trying some new Internet software, give you tips to make your CDROMs last longer, and will reveal the secret of toothpaste for repairing damaged CDROM disks. Read on!

------------------------
Best Internet Software
------------------------

So, you've got a web browser and an email program... Is that all the Internet software you'll ever need? Maybe, but first take a look at some of the nifty tools in my Best Internet Software reviews. I've scoured the online world to find the best Internet software in many categories, including Browsers, Form Fillers, RSS Readers, File Transfer, Telnet and Utilities. I even tried hard to find Macintosh equivalents for Windows programs when available. I think you'll find something here to make your online experience even better!
http://www.askbobrankin.com/free_internet_software.html

-----------------------
CDROMs and Toothpaste
-----------------------

CDROM disks are great for backups, but how long will a CDROM last? As with any backup medium (floppy disk, tape, CDROM) the lifetime of the data is an important consideration. Some disk manufacturers say their product should last 200 years. But I've heard stories about CDs that were burned and then not readable after just a few months.

My article "Lifetime of a CDROM Disk" will tell you which CDROM brands are rated for the longest shelf life, give you tips on storing your backup CDs, and also describes the Toothpaste Cure for bringing a damaged CDROM back to life.
http://www.askbobrankin.com/lifetime_of_a_cdrom_disk.html

--------------------------
What is Windows OneCare?
--------------------------

Microsoft has announced a new service called Windows OneCare. Is it something you need for your computer? Maybe... If you're worried about not doing everything you should to keep your PC optimized and safe, then Windows OneCare is something that may help.

Are your Antivirus and Firewall packages protecting you adequately from viruses, worms, Trojan horses, hackers, and other threats? Do you find it a nuisance to maintain your hard disk and make sure that critical system fixes are applied? Learn more about Windows OneCare and how it can automate these essential security and performance boosting tasks.

http://www.askbobrankin.com/what_is_windows_onecare.html

---------------------
The Next Best Thing
---------------------

Linda from Marlinton, West Virginia recently wrote and said "The next best thing to Tourbus is the Smart Computing magazine that you guys recommend. I've been getting it since last summer and it has solved numerous problems for me and my friends." Thanks, Linda!

We hope other Tourbus riders will discover the Plain English answers to their computing questions that Smart Computing delivers every month. Do you want to speed up your PC? Eliminate the threat of computer viruses? Get rid of spyware and keep hackers out? Try Smart Computing today -- get your FREE TRIAL issue NOW!

http://www.tourbus.com/smart.htm

That's all for now, see you next time! -- Bob Rankin

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Volume 11, Number 24 --- 15 November 2005
Tourbus Home - http://www.TOURBUS.com
Best of Tourbus -- http://tourbus.com/best.html

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TODAY'S TOURBUS TOPIC: The Top 22 - Part 5

Howdy, y'all, and greetings once again from deep behind the orange curtain in beautiful Irvine, California, where we take one, one, one 'cause you left me and two, two, two for my family ... :P

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On with the show... Each year or so I create a handout titled "The Internet Tourbus Guide to the Most Useful Sites in the World." Today is the fifth post in my never-ending series, and today's stops all focus on Google. You can find my previous posts in the Tourbus archives at http://archives.tourbus.com

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16. Google Local
----------------

A few weeks ago, our friends at Google combined their much-acclaimed Google Maps [which we last visited back on July 28th] with their equally-acclaimed Google Local service to create a new, improved Google Local at

http://local.google.com/

Fans of Google Maps won't notice much of a difference. Go to maps.google.com and you'll notice that the page looks exactly the same. The only difference is that there is now a new Google Local icon in the upper left corner. Behind the scenes, though, Google has added a few new tricks including "in" and "near" searches. For example, if you search Google Local for

ribs in anaheim
or
ribs near anaheim

you'll see a list of rib restaurants in and around Anaheim, CA. The list isn't complete -- it omits Lucille's BBQ in nearby Long Beach and Brea -- but it's still pretty helpful. Try some in and near searches on your own and see what you can find in your hometown. The cool part comes when you search for a particular business. Try searching for

lucille's brea, ca

and you'll see a list of all of the businesses in Southern California that contain the name "Lucille's." Click on the first hit on the left -- the "A" hit -- and a pop-up window appears showing you the Brea restaurant's address, telephone number, web site, and even customer reviews. And, let me add, the reviews are spot on. Lucille's is the best barbeque I have had outside of Alabama.

So, in addition to the clickable, dragable, zoomable street and satellite maps we have all come to know and love at Google Maps, the new Google Local also includes local business information you may find helpful. And don't forget that Google Local also offers turn-by-turn driving directions that [in my humble opinion] are far superior to anything MapQuest offers.

