Bug's Bleat - - GCF: Get Out Much?

Volume 7, Issue 49

Hello All,

We forget how busy this season can be. What with parties, shopping, and the normal flow of life, it gets extra busy after Thanksgiving. But even with all the activities going on, we still had time for Annette to get good news in Shreveport Thursday. Dr. Rushing told her that she didn’t need to start on any medication at this time. She just wants her to continue to tune her diet and exercise.
~~~~~
The debate over Merry Christmas vs. Happy Holiday greetings has really heated up. It’s almost dangerous to wish someone Happy Holidays.
Personally, I don’t like the idea of people taking Christmas out of this season. After all, Christ’s birth is why we celebrate. But neither do I like the idea of forcing someone to use Christmas instead of Holiday greetings. His sacrifice is a free gift, not something to be forced on a person.
With that said, I still reserve the right to withhold my shopping dollars from stores that have “cleansed” Christmas from their advertising and displays. Hopefully, Target will get none of my dollars as long as they don’t allow the Salvation Army to solicit outside their doors.
~~~~~
We had a great time at the Albemarle Kids Christmas Party last Saturday. Then, Thursday evening, we enjoyed a great meal, fellowship and some good laughs with our coworkers at the Albemarle Employee Christmas Party. Our activities committee does a great job with these activities. These volunteers work long hours to ensure that we have a good time.
~~~~~
Speaking of hard work, Traci Baily and her team of MCC ladies and girls (assisted by Ben Eiler and Gary Carter) did a great job decorating and preparing a beautiful meal for the church staff Christmas Party. Traci, Royce Franks, Glenda Wise, Elaine Rice and helpers made us all feel like we were on one of those cruise ships where your every whim is catered too.
~~~~~
Rachel Nix taught my first fire fighting class back in 1978. This message from her explains the upcoming vote on a bond proposal to help Arkansas Education.

Dear Fire Service Community
On Tuesday, December 13, 2005 there will be a two proposals for you and the general public to vote on. One of these proposals is dealing with college savings bonds. It will be titled Arkansas Higher Education Technology and Facility Improvement Act. As you know the fire training props at the Arkansas Fire Academy are in need of repair, specifically the 2-story burn building. Some of the monies from this act will be earmarked for the AFA prop repair as well as monies for new props. New props will include propane-fueled props such as vehicle fires, dumpster fires, and a permanently mounted LP-gas prop. This proposal is not to create a new tax. Your attention and support for this act will better benefit the training for the firefighters of the State of Arkansas. You may go to the following website for more information. http://www.ar-clear.org

Thanks for you help.
Rachel A. Nix
Director - Arkansas Fire Academy
~~~~~
More than 150,000 troops are at war in Iraq, Afghanistan and stationed other places by land and sea. It's time to remember them, and at least send a letter. Care packages are great, but simple letters can be powerful. The Department of Defense has sorted through endless websites and charities, and does an excellent job organizing links to sites that allow people to help the troops. With a single click, people can donate books to troops, or computers, or frequent flier miles, or they can help wounded veterans or grieving families, or Iraqi children. There are so many options. http://www.americasupportsyou.mil/
Thanks to Michael Yon
~~~~~
Speaking of our troops, the Department of Defense announced that Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld has asked retired U.S. Army Gen. Montgomery Meigs to spearhead an expanded DoD program to counter the threat of improvised explosive devices against U.S. and coalition forces.

Meigs is a former commander of U.S. Army forces in Europe and of NATO’s peacekeeping force in Bosnia. He will assume the lead from Brig. Gen. Joseph Votel, current director, on Dec. 12, 2005. Votel, who has led the effort since its inception in 2003, will remain in the leadership of the Joint Improvised Explosive Device Defeat Task Force (JIEDD-TF).

“The challenge we face from IED’s is in part technological, but goes beyond that to encompass the manner in which our forces operate, their tactics and their procedures,” said Rumsfeld. “General Votel has helped focus resources and thinking on the many technological aspects of this challenge. Meigs will bring a senior commander’s operational perspective to the overall IED effort, which has been ongoing since 2003. I thank him for his willingness to resume public service.”

The JIEDD-TF under Meigs will expand upon existing efforts to ensure innovative solutions across ground, air, maritime and special operations domains by integrating technology and training with battlefield tactics, techniques and procedures, while leveraging outside sources for rapid acquisition of technical solutions. The task force also will provide for government-wide coordination of resources and analysis as available and appropriate.

Meigs also will lead the task force's efforts to create a “center of excellence” training center, intended to assist the service branches with pre-deployment IED threat training. This center, to be headquartered at the National Training Center at Fort Irwin, Calif., will help ensure troops continue to have the opportunity to train on the equipment they'll use in the field prior to deployment.

The appointment of Meigs marks the latest evolution in the department’s ongoing efforts to address the IED challenge. Since October 2003, the department’s IED initiative has evolved from an Army organization of about 12 people to a joint task force, organized by the deputy secretary of defense, with resources in excess of $1 billion committed to training and technology priorities.
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We’re still rounding up letters of support for Dr. Pat Antoon through December 10. 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.
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Prejudice is a drain on society, like trying to drive cross-country with a hole in your gas tank. Prejudice sucks the energy out of our communities and is widespread throughout the world. Mr. Rucker Clayton once told me that the only difference between a Racist and a Prejudiced Person was that a Racist knew they were Prejudice.

This essay on Prejudice and Racism brings out many ideas that we all need to be familiar with.

Prejudice
Prejudice = attitude of aversion and hostility toward the members of a group simply because they belong to it and are therefore presumed to have the objectionable qualities ascribed to the group.
Four basic types of feelings that characterize prejudice in the dominant group:
1. A feeling of superiority,
2. A feeling that the minority is inherently different and alien,
3. A feeling of proprietary claim to power, privilege, and status, and
4. A fear and suspicion that the minority harbors designs on the power, privilege, and status of the dominant group.

Prejudiced individuals easily retain evidence that confirms their negative attitude while ignoring or discounting evidence to the contrary.

Difference between prejudice and discrimination
Prejudice is merely a predisposition to act. It does not entail the actual response itself.
Discrimination entails the arbitrary denial of power, privilege, and status to members of a minority group whose qualifications are equal to those of the dominant group.
Prejudice may or may not be associated with discrimination.

Sources of racial and ethnic antagonism
Competition for scarce resources
Development of antagonism arises especially in the context of a split labor market (large differential in the price of labor for the same occupation).
Unequal Power
Where the incoming group enjoys superior power resources, it is able to dominate through conquest and the imposition of its control apparatus (classic colonialism).
Reference Groups
Many of our racial attitudes and behaviors are rooted in our reference groups.
Reference groups account for the fact that prejudice often develops before we even have contact with a minority people => socialization toward prejudice.
Attitude change is associated with a shift in reference groups.
Self-fulfilling Prophecies
Even though our original definitions of the situations is false, we often create conditions that make it come true (self-fulfilling prophecy).
Even when the evidence does not confirm some "stereotype" information, individuals selectively perceive and process information in a way that leads them to believe their stereotype is confirmed.
Personality Variables
Projection is people's tendency to attribute to others traits that they find unacceptable in themselves.
T.W. Adorno et al.: Prejudice is seen as an ingredient of the authoritarian personality. This is a set of traits characterized by rigid, conventional thinking, an obsession with power, and submission to authority, highly judgmental values, and a cynical outlook.
~~~~~
The following news stories caught my eye this week.
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Thousands of Babies Have Strokes Annually
http://apnews.excite.com/article/20051206/D8EAPMS00.html
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Westin hotel chain to ban smoking indoors
Customers who violate policy to be charged $200, executive says
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/10338589/
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Don't have time to hang holiday decorations?
More homeowners hiring contractors to set up outdoor displays
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/10326949/
~~~~~
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 (and anyone else who is so inclined).
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 my two Kenwood TH-22-AT “Ham” radios.

Back Scratcher
Basic tools of any kind
Batteries, AA
Batteries, 9 volt
Batteries, AAA
Blankets or Quilts
“Boot” Horn
Chair, office, $49 from SAMS (5 of them)
Cordless Drill
Cordless Screwdriver
A DeLorme Earthmate GPS LT-20 device
A copy of DeLorme Street Atlas USA 2006 Plus
A copy of DeLorme Topo USA 5.0
Digital Video Recorder (Pioneer DVR-533H-S $333 at Beach Camera)
Eyeglasses, “Computer type” to use at church (and some new ones to use at home and at work.)
Floor Mats (for the truck)
Handkerchiefs
“Happy Birthday” Jesus Offering
Hat (warm, for bald guys winter wear.)
Magnifying Glass.
New Showerhead
Non-skid toilet rug
Oven Thermometer
Refrigerator Thermometer
Small, lightweight “head light” so I can see small things on the desk or workbench.
Socks (the $30 a pair kind)
Some Warm-up Suits to wear around the house after we get that first gas bill.
Trackball for the home computer
USB Key (1 Gig )
VHS - DVD Recorder (Lite-On LVC-9006 $219 @ Buy.com)


This will continue to grow as the season approaches.
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Don't forget ... "Da Bleat" is now on the web. Just go to http://bugsbleat4q.blogspot.com
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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. $2.157 $2.290 $2.373 $2.559
http://www.fuelgaugereport.com/
We paid $2.03 at Sam’s in Shreveport this week.
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Recipe(s) of the week - Dinner Roll Wreath - courtesy Sandra Lee
See this recipe on air Thursday Dec. 15 at 9:00 PM ET/PT.
Show: Food Network Specials
Episode: Sandra Lee's Semi-Homemade Holiday


Recipe Summary
Difficulty: Easy
Prep Time: 10 minutes

Inactive Prep Time: 2 hours
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Yield: 12 rolls


1-bag yeast rolls, frozen dough
3 tablespoons butter, melted
1-½ teaspoons ranch-style dressing mix
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh herbs (thyme, rosemary, parsley)
Fresh herbs, for garnish


Remove 12 frozen roll dough balls from bag. Use a nonstick spray on a baking sheet and arrange the yeast rolls; approximately 1/4-inch apart, to form a ring Cover loosely with plastic wrap or a damp cloth and set in a warm spot in the kitchen to thaw and rise until doubled in size, about 1 to 3 hours.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

In a small bowl, combine melted butter and ranch dressing mix. Brush tops and sides of rolls with butter mixture. Sprinkle rolls with finely chopped herbs. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes, until golden brown.

