July 2009 – Page 2 – Write From Karen

Why Did the Chicken Cross the Road?

July 26, 2009 Karen

SARAH PALIN: Before it got to the other side, I shot the chicken, cleaned and dressed it, and had chicken burgers for lunch.

BARACK OBAMA: The chicken crossed the road because it was time for a change! The chicken wanted change!

JOHN MC CAIN: My friends that chicken crossed the road because he recognized the need to engage in cooperation and dialogue with all the chickens on the other side of the road.

HILLARY CLINTON: When I was First Lady, I personally helped that little chicken to cross the road. This experience makes me uniquely qualified to ensure right from Day One that every chicken in this country gets the chance it deserves to cross the road. But then, this really isn’t about me.

GEORGE W. BUSH: We don’t really care why the chicken crossed the road. We just want to know if the chicken is on our side of the road, or not. The chicken is either against us, or for us. There is no middle ground here.

DICK CHENEY: Where’s my gun?

COLIN POWELL: Now to the left of the screen, you can clearly see the satellite image of the chicken crossing the road.

BILL CLINTON: I did not cross the road with that chicken. What is your definition of chicken?

AL GORE: I invented the chicken.

JOHN KERRY: Although I voted to let the chicken cross the road, I am now against it! It was the wrong road to cross, and I was misled about the chicken’s intentions. I am not for it now and will remain against it.

AL SHARPTON: Why are all the chickens white? We need some black chickens.

DR. PHIL: The problem we have here is that this chicken doesn’t realize that he must first deal with the problem on this side of the road before it goes after the problem on the other side of the road. What we need to do is help him realize how stupid he’s acting by not taking on his current problems before adding new problems.

OPRAH: Well, I understand that the chicken is having problems, which is why he wants to cross this road so bad. So instead of having the chicken learn from his mistakes and take falls, which is a part of life, I’m going to give this chicken a car so that he can just drive across the road and not live his life like the rest of the chickens.

ANDERSON COOPER, CNN: We have reason to believe there is a chicken, but we have not yet been allowed access to the other side of the road.

NANCY GRACE: That chicken crossed the road because he’s guilty! You can see it in his eyes and the way he walks.

PAT BUCHANAN: To steal the job of a decent, hardworking American.

MARTHA STEWART: No one called me to warn me which way that chicken was going. I had a standing order at the Farmer’s Market to sell my eggs when the price dropped to a certain level. No little bird gave me any insider information.

DR SEUSS: Did the chicken cross the road? Did he cross it with a toad? Yes, the chicken crossed the road, but why it crossed I’ve not been told.

ERNEST HEMINGWAY: To die in the rain, alone.

GRANDPA: In my day we didn’t ask why the chicken crossed the road. Somebody told us the chicken crossed the road, and that was good enough.

BARBARA WALTERS: Isn’t that interesting? In a few moments, we will be listening to the chicken tell, for the first time, the heart-warming story of how it experienced a serious case of molting, and went on to accomplish its lifelong dream of crossing the road.

ARISTOTLE: It is the nature of chickens to cross the road.

JOHN LENNON: Imagine all the chickens in the world crossing roads together, in peace.

BILL GATES: I have just released eChicken 2009, which will not only cross roads, but will lay eggs, file your important documents, and balance your checkbook. Internet Explorer is an integral part of eChicken 2009. This new platform is much more stable and will never crash or need to be rebooted.

ALBERT EINSTEIN: Did the chicken really cross the road, or did the road move beneath the chicken?

COLONEL SANDERS: Did I miss one?

HAHAHA! I’m with Aristotle on this one. 😀

Which answer do you think was the best?

Abundant Life

Teaching: The Dead are Dead (Part Four)

July 26, 2009July 26, 2009 Karen

Every Sunday I provide videos and valuable links to the Truth or Tradition teachings. We’ve been following the Truth or Tradition teachings for many years now and they have truly blessed our family. We have found peace and happiness through our beliefs and we walk confidently for God. My hope, by passing on this information to you, is that what you find here, or on the Truth or Tradition website, will guide you to a better, more blessed and abundant life.

If you would like to read my views on religion and how we got started with the ministry, you can read this.

Let’s get started:

Why would God say the dead are dead over and over in the Bible?

Because people believe what they see and not what they read. The fact that demons appear and impersonate dead people year after year causes people to believe what they see.

The so-called “Immortal Soul”
There is no such thing as an “immortal soul” in the Bible. The phrase simply does not appear in the Bible at all. Apparitions, ghosts, hauntings, and demons impersonating people have had a powerful effect in getting people to believe that dead people are actually alive in another form. Satan’s demons have been appearing to people in many types of forms since mankind was first on earth. Hauntings and people seeing ghosts have been well documented all over the world, and anthropologists studying the cultures of the world have documented people reporting all kinds of apparitions, including animals, people, and spiritual beings of all types. Sometimes they do not appear clearly, but are dark, or as a shadow (almost like you were not sure you saw it), or wispy, or the apparition is not there long. Sometimes they are very clear, and even carry on conversations with people.