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17. Google Sightseeing
----------------------

Of course, the coolest part of Google Maps [now Google Local] is the site's satellite or hybrid views. Being able to see your old high school [ http://tinyurl.com/ddctm ] or Alcatraz Island [ http://tinyurl.com/9j3ec ] from space is simply too cool for words.

Want to see more but don't know where to start? Hop on over to the Google Sightseeing blog at

http://www.googlesightseeing.com/

The folks at Google Sightseeing [who are not officially affiliated with Google] have spent the better part of eight months digging through Google's satellite looking for cool stuff like pictures of airplanes in flight [ http://tinyurl.com/9cau7 ], an example of how Missouri and Illinois highway engineers don't play well together [ http://tinyurl.com/b76yr ], and something that is best filed under the title "I want to believe" [ http://tinyurl.com/89hhy ]

Take some time to browse through the categories on the right side of the Google Sightseeing page, especially the "Weirdness" category. I think you'll be pleasantly surprised at all the stuff that is hiding in Google satellite images.

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18. Google Blog
---------------

As long as we're talking about Google, let's pay a quick visit to the official Google Blog at

http://googleblog.blogspot.com/

Edited by Google managers, engineers, and team members, the official Google Blog is a great place to get a sneak peek at some of Google's newest tools and technologies. As one example, on Monday the Google Blog announced that Google has relaunched the Urchin web traffic analysis toolkit as "Google Analytics." Oh, and it's free so long as you have a Google account. Just point your web browser to

http://www.google.com/analytics

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Bonus: Free Google PowerPoint Presentations
-------------------------------------------

If you want to learn more about Google, point your web browser to

http://www.netsquirrel.com/powerpoint/

There you'll find a bunch of free PowerPoint presentations you are free to steal, including:

- Google 201: Advanced Googology [updated 11/05]
Ready to take your Googling to the next level? Beyond the world of plusses, minuses, and quotes lies a whole universe of secret Google tips, techniques, and tools. This quick, one- hour presentation introduces you to little known Google features like pipes, stop-word workarounds, full-word wildcards, and query modifiers--features that will instantly make you the envy of your friends and the center of attention at cocktail parties.

- Google 301: Uber Google [new 11/05]
Want to know what the evil Google scientists have been working on the past couple of months? In this fast-paced, one-hour presentation you'll see some of Google's latest creations including Google Earth, Google Maps, Google Print, Google Scholar, Google Video, and more. You'll even get a sneak peek at some new Google tools that will soon be released upon an unsuspecting world.

- Google 70-20-10: A Behind-the-Scenes Look at Everyone's Favorite Search Engine [new 11/05]
Ready to take your Google-ing to a whole other level? In this three-hour presentation [which is a combination of Google 201 and Google 301] you'll get a behind-the-scenes look at how Google really works, learn little-known Google tools and tricks that will change the way you search, and even see what Google has up its sleeve in the not-too-distant future. You'll also learn Google's 70-20-10 philosophy and see how Google Answers, Google Catalogs, Google Directory, Froogle, Google Groups, Google Images, Google Maps, Google News, Google Print, Google Scholar, Blogger, and Keyhole both work and fit into Google's overall search strategy.

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The Next Best Thing
---------------------

Linda from Marlinton, West Virginia recently wrote and said "The next best thing to Tourbus is the Smart Computing magazine that you guys recommend. I've been getting it since last summer and it has solved numerous problems for me and my friends." Thanks, Linda!

We hope other Tourbus riders will discover the Plain English answers to their computing questions that Smart Computing delivers every month. Do you want to speed up your PC? Eliminate the threat of computer viruses? Get rid of spyware and keep hackers out? Try Smart Computing today -- get your FREE TRIAL issue NOW!

http://www.tourbus.com/smart.htm

I hope these help. Let me know if you find any typos. That's it for today. Have a safe and happy week, and we'll talk again soon.

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==[ Tourbus Rider Information ]==
The Internet Tourbus - U.S. Library of Congress ISSN #1094-2238 Copyright 1995-2005, Rankin & Crispen - All rights reserved Tourbus News Service - http://tourbus.com/news.html Subscribe, Signoff, Archives, Free Stuff and More at the Tourbus Website - http://www.TOURBUS.com
========================
.~~~. ))
(\__/) .' ) )) Patrick Douglas Crispen
/o o \/ .~
{o_, \ { crispen@netsquirrel.com
/ , , ) \ http://www.netsquirrel.com/
`~ -' \ } )) AOL Instant Messenger: Squirrel2K
_( ( )_.'
---..{____} Warning: squirrels.
><> ><> ><> ><> ><> ><> ><> ><> ><>
Our Church, Magnolia Christian Center, has the following mission statement. Our purpose is to build a great church for the glory of God through the great commission and the great commandment. MCC' Vision - That MCC will be a place hopping with children, energized with teenagers, balanced with diversity and transformed by the power of God! We want to turn uninterested people into interested people and win the lost to make fully devoted followers of Christ.
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I know a lot of you have seen this before, but I think it is worth re-reading.
God Bless Us All
Kathy