Serve on cake stand, garnished with fresh herbs.

http://www.foodnetwork.com/food/recipes/recipe/0,1977,FOOD_9936_32507,00.html
~~~~~
1 Corinthians 13 - A Christmas Version

If I decorate my house perfectly with plaid bows, strands of twinkling lights and shiny balls, but do not show love to my family, I'm just another decorator.

If I slave away in the kitchen, baking dozens of Christmas cookies, preparing gourmet meals and arranging a beautifully adorned table at mealtime, but do not show love to my family, I'm just another cook.

If I work at the soup kitchen, carol in the nursing home and give all that I have to charity, but do not show love to my family, it profits me nothing.

If I trim the spruce with shimmering angels and crocheted snowflakes, attend myriad holiday parties and sing in the choir's cantata but do not focus on Christ, I have missed the point.

Love stops the cooking to hug the child. Love sets aside the decorating to kiss the husband. Love is kind, though harried and tired. Love doesn't envy another's home that has coordinated Christmas china and table linens.

Love doesn't yell at the kids to get out of the way, but is thankful they are there to be in the way. Love doesn't give only to those who are able to give in return but rejoices in giving to those who can't.

Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never fails. Video games will break, pearl necklaces will be lost, golf clubs will rust, but giving the gift of love will endure.

Merry Christmas and lots of love to you and yours!

Thanks to Trina Montgomery
~~~~~
BreakPoint
With Chuck Colson

Lewis Revisited
Taking Another Look at Narnia’s Creator
December 9, 2005

With the release of the blockbuster film The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe, C. S. Lewis is once again drawing the world’s attention. Of course, among Christians, Lewis’s stock has never gone down. For at least half a century, his works have been inspiring the faithful and drawing the skeptical to Christianity. As I have recounted many times, his book Mere Christianity was instrumental in my own conversion.

Even many secularists have recognized the quality of Lewis’s work in such books as the Chronicles of Narnia and The Screwtape Letters. All the same, not many consider him one of our culture’s major writers. But now that Lewis has come back into the limelight, people are taking a fresh look at the quiet-living Oxford professor and writer, trying to figure out just what Christians find so attractive about him.

After all, there are plenty of gifted writers out there who never earn the kind of love, loyalty, and admiration that Lewis receives from so many readers. His devout faith, brilliant use of logic, and humility are rare and precious qualities. But what really makes him so compelling is his ability to blend reason and imagination in his works. As he wrote, “For me, reason is the natural organ of truth, and imagination is the organ of understanding.” He is right. The imagination sees what the mind might take only to be as abstract truth. So Christians and non-Christians alike can appreciate both Lewis’s endlessly creative imagination, and the way he grounded even his works of fantasy in absolute truth.

This is why you do not have to be a Christian to enjoy The Chronicles of Narnia. Generations of children have loved the books whether they fully understood their religious significance or not. The movie, like the books, is for everyone. But the film, again like the book, is far richer and more meaningful if one grasps the Christian symbolism that pervades it.

Lewis never intended the Narnia books to be an evangelical tool. But he did hope that they would show children the beauty and power of Christianity in a fresh light, rather than burdening them with the stale, as he put it, “stained glass and Sunday school associations” that could inadvertently “freeze feelings.” At a time when, as the newspaper Guardian reports, “Forty-three percent of people in Britain [can’t] say what Easter celebrate[s],” the need for such fresh approaches to faith is more urgent than ever.

Whatever audiences may make of the film, we Christians have an unusual opportunity right now. The limelight is notoriously fleeting, and Lewis knew that all too well. He once wrote, “To move with the times is, of course, to go where all times go.” His refusal to “move with the times” is in part what gave his work its timeless quality.

But for the moment at least, Lewis and his work are drawing worldwide attention, which gives us Christians a great opportunity. Take your friends to The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe, explain the Christian message it portrays, and then give them a copy of one of Lewis’s books. A list is available on our website, or we will send you a copy if you call us (1-877-322-5527). My choice, which comes as no surprise to anyone, is Mere Christianity—it might change their lives, just as it did mine.

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For further reading and information:
Today’s BreakPoint offer: With The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe coming out this month, what better time to get unsaved friends and loved ones C. S. Lewis’s book Mere Christianity? Get a bulk supply (25 for a donation of $100, or 50 for a donation of $200)—a great ministry opportunity for churches and Bible studies! Call 1-877-322-5527.

Here is a selected bibliography of other books by C. S. Lewis from the C. S. Lewis Institute.

Gina Dalfonzo, “The Pre-Baptism of the Imagination: Narnia in a Secular Culture,” BreakPoint WorldView, November 2005.

Jay Tolson, “God’s Storyteller,” U.S. News & World Report, 12 December 2005.

Lisa Miller, “A Man and His Myths,” Newsweek, 7 November 2005.

Max Davidson, “Inklings of Immortality,” Telegraph (London), 3 December 2005.

Greg Stacy, “The Good Book: Aslan the Lion vs. the Lamb of God,” Orange County Weekly, 2-8 December 2005.

Richard N. Ostling, “It Was Faith that Made the Fantasy,” Washington Post, 3 December 2005, B09.

Dr. Anne Carson Daly, “Lewis’s Beloved Narnia,” To the Source, 22 November 2005.

Polly Toynbee, “Narnia Represents Everything That Is Most Hateful About Religion,” Guardian, 5 December 2005. An example of some secularists’ hostility toward the film and Lewis.

Gina Dalfonzo, “The Impoverished Imagination: Why Good Fantasy Must Stem from Reality,” BreakPoint WorldView, March 2004.

Adam Gopnik, “Prisoner of Narnia: How C. S. Lewis Escaped,” New Yorker, 21 November 2005. (Another article critical of C. S. Lewis.)

Erik Brady, “Is That Lion the King of Kings?” USA Today, 2 December 2005.

Colleen O’Connor, “God or Fantasy?” Denver Post, 20 November 2005.

Alan Jacobs, The Narnian: The Life and Imagination of C. S. Lewis, HarperSanFrancisco, 2005.

Robin Parrish, interview with Michael Flaherty (president of Walden Media), Infuze, November 2005. (Free registration required.)

Hollywood Jesus has set up a Chronicles of Narnia blog with links to a large number of articles on the subject. Christianity Today’s website also has a special section devoted to the film. Also see resources from the C. S. Lewis Foundation.

Visit the official website for The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe. Also see great resources for teachers, parents, and church leaders.

BreakPoint Commentary No. 031121, “Three Died That Day: Reflections on November 22, 1963.”

BreakPoint Commentary No. 051109, “All Things to All People: C. S. Lewis’s Case for Christ.”

BreakPoint Commentary No. 030812, “One Night in a Driveway: Reflections on Thirty Years of Faith.” (Colson tells how C. S. Lewis’s book Mere Christianity helped lead to his salvation.)

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:
chagrin: acute vexation or embarrassment.
gaucherie: a socially awkward or tactless act; also, lack of tact.
panache: dash or flamboyance in manner or style.
logorrhea: excessive talkativeness.
assiduous: constant in application or attention.
sylvan: pertaining to woods or forests.
voluptuary: a person devoted to luxury and the gratification of sensual appetites.
from Dictionary.Com

~~~~~
"The music than can deepest reach, / And cure all ill, is cordial speech." - Ralph Waldo Emerson

"The voyage of discovery is not in seeking new landscapes but in having new eyes." - Marcel Proust

"Dictionaries are like watches; the worst is better than none, and the best cannot be expected to be quite true." - Samuel Johnson

"How far that little candle throws its beams! So shines a good deed in a naughty world." - William Shakespeare

"Don't be too timid and squeamish about your action. All life is an experiment. The more experiments you make the better." - Ralph Waldo Emerson

"The difference between the right word and the almost right word is the difference between lightning and a lightning bug." - Mark Twain

"To be successful, grow to the point where one completely forgets himself; that is, to lose himself in a great cause." - Booker T. Washington

"We can't solve problems by using the same kind of thinking we used when we created them." - Albert Einstein
~~~~~
"Religion is meant to be bread for daily use, not cake for special occasions" - - from thinkexist.com

