Month: August 2007
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Pictures
Here are some pictures. They were taken before church. I wore my Renaissance dress to church.
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Back to School
Back to school is the topic this time at InternetIsland
Back to school is a topic that has been on my mind a lot the past two weeks. On the 27th I will have two going to school. Last year my little girl started Kindergarten. She will be in first grade this year, with a teacher that is totally new, first year teaching. My little preemie will be in Kindergarten. He is lucky, he will have the same teacher his sister had. That teacher is so nice and wonderful.
Back to school is always a busy busy time. There are parents meeting with the teacher if you are the parent of a kindergarten child. Then there are back to school nights where the students get to see their room and the teacher before school starts. All those sorts of things. There are bus schedules and all those sorts of thing. Getting book bags and lunch boxes all prepared to go. So many things for a parent to do.
Then on the first day of school my little preemie doesn’t go like normal. His sister will get on the bus at 8:09am but he won’t. Nope they make things even more complicated for the parents. Not to say that I don’t think this idea is a good one. I do. On the first day of Kindergarten parents and children go together and stay together and its only for an hour. It helps the children get used to the environment. It is a good idea, but it is more work for the parent. My little preemie will be going full day to kindergarten Monday through Friday. He will be getting speech help. They think we will see a big difference within the first month. That is exciting. The thought that others, other then us, will be able to understand clearly what he is saying.
It will be weird though. My house will seem quite empty. It will be just me and the baby at home, and he isn’t much of a baby anymore at 3 years old. He has never had mommy all to himself. It will be interesting to see how he reacts to being home alone with mommy.
I am thinking of looking for activities in the area for me and the little one to do. Maybe look for a good Mommy and me program at a church or preschool activities at the library. It just seems like so much more can be done activity wise where you only have one child to take every where. This will be so weird for the first bit until I get used to it. It took me about 3 months to get used to the fact that I only had two during the day and not three. Now I will have to get used to only having one. He will have to get used to not having his brother to play with. His brother has been there to play with since the day the little one was born. Having mommy all to himself will be something really new.
School days, school days……..A memorable time in a child and parents life. A time of change. A time of fun.
They grow up so fast.
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Our Birds
No we don’t have pet birds. Well, at least not ones that you keep in
your house. We do have a lot of birds though. We have a bird feeder in
our yard. Many birds come and eat out of it. I thought today (even
though it is raining) I would try to get some pictures from my window.
Well the one suey cake is on the ground so they are eating at that more
then the feeder at the moment but here are some pictures. They are not
that great because of the distance from which they were taken but enjoy.
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A day in the life of
For weekly_Photo_Challenge Here is a day in the life of a stay at home mom.Well first there is the cooking
and the cleaning
But there is also taking care of the children
Then at night after the day is done, there is bedtime
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Overpopulation??????
What are your thoughts on Overpopulation? do you believe that overpopulation is a problem? I would love to hear your thoughts.
I was shocked the other week to read of someone who believed in over population and that it is a major problem. I asked how that can be true when most families are not even having two children now days, which would mean breaking even. So I decided to do research. I will be listing some of the sites I read. I would love to hear your opinion.
this one makes some good points and shows how the population is actually shrinking.
http://www.nationalcoalition.org/culture/articles/ca050912.html
“The
world is NOT over-populated. More than 97%
of the land surface on Earth is empty…. Yes,
certain cities are over-populated, of course. Yet
the entire population of the world could fit inside
the state of Arkansas. So, then, how is the world
‘over-populated’? Europe and Japan will be facing
under-population crises in the coming decades, even
according to UN studies on population.”
– Anthony C. LoBaidoMYTH
1: The world is overcrowded and population growth is
adding overwhelming numbers of humans to a small
planet.In
fact, people do live in crowded conditions, and
always have. We cluster together in cities and
villages in order to exchange goods and services
with one another. But while we crowd together for
economic reasons in our great metropolitan areas,
most of the world is empty, as we can see when we
fly over it. It has been estimated by Paul Ehrlich
and others that human beings actually occupy no more
than 1-3% of the earth’s land surface.If
you allotted 1250 square feet to each person, all
the people in the world would fit into the state of
Texas. Try the math yourself: 7,438,152,268,800
square feet in Texas, divided by the world
population of 5,860,000,000, equals 1269 square feet
per person. The population density of this giant
city would be about 21,000 – somewhat more
than San Francisco and less than the Bronx.Another
fact: World population growth is rapidly declining.