I don't believe in Santa Claus, but I'm not going to sue somebody for singing a Ho-Ho-Ho song in December. I don't agree with Darwin, but I didn't go out and hire a lawyer when my high school teacher taught his theory of evolution.
Life, liberty or your pursuit of happiness will not be endangered because someone says a 30-second prayer before a football game.
So what's the big deal? It's not like somebody is up there reading the entire book of Acts. They're just talking to a God they believe in and asking him to grant safety to the players on the field and the fans going home from the game.
"But it's a Christian prayer," some will argue. Yes, and this is the United States of America, a country founded on Christian principles. According to our very own phone book, Christian churches outnumber all others better than 200-to-1.
So what would you expect-somebody chanting Hare Krishna? If I went to a football game in Jerusalem, I would expect to hear a Jewish prayer.
If I went to a soccer game in Baghdad, I would expect to hear a Muslim prayer.
If I went to a ping pong match in China, I would expect to hear someone pray to Buddha.
And I wouldn't be offended. It wouldn't bother me one bit. When in Rome .. "But what about the atheists?" is another argument. What about them? Nobody is asking them to be baptized. We're not going to pass the collection plate. Just humor us for 30 seconds. If that's asking too much, bring a Walkman or a pair of ear plugs. Go to the bathroom. Visit the concession stand. Call your lawyer!
Unfortunately, one or two will make that call. One or two will tell thousands what they can and cannot do. I don't think a short prayer at a football game is going to shake the world's foundations.
Christians are just sick and tired of turning the other cheek while our courts strip us of all our rights. Our parents and grandparents taught us to pray before eating; to pray before we go to sleep.
Our Bible tells us to pray without ceasing. Now a handful of people and their lawyers are telling us to cease praying.
God, help us. And if that last sentence offends you, well ... just sue me.
The silent majority has been silent too long. It's time we let that one or two who scream loud enough to be heard .... that the vast majority don't care what they want. It is time the majority rules! It's time we tell them, you don't have to pray; you don't have to say the pledge of allegiance; you don't have to believe in God or attend services that honor Him. That is your right, and we will honor your right. But by golly, you are no longer going to take our rights away. We are fighting back .
and we WILL WIN! God bless us one and all . especially those who denounce Him. God bless America, despite all her faults. She is still the greatest nation of all.
God bless our service men who are fighting to protect our right to pray and worship God.
May 2005 be the year the silent majority is heard and we put God back as the foundation of our families and institutions.

Keep looking up.

Thanks to KATHY CHEATHAM
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SOMEBODY'S RAISING THEIR CHILD RIGHT! One Nation, "Under GOD"

One day, a six-year-old girl was sitting in a classroom. The teacher was explaining evolution to the children. The teacher asked a little boy:

TEACHER: Tommy, do you see the tree outside?

TOMMY: Yes

TEACHER: Tommy, do you see the grass outside?

TOMMY: Yes.

TEACHER: Go outside and look up and see if you can see the sky.

TOMMY: Okay. (He returned a few minutes later) Yes, I saw the sky.

TEACHER: Did you see GOD?

TOMMY: No.

TEACHER: That's my point. We can't see GOD because HE isn't there. HE just doesn't exist.

A little girl spoke up wanting to ask the boy some questions. The teacher agreed.

LITTLE GIRL: Tommy, do you see the tree outside?

TOMMY: Yes.

LITTLE GIRL: Tommy do you see the grass outside?

TOMMY: Yessssss!

LITTLE GIRL: Did you see the sky?

TOMMY: Yessssss!

LITTLE GIRL: Tommy, do you see the Teacher ?

TOMMY: Yes

LITTLE GIRL: Do you see her brain?

TOMMY: No.

LITTLE GIRL: Then according to what we were taught today, she doesn't have one.

II CORINTHIANS 5:7 " FOR WE WALK BY FAITH, NOT BY SIGHT "

Thanks to Bubba Whittemore
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Target Getting the Message - Stock Drops 7%

"There is an anti-Christian bias in this country, and it is more on display at Christmas season than any other time." – Bill O'Reilly, The O'Reilly Factor, Fox News Channel – (Speaking about the decision of Target and other stores to ban the use of "Merry Christmas" in their stores and advertising.)
Dear James,

On October 7 we brought to your attention that Target was banning the Salvation Army's kettles from the front of their stores. Now we've learned Target is also banning the use of "Merry Christmas" from their in-store promotions and from their advertising in papers, TV, etc.