Thanks to Joe Tudor
~~~~~

WHY JESUS IS BETTER THAN SANTA CLAUS??

Santa lives at the North Pole ...
JESUS is everywhere.

Santa rides in a sleigh ...
JESUS rides on the wind and walks on the water.

Santa comes but once a year ...
JESUS is an ever-present help.

Santa fills your stockings with goodies ...
JESUS supplies all your needs.

Santa comes down your chimney uninvited ...
JESUS stands at your door and knocks, and then enters your heart when invited.

You have to wait in line to see Santa ...
JESUS is as close as the mention of His name.

Santa lets you sit on his lap ...
JESUS lets you rest in His arms.

Santa doesn't know your name, all he can say is "Hi little boy or girl, what's your name?" ...

JESUS knew our name before we were born.
Not only does He know our name,
He knows our address too.
He knows our history and future and
He even knows how many hairs are on our heads.

Santa has a belly like a bowl full of jelly ...
JESUS has a heart full of love

All Santa can offer is HO HO HO ...
JESUS offers health, help and hope.

Santa says "You better not cry" ...
JESUS says "Cast all your cares on me for I care for you."

Santa's little helpers make toys ...
JESUS makes new life, mends wounded hearts, repairs broken homes and builds mansions.

Santa may make you chuckle but ...
JESUS gives you joy that is your strength.

While Santa puts gifts under your tree ...
JESUS became our gift and died on a tree.... The cross.

We need to put Christ back in CHRISTmas, Jesus is still the reason for the season.

For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life. John 3:16

Thanks to Norma Kay Rowe
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GCF: Get Out Much?

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.
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While I was dining out with my children, a man came over to our table, and we started talking.

He asked where my kids go to school. I told him we home-schooled them.

With a raised eyebrow, he asked if my husband is the sole breadwinner for our family. I said, "No, I also work ... out of our home."

Then, noticing our two-month-old son, he mentioned that his daughter had just had a baby, and he wondered what hospital our son was born in. "He was born at home," I answered.

The man looked at me, then said, "Wow, you don't get out much, do you?"
_ ____________________________ _

GCF: Mom's Letter to Santa

Emailed to me from another humor list (Humor_G) -Tom To subscribe to Humor_G, send a blank email to: Humor_G-subscribe@yahoogroups.com
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Dear Santa,

I've been a good mom all year. I've fed, cleaned, and cuddled my two children on demand, visited the doctor's office more than my doctor, sold sixty-two cases of candy bars to raise money to plant a shade tree on the school playground and figured out how to attach nine patches onto my daughter's girl scout sash with staples and a glue gun.

I was hoping you could spread my list out over several Christmases, since I had to write this letter with my son's red crayon, on the back of a receipt in the laundry room between cycles, and who knows when I'll find anymore free time in the next 18 years.

Here are my Christmas wishes:

I'd like a pair of legs that don't ache after a day of chasing kids (in any color, except purple, which I already have) and arms that don't flap in the breeze, but are strong enough to carry a screaming toddler out of the candy aisle in the grocery store. I'd also like a waist, since I lost mine somewhere in the seventh month of my last pregnancy.

If you're hauling big ticket items this year, I'd like a car with fingerprint resistant windows and a radio that only plays adult music; a television that doesn't broadcast any programs containing talking animals, and a refrigerator with a secret compartment behind the crisper where I can hide to talk on the phone.

On the practical side, I could use a talking daughter doll that says, "Yes, Mommy" to boost my parental confidence, along with one potty-trained toddler, two kids who don't fight, and three pairs of jeans that will zip all the way up without the use of power tools. I could also use a recording of Tibetan monks chanting, "Don't eat in the living room" and "Take your hands off your brother", because my voice seems to be just out of my children's hearing range and can only be heard by the dog.

And please don't forget the Playdoh Travel Pak, the hottest stocking stuffer this year for mothers of preschoolers. It comes in three fluorescent colors and is guaranteed to crumble on any carpet making the In-law's house seem just like mine.

If it's too late to find any of these products, I'd settle for enough time to brush my teeth and comb my hair in the same morning, or the luxury of eating food warmer than room temperature without it being served in a Styrofoam container. If you don't mind I could also use a few Christmas miracles to brighten the holiday season. Would it be too much trouble to declare ketchup a vegetable? It will clear my conscience immensely.

It would be helpful if you could coerce my children to help around the house without demanding payment as if they were the bosses of an organized crime family; or if my toddler didn't look so cute sneaking downstairs to eat contraband ice cream in his pajamas at midnight.

Well, Santa, the buzzer on the dryer is ringing and my son saw my feet under the laundry room door. I think he wants his crayon back. Have a safe trip and remember to leave your wet boots by the chimney and come in and dry off by the fire so you don't catch cold. Help yourself to cookies on the table, but don't eat too many or leave crumbs on the carpet.

Yours always.....

Mom

PS: One more thing...you can cancel all my requests if you can keep my children young enough to believe in Santa.
_ ____________________________ _

GCF: Top Tips for Life

Emailed to me from another humor list (Humor_G) -Tom To subscribe to Humor_G, send a blank email to: Humor_G-subscribe@yahoogroups.com
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Don't waste money on expensive ipods. Simply think of your favorite tune and hum it. If you want to "switch tracks", simply think of another song you like and hum that instead.

Men: When listening to your favorite CD, simply turn up the sound to the volume you desire; then turn it down three notches. This will save your wife from having to do it.

Banging two pistachio nutshells together gives the impression that a very small horse is approaching.

Ladies: If invited to a fancy party, go wearing hair rollers, so that the hostess will think you are going somewhere REALLY important afterwards.

Homeowners: Don't hesitate to tell the rest of us how much your house has appreciated in value since you bought it. The more frequently you give us updates, the greater will be our delight at your good fortune and our admiration and respect for your financial prescience.

White wine splashed onto a red wine stain will clean it up quickly. Similarly, fat splashes on clothes can be easily removed by rubbing salad onto the affected area.

Drivers: If a car breaks down or stalls in front of you, beep your horn and wave your arms frantically. This should help the car start and send the stranded driver on his way.
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GCF: Christmas Turkey

Emailed to me by a friend (Thanks, Deborah) -Tom
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One year at Christmas, mom went to my sister's house for the traditional feast. Knowing how gullible my sister is, mom decided to play a trick. She told my sister that she needed something from the store.

When my sister left, mom took the turkey out of the oven, removed the stuffing, stuffed a Cornish hen, and inserted it into the turkey, then re-stuffed the turkey. She 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, 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.
_ ____________________________ _

GCF: College Laundry

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
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My son was only 5 feet, 8 inches tall when he left for college in the fall. He worked through the Christmas holidays and didn't return home again until the February break.

When he got off the plane, I was stunned at how much taller he looked. Measuring him at home, I discovered he now stood at 5 feet, 11 inches. He was as surprised as I. "Couldn't you tell by your clothes that you'd grown?" I asked him.

"Since I've been doing my own laundry," he replied, "I just figured everything had shrunk."
_ ____________________________ _
\\\\ \_/ / \ \_/ ////
\ / VENI, VEDI, VISA: \ /
\ _/ I came, I saw, \_ /
/ / I did a little shopping. \ (((\ \>|_/ )_______________________( \_| \\\\ \_/ / \ \_/ ////
\ / Hard work has a future payoff. \ /
\ _/ Laziness pays off now. \_ /
/ / \ (((\ \>|_/ )_______________________( \_| \\\\ \_/ / Strength is the capacity \ \_/ ////
\ / to break a chocolate bar into \ /
\ _/ four pieces with your bare hands \_ /
/ / and then eat just one piece. \ (((\ \>|_/ )_______________________( \_| \\\\ \_/ / \ \_/ ////
\ / Thesaurus: ancient reptile \ /
\ _/ with excellent vocabulary. \_ /
/ / \ (((\ \>|_/ )_______________________( \_| _ ____________________________ _
/ )| 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] Bad Resume Examples

These are real examples from real resumes:

*Reasons For Leaving Last Job*
- Responsibility makes me nervous.
- They insisted that all employees get to work by 8:45 every morning. Couldn't work under those conditions.
- Was met with a string of broken promises and lies, as well as cockroaches.
- I was working for my mom until she decided to move.
- The company made me a scapegoat -- just like my three previous employers.

*Job Responsibilities*
- While I am open to the initial nature of an assignment, I am decidedly disposed that it be so oriented as to at least partially incorporate the experience enjoyed heretofore and that it be configured so as to ultimately lead to the application of more rarefied facets of financial management as the major sphere of responsibility.
- I was proud to win the Gregg Typting Award.

*Special Requests and Job Objectives*
- Please call me after 5:30 because I am self-employed and my employer does not know I am looking for another job.
- My goal is to be a meteorologist. But since I have no training in meteorology, I suppose I should try stock brokerage.
- I procrastinate -- especially when the task is unpleasant.

*Physical Disabilities*
- Minor allergies to house cats and Mongolian sheep.

*Personal Interests*
- Donating blood. 14 gallons so far.

*Small Typos That Can Change the Meaning*
- Education: College, August 1880-May 1984.
- Work Experience: Dealing with customers' conflicts that arouse.
- Develop and recommend an annual operating expense fudget.
- I'm a rabid typist.
- Instrumental in ruining entire operation for a Midwest chain operation.

Received from Cathy Gilstrap.

(-:][:-)

[GCFL.net] Signs That Old Age Might Be Creeping Up On You

Your favorite section of the newspaper is "25 Years Ago Today."

The parts that have arthritis are the parts where you feel best.

A big evening with your friends is sitting around comparing living wills.

Your clothes go into the overnight bag so you can fill the suitcase with your pills.

Somebody you consider an old-timer calls you an old-timer.

Your idea of a change of scenery is looking to the left or right.

Your knees buckle, but your belt won't.

Received from FranCMT2

(-:][:-)

[GCFL.net] At the Movies

After I had purchased movie tickets for myself and my girlfriend, she went inside to find seats while I got some popcorn. By the time I was served, the previews were being shown. I stumbled my way through the dark, sat down, and gave my girlfriend a kiss.


Then I heard a familiar voice say, "John, I'm back here."

Received from Thomas S. Ellsworth

(-:][:-)

[GCFL.net] The Year Was 1905

The year is 1905 -- one hundred years ago. What a difference a century makes!

Here are some of the U.S. statistics for the year 1905:

The average life expectancy in the U.S. was 47 years.

Only 14 percent of the homes in the U.S. had a bathtub.

Only 8 percent of the homes had a telephone.

A three-minute call from Denver to New York City cost eleven dollars.

There were only 8,000 cars and only 144 miles of paved roads in the U.S.

The maximum speed limit in most cities was 10 mph.

Alabama, Mississippi, Iowa, and Tennessee were each more heavily populated than California.

With a mere 1.4 million people, California was only the 21st most populous state in the Union.

The tallest structure in the world was the Eiffel Tower.

The average wage in the U.S. was 22 cents per hour.

The average U.S. worker made between $200 and $400 per year.

A competent accountant could expect to earn $2,000 per year, a dentist $2,500 per year, a veterinarian between $1,500 and $4,000 per year, and a mechanical engineer about $5,000 per year.

More than 95 percent of all births in the U.S. took place at home.