The number and kinds of appearances have convinced the people of many cultures that the dead are not dead, but are alive.

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(RSS READERS: I’ve posted a wonderful video that talks more about this subject in detail. Please click over to see the video. Sorry for the inconvenience!)

Will Christians really live forever in “Heaven”?

So, you’re a Christian. Cool. Did you know that puts you “in sales”? Well, actually you’re trying to give away the product, but it is still a matter of persuading people to make a decision. Smart consumers today want to be informed about the product so they can make a sound decision. What is it you are trying to get people to sign up for? Forever.

Let’s say you’re in real estate, looking for a home for your clients, a married couple. You find the perfect place, and say to them: “I’ve found your dream home. It has everything you could ever want or need. The only condition is that if you move there, you must stay forever.” You can see them momentarily furrowing their brows as they try to conceive of “forever” and soon give up. They do realize, however, that it is a long time. Do you think they would have any questions about the place where, if they choose it, they will live forever?

So, knowing the real estate standard of “location, location, location,” they ask, “Where is the home located?” How will most Christians answer that vital question? “It’s in heaven.”

Well, that nails it down. “Huh?” This ethereal answer leaves room for much speculation, but the general idea of floating around somewhere forever does, for most people, introduce at least the possibility of eventual, and eternal, boredom.

“What’s the place like?” That’s also a logical question, especially when forever is involved. “Uh, well, it has pearly gates and streets of gold.” “Sounds a little slippery, but I guess that’s OK.”

Their next question might be: “What will we do there?” The average Christian “salesman” would be hard-pressed to give a definitive answer, and might say, “I’m not exactly sure, but I think it may have something to do with a harp.” Customer: “I’m sorry, but I don’t want to play a harp forever.”

Wait a minute, we should be able to figure out at least something about what everlasting life will be like just by putting together a couple of basic biblical truths. First, God is love. Second, God invented people. So, whatever people really enjoy, you know, things they wouldn’t mind lasting a while, is probably what we’ll be doing. Why would a loving God make this life so diversified, so potentially meaningful and enjoyable, and then make eternal life anything less?

The idea of all believers living in “heaven” is, appropriately, nebulous. Why? Because “nebulous” literally means “full of clouds” and in contemporary language means “difficult to grasp.” Have you ever looked up every biblical use of the word “heaven”? If you do, you will never find it used to describe anyone’s everlasting address. Check for yourself.

So then where did this idea come from? Not from the book of Genesis, which is fairly foundational. How so? Well, think about it, what if Adam and Eve had not disobeyed God? Right, they would have lived forever on a perfect earth. Looks like that was God’s original intent, huh?

The whole Bible can be summed up as the story of two men, the first Adam (Adam) and the Last Adam (Jesus Christ). In regard to Paradise, which biblically is always a place on earth, not heaven, the First Adam trashed it and the Last Adam will restore it. The Lord Jesus will rule this earth (renovated after the Tribulation) for 1000 years, and that is where Moses, the Apostle Paul, and you will be shooting pool, or whatever. How could you shoot pool on a cloud? Then the Lord will create a new earth, where all believers from all time will live — forever. Harps will be optional. [For further study read “Christianity 101: Two Adams.”]

Having only a vague idea of where and how we will spend eternity not only makes it very difficult to motivate others to “sign up,” it can also seriously dilute our own mental resolve to joyfully live our lives for the Lord Jesus Christ in this world, no matter the cost. Everyone knows that “hope” is an indispensable element of life. In fact, without hope in their lives, many people actually give up and die. Biblically, “hope” is the expectation of something good that God has promised. Understanding what God says about the Christian’s hope is vital to each believer living a radiant life as a light in the midst of darkness.

Our book, The Christian’s Hope: The Anchor of the Soul, is designed to paint a clear picture of what the Word of God says about the Hope that is to be the prime motivation for each of us day by day. It is loaded with stimulating biblical insights that will inspire you and, we hope, move you to tell your friends the Good News, perhaps by giving them a copy of the book. Many of the clear-cut biblical truths that we set forth in this book are apparently unknown to the vast majority of Christians today, and our prayer is that many will read it and thrill to the spiritual enlightenment they will receive.

Going from spiritual darkness to spiritual light is an exciting journey, and, because “knowing the truth will make you free,” it is also one that leads to an enhanced quality of life. The book answers the question: Where did the erroneous idea of living forever in heaven come from? Other vital topics include an overview of end times chronology, the “Rapture,” the various judgments that will include all people who have ever lived, Armageddon (we win!), each Christian’s rewards in the Millennial Kingdom and in the Eternal Kingdom (and the difference between the two), why believers will inherit a highly-renovated earth (not clouds and sky), what it will be like and some of the things we will do there.