Your efforts are having an impact. USA Today (11/16/05) announced that "Target alarmed investors by saying projected sales at stores open a year in November would miss the estimated 4% to 6% growth. Shares of Target fell $4.13 to $54.30." (A 7% drop.)

Target's ban of the Salvation Army and "Merry Christmas" expresses the same attitude toward Christianity as that held by Michael Newdow, who wants to ban "In God We Trust" from our currency and "under God" from our Pledge of Allegiance.

AFA is asking individuals to boycott Target during the upcoming Thanksgiving weekend—the busiest shopping weekend of the year. Please share this request to boycott Target on that weekend with friends, family and members of your church and Sunday school class.

Please sign the petition to Target. This petition will also be sent to other major chains banning the use of "Merry Christmas" including Costco, BJ's, Wal-Mart, Sears/K-Mart and Kohl's. It is basically too late to change their policies this year, but we can change it for next year. Last year we called for a boycott of Federated Stores because they banned "Merry Christmas." This year they are using "Merry Christmas!"

A successful boycott of Target will send a message to every company!

This is your opportunity to make your voice heard. Please act today and then forward this to friends and family.

Click http://www.afa.net/petitions/signpetition.asp?id=1470 to Sign the Petition To Target and Other Stores Now!

Sincerely,
Don

Donald E. Wildmon, Founder and Chairman
American Family Association
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TGIF-Today God Is First


Fulfilling Vows
by Os Hillman, November 18, 2005
When you make a vow to God, do not delay in fulfilling it. He has no pleasure in fools; fulfill your vow. - Ecclesiastes 5:4

Have you ever had a business relationship with someone who made a commitment but later said, "Well, things changed, so I cannot honor our original agreement."? Sometimes this may be the case, but often it is simply an opportunity to avoid fulfilling an agreement. God is big on fulfilling vows. God's nature is righteousness and truth. You will always see God honor His Word. He expects the same of His people.

God says there are consequences when we do not fulfill our vows. Subsequent Scripture verses reveal the following:

It is better not to vow than to make a vow and not fulfill it. Do not let your mouth lead you into sin. And do not protest to the temple messenger, "My vow was a mistake." Why should God be angry with what you say and destroy the work of your hands? Much dreaming and many words are meaningless. Therefore stand in awe of God" (Ecclesiastes 5:5-7).

God tells us that He will destroy the work of our hands for failure to fulfill vows. That's pretty strong language. It gives us an indication of how important fulfilling vows is to God. He will not prosper our work if there are unfulfilled vows in our lives

Are there any unfulfilled vows in your life that may be hindering your projects? Vows show up in many areas of our lives - marriages, businesses, personal friendships. Unfulfilled vows in any one of these could be the reason your work may be hindered.

Ask God today if there are any unfulfilled vows in your life. If so, begin today to make them right so that you may be successful in whatever God calls you to do.

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The Ultimate Franchise
by Os Hillman, November 16, 2005
And He said unto them, How is it that ye sought Me? Wist ye not that I must be about My Father's business? - Luke 2:49 KJV

Earth is God's business. He has set up many franchises (churches) designed to send His representatives (Body of Christ) into the world to make known the best product ever given to mankind (Jesus). His branch managers (pastors) have been given the responsibility to teach and support those in the field. God's goal is to establish a franchise in every nation, state, and city. It is the ultimate business because when you introduce someone to His product (Jesus), you receive a reward from the home office (Heaven). God has promised that His representatives will have all the tools and customer support needed to accomplish their strategic plans.

Jesus knew that He was to be about His Father's business. He knew He was sent to earth not to enjoy the pleasures of lowly man, but to accomplish a task for which He alone was sent. When He had accomplished His mission, He was to entrust this mission to other representatives into whom He poured His life for three years. This field training allowed Jesus to mentor, model, befriend, and demonstrate firsthand the model for a successful business to be launched and sustained.

God has big plans for His franchise. He wants every human being to partake of His product; however, even God knows that not everyone will. Nevertheless, this does not thwart His efforts in seeking to make it known among His audience.

You have been called to be part of the ultimate franchise. How many new recruits have you been responsible for bringing into the franchise lately?

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Real Customer Service
by Os Hillman, November 15, 2005
While they were going out a man, who was demon-possessed and could not talk, was brought to Jesus. - Matthew 9:32

Years ago, it was not uncommon to have your milk delivered to your home. Doctors made house calls. And when you made a call to a company to discuss a problem, you actually spoke to a human being. Those days of personal service are gone, and if we are not careful, we will follow the same trend in how we share the gospel.

So often we are encouraged to bring people to church. Yet, we see no examples of where Jesus brought people into the synagogue to get them saved or healed. The miracles happened more often in the workplace because that was where Jesus could be found. Jesus had less response and found more resistance in the synagogue than in the workplace. He took the gospel to and modeled the gospel in the workplace. That is where the power of God was manifested. This is not to say we should not bring people to church, only that our priority should be to bring the Church into the workplace, not bring the workplace into the church.