Ninety percent of all U.S. doctors had no college education. Instead, they attended so-called medical schools, many of which were condemned in the press and by the government as "substandard."

Sugar cost four cents a pound.

Eggs were fourteen cents a dozen.

Coffee was fifteen cents a pound.

Most women washed their hair only once a month, and they used borax or egg yolks for shampoo.

Canada passed a law that prohibited poor people from entering into their country for any reason.

Five leading causes of death in the U.S. were:

1. Pneumonia and influenza
2. Tuberculosis
3. Diarrhea
4. Heart disease
5. Stroke

The American flag had 45 stars. Arizona, Oklahoma, New Mexico, Hawaii, and Alaska hadn't been admitted to the Union yet.

The population of Las Vegas, Nevada, was only 30!

Crossword puzzles, canned beer, and iced tea hadn't been invented yet.

There was no Mother's Day or Father's Day.

Two out of every ten U.S. adults couldn't read or write.

Only 6 percent of all Americans had graduated from high school.

Marijuana, heroin, and morphine were all available over the counter at the local corner drugstores.

Back then a pharmacist said, "Heroin clears the complexion, gives buoyancy to the mind, regulates the stomach and bowels, and is, in fact, a perfect guardian of health." (Shocking!)

Eighteen percent of households in the U.S. had at least one full-time servant or domestic help.

There were about 230 reported murders in the entire U.S.

Try to imagine what it may be like in another 100 years!

Received from Tim Krell.

(-:][:-)

[GCFL.net] Near Tragedy

In our town we have a regional mall that is two stories tall with an escalator. There was a near tragedy the day before yesterday when there was a power outage in the area, and nine blondes were stuck on the escalator for almost five hours.

Received from K D Kribbs.

(-:][:-)

-=+=-
– NEW! Go to http://www.gcfl.net/archive.php?funny=20050124 to rate this funny from 0 to 5.
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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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UNANSWERED QUESTIONS

1. Ever wonder about those people who spend $2.00 apiece on those little bottles of Evian water? Try spelling Evian backwards: NAIVE
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4. If 4 out of 5 people SUFFER from diarrhea...does that mean that one enjoys it? *~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
5. There are three religious truths:
a. Jews do not recognize Jesus as the Messiah.
b. Protestants do not recognize the Pope as the leader of the Christian faith.
c. Baptists do not recognize each other in the liquor store.
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6. If people from Poland are called Poles, then why aren't people from Holland called Holes?
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7. If a pig loses its voice, is it disgruntled?
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~! *~*~*~*
8. Why do croutons come in airtight packages? Aren't they just stale bread to begin with?
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9. Why is a person who plays the piano called a pianist, but a person who drives a racecar is not called a racist?
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11. Why isn't the number 11 pronounced onety-one?
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12. If lawyers are disbarred and clergymen defrocked, then doesn't it follow that electricians can be delighted, musicians denoted, cowboys deranged, models deposed, tree surgeons debarked, and dry cleaners depressed?
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13. If Fed Ex and UPS were to merge, would they call it Fed UP?
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14. Do Lipton Tea employees take coffee breaks?
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15. What hair color do they put on the driver's licenses of bald men?
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16. I was thinking about how people seem to read the Bible a whole lot more as they get older; then it dawned on me...they're cramming for their final exam.
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17. I thought about how mothers feed their babies with tiny little spoons and forks, so I wondered what do Chinese mothers use. Toothpicks?
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18. Why do they put pictures of criminals up in the Post Office? What are we supposed to do, write to them? Why don't they just put their pictures on the postage stamps so the mailmen can look for them while they deliver the mail?
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19. If it's true that we are here to help others, then what exactly are the others here for?
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20. You never really learn to swear until you learn to drive.
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21. Ever wonder what the speed of lightning would be if it didn't zigzag?
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22. If a cow laughed, would milk come out of her nose?
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23. Whatever happened to Preparation A through G?

24. As income tax time approaches, did you ever notice: When you put the two words "The" and "IRS" together, it spells "THEIRS"?

Thanks to Aunt Jeanette Ford
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Two Antennas got married. The wedding wasn't much but the reception was outstanding.
~
Two jumper cables go into a bar. The bartender looks them over and says; "I'll serve you but you better not start anything."

Thanks to Ricky Shepherd
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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

*Lawyer Choice*

There was a job opening in the country's most prestigious law firm and it finally came down to Robert and Paul. Both graduated magna cum laude from law school. Both came from good families. Both are equally attractive and well spoken. It's up to the senior partner to choose one, so he takes each aside and asks, "Why did you become a lawyer?"

In seconds, he chooses Paul.

Baffled, Robert takes Paul aside.

"I don't understand why I was rejected. When Mr. Armstrong asked me why I became a lawyer, I said that I had the greatest respect for the law, that I'd lay down my life for the Constitution and that all I wanted was to do right by my clients. What in the world did you tell him?"

"I said I became a lawyer because of my hands," Robert replies.

"Your hands? What do you mean?"

"Well, I took a look one day and there wasn't any money in either of them!"

(-:][:-)

*Sister Cheer Up*

My sister and I are close, and that allows us to be honest with each other. One evening as I prepared for a date, I remarked, "I'm fat."

"No, you're not," she scolded.

"My hair is awful," I said.

"It's lovely," she encouraged.

"I've never looked worse," I whined.

And she said, "Yes, you have."

(-:][:-)

Dear Milkman...

"Dear Milkman, I've just had a baby, please leave another one."

"Please leave an extra pint of paralyzed milk."

"Please don't leave any more milk. All they do is drink it"

"Milkman please close the gate behind you because the birds keep pecking the tops off the milk."

"Sorry not to have paid your bill before, but my wife had a baby and I've been carrying it around in my pocket for weeks."

"Sorry about yesterday's note. I didn't mean one egg and a dozen pints, but the other way round."

"When you leave my milk knock on my bedroom window and wake me because I want you 'to give me a hand to turn the mattress."

My daughter says she wants a milkshake. Do you do it before you deliver or do I have to shake the bottle."

"Please send me a form for cheap milk, for I have a baby two months old and did not know about it until a neighbor told me."

"Milk is needed for the baby. Father is unable to supply it."

"From now on please leave two pints every other day and one pint on the days in between, except Wednesdays and Saturdays when I don't want any milk."

My back door is open. Please put milk in 'fridge, get money out of cup in drawer and leave change on kitchen table, because we want to play bingo tonight."

"Please leave no milk today. When I say today, I mean tomorrow, for I wrote this note yesterday or is it today?"

"When you come with the milk please put the coal on the boiler, let dog out and put newspaper inside the screen door. PS. Don't leave any milk."

"No milk. Please do not leave milk at No. 14 either as he is dead until further notice."


(-:][:-)

Proposal Reaction

A young man confided to his mother that he had proposed to his girlfriend and they were going to get married.

"Whatsa dis?" screamed Mother. "Who's a-gonna love you like a Momma? Who's a gonna starch-a you socks? Who's a gonna make-a you lasagna?"

"Please, Mom, calm down," pleaded the son. "Why are you talking like that? We aren't even Italian!"

(-:][:-)

Job Search Woe

Catherine, a RN, was unhappy with her job, so she submitted her resignation. She was sure she'd have no trouble finding a new position, because of the nursing shortage in her area.

She e-mailed cover letters to dozens of potential employers and attached her resume to each one. Two weeks later, Catherine was dismayed and bewildered that she had not received even one request for an interview.

Finally she received a message from a prospective employer that explained the reason she hadn't heard from anyone else.

It read: "Your resume was not attached as stated. I do, however, want to thank you for the vegetable lasagna recipe."


Eye Laugh

"Gift Idea"
http://www.cybersalt.org/cw/bplt.htm

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

"Speed Indicator"
http://www.cybersalt.org/g05.php?id=192

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

"Wedding Tractor"
http://www.cybersalt.org/g05.php?id=193

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

"Camel Park"
http://www.cybersalt.org/g05.php?id=195

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

"Woodchuck"
http://www.cybersalt.org/g05.php?id=196

(-:][:-)

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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/thoughtful.html - - Thoughtful Interview "For a job applicant, an interview is to be sought, then dreaded, then endured. And managers rarely relish interviews any more than the trembling supplicant on the other side of their desk. So it's probably just as well that people can't read minds. If they could..."
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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Army Corps of Engineers Education Center - - http://education.wes.army.mil/ - - Welcome to the U. S. Army Corps of Engineers Education Center. This site is for students, teachers, librarians and other educators to access the Corps many educational resources.
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Statistical Abstract of the United States - - http://www.census.gov/statab/www/ - - The National Data Book contains a collection of statistics on social and economic conditions in the United States. Selected international data are also included. The Abstract is also your Guide to Sources of other data from the Census Bureau, other Federal agencies, and private organizations. Note: you will need the Adobe Acrobat Reader to read this site.
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History and Politics Out Loud - -http://www.hpol.org/ - - This site is a collection of audio materials capturing significant political and historical events and personalities of the twentieth century. The materials range from formal addresses delivered in public settings to private telephone conversations conducted from the innermost recesses of the White House. Includes speeches by Lyndon B. Johnson to the Warren Commission, John F. Kennedy speaking about the Cuban Missile Crisis, tapes from the Nixon/Watergate scandal, and Bill Clinton's denials of his affair with Monica Lewinsky. Note: You will need either the Real Player or the QuickTime Player, both available free.
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Mental Health Resources - - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/mentalhealth.html - - At this National Library of Medicine site you can read breaking news on mental health issues. You can also research symptoms, treatments and finding help. Plus, there are links to articles on coping with mental illness in loved ones and information on specific conditions.
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Consumer Reports: Greener Choices - - http://www.eco-labels.org/greenconsumers/home.cfm - - This Consumer Reports site is a free guide that offers reliable and practical advice on how to be a more environmentally-friendly consumer. This site includes information that evaluates the meaning of dozens of environmental labels on food, wood, personal care products and household cleaners.