United Nations figures show that the 79 countries
that comprise 40% of the world’s population now have
fertility rates too low to prevent population
decline. The rate in Asia fell from 2.4 in 1965-70
to 1.5 in 1990-95. In Latin America and the
Caribbean, the rate fell from 2.75 in 1960-65 to
1.70 in 1990-95. In Europe, the rate fell to 0.16 –
that is, effectively zero – in 1990-95.And the
annual rate of change in world population fell from
2% in 1965-70 to less than 1.5% in 1990-95.Worldwide,
the number of children the typical woman had during
her lifetime (total fertility) fell from 5 in
1950-55 to less than 3 in 1990-95. (The number
necessary just to “replace” the
current generation is 2.1.) In the more developed
regions, total fertility fell from 2.77 to 1.68
over the same period. In the less developed regions
it fell from more than 6 to 3.3. Total fertility in
Mexico was 3.1 in 1990-95. In Spain it stood at 1.3,
and in Italy, it was 1.2.Official
forecasts of eventual world population size have
been steadily falling. In 1992-93, the World Bank
predicted world population would exceed 10 billion
by the year 2050. In 1996, the UN predicted 9
billion for 2050. If the trend continues, the next
estimate will be lower still.MYTH 2: Overpopulation is threatening the world food
supply.According
to the Food and Agriculture Organization, world food
supplies exceed requirements in all world areas,
amounting to a surplus approaching 50% in 1990 in
the developed countries, and 17% in the developing
regions. “Globally, food supplies have more
than doubled in the last 40 years … between 1962
and 1991, average daily per caput food supplies
increased more than 15% … at a global level, there
is probably no obstacle to food production rising to
meet demand,” according to FAO documents
prepared for the 1996 World Food Summit. The FAO
also reported that less than a third as many people
had less than 2100 calories per person per day in
1990-92 as had been the case in 1969-71.At
present, farmers use less than half of the world’s
arable land. The conversion of land to urban and
built-up uses to accommodate a larger population
will absorb less than 2% of the world’s land,
and “is not likely to seriously diminish the
supply of land for agricultural production,”
according to Paul Waggoner, writing for the Council
for Agricultural Science and Technology in 1994.MYTH 3: Overpopulation is the chief cause of poverty.In
reality, problems commonly blamed on
“overpopulation” are the result of bad
economic policy. For example, Western journalists
blamed the Ethiopian famine on
“overpopulation,” but that was simply not
true. The Ethiopian government caused it by
confiscating the food stocks of traders and farmers
and exporting them to buy arms. That country’s
leftist regime, not its population, caused the
tragedy. In fact, Africa, beset with problems often
blamed on “overpopulation,” has only
one-fifth the population density of Europe, and has
an unexploited food-raising potential that could
feed twice the present population of the world,
according to estimates by Roger Revelle of Harvard
and the University of San Diego. Economists writing
for the International Monetary Fund in 1994 said
that African economic problems result from excessive
government spending, high taxes on farmers,
inflation, restrictions on trade, too much
government ownership, and overregulation of private
economic activity. There was no mention of
overpopulation.The
government of the Philippines relies on foreign aid
to control population growth, but protects
monopolies which buy farmers’ outputs at
artificially low prices, and sell them inputs at
artificially high prices, causing widespread
poverty. Advocates of population control blame
“overpopulation” for poverty in
Bangladesh. But the government dominates the buying
and processing of jute, the major cash crop, so that
farmers receive less for their efforts than they
would in a free market. Impoverished farmers flee to
the city, but the government owns 40% of industry
and regulates the rest with price controls, high
taxes and unpublished rules administered by a huge,
corrupt, foreign-aid dependent bureaucracy. Jobs are
hard to find and poverty is rampant. This crowding
leads to problems such as sporadic or inefficient
food distribution, but this problem is caused –
as in Ethiopia – by that country’s flawed
domestic policies.It
is often claimed that poverty in China is the result
of “overpopulation.” But Taiwan, with a
population density five times as great as mainland
China’s, produces many times as much per capita. The
Republic of Korea, with a population density 3.6
times as great as China’s, has a per capita output
almost 16 times as great. The Malaysian government
abandoned population control in 1984, ushering in
remarkable economic growth under free market
reforms, while Ecuador, Uruguay, Bulgaria and other
countries complained at the International Conference
on Population and Development in Cairo that though
they had reduced their population growth, they still
had deteriorating economies.MYTH 4: Women and men throughout the world are begging
for the means to control their fertility.Not
so, according to reports from such places as
Bangladesh, Africa and the Philippines. The fact is,
surplus condoms and birth control pills fill
warehouses in the less developed world and women
flee the birth control workers and beg to have their
implants and IUDs removed.US foreign
assistance law requires countries receiving American
foreign aid to take steps to reduce population
growth [you can find this in 22 US Code, sec.
2151-1; 22 US Code, sec. 2151(b)]. Far from
meeting an “unmet need” for birth control,
foreign-supported family planners in India,
Bangladesh and other countries must pay, or force,
their clients to accept it, according to reports
from these countries. Foreign-supported population
control is so unpopular in Bangladesh that riots
over this issue prevented the prime minister from
attending the International Conference on Population
and Development in Cairo in 1994.Dr.