Paul understood this when he said,

"My message and my preaching were not with wise and persuasive words, but with a demonstration of the Spirit's power, so that your faith might not rest on men's wisdom, but on God's power" (1 Corinthians 2:4).

Paul understood that it wasn't words that impacted people; it was the power of God manifested through him.

When is the last time someone saw something happen through your life that could not be explained other than God working in your life? When you begin to see this happen, you will be modeling ministry as Jesus modeled it. You will be bringing the Church to the people, not the people to the church. Pray that God makes you a vessel of His power, not simply a vessel of words.

-=+=-

Real Customer Service
by Os Hillman, November 15, 2005
While they were going out a man, who was demon-possessed and could not talk, was brought to Jesus. - Matthew 9:32

Years ago, it was not uncommon to have your milk delivered to your home. Doctors made house calls. And when you made a call to a company to discuss a problem, you actually spoke to a human being. Those days of personal service are gone, and if we are not careful, we will follow the same trend in how we share the gospel.

So often we are encouraged to bring people to church. Yet, we see no examples of where Jesus brought people into the synagogue to get them saved or healed. The miracles happened more often in the workplace because that was where Jesus could be found. Jesus had less response and found more resistance in the synagogue than in the workplace. He took the gospel to and modeled the gospel in the workplace. That is where the power of God was manifested. This is not to say we should not bring people to church, only that our priority should be to bring the Church into the workplace, not bring the workplace into the church.

Paul understood this when he said,

"My message and my preaching were not with wise and persuasive words, but with a demonstration of the Spirit's power, so that your faith might not rest on men's wisdom, but on God's power" (1 Corinthians 2:4).

Paul understood that it wasn't words that impacted people; it was the power of God manifested through him.

When is the last time someone saw something happen through your life that could not be explained other than God working in your life? When you begin to see this happen, you will be modeling ministry as Jesus modeled it. You will be bringing the Church to the people, not the people to the church. Pray that God makes you a vessel of His power, not simply a vessel of words.

-=+=-

Sold Out
by Os Hillman, November 14, 2005
But whatever was to my profit I now consider loss for the sake of Christ. - Philippians 3:7

George Mueller was a man known for building orphanages by faith in the mid-1800s. He raised literally millions of dollars for his orphanages, yet died with little in his own bank account. When asked about his conversion experience he commented,

"I was converted in November of 1825, but I only came into the full surrender of the heart four years later, in July 1829. The love of money was gone, the love of place was gone, the love of position was gone, and the love of worldly pleasures and engagements was gone. God, God alone became my portion. I found my all in Him; I wanted nothing else. And by the grace of God this has remained, and has made me a happy man, an exceedingly happy man, and it led me to care only about the things of God. I ask affectionately, my beloved brethren, have you fully surrendered the heart to God, or is there this thing or that thing with which you have taken up irrespective of God? I read a little of the scriptures before, but preferred other books; but since that time the revelation He has made of Himself has become unspeakably blessed to me, and I can say from my heart, God is an infinitely lovely Being. Oh, be not satisfied until in your own inmost soul you can say, God is an infinitely lovely Being!" [Basil Miller, Man of Faith and Miracles (Minneapolis, Minnesota, Bethany House Publishers, n.d.)]

Many will never get to the place where George Mueller was in his spiritual life, because we are unwilling to release control of these areas of which he speaks. If we do release control, it usually is due to a process that God brings us through. Paul got knocked to the ground and was spoken to personally before he was willing to listen and follow completely. Peter had to live with Jesus three years and he still denied Him. It was only later, after he denied Jesus and realized how weak he was in his own faith, that he became fully committed to the Savior.

What will it take for you to fully surrender? You will know that you have given full surrender when power, money, and position no longer have meaning in your life. Paul said he came to a place where his life was the life of Christ only. It is a sacrificial life, but it is also a life of freedom, purpose, and meaning. Let God take full control and see His life lived fully through you.

-=+=-

Prosperity in Afflictions
by Os Hillman, November 13, 2005
The second son he named Ephraim and said, "It is because God has made me fruitful in the land of my suffering." - Genesis 41:52

When Joseph was elevated to rule over the Egyptian kingdom, he revealed some profound truths gained from the experiences of his years of adversity. He named his first son, Manasseh for, he said, "God has made me forget all my trouble and all my father's household" (Gen. 41:51b). His second son was named Ephraim because, "God has made me fruitful in the land of my suffering."

Whenever God takes us through the land of affliction, He will do two things through that affliction: 1) He will bring such healing that we will be able to forget the pain, and 2) He will make us fruitful from the painful experiences.