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Obituaries 101 - - http://www.big101.com/OBITUARIES101.htm - - This site contains listings and links to all the obituary notices supplied online by all the newspapers in the United States. The states are arranged alphabetically with their newspapers listed by name and city. The site also lists prominent deaths for the date, as well as those reported in the Associated Press.
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Guidelines For Good Nutrition - - http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/healthy-diet/NU00200 - - guidelines are significantly different from those of the past, particularly in regard to carbohydrates and fat. More fat is allowed, and carbohydrates have a lower minimum percentage - from 55 percent to 45 percent. This is due to research indicating that people with a certain body type and metabolic profile may benefit from fewer carbohydrates and more monounsaturated fat.
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|------------ Safety From The Heart ----------|
December 7, 2005

Today's Safety From the Heart message is from Allen Smoak.

Ahhhhh the holiday season.....
....the smells of food and the fellowship of family that surrounds Thanksgiving....
....blends into the shopping of Black Friday and the anticipation of the coming Christmas season....

This time of year is one of my most favorite seasons of the year....
.....the warmth of a wood fire on a cold night
...Christmas music playing softly on the ear
.....the smell of scented candles burning throughout the house.

This is also a good time to remember the danger of candles in the home.

My wife had lit several scented candles throughout our home. The dim light and smell of cinnamon lent to the Christmas season. One candle was burning in our bathroom. I entered the room to take a shower and placed my pajamas on the area between our double sinks. As I was showering, I could smell a hint smoke and thought, " must be the outed match from lighting the candle." A few moments later I could smell a stronger scent of smoke and thought, " maybe a little blow back from the wood stove is causing the odor...I will check this will I finish."

The odor was stronger and I looked toward the candle in our bathroom. Yes, you guessed it....my pajamas were on fire. I leaped from the shower, turned the spigot on in the sink and placed the burning pajamas under the water. My, my the smoke and steam that came off those clothes. I turned on the vent, opened the window then finished showering. My favorite pair of pajamas ... you know the ones...they fit just right, comfortable and broke in.....ruined. Gone in a blaze of glory. The folded edge of the material straightened allowing the pajama edge to contact the candle flame.

Tips for burning candles during the holidays:
1. Place in an area out of reach of small children.
2. Never place under a cabinet.
3. If lighting with a match.. outen the match with tap water, leave on the sink frame, the later trash.
4. Make sure the candles are snuffed out before leaving your home or before retiring for the night.
5. Place a suitable pad or saucer under the candle to prevent furniture damage from the melting wax.
6. Secure the candle to prevent tipping.
7. Do not place near curtains or flammable material.

|------------ Safety From The Heart ----------|
December 6, 2005

Mud Buggy
Today's Message is from Louis Wall (a Houston Albemarle employee).

When I was in high school, we had a mud buggy that we used for driving around our family's land in Mississippi. The gas tank developed a very small leak from an outing during the Christmas holidays. The mud buggy was parked in the work shop and my brother wanted the tank drained so he could repair it. The weather had warmed up to short-sleeve weather and I proceeded to drain the remaining gas from the tank into an empty 5-gallon gas can. Everything was going find until I heard the sound of rushing wind behind me. I turned around in time to see a flame proceeding along the ground from the gas heater 10 ft away to the mud buggy. I ran for the door and when I reached it, I looked back in time to see the flames engulfing the gas tank and reaching to the ceiling.

It turns out that I had been sloppy in draining the gasoline from the tank. I was not concerned about drips and puddles by the gas can because I knew they would evaporate. The concrete was slightly sloped down to the gas heater, which allowed the gas vapors to flow along the floor to the gas heater. The gas heater was only used when plants were placed in the workshop to keep them from freezing which was not the case this time; however, the pilot had been left on which was a rarity.

Fortunately, though it was a big mess to cleanup, only the workshop roof had to be replaced as there was a fire station nearby.

The important things I learned:

1) Consult with others more experienced about the safety issues of a particular job.
2) Find out about the dangers of the material you are dealing with and understand them.
3) Consider safety when you are developing your procedures.
4) Check the work area and consider the safety hazards associated with your particular job.
5) Its is also beneficial to have someone review your plans and work area.

|------------ Safety From The Heart ----------|
December 5, 2005

Today's Safety From the Heart is from Pam Kemp.

Pay Attention Please

I got an awesome reminder to this yesterday afternoon on my way home. Columbia Rd. can be pretty busy between 4:30 and 5:30 in the afternoon and sometimes you run across drivers who are on their cell phones, driving fast and not paying attention to the driver in front of them. This was the case yesterday that I was "almost" involved in--a potentially dangerous situation, which involved my life and the person behind me as well as the person in front of me.

As usual there were 2 cars stopped w/blinkers on to turn left into our neighborhood..my usual turn was the second one so I was sitting behind the two thinking about how many kids I would have show up for children's choir last night..30 or 35 and what would we practice tonight. All of a sudden I heard screeching tires and saw a car passing me on the right side of the road, which happened to be the grassy side with a look of horror on his face. I didn't realize until then that he had not been looking straight ahead but rather preoccupied by something else that caused him to loose his concentration for a few seconds.

Those few seconds could have cost a few lives had it not been his choice to take to the side of the road to avoid running right into the back of me at about 50 miles an hour since he had not slowed at all before he whizzed by me like a rocket. I watched his car bounce and him trying his best to keep control of it. As the other two cars turned and I continued to the next entrance I saw him in the rear view mirror dialing his phone. Scared the heck out of him and I was close enough to see his face...but I was not looking in my rear mirror to check on what was coming behind me while I was stopped. I wasn't expecting anything like that to happen.

I say this to say, it only takes a split second to take the life of someone else and yourself when you aren't paying attention to the road...I was fortunate in this case not to be writing from the hospital this morning because I feel sure that's where we would have been if not worse......Be careful, Be watchful and Be Safe...watch out for others. The life you save may be mine as well as yours. Turn the radio down, don't talk on the cell phone and try to not let the hurries of this holiday season cause you the inconvenience of a hospital stay or the sadness of your loss to your family and friends....Standing in front of the kids last night was a joy because I could have NOT been there. Are there truly angels among us??? I believe there are.

|------------ Safety From The Heart ----------|
December 2, 2005

Thanksgiving is behind us, stores are playing Christmas carols, things are beginning to look a lot like Christmas. When you select and decorate your tree this holiday season, keep these safety tips from the National Safety Council in mind.
Have a Happy Holiday!!!

Christmas Tree Tips
For many people, decorating the Christmas tree is a favorite part of the holiday.
The National Safety Council offers some safety tips to make sure a mishap doesn't spoil your holiday season.
Christmas Trees A real tree can add to the spirit of Christmas by filling your home with beauty and the scent of pine. But a real tree can also pose a fire hazard. Each year, more than 400 residential fires involve Christmas trees and tragically nearly 40 deaths and 100 injuries result from those fires. Try to select a fresh tree by looking for one that is green. The needles of pines and spruces should bend and not break and should be hard to pull off the branches. On fir species, a needle pulled from a fresh tree will snap when bent, much like a fresh carrot. Also, look for a trunk sticky with sap. Cut off about two inches of the trunk and put the tree in a sturdy, water-holding stand. Keep the stand filled with water so the tree does not dry out quickly. Stand your tree away from fireplaces, radiators and other heat sources. Make sure the tree does not block foot traffic or doorways. If you use an artificial tree, choose one that tested and labeled as fire resistant. Artificial trees with built-in electrical systems should have the Underwriters Laboratory (UL) label.

Tree lights
Only use indoor lights indoors (and outdoor lights only outdoors). Look for the UL label. Check lights for broken or cracked sockets, frayed or bare wires, or loose connections. Replace or repair any damaged light sets. Also, use no more than three light sets on any one extension cord. Extension cords should be placed against the wall to avoid tripping hazards, but do not run cords under rugs. Turn off all lights on trees and decorations when you go to bed or leave the house.

Tree ornaments
Always use the proper step stool or ladder to reach high places.
Read labels before you use materials that come in jars, cans and spray cans.
Never place lighted candles on a tree or near any flammable materials.
Avoid placing breakable tree ornaments or ones with small, detachable parts on lower branches where small children or pets can reach them.
Do not hang popcorn chains and candy canes on the tree when small children are present.
They may think that other tree ornaments are also edible.

|------------ Safety From The Heart ----------|
December 1, 2005

Today's Safety From the Heart message is from Dale Mann.

Looking at the TV the other night and seeing our soldiers in Iraq made me so proud to be an American. These young people risking their lives everyday; are they through, ready to call it a day and come home with the job undone? I am sure not, they want to and are going to finish the job if America lets them.

Our soldiers know they are fighting a battle daily and they know what the war is about. In some cases it appears we at home in America may forget what it is about. Do you remember Somalia, the USS Cole, 9/11, etc, etc, etc? Who besides myself wished they were at an age they could have gone back in the service after 9/11? These Terrorists (no other words describe these slugs and worms of the earth) are out to get America and Americans, period. Do you understand? Really, do you? Terrorists would get you in Orangeburg, SC; Magnolia, AR; Pasadena, TX; Thann, Jordan or wherever the opportunity presents itself. They do not care for any country America and the American people are on good terms with.

Being apathetic will not spare you. Do you think there will be another 9/11? Of course there will, only likely this time it will be worse. Rome, the greatest empire in ancient times became apathetic, citizens only wanting what was good for themselves. The Goths, etc. sacked Rome and caused untold misery. Who would have believed this fact living in Rome five years before it happened?

We need to remember who we are, get down on our knees everyday and thank our God, Higher Being or whatever you believe, that we were born in the good old USA. Why were you born here instead of Somalia, Iraq, Iran or some other country? Who knows, maybe in our small way we were born here to hold the line against evil.

Our soldiers and Law Enforcement are fighting to keep terrorists from committing unspeakable acts upon you. Let us not forget these folks during this holiday season, agree or disagree with the politics, they are there doing their duty and we should be vocal in our pride for them. We need to keep our guard up ourselves during this Holiday season.
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TOURBUS - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -:) - :)- :)
Volume 11, Number 28 --- 06 December 2005
Tourbus Home - http://www.TOURBUS.com
Best of Tourbus -- http://tourbus.com/best.html
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TODAY'S TOURBUS STOP(S): Digital Music / Keystroke Logging

Don't ya just hate it when you buy a pricey music CD and there's only two or three songs that you really like? Wouldn't it be nice if you could just buy the songs you want? Digital Music to the rescue! And have you ever wanted to spy on your spouse? Find out why logging their keystrokes may be a bad idea. Read on!

