Top 10 Pictures From the Hubble Telescope

Here is a link to view the Top 10 photos ever taken from the Hubble Telescope. They are a great testimony to the awesome power of the Creator of the Universe...The LORD my God! Enjoy!

This and That

Today I am writing just to write. Nothing spectacular to say, like I say anything spectacular anyway. I had to come home from work early today because I wasn't feeling very well. I hope I am not getting sick. I have heard there is a flu bug going around at my work place. That's all I need is to get sick and miss out on the Marriage Retreat coming up this weekend. I actually found me a pair of new shoes last night, just so I can learn to dance. My wife will continue her search for new shoes this afternoon.

While I was at home I felt inclined to watch The Passion of The Christ again. Not sure why I wished to see images of how Mel Gibson portrays the brutal death of my LORD and Savior, Jesus, for the third time, but I watched it anyway. Yet, I was reminded, at the end of the movie, that "Satan got punked." (This phrase appears on a t-shirt my son has.) Satan thought for sure he had finally gotten the best of God by killing Jesus. Ha! The joke was on Satan, Jesus came back!

Because I was home sick today; I got the honor of being home when my kids came home from school. My son got home first today. He was in a good mood...no homework, and a much awaited package, he was looking for, came in the mail. So far so good. A little later than normal, my daughter finally arrived. She was very upset. The bus driver, who "is a substitute driver on just her second day", accidentally skipped the stop my daughter was supposed to get off at. It was only after the substitute driver dropped off everyone else on her route, did she come back to drop off my daughter and the other kids who get off at her stop. Add to that my daughter once again has some division homework, (she hates that), well, lets just say, she was not happy. At least the dog made her feel a little better.

One good thing about today was that my favorite episode of Spongebob Squarepants was on the television. It is called The Camping Episode. In this episode Squidward gets attacked by a Sea Bear, while camping with Spongebob and Patrick. Very Funny!

I just hope I feel better for the weekend. Gotta go help with homework...See ya, next time!

P.S. -- I am holding my own on loosing weight. No gains, no losses. At least I'm sticking to my new healthy eating habits.

Favorite Childhood Books

I have always been a book lover. Since I was a child I loved to read. Here are few of my favorite books from when I was younger:

My favorite childhood book is...Alexander and the Magic Mouse by: Martha Sanders. It is about a Little Old Lady who lives in a huge house on a hill. The house overlooks a river with a small town on the opposite shore. The Lady lives with a Crocodile, named Alexander, a Brindle London Squatting Cat, a Yak, and a Magical Mouse. One day a huge rain storm came and threatens to wash away the town. Warned by the Magical Mouse, the Little Old Lady, attempts to warn the town of the impending danger. In the end, Alexander becomes the hero who saves the day. I loved this book. I still love this book. I own a copy and read it to my children on occasion on rainy nights.

Other favorite books are:

Petunia by: Roger Duvoisin (about a duck who thinks just because she carries a book around with her, makes her smart)
The Little House by Virginia Lee Burton (about a beloved little house in the country who feels neglected after she is slowly enveloped by the growing city)

Mike Mulligan and His Steam Shovel by: Virginia Lee Burton (about a man named Mike and his steam shovel, and how they feel they are slowly becoming less useful as newer and faster motorized shovels are coming into more use)

The Monster at the End of This Book by: Jon Stone (featuring one of our favorite Sesame Street monsters, Grover, as he tries to prevent the reader from reaching the end of the book, because there is a monster there)

Green Eggs and Ham by: Dr. Suess (everyone knows about this story and how Sam tries to convince a fellow to try some green eggs and ham)

The Berenstain Bears by: Stan and Jan Berenstain (later Mike Berenstain) (about a family of Bears who live in the country)

Gus and the Baby Ghost by: Jane Thayer and Seymour Fleishman (about a Ghost who has to take care of an orphaned baby ghost)

Where the Wild Things Are by: Maurice Sendak (about a young boy who used his imagination to travel to a far away land and becomes king of the wild things)

and Harry the Dirty Dog by: Gene Zion and Margaret Bloy Graham (about a dog who refuses to take a bath and ends up getting so dirty his family does not recognize him)

These are just a few of my favorite childhood stories. I also read The Three Investigators Mystery Series by: Robert Arthur, as well as the Encyclopedia Brown books by: Donald J. Sobel. I highly encourage that Dad's read their favorite childhood stories to their kids. Not only will you enjoy sharing your memories, but you will be spending great quality time, without television, with your children.