God does not waste our afflictions if we allow Him the freedom to complete the work in us. His desire is to create virtue that remains during the times of testing so that He can bring us into the place of fruitfulness in the very area of our testing. He has never promised to keep us from entering the valleys of testing, but He has promised to make us fruitful in them. He is the God who turns the Valley of Achor (trouble) into a door of hope (see Hos. 2:15).

If you are in the valley of affliction, now is the time to press into Him. When the time comes to bring you out of this valley, He will heal your memories and bring fruit from this very time.

-=+=-

Share TGIF With A Friend - - http://www.marketplaceleaders.org/pages.asp?pageid=27851
Copyright 2005. www.MarketplaceLeaders.org
---------------------------------------------------
To contact Os Hillman, request reprint permission, or to book Os to speak in your town write to os@marketplaceleaders.org. Marketplace Leaders Website: http://www.marketplaceleaders.org/ Copyright 2005
--------------------------------------------------
Please recommend this TGIF daily devotional to everyone interested in applying their faith to their worklife. Tell them to subscribe at http://www.TodayGodIsFirst.com

Os Hillman Copyright 2005
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Activities and Events of Interest
~~~
Albemarle Kids' Christmas Party - Saturday, December 3, 10 am to 1 pm - SAU Skating Rink
~~~
Albemarle Christmas Party - December 6 and December 8
~~~
The Emancipation Proclamation will be on display at the Clinton Library September 22-25, 2007.
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"September 11 WDYTJWD" W. P. Florence
Justice first, then peace."
"September 11" Never forget.--Tony Moses
"ONE NATION UNDER GOD ...the only way"--Phillip Story
"We have nothing to fear but fear itself." -- Franklin D. Roosevelt
"Keeping my head down but face toward Heaven" - - Jody Eldred, ABC News Cameraman in Kuwait
"Remember Pearl Harbor? Remember 9/11!" --"Bug"
Tell the people you love that you love them, at every opportunity. - - George Carlin
"Stop telling God how big your storm is. Instead, tell the storm how big your God is!" - - Queen E. Watson
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NEVER FORGET! We're listing the names of our soldiers killed weekly. These records can be found at http://www.defenselink. mil/releases/

01. Lance Cpl. Jeremy P. Tamburello, 19, of Denver, Colo., died Nov. 8 from wounds sustained from an improvised explosive device while conducting combat operations just west of Rutbah, Iraq. He was assigned to the 1st Light Armor Reconnaissance Battalion, 1st Marine Division, I Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Pendleton, Calif.

02. Sgt. 1st Class Alwyn C. Cashe, 35, of Oviedo, Fla., died on Nov. 8 at Brooke Army Medical Center, Fort Sam Houston, TX from wounds suffered Oct. 17 in Samarra, Iraq. Cashe was on patrol in a Bradley Fighting Vehicle when an improvised explosive devise detonated near his vehicle. He was assigned to 1st Battallion, 15th Infantry Regiment, 3rd Infantry Division, based in Fort Benning, Ga.

The Department of Defense announced the deaths of two soldiers who were supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom. They died of injuries sustained on Nov. 10 in Al Khalidiyah, Iraq, where their M1A1 Abrams tank was attacked by enemy forces using small arms fire.
Killed were:
03. Staff Sgt. Michael C. Parrott, 49, of Timnath, Colo., who died in Balad, Iraq. Parrott was assigned to the Army National Guard's Joint Forces Headquarters, Cheyenne, Wyo.
04. Sgt. Joshua A. Terando, 27, of Morris, Ill., who died in Al Taqaddum, Iraq. Terando was a Reservist assigned to the Army National Guard's 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 28th Infantry Division, Washington, Pa.

05. Sgt. Tyrone L. Chisholm, 27, of Savannah, Ga., died in Tal Afar, Iraq, on Nov. 11, when multiple improvised explosive devices detonated near his M1A2 Abrams Tank. Chisholm was assigned to the 2nd Squadron, 3rd Armored Cavalry Regiment, Fort Carson, Colo.

06. Staff Sgt. Stephen J. Sutherland, 33, of West Deptford, N.J., died in Al Qadisiyah, Iraq, on Nov. 12, when his Stryker military vehicle accidentally rolled over. Sutherland was assigned to the 4th Squadron, 14th Cavalry Regiment, 172nd Stryker Brigade Combat Team, Fort Wainwright, Alaska.

The Department of Defense announced the deaths of two soldiers who were supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom. They died in Kirkuk, Iraq on Nov. 11, when their convoy vehicle was involved in a collision. Both soldiers were assigned to the 40th Transportation Company, 44th Corps Support Battalion, 593rd Corps Support Group, Fort Lewis, Wash. Killed were:
07. Cpl. Donald E. Fisher II, 21, of Avon, Mass.
08. Pfc. Antonio Mendezsanchez, 22, of Rincon, Puerto Rico.

The Department of Defense announced the death of three Marines who were supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom.