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Digital Music and Lyrics
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Remember the good old days of Napster & Cohorts, when you could illegally download your favorite music all day long, while thumbing your nose at the greedy record companies? Ahhh, the memories...
That party ended abruptly a few years ago when RIAA (the recording industry legal machine) sued the pants off Napster, and then started slapping hefty fines on individuals who were putting their CDs online for others to grab. And rightly so, in my opinion. Regardless of how greedy the record companies may be, no matter how arrogant and rich the performers of pop, it boils down to socially acceptable stealing.

But since digital music has reinvented itself in the past few years, it's now easy, legal and fairly inexpensive to download individual songs or whole CDs by your favorite artists. Legitimate digital music sources and software make it easy to find and download tunes from your favorite artists or discover new music from independents...

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

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Cannot Access Secure Sites
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Yesterday a reader asked me this: "I have Windows XP SP2, and within the past two weeks I have not been able to get into secure (https) sites. For example, I can get to my bank's website, but when I enter my userid and password, it says "The page cannot be displayed" -- can you help?"

Some fixes break things... that's what many users discovered when they applied the XP/SP2 megafix... some things no longer worked, such as access to secure websites. And sometimes the hardware & software that's supposed to protect us ends up going too far. Unfortunately there are many potential causes and possible fixes for this "page cannot be displayed" problem. But most of them are easy to try. Run through the suggested fixes in this article, and chances are good you'll be back in action.

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

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I Lost My Baby, My Pickup and My Guitar on the Information Highway
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Another reader asked me about a controversial topic: keystroke logging. Her friend believes that her husband is chatting through email and instant messenger with other women, and wonders "Is there any way to track the IM's or emails on her home computer?"

There are a variety of ways to track keystrokes and log instant messaging sessions, but I think a strong word of caution is in order before considering such a thing. If you believe that a spouse's affections may be wandering, the best tool to address the problem may not be a computer. However...

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

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The Next Best Thing
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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 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
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.~~~. ))
(\__/) .' ) )) Patrick Douglas Crispen
/o o \/ .~
{o_, \ { crispen@netsquirrel.com
/ , , ) \ http://www.netsquirrel.com/
`~ -' \ } )) AOL Instant Messenger: Squirrel2K
_( ( )_.'
---..{____} Warning: squirrels.
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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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AFR Christmas Specials

See below for a detailed listing of special Christmas broadcasts on KBPW 88.1 FM or visit http://www.afr.net. All times are Central Standard, and schedule subject to change.

Monday, December 12

On The Way To Christmas (6:00 p.m) – This is a Focus On the Family production with a sparkling array of Christmas stories, fun and family activities. Includes drama, music and a reading from former President Ronald Reagan. Hosted by Bill Maier.

Tuesday, December 13

Angel Tree Christmas (6:00 p.m.) - In this special, you will find out about Angel Tree. Angel Tree Christmas gives churches an opportunity to share Christ's love by helping to meet the physical, emotional and spiritual needs of the families of prisoners. Angel Tree is a ministry of Prison Fellowship.

Wednesday, December 14

Coming Messiah (6:00 p.m.) - Produced by American Family Radio and The Fellowship for the Performing Arts - features Max McLean reading the Christmas story dramatically along with lots of beautiful Christmas music!

Friday, December 16

Celebrating Christmas: Putting Jesus Front and Center (6:00 p.m.) - In this Christmas special Jim Garlow says, “The gospel is so compelling it overrides anything the culture has to offer!” It’s everything you’ve ever asked about Christmas—with answers that may surprise you! Don’t miss Jim’s story of the holiday birth of his adopted daughter. It’s, as they say, “Worth the price of a ticket!”

Saturday, December 17

Priceless Gifts… For a Woman After God’s Own Heart (1:00 p.m.) - With Humor, drama and a heartfelt challenge for the Christmas season, Elizabeth George shares priceless gifts-all wrapped up to delight and inspire listeners to share in God’s majesty, power and glory!

Christmas with Denver and the Mile High Orchestra (3:00 p.m.) – Formed by a group of friends at Nashville’s Belmont University in 1999, this exceptional group of musicians is comprised of three trumpet players, three saxophone players, two trombone players and a rhythm section. In the five years since their inception, the group has traveled around the globe, performing at churches, conferences, festivals—even at the Olympics—taking their electrifying horn-driven sound to the masses. The big band sound of the 30’s and 40’s had long intrigued Denver, who had played the trumpet for 16 years, so he assembled a group of musicians—friends to reinvent the style for the modern age. The special features music from their most recent Christmas project.

On The Way To Christmas (9:00 p.m.) - This is a Focus On the Family production of a sparkling array of Christmas stories, fun and family activities. Includes drama, music and a reading from former President Ronald Reagan. Hosted by Bill Maier.

Sunday, December 18

12 voices Of Christmas (7:00 p.m.) - Join Back To The Bible, as they introduce you to the 12 voices of Christmas who made an impact on Christmas day. This is a dramatic presentation.

Most Treasured Gift (8:00 p.m.) - This special features singer and songwriter Michael Card from his Christmas project “ The Promise.” Michael Card shares his thoughts on the incarnation along with his unique perspective of Christmas.

Monday, December 19

Christmas with Denver and the Mile High Orchestra (6:00 p.m.) - Formed by a group of friends at Nashville’s Belmont University in 1999, this exceptional group of musicians is comprised of three trumpet players, three saxophone players, two trombone players and a rhythm section. In the five years since their inception, the group has traveled around the globe, performing at churches, conferences, festivals—even at the Olympics—taking their electrifying horn-driven sound to the masses. The big band sound of the 30’s and 40’s had long intrigued Denver, who had played the trumpet for 16 years, so he assembled a group of musicians—friends to reinvent the style for the modern age. The special features music from their most recent Christmas project.

Tuesday, December 20

The Case For Christmas (6:00 p.m.) - A journalist investigates the identity of the child in the manager. The program is based on information from best selling author Lee Strobel's book “ The Case For Christmas.” The special will look at eyewitness evidence, scientific evidence, profile evidence and fingerprint evidence.

Wednesday, December 21

Holding Heaven: Episode I: Moonlight Soliloquy (6:00 p.m.) - This special will allow you an opportunity to eavesdrop on the rarely depicted relationship between Jesus and His earthly father Joseph. With the creativity and talent of Jerry Jenkins and production expertise of Chris Fabry, “Holding Heaven” is bound to become a modern classic. Based on the book, "Holding Heaven by author Jerry Jenkins.

Thursday, December 22

Holding Heaven: Episode II: Deathbed Conversation (6:00 p.m.) - This special will allow you an opportunity to eavesdrop on the rarely depicted relationship between Jesus and His earthly father Joseph. With the creativity and talent of Jerry Jenkins and production expertise of Chris Fabry, “Holding Heaven” is bound to become a modern classic. Based on the book, "Holding Heaven by author Jerry Jenkins.

Friday, December 23

Real Christmas with Kim Hill (6:00 p.m.) - Listen to the music and conversation of songwriter, worship leader, and author Kim Hill. The special will feature music from her Christmas project “Real Christmas.”

Saturday, December 24

Christmas with Denver and the Mile High Orchestra (1:00 p.m.) - Formed by a group of friends at Nashville’s Belmont University in 1999, this exceptional group of musicians is comprised of three trumpet players, three saxophone players, two trombone players and a rhythm section. In the five years since their inception, the group has traveled around the globe, performing at churches, conferences, festivals—even at the Olympics—taking their electrifying horn-driven sound to the masses. The big band sound of the 30’s and 40’s had long intrigued Denver, who had played the trumpet for 16 years, so he assembled a group of musicians—friends to reinvent the style for the modern age. The special features music from their most recent Christmas project.

The Story Of Christmas (6:00 p.m.) - This special features the Christmas reading from Max McLean.
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Mel Gibson to Produce Miniseries on Holocaust
David M. Halbfinger/Teresa Neumann Reporting (Dec 9, 2005)

"It's a great bow to compassionate Christians"

Mel Gibson, who was accused by some in the Jewish community as being anti-Semitic for his film, "The Passion of the Christ," is set to produce a four-hour ABC non-fiction miniseries on the Holocaust. The film, called "Flory" will be based on the self-published memoir of Flory A. Van Beek, a Dutch Jew whose Christian neighbors hid her from the Nazis during WWII. Her book was entitled, "Flory: Survival in the Valley of Death."

According to a report in the New York Times, it is "not expected that Gibson will act in the miniseries, nor is it certain yet that his name, rather than his company's, will be publicly attached to the final product, according to several people involved in developing it. Nor is it guaranteed yet that the project will be completed and broadcast."

Reporter David Halbfinger says ABC brought in Mr. Gibson's company, Con Artists Productions, after an independent producer, Daniel Sladek, pitched the network on Ms. Van Beek's story. It is, he said, a wide-eyed account of her and her husband's abbreviated courtship; their attempt to sail to safety in Chile; the sinking of their ship, and their rescue and recuperation in England; their return to Holland in 1940; and their suffering in hiding as the deportations of Jews began. They were liberated by Canadian troops, but only 5,200 of Holland's 140,000 Jews survived the war, according to Daniel Sladek, an independent producer who "pitched" the story to ABC.

Mr. Sladek, 40, whose own father survived the Holocaust as a child and is a friend of the Van Beeks, said Mr. Gibson's involvement could "help attract a larger Christian audience for the project." The Van Beeks were sheltered by three different families of Dutch Christians.

"It is a tremendous nod to the non-Jewish partisans, the citizens of Holland, who helped this couple along the way again and again and again, without any reason other than being human, doing the right thing," he said. "It's a great bow to the compassionate Christians, the non-Jewish community. And there's a definite link to that community, through Con Artists, because of Passion. "

Ms. Van Beek, who is now in her early 80's, did not see Gibson's "The Passion" because it was "too traumatic" for her.

"I don't know him," she added of Gibson. "All I know is he's a staunch Catholic, and the people who saved our lives are Catholic," she said. "I respect everybody's beliefs."

More...
http://www.nytimes.com/2005/12/06/arts/television/06cnd-gibson.h
tml?ei=5090&en=e9636446874c3b28&ex=1291525200&adxnnl=1&partner=r
ssuserland&emc=rss&pagewanted=print&adxnnlx=1133913433-qs8DH0Qre
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Arkansas Fire Academy
Public Relations Office
Sarah Hixson
870-574-1521- phone
870-574-0817 - fax

National Volunteer Fire Council

1050 17(superscript: th) Street, NW, Suite 490, Washington, DC20036; 202/887-5700 phone; 202/887-5291 fax

Help Restore Funding for Rural and Community Access to Emergency Devices Program