To the degree that we understand these marvelous truths, we can live with an effervescence that bubbles up from a fountain of hope within us, the hope of living forever in a perfect world with God, the Lord Jesus and all believers of all time. God is love, and He never intended for the world to be in the sorry state it is today. In the hope He has given us, we have His guarantee that via His Son, Jesus Christ, He will restore Paradise and all its goodness for us to enjoy forever.

If you have any questions, or would like to learn more about God’s wonderful message, please visit the Truth or Tradition website. You can also keep track of the ministry through their Facebook page, their YouTube Channel, or follow them on Twitter.

You can read more about this subject here:

Is There Death After Life?

Free Online Seminar: Death & Resurrection to Life

Thanks for reading.

(Comments have been turned off. The information is here, it’s up to you to accept, or deny, it).

General

The President is Not Reforming, He’s Reinventing

July 25, 2009 Karen

bureaucrat Yes, I’m going to get political. My apologizes to those that disagree with me but folks, this is important.

And I’m worried.

Especially for our children and senior citizens.

I woke up this morning and checked Twitter. (Twitter has become just as addicting to me as my morning coffee — yes, it IS that pathetic). And I noticed a tweet that said something along the lines of “If we had nationalized health care *beep* (I removed the name of the child to protect the Tweeter), would have died.”

And then she gave a link to a video. The same video you see below. Even if you WANT national health care, PLEASE watch it. You owe it to yourself, to your loved ones and to your children to carefully weigh, analyze and THINK about the pros and cons, ESPECIALLY THE CONS, of government-run health care and what it will do to our country.

The same country we will hand over to our children someday.

Do you REALLY want our system to deteriorate to this point?! Where even our children have to wait for important, even life-saving, treatment?? Or some bureaucrat gets to decide whether your grandmother receives the treatment she needs to prolong, and/or improve the quality of her life or denies the treatment she needs because she’s old enough and she’s lived a long and good life?

Do we REALLY want to give our government the ability to play God in our lives?

Now I’m a fair person. So I will take this video with a grain of salt. It’s most likely slanted. And there’s no telling how many people he interviewed who were happy with Canada’s health care system.

But the point is, it could get this bad.

But what if this video is pretty accurate? Do you really want to wait months, sometimes YEARS, to get in to see a doctor? Do you really want to take the chance that the medicine you, or your child needs, is not available??

Do you really want to pay 50% more in taxes on consumer goods so we can help pay for this crappy system? Do you really want to be taxed for paying taxes?!

NOTHING is free, people. Nothing. The money has to come from somewhere and that somewhere is US, the people. And just think about this for a minute: can you think of ANY government program that you’re happy with? Can you think of ANY government program that runs like it should, like our politicians have promised us it would?

Do you REALLY want to hand something over as precious and important as our health, or the health of our children, to the government?!

I actually felt sick, tense and anxious after I watched this video. Again, take it with a grain of salt, but the point of the video (and please don’t focus on the host, or his facial expressions or how he looks or the quality of the video, blahblahblah, but pay attention to the POINT), is that it COULD happen. It COULD take weeks, even months, to see a doctor.

And God forbid you need medical treatment on the weekend!!

Remember the days when we had walk-in clinics? When all you had to wait was 30 minutes to see a doctor and then the doctor could actually help you and didn’t advise you to go to yet another department for a form or for the treatment you need?

Yeah. Socialized medicine will eradicate, wipe-out, destroy that luxury. That luxury that we take for granted now.

And let’s think about the economics of the situation for a moment. If our government starts dictating our health care system and mandates that doctors take a pay cut, and/or they control the amount these doctors can be paid, then what is that going to do the men and women who are thinking about going into the health care field? Will it motivate them to go to a college for X number of years, pay an insane amount of money to pay for that schooling only to get into the field and NOT be able to make the money they envisioned when they began the journey? Do you think this will motivate future doctors to enter the field at all?

And what about the doctors already established in the field. Will they be motivated to hone their skills, to become BETTER doctors if they know all of their hard work will amount to nothing because the government is their puppet master?

The number of doctors going into the field will diminish. It’s only natural. It’s logical. And this means, that eventually, there will be less doctors.

But the number of people who need medical care will be the same. Even go up because if people think they can just walk in and get a stuffy nose and/or a headache taken care of because after all, it’s free, they will. Which will further clog the system and prevent people who truly need medical treatment from getting it!

Economics 101: Supply goes down + demand goes up = PROBLEMS FOR US!

I am NOT saying that our health care system doesn’t need reform. The price of health care has skyrocketed and that’s partly because the health care field knows it will be paid because the insurance companies will end up paying it. It absolutely needs to be restructured and overhauled, no question about it. But turning it completely over to the government, to control and therein control OUR HEALTH CARE NEEDS, is not the answer.

And the fact that our government is so hell-bent on passing this new law, this 1,000 + page law that NO ONE HAS HAD THE TIME TO READ AND ANALYZE, really worries me. What’s the hurry? This is a big deal. This will affect our country for YEARS. We