09. Lance Cpl. Daniel F. Swaim, 19, of Yadkinville, N.C., died Nov. 10 of wounds sustained from an improvised explosive device while conducting combat operations against enemy forces during Operation Steel Curtain in Karabilah, Iraq. He was assigned to 3rd Battalion, 6th Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division, II Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Lejeune, N.C.
10. Lance Cpl. David A. Mendez Ruiz, 20, of Cleveland, Ohio, and Lance Cpl. Scott A. Zubowski, 20, of Manchester, Ind., both died Nov. 12 from an improvised explosive device while conducting combat operations against enemy forces in Al Amiriyah, Iraq. Both Marines were assigned to 2nd Battalion, 7th Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division, I Marine Expeditionary Force, Twentynine Palms, Calif. During Operation Iraqi Freedom, their unit was attached to 2nd Marine Division, II Marine Expeditionary Force (Forward).

The Department of Defense announced the death of three Marines who were supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom.
11. Cpl. John M. Longoria, 21, of Nixon, Texas, died Nov. 14 of wounds sustained from small arms fire while conducting combat operations against enemy forces during Operation Steel Curtain in New Ubaydi, Iraq.
12. Maj. Ramon J. Mendoza Jr., 37, of Columbus, Ohio, and
13. Lance Cpl. Christopher M. McCrackin, 20, of Liverpool, Texas, both died Nov. 14 from an improvised explosive device while conducting combat operations against enemy forces during Operation Steel Curtain in New Ubaydi, Iraq.
All three Marines were assigned to Battalion Landing Team 2nd Battalion, 1st Marine Regiment, 13th Marine Expeditionary Unit, I Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Pendleton, Calif. During Operation Iraqi Freedom, their unit was attached to 2nd Marine Division, II Marine Expeditionary Force (Forward).

14. Sgt. 1st Class James S. Ochsner, 36, of Waukegan, Ill., died in Orgun-E, Afghanistan, on Nov. 15, when an improvised explosive device detonated near his HMMWV during a supply distribution mission. Ochsner was assigned to the Army's 2nd Battalion, 3rd Special Forces Group, Fort Bragg, N.C.

15. Lance Cpl. Nickolas D. Schiavoni, 26, of Haverhill, Mass., died Nov. 15 from a suicide, vehicle-borne, improvised explosive device while conducting combat operations against enemy forces near Al Karmah, Iraq. He was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 2nd Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division, II Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Lejeune, N.C.

16. 2nd Lt. Donald R. McGlothlin, 26, of Lebanon, Va., died Nov. 16 from small arms fire while conducting combat operations against enemy forces during Operation Steel Curtain in Ubaydi, Iraq. He was assigned to Battalion Landing Team 2nd Battalion, 1st Marine Regiment, 13th Marine Expeditionary Unit, I Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Pendleton, Calif. His unit was attached to 2nd Marine Division, II Marine Expeditionary Force (Forward).

17. Pvt. Dylan R. Paytas, 20, of Freedom, Pa., died in Baqubah, Iraq, on Nov. 16, from injuries sustained from multiple gunshot wounds. Paytas was assigned to the 3rd Brigade Troops Battalion, 3rd Infantry Division, Fort Benning, Ga.

The Department of Defense announced the death of four soldiers who were supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom. They died of injuries sustained in Taji, Iraq, on Nov. 15, when an improvised explosive device detonated near their HMMWV during combat operations. The soldiers were assigned to the 1st Battalion, 320th Field Artillery Regiment, 101st Airborne Division, Fort Campbell, Ky. Killed were:
18. Staff Sgt. James E. Estep, 26, of Leesburg, Fla., in Taji, Iraq, on Nov. 15.
19. Spc. Matthew J. Holley, 21, of San Diego, Calif., in Taji, Iraq, on Nov. 15.
20. Spc. Alexis Roman-Cruz, 33, of Brandon, Fla., in Balad, Iraq, on Nov. 16.
21. Pfc. Travis J. Grigg, 24, of Inola, Okla., in Taji, Iraq, on Nov. 15.

The Department of Defense announced the death of four Marines, who were supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom.
22. Lance Cpl. Roger W. Deeds, 24, of Biloxi, Miss.
23. Lance Cpl. John A. Lucente, 19, of Grass Valley, Calif.
24. Cpl. Jeffry A. Rogers, 21, of Oklahoma City, Okla.
25. Cpl. Joshua J. Ware, 20, of Apache, Okla.
All four Marines died Nov. 16 while conducting combat operations against enemy forces during Operation Steel Curtain in Ubaydi, Iraq. Deeds, Rogers and Ware all died as a result of enemy small arms fire, while Lucente died from wounds sustained from an enemy hand grenade. All four Marines were assigned to Battalion Landing Team 2nd Battalion, 1st Marine Regiment, 13th Marine Expeditionary Unit, I Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Pendleton, Calif. During Operation Iraqi Freedom, their unit was attached to 2nd Marine Division, II Marine Expeditionary Force (Forward).