The House and Senate are expected to agree to a final version of the Labor/Education/HHS Appropriations Act for Fiscal Year 2006 in the near future. This legislation contains funding for the Rural and Community Access to Emergency Devices program, which provides grants to states to train first responders and others to use automated external defibrillators and to purchase and place them in public areas where cardiac arrests are likely to occur.

An earlier version of this bill that would have cut the program by 83 percent was narrowly defeated in November, but significant cuts are still a very real possibility. The NVFC has written the administration and Congress to express our support for the Rural and Community AED program and to ask that funding be restored. Now we are asking that you contact your elected representatives to do the same. For information on how to contact your member of Congress and Senators, go to http://www.congress.org/congressorg/dbq/officials.

Thanks to Jason Sands
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Merry Christmas By Debbie Daniel

I'm on a "Merry Christmas" mission and I'm in full throttle. My little yellow VW Beetle has turned into a Christmas billboard with Merry Christmas written across the back window. Yes, I've decided to trek off to work everyday on the public highways with a message that seems to offend people.

At stop lights, I even turn my music up a little louder, and to top it off, I sing along with it. Don't I know that stopping at a red light to roll my windows down only to share the joy of Christmas carols on public streets is a No-No? Don't I fear the Christmas Gestapo and those who would have me remove the written message from my car?

I'm sorry folks, but the only person I'm concerned about "offending" during this Christmas season is the Lord himself. LEAVE THAT MANGER ALONE! We've allowed the Baby Jesus to be kicked out of His lowly manger, and those offended by Christmas are still not happy.

I refuse to let this happen. I'm going to do my part to make sure "Merry Christmas" doesn't become extinct. Because like it or not, if the believers in Christmas don't take a stand now, it's gone forever.

Listen folks, the Christian community has been underestimated before; we will have to show ourselves again.

I walked into a Wendy's Restaurant the other day and was rather exuberant with my "Merry Christmas" greeting to the manager. He didn't have much of a response and I said, "Where's your Christmas spirit?" He said, "We're not allowed to use the words "Merry Christmas" when greeting customers. We can only say "Happy Holiday."

This morning I grabbed a quick breakfast at a Whataburger Restaurant. I noticed there wasn't a single decoration in the store. I asked the manager why they weren't decorated for Christmas. He told me the corporate headquarters decided not to send any decorations to any of their stores, and he didn't know why.

After I heard about all the Macy's and Federated Stores taking down their Merry Christmas signs, the Target stores not allowing the Salvation Army to "Ring the Christmas bells," and the many incidents of children, choirs, and bands not allowed to play or sing Christmas carols, I realized it was happening right here in my own little Texas town.

How can this be? Not Texas!

We do, however, have a store, Hobby Lobby, that plays nothing but Christmas carols during the season. On Christmas Day they run a full page ad in our local newspaper. That ad is not to promote the store, but uses the entire page to tell the story of Jesus' birth. Now that's taking a stand. We need to thank them.

When I saw a news report the other evening of children being taught new words to a song we've sung for years - "We Wish You a Merry Christmas" - I was saddened to hear "We Wish You a Splendid Holiday."

I know now that it's just a matter of time that the "Merry Christmas" greetings will be gone. Look around your town. Notice the "Holiday" greetings and not "Christmas." It's happening right before our very eyes.

Start singing the songs; go down the streets of America singing to your heart's content. Get some of those wash-off markers that these kids use to write on their car windows when they're rooting for their hometown football team. It's easy to do, and if a torrential rain washes it off, write it on there again.

We've got to get this message out. "Go Tell It On the Mountain . . . that Jesus Christ is Born." Sing it, speak it, be a billboard for our Lord.

The story of this "Baby Jesus" alone has brought about more goodwill at this time of year than any other day we celebrate. How can we sit back and allow Him to be snuffed out of our lives?

Is it Jesus, or is it His followers that the "offended" don't like? What kind of revulsion galvanizes one to campaign so vehemently against the mere mention of His name, the mere singing of a carol, or the mere visual of a sign that says "Merry Christmas?"

I can listen to my own boss at work use some of the vilest words and follow up with, "Excuse my French." I may cringe inside at his damning of God's name, but I tolerate it. So if you don't like me wishing you a "Merry Christmas," I'll say, "Excuse my joy." You may cringe that I celebrate the birth of Jesus, but just tolerate it.

I cannot be concerned that "Merry Christmas" offends you. If I'm not careful, the day will come when saying I'm a Christian will offend you.

I'm offended that you're offended. How about that?

When we get to a point that we can no longer take part in a tradition we hold dear, we have no choice; we either defend that tradition or we give it up to those who say NO. That's it . . period. So, which will it be?

I'm not giving up my "Merry Christmas" joy to anyone. If I know of someone that celebrates another holiday during this time of year, I will be glad to wish them whatever holiday they want. Just tell me what it is and I'll shout it to the world and wish you a grand celebration.

Just give me Christmas. To you merchants: Stop being so hypocritical and "filling your tills" on the back of Jesus! Who do you think is the symbol of giving at this time of year? It was the wise men bringing gifts to the newborn Christ-child.

You want your coffers full, but have ordered your employees to take down all the Merry Christmas signs. If that's the case, I'll buy gifts at a place that understands my joy.

If you're worried about offending someone, you just did. The most recent Newsweek survey shows that 82% of Americans believe that Jesus is the Son of God. So, in trying not to offend a few, you've offended many.

It's okay to jump into the "Merry Christmas" spirit when it fills your cash register, but let's call it something else . . . and don't stop giving . . . and don't stop buying. . . we'll just change the name and you'll never know the difference.

I know the difference and I'm feeling it greatly. It's hard not to be aware that townships across our country have actually banned the singing of Christmas carols because it might offend someone. And it's not just the religious songs; it's the secular ones too. No more "Jingle Bells" or "Rudolph, the Red-Nosed Reindeer" because they're associated with Christmas. Boy, aren't we getting sensitive?

If we're not celebrating Christmas for the hope it gives with the birth of our Savior . . . there is no hope!

I noticed a few years ago that we changed the name of Abraham Lincoln's and George Washington's birthday so as to be all inclusive regarding the Presidents. Hark, if we should recognize anyone as exceptional. Now it's called Presidents' Day.

Well, if we're going to be so all inclusive, next month I'll have to refer to Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day as Civil Rights Leaders' Day. We don't want to exclude great Americans like Rosa Parks or Cesar Chavez, do we? And to think that Jesse Jackson and Al Sharpton might be left out.

We might need to change Mother's Day, Father's Day, and Grandparents' Day to All Parents' Day. Just lump them all together.

It sounds ridiculous, doesn't it? So what's the difference?

My freedom to celebrate Christmas in the tradition of the Christian religion is as much my right as it is your right to be offended by it. So what are we going to do? Did anyone hear me . . . what are we going to do?

Do we defend a person's right to go forward with a time tested tradition (how about 2000 years?), or do we defend a person's right to end it all because they're offended? As long as we live in this great land and have the freedom to express ourselves and what we believe in, we will always offend someone.

If we try to make everything right for everyone, we won't have anything for anyone.

May you always have Christmas in your heart!

Thanks to Mary Alexis
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From the news wire Friday “Natural gas prices hit all-time high”
Winter weather seen boosting crude oil near $61 barrel
Updated: 10:53 a.m. ET Dec. 9, 2005

After hitting a new high above $15 per 1,000 cubic feet, natural-gas futures retreated slightly on Friday as a winter storm hit the northern United States. The price of crude-oil and heating-oil futures also dipped and analysts attributed the early selling to profit-taking.

In overnight electronic trading, natural gas for January delivery reached $15.52, but by morning the contract was trading at $14.95 on the New York Mercantile Exchange, down 4.4 cents. On Thursday, natural-gas futures settled at a record high of $14.994.

Nymex crude was also lower. Light sweet crude oil for January delivery fell 16 cents to $60.50 a barrel in early Nymex trading. Although $10 lower than its all-time intraday high of $70.85 a barrel set Sept. 30, oil prices are more than 40 percent higher than a year ago.

A storm that dumped as much as 10 inches of snow from Texas to Indiana hit the Northeast on Friday, shutting down schools and snarling traffic as commuters headed to work on slippery roads.

While the storm system lost steam as it crossed the Ohio Valley and western Pennsylvania early Friday, it was expected to merge with another one off the Virginia coast later in the day. Forecasters said the system would move up the coast, bringing as much as a foot of snow to New England.

“The price rise is all based on forecasts of cold weather to hit large portions of the United States,” said Victor Shum, a Singapore-based analyst at energy consultants Purvin & Gertz. “The weather affects natural gas, but the (trading) psychology also affects the oil market.”

In other Nymex trading, heating oil was up one and a half cents to $1.7986 a gallon, and gasoline rose just a bit less to $1.6410 a gallon.

With several more months of wintry conditions expected, analysts also predicted the early jump in prices could provide a higher base.

“Winter has a long way to go,” said Shum. “The market psychology supports a rather high price. This is only December, the anticipation of the continuation of colder weather will provide a high price floor.”

The Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries meets Monday in Kuwait, where may give hints about its pricing policy for the new year. Most analysts are not expecting OPEC to cut output when it meets. Typically, the organization considers cutting output when stocks start building and prices fall.
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AH- The Joy of Giving - hope you and yours have a wonderful CHRISTmas.

Laurel

----- A GLASS OF MILK

One day, a poor boy who was selling goods from door to door to pay his way through school, found he had only one thin dime left, and he was hungry.

He decided he would ask for a meal at the next house. However, he lost his nerve when a lovely young woman opened the door.

Instead of a meal he asked for a drink of water. She thought he looked hungry so brought him a large glass of milk. He drank it slowly, and then asked, How much do I owe you?

You don't owe me anything, she replied. "Mother has taught us never to accept pay for a kindness."

He said..... "Then I thank you from my heart."

As Howard Kelly left that house, he not only felt stronger physically, but his faith in God and man was strong also. He had been ready to give up and quit.

Many year's later that same young woman became critically ill. The local doctors were baffled! They finally sent her to the big city, where they called in specialists to study her rare disease.

Dr. Howard Kelly was called in for the consultation. When he heard the name of the town she came from, a strange light filled his eyes. Immediately he rose and went down the hall of the hospital to her room.

Dressed in his doctor's gown he went in to see her. He recognized her at once.

He went back to the consultation room determined to do his best to save her life. From that day he gave special attention to her case. After a long struggle, the battle was won.

Dr. Kelly requested the business! office to pass the final bill to him for approval. He looked at it, then wrote something on the edge and the bill was sent to her room. She feared to open it, for she was sure it would take the rest of her life to pay for it all. Finally she looked, and something caught her attention on the side of the bill. She read these words.....