Time To Give Up # 2

Now that I have committed to giving up a few bad eating habits, I am now attempting to give up a few other bad habits that I have.

Great and Glorious God, Creator of all things: I bring before You 5 bad habits that I am having problem defeating. Knowing that my own efforts are not good enough to conquer these habits; I ask that You help me to connect to Your Holy Spirit that dwells within me. I ask that Your Spirit makes me aware of the consequences of these actions. I ask that You help me become a better man and example to my children by overcoming these habits. In the name of Your Holy Son, Jesus the Christ. Amen

These are the habits I am choosing to give up:

1) Speeding (Tortoise and the Hare, Tortoise and the Hare. Plus it saves gasoline and it's safer. Now, I just have to get used to people getting irritated at me, like I used to get irritated at them.)

2) Littering (Yes, I was a litter bug...I made the Native American man cry. I am not proud of it. I am sorry.)

3) Gossip (No, I'm not a woman, but I do work with all women. And no, I don't gossip, much...But I will no longer listen to or be a part of any gossip I do hear.)

4) My Stuffed Animal Baseball Team (Don't ask; it's a long story...and they mainly belong to Oliver {My OCD} anyway.)

5) Picking Up After My Family (My OCD {aka: Oliver} hates to see cups sitting around, TV trays left out, clothes not put up, shoes all over the floor etc... and he forces me to clean all of it up, before I am allowed to relax and do things for myself. NO MORE...I will try my best to remind the kids, in a supporting and encouraging way, to please clean up after themselves.

I will start with these habits first then I will add some later, if necessary. Wish me luck as I "Give Up" on a few things to make myself a better person. I will keep you updated.

P.S. -- Today some of my students were eating some Doritos and some Pringles while they working on some problems for me. They looked soooo good. I will not eat Doritos & Pringles, they are evil, eeeevillll! (Ha-Ha)

Time to Give Up # 1

It's time for a change! Time to give up a few things that I feel are standing in my way of loosing weight and staying healthy. It will be hard, very hard in some cases, to do, but I am determined to succeed in my goals. As I said before, I don't really need to loose a lot of weight, but I do need to eat healthy. I tend to have high cholesterol and I do suffer from acid reflux if I over eat or eat certain foods. I hate the way I feel when I over eat or eat extremely high fat/fried foods. So, It's time to give up a few things. First a promise to and a call for help from the only one who can help me, God.

Dearest Heavenly Father, I come before you recognizing that I am loosing my battle against overeating. I am not eating healthy and I am not in control as I need to be. I am asking for Your divine intervention to help me defeat my urges to eat foods that I know are not good for me. I am turning my eating habits over to You, O' Lord. You are my Creator and You know what is best for me. Only with Your guidance can I become a healthier and happier person. I pray to you in the name of your Son, Jesus the Christ, in whose name all power is granted. Amen

Here is a list of 10 things I will give up:

1) Any Hamburger that has more than one meat patty (Big Mac, Double Whoppers, etc...But don't real men eat beef, lots of beef?)

2) Soft Drinks of all kinds (Alas Dr. Pepper. I knew thee well!)

3) Potato Chips (What will become of me if I don't have orange stained finger tips from Nacho Doritos or Cheetos?)

4) Left-Overs (Food left on my kids plates, when they are finished, and after I have already eaten my portion of the food. It's not a sin to throw it away...it's not a sin to throw it away.)

5) "All You Can Eat Buffets" (NOOOOOOOO!)

6) Pizza (Unless a Veggie Pizza, and then only one slice! Pizza upsets my stomach anyway!)

7) Candy/Candy Bars (Except M&M's and then in portions according to Weight Watchers points. What you talkin' 'bout Willis?)

8) Honey BBQ Wings at KFC (Parting is such sweet sorrow!)

9) Donuts (Yes, even Krispy Kreme...No I am not crazy!)

10) Chicken Fried Anything...Steak/Chicken/Pork and the Gravy that covers it. (How can you be a true Southerner if you don't chicken fry something?)

Well there you go...I am giving up on trying to satisfy to fill something missing in my life with junk or unhealthy foods. Only God can fill my heart with something that will satisfy me. He fills it everyday with the Bread of Life.