26. Sgt. Jeremy E. Murray, 27, of Atwater, Ohio, died Nov. 16 from an improvised explosive device while conducting combat operations against enemy forces in the vicinity of Hadithah, Iraq. He was assigned to 3rd Battalion, 1st Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division, I Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Pendleton, Calif. During Operation Iraqi Freedom, his unit was attached to 2nd Marine Division, II Marine Expeditionary Force (Forward).

http://icasualties.org/oif/default.aspx
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Please remember to pray for the American soldiers stationed everywhere around the globe and especially in Iraq. Times have been and are very tough and it would be nice if you would all just say a prayer for their safety and for their families.
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Scheduled Activities
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Alcoholics Anonymous meets at 8 p.m. Monday - Friday. At noon on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays and at 7 p.m. Sunday at 914 N. Vine
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Columbia County Amateur Radio Club meets Every second Thursday @ 7:00 p.m. Union Street Station. And YOU'RE invited. Net is every Sunday at 20:30 on 147.105.
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Columbia County Diabetes Support Group - Every third Monday, 7:00 p.m. room 222, Magnolia Hospital
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"Focus on the Family" with Dr. James Dobson weekday afternoons at 1 PM on KVMA am 630 it's a great show!
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MCC - Abraham Prayer - Sunday at 5:00 p.m and Wednesday from 11:30 am to 1:00 pm
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MCC - Early Morning Prayer - Monday - Friday, From 6:30 am to 8:00 am
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MCC - "Beth Moore" Video Class - Thursday nights at 5:45 pm
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MCC - "Faith Builders" Small group meets at 1051 Columbia 36 the second and fourth Tuesdays, 6:30 pm to 7:45 pm.
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MCC - Firm Foundations Class, Sunday 9:30 to 10:15 a.m
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MCC - Meadow Brook Nursing Home Ministry Tuesday from 10:00 to 11:00 a.m
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MCC - Mom's Day Out - Every Tuesday and Thursday from 9 to 2.$10 for the first child, $5 for the second. Call 234-3225 for reservations.
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MCC - Nursing Home Ministry - Meadowbrook Every Tuesday from 10 to 11 am. Taylor, the last Thursday each month.
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MCC - Over comers: Fridays @ 7:00 p.m- Director, Traci Foster invites you to a 12 step Christian support program. For anyone with a life controlling problem. Child care is provided.
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Men's Prayer Breakfast held every Tuesday morning at 6 AM in Miller's Cafeteria. If you aren't a regular participant at the Men's Prayer Breakfast, you're missing some great food, fellowship and inspired teaching of the Word. Hope to see you there.
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Narcotics Anonymous 5-6 pm every Monday at 220 Pine street.
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TOPS (Take Off Pounds Sensibly) 5 pm every Tuesday in the Magnolia Hospital break room.
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Emergency Phone Number 911
(Fire, Police, Ambulance, Sheriff, etc. )
Central Dispatch 234-5655
(Non - Emergency Number)
Direct Numbers
Ambulance - 234-7371 (24 Hour)
Jail - 234-5331 (24 Hour)
Poison Control - 800-222-1222 (24 Hour)
http://www. aapcc. org/
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"Fight till you win!" - - Mark Brazee
"Bring 'em on!" - -President George W. Bush
"There is not enough darkness in the world to put out the light of one candle."
"Laugh whenever you can and cry if you need to." -- "Bug"
"I read the end of the book. We win!" -- "Bug"
"We may not be able to cure the world, but we don't have to make it sicker." -- "Bug"
"There just ain't enough fingers for all the holes in the dike." - - "Bug"
"It's no big deal doing what God tells you to do. A big deal would be NOT doing what God tells you to do. Just ask Jonah." - - Paul Troquille
"A simple way to take measure of a country is to look at how many want in ... and how many want out." - - Tony Blair
"Information is the currency of democracy." - Jefferson
"Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful committed people can change the world; indeed, it is the only thing that ever has." - - Margaret Mead
~~~~~
Hope you enjoy the newsletter.
Again, thanks to all our contributors this week.

God bless and GOD BLESS AMERICA!!!
John 15:9-11 Rom 16:3-7 Acts 10:42-43 Est 2:20
God is Good and Faithful CU 73 IC JFM CSP NREMT-I KC5HII

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