Margaret Ogola, a Kenyan pediatrician, disputed the
claim of “unmet need” for family planning
at the International Conference on Population and
Develop-ment in Cairo in 1994. She said that foreign
aid givers have lavished pills, condoms and IUDs on
hospitals and clinics in Kenya, but that simple
medicines for common diseases remain unavailable. A
United Nations survey of abortion and birth control
policies throughout the world found that high
proportions of women were familiar with and were
using “traditional” methods (NFP) of
limiting births.In
1981, the typical Bangladeshi woman was having seven
children during her lifetime; since then the number
has fallen to 3.4. According to Bangladesh press
reports in 1994, the secretary of health
acknowledged that “coercion, blackmail [and]
abuse of payment provisions” were problems in
the population control program. Alarmed by extremely
low fertility, South Korea reported to the
International Conference in Cairo that it has
slashed its government expenditures on birth
control. Singapore, faced with below-replacement
fertility, reported that it now offers tax rebates
to couples with more than two children.
Government-supported “family planning”
agencies in the United States, such as Planned
Parenthood, claim their services save public
assistance costs. In fact, published research has
shown that states which spend large amounts on birth
control subsequently have higher costs of public
assistance. Research also shows that states which
require parental consent for a minor to have an
abortion have lower rates of adolescent pregnancy.MYTH 5: Overpopulation causes war and revolution.The
most war-torn continent on earth – Africa –
is also one of the least densely populated, with
about half as many people per square mile as in the
world as a whole. Bad governments, propped up by
ineptly and unjustly managed foreign aid, are more
probably the root of strife.The
worldwide movement which promotes population control
is not small or weak. It is a powerful alliance of
United Nations agencies, national governments,
foundations and “nongovernmental
organizations.” It commands many billions of
dollars in resources. Its members include family
planning agencies, radical leftist environmental
organizations such as the Sierra Club and the World
Wildlife Fund, development planners, international
financial institutions such as the World Bank,
foreign relations agencies such as the US
Agency for International Development, and
“research” organizations such as
Worldwatch Institute. Its ideology increasingly
dominates school and college instructional programs
and textbook publishing.Ultimately,
however, its power rests on public ignorance in
countries such as the United States. For the
billions of people who inhabit God’s creation, and
for the billions more He intends it for, it’s up to
us to find out the truth about
“overpopulation,” and to share it with as
many people as will listen.http://www.juntosociety.com/guest/sperlazzo/bs_opm1010903.html
http://www.boundless.org/2000/departments/your_turn/a0000228.html
And here is the Population Research Institute
Let me know what you think? Are we on the road to overpopulation? or Underpopulation?
Thoughts?
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What’s your opinion of the present state of the World?
Socrates_Cafe asks this week What’s your opinion of the present state of the World?
We
live in both troubling and exciting times. It is both the worst of
times and the best of times on the world scene. There are
increasingly difficult things happening in our world and yet there
are tremendous things God is doing at the same time. Eze 22:30-31 And I sought for a man among them, that should make up the
hedge, and stand in the gap before me for the land, that I should not destroy
it: but I found none. 31 Therefore have I poured out mine indignation upon them;
I have consumed them with the fire of my wrath: their own way have I recompensed
upon their heads, saith the Lord GOD.The Lord is looking over The United Stated and is saying I have searched
this land and have found it over run with evil and abomination. I looked and I
looked and the wicked and over running the country. I looked for Christians to
stand in the gap and speak loudly about the evils. The Lord is looking for His
children to stand up for him and loudly cry out about the abominations and sins
that are being committed.
God is angry at the church for sitting back and
allowing the sin and abominations that he has spoken against to infiltrate the
church.
God is asking are you willing to stand and cry out for me. Are you
willing to be persecuted for me.
Christian stand up! Cry out! Stand in the
gap. Be prepared to be persecuted and ridiculed for the Lord. God says stand up
and follow me boldly.
The present state of the world is running toward the tribulation.
Famine – is usually the result of changes in weather patterns or of
war. Both of these are characteristic of our times. For most of our
generation there have been great numbers of deaths, especially of the
young because of famine. At times this problem reaches staggering
proportions.Aug. 10, 1999 – According to The U.N. Food and Agriculture
Organization lists 16 nations as “facing exceptional food emergencies”
.Earthquakes – It is interesting that there has been a constant
escalation of the number of large earthquakes during this whole
century, and especially since the middle of the century. From 1950 to
the present there are more quakes listed than all the years before
that. Before 1900 there was an average gap of 15 or 20 years between
major quakes, but now there are several major quakes every year.50 quakes are measures every day in the world, estimate several million every year
I believe that the world is getting more and more evil.