"Paid in full with one glass of milk"
(Signed) Dr. Howard Kelly.

Tears of joy flooded her eyes as her happy heart prayed: "Thank You, God, that Your love has spread broad through human hearts and hands."

There's a saying which goes something like this: Bread cast on the waters comes back to you. The good deed you do today may benefit you or someone you love at the least expected time. If you never see the deed again at least you will have made the world a better place - And, after all, isn't that what life is all about?

GOOD FRIENDS ARE LIKE ANGELS, YOU DON'T HAVE TO SEE THEM TO KNOW THEY ARE THERE !

Thanks to Laurel Becnel
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Here's to T-bone steaks, yellow roses and friendship.

I walked into the grocery store not particularly interested in buying groceries. I wasn't hungry. The pain of losing my husband of 7 years was still too raw. And this grocery store held so many sweet memories.

He often came with me and almost every time he'd pretend to go off and look for something special. I knew what he was up to. I'd always spot him walking down the aisle with the three yellow roses in his hands.

He knew I loved yellow roses. With a heart filled with grief, I only wanted to buy my few items and leave, but even grocery shopping was different since he had passed on.

Shopping for one took time, a little more thought than it had for two.

Standing by the meat, I searched for the perfect small steak and remembered how he had loved his steak.

Suddenly a woman came beside me. She was blonde, slim and lovely in a soft green pantsuit. I watched as she picked up a large package of T-bones, dropped them in her basket.. Hesitated, and then put them back. She turned to go and once again reached for the pack of steaks.

She saw me watching her and she smiled. "My husband loves T-bones, but honestly, at these prices, I don't know."

I swallowed the emotion down my throat and met her pale blue eyes.

"My husband passed away eight days ago," I told her. Glancing at the package in her hands, I fought to control the tremble in my voice. "Buy him the steaks. And cherish every moment you have together."

She shook her head and I saw the emotion in her eyes as she placed the package in her basket and wheeled away.

I turned and pushed my cart across the length of the store to the dairy products. There I stood, trying to decide which size milk I should buy. A Quart, I finally decided and moved on to the ice cream. If nothing else, I could always fix myself an ice cream cone.

I placed the ice cream in my cart and looked down the aisle toward the front. I saw first the green suit, then recognized the pretty lady coming towards me. In her arms she carried a package. On her face was the brightest smile I had ever seen. I would swear a soft halo encircled her blonde hair as she kept walking toward me, her eyes holding mine.

As she came closer, I saw what she held and tears began misting in my eyes. "These are for you," she said and placed three beautiful long stemmed yellow roses in my arms. "When you go through the line, they will know these are paid for." She leaned over and placed a gentle kiss on my cheek, then smiled again. I wanted to tell her what she'd done, what the roses meant, but still unable to speak, I watched as she walked away as tears clouded my vision.

I looked down at the beautiful roses nestled in the green tissue wrapping and found it almost unreal. How did she know? Suddenly the answer seemed so clear. I wasn't alone.

Oh, you haven't forgotten me, have you? I whispered, with tears in my eyes. He was still with me, and she was his angel.

Every day be thankful for what you have and who you are.

Thanks to Buddy Kyle
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Prayer Alert: Continue to Intercede on Behalf of the Peace Workers Held Hostage in Iraq
Aimee Herd (Dec 5, 2005)

Editor's Note: When news comes to us such as this situation with the four hostages in Iraq, our response as Believers is to pray. It is not our "last resort" but our first and most powerful response, as the "fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much." So I remind myself and our readers to join with the many praying for a peaceful and safe release of these hostages being held in Iraq. - Aimee Herd, BCN.

On November 26th, four members of the Christian Peacemaker Teams (CPT) were taken hostage in Baghdad, Iraq, their terrorist captors giving a deadline of December 8th to comply with their demands. (Photos courtesy of CPT.org)

According to CBC News, the CPT men are: Jim Loney, 41, of Toronto and Harmeet Sooden, 32, formerly of Montreal, Briton Norman Kember, 74, and American Tom Fox, 54. The irony that the hostages are members of a peace worker organization, opposing the war from the start, is another example of the senseless violence of these terrorists, which knows no bounds.

The four men were part of a CPT project in Iraq that began in October of 2002, reports the CPT website. Statements from family members of each hostage can be viewed by logging onto www.cpt.org or by following the link below.

More...
http://www.cpt.org/
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Activities and Events of Interest
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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 10 Marines who were supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom.
01. Staff Sgt. Daniel J. Clay, 27, of Pensacola, Fla.
02. Lance Cpl. John M. Holmason, 20, of Suprise, Ariz.
03. Lance Cpl. David A. Huhn, 24, of Portland, Mich.
04. Lance Cpl. Adam W. Kaiser, 19, of Naperville, Ill.
05. Lance Cpl. Robert A. Martinez, 20, of Splendora, Texas
06. Cpl. Anthony T. McElveen, 20, of Little Falls, Minn.
07. Lance Cpl. Scott T. Modeen, 24, of Hennepin, Minn.
08. Lance Cpl. Andrew G. Patten, 19, of Byron, Ill.

09. Sgt. Andy A. Stevens, 29, of Tomah, Wis.
10. Lance Cpl. Craig N. Watson, 21, of Union City, Mich.
All 10 Marines died Dec. 1 from an improvised explosive device outside Fallujah, Iraq. The Marines were inside an abandoned flour factory being used as a patrol base when the IED detonated. All 10 Marines were assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 7th Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division, I Marine Expeditionary Force, Twentynine Palms, Calif. During Operation Iraqi Freedom, their unit was attached to the 2nd Marine Division, II Marine Expeditionary Force (Forward).

11. Sgt. Grzegorz Jakoniuk, 25, of Schiller Park, Ill., died in Taji, Iraq, on Nov. 30, from non-combat related injuries. Jakoniuk was assigned to the 4th Battalion, 3rd Aviation Regiment, 3rd Infantry Division, Fort Campbell, Ky.

12. Cpl. William G. Taylor, 26, of Macon, Ga., died Nov. 30 from small-arms fire while conducting combat operations against enemy forces in Fallujah, Iraq. He was assigned to 2nd Battalion, 6th Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division, II Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Lejeune, N.C.

The Department of Defense announced the death of two soldiers who were supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom. They died in Baghdad, Iraq, on Dec. 4, when improvised explosive devices detonated near their HMMWV during convoy operations. Both soldiers were assigned to the Army National Guard’s 1st Battalion, 147th Field Artillery, Yankton, S.D. Killed were:
13. Sgt. 1st Class Richard L. Schild, 40, of Tabor, S.D.
14. Staff Sgt. Daniel M. Cuka, 27, of Yankton, S.D.

The Department of Defense announced the death of three soldiers who were supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom. They died at Tallil Air Base, Iraq, on Dec. 2, of injuries sustained earlier that day when their truck accidentally rolled over. The soldiers were assigned to the Army National Guard's 148th Forward Support Battalion, 48th Brigade Combat Team, Forsyth, Ga. Killed were:
15. Staff Sgt. Philip L. Travis, 41, of Snellville, Ga.
16. Sgt. Philip A. Dodson, Jr., 42, of Forsyth, Ga.
17. Spc. Marcus S. Futrell, 20, of Macon, Ga.

18. Cpl. Jimmy L. Shelton, 21, of Lehigh Acres, Fla., died in Bayji, Iraq on Dec. 3, when his forward operating base was attacked by enemy forces using mortars. Shelton was assigned to the 1st Squadron, 33rd Cavalry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division, Fort Campbell, Ky.

19. Spc. Brian A. Wright, 19, of Keensburg, Ill., died in Ramadi, Iraq on Dec. 6, when his HMMWV struck a mine during combat operations. Wright was assigned to the Army National Guard's 135th Engineer Company, Lawrenceville, Ill.

20. Pfc. Thomas C. Siekert, 20, of Lovelock, Nev., died in Bayji, Iraq on Dec. 6, from non-combat related injuries. Siekert was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 187th Infantry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division, Fort Campbell, Ky.

21. Cpl. Joseph P. Bier, 22, of Centralia, Wash., died Dec. 7 from an improvised explosive device while conducting combat operations against enemy forces in Ar Ramadi, Iraq. He was assigned to 3rd Battalion, 7th Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division, I Marine Expeditionary Force, Twentynine Palms, Calif. During Operation Iraqi Freedom, Bier’s unit was attached to 2nd Marine Division, II Marine Expeditionary Force (Forward).

22. Sgt. Michael C. Taylor, 23, of Hockley, Texas, died in Balad, Iraq, on Dec. 7, when an improvised expolsive device detonated near his Heavy Expanded Mobility Tactical Truck while his unit was conducting combat operations. Taylor was assigned to the 3rd Battalion, 13th Field Artillery, 214th Field Artillery Brigade, III Corps Artillery, Fort Sill, Okla.

23. 1st Lt. Kevin J. Smith, 28, of Brandon, Fla., died in Baghdad, Iraq, on Dec. 8, when an improvised explosive device detonated near his HMMWV. Smith was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 76th Field Artillery, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division, Fort Stewart, Ga.

~~

The Department of Defense POW/Missing Personnel Office (DPMO) announced today that the remains of a U.S. serviceman, missing in action from the Vietnam War, have been identified and will be returned to his family for burial with full military honors.

He is Tech. Sgt. Patrick L. Shannon of Owasso, Okla. Funeral arrangements are yet to be set by his family.

Shannon and 18 other servicemen operated a radar installation atop Pha Thi Mountain in Houaphan Province, Laos, approximately 13 miles south of the border with North Vietnam. The site, known at Lima Site 85, directed U.S. bombing missions toward key targets in North Vietnam.

In the early morning of March 11, 1968, the site came under attack by a force of North Vietnamese commandos. The enemy force had scaled the sheer mountainsides in the hours before the attack and overran the site. During the attack, some Americans made their way down to ledges, but survivors reported that several were killed.

Several hours later, U.S. aircraft attacked enemy positions around the site, enabling helicopters to rescue eight of the 19 Americans, although one of the survivors died en route to a base in Thailand. Later that day, and for four additional days, U.S. air strikes bombed the site to destroy technical equipment left behind.

Beginning in 1994, the Joint POW/MIA Accounting Command began interviewing witnesses in both Laos and Vietnam to gather information on the fates of the Americans. Some of those interviewed were villagers who lived near the site, while others were former enemy soldiers who carried out the attack. In 2002, one of the enemy soldiers stated that he helped throw the bodies of the Americans off the mountain after the attack, as they were unable to bury them on the rocky surface.

Between 1994 and 2004, 11 investigations were conducted by both JPAC as well as unilaterally by Lao and Vietnamese investigators on both sides of the border. During one of the investigations, several mountaineer-qualified JPAC specialists scaled down the cliffs where they recovered remains and personal gear on ledges. JPAC and Armed Forces DNA Identification Laboratory scientists used mitochondrial DNA and other forensic techniques to identify the remains as those of Shannon.

Of the 88,000 Americans unaccounted for from all conflicts, 1,812 are from the Vietnam War. Another 771 Americans have been accounted for in Southeast Asia since the end of the war. Of the Americans identified, 199 are from losses in Laos.

For additional information on the Defense Department’s mission to account for missing Americans, visit the DPMO Web site at http://www.dtic.mil/dpmo or call (703) 699-1169.

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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"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
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Hope you enjoy the newsletter.
Again, thanks to all our contributors this week.

God bless and GOD BLESS AMERICA!!!
1 Chr 21:2-4 Num 12:3,8-13 Num 11:27-29 Jude 1:22-23 Rom 14:10-13
God is Good and Faithful CU 73 IC JFM CSP NREMT-I KC5HII

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