We are reaping waves of destruction in every sector of
our post Christian society. Can America survive another 40 years? NO! Not unless a massive spiritual shift occurs, our children will live under an antichrist system and Godless culture that will bring about the demise of America, as we know it.The ability to feel safe in our world
is rapidly vanishing since 9/11. We want Home Land Security to make
us feel safe but many don’t feel safe. We want them to tell us it
will never happen again and they say it probably will.We go through long screening lines at
the airport and yet don’t feel real secure.We worry about our children being safe
in our communities and schools.Crime rates of robberies and identity
theft keeps escalating. Lancaster County has seen unprecedented
horrific violence this past year that was splashed around the world.
Things like the death of the Amish girls in Nickle Mines.We have things stolen at church from
time to time by people with no respect for God’s house. The other
week in our area several churches were broken into and vandalized.Things have changed rapidly in our
society.God
bless each and everyone of you as you read this. I pray often for the
people reading the things I write. I may not know who you are but God
does. God knows your needs. I pray that those of you reading that do
not have a personal relationship with Jesus will come to Him. I pray
that those of you that do will continue to grow. God bless all of
you.I
would like to end with this hymn. It is my grandfather’s favorite and
it is oh so true.This World Is Not my Home
This
world is not my home, I’m just passing through.
My treasures are
laid up somewhere beyond the blue.
The angels beckon me from
Heaven’s open door
And I can’t feel at home in this world anymore.
Chorus
O
Lord you know I have no friend like you
If Heaven’s not my home,
then Lord what will I do?
The angels beckon me from Heaven’s open
door
And I can’t feel at home in this world anymore.They’re
all expecting me and that’s one thing I know.
My Savior pardoned
me and now I onward go.
I know He’ll take me through, though I am
weak and poor.
And
I can’t feel at home in this world anymore.Chorus
O
Lord you know I have no friend like you
If Heaven’s not my home,
then Lord what will I do?
The angels beckon me from Heaven’s open
door
And I can’t feel at home in this world anymore.Just
up in Glory Land we’ll live eternally.
The Saints on every hand
are shouting victory.
Their song of sweetest praise drifts back
from Heaven’s shore
And I can’t feel at home in this world
anymore.Chorus
O
Lord you know I have no friend like you
If Heaven’s not my home,
then Lord what will I do?
The angels beckon me from Heaven’s open
door
And I can’t feel at home in this world anymore. -
Based on your experience, can men and women ever just be friends?
Well, to start out I will say that my husband is my best friend, but
that isnt what I believe the question to be asking. I think the
question is talking about a male and female who are not married being
friends.Is the trend toward intimate friendships between single men and women a good thing? I don’t think it is. I’m not a big fan of opposite-sex buddies. Intimate
friendships between men and
women almost always produce confusion and frustration for at least one
of the parties involved. Close friendships tend to
involve much time talking and hanging out one-on-one. They tend to
involve a deep knowledge of the other person’s hopes, desires, wishes,
dreams and
personality. They tend to involve the sharing of many aspects of each
person’s daily lives and routines. In other words, they tend to involve
much of the of intimacy and companionship involved in and meant
for marriage.Back when both sex before marriage and close
male-female friendships were much less accepted and less common in
society, men and women moved toward marriage earlier
in life. Historically, opposite-sex relationships
have been reserved for sguy and girls intent on marriage, or at the
very least some kind of romantic pursuit. I can’t think of
a single Scriptural example of male and female pals. Male/female
relationships in Scripture led to either marriage or (sin) extra-marital sex.
Until fairly recently in the West, and up to the present in many other
cultures, the roles of women have been severely restricted by the idea
that if men and women who are not married to one another are thrown
into situations of social contact illicit sexual relations are the
predictable outcome. Modern Western culture has not produced
counterevidence to that view, instead it has for the most part chosen endorse unbiblical sexual practices.
Jesus did not have “close friends” that were women the way men and
women do now. It would have been totally improper for Him to have been
alone with a woman He wasnt married to unless she was his relative.
Jewish custom would not have allowed it.
Now days men and women think they can be best friends and spend days and days alone together. It is totally improper.I just answered this Featured Question, you can answer it too!
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Fibromyalgia links
HERE ARE SOME LINKS YOU MAY FIND HELPFUL:
http://www.wearefmily.com/normals.
http://www.healingtides.net/a_letter_to_normals.htm
http://www.butyoudontlooksick.com/2004/11/the_spoon_theory.php
http://www.nfra.net/
http://health.discovery.com/centers/womens/fibromyalgia/fibromyalgia.html
http://v.webring.com/hub?ring=invisiblepain
www.fibrohugs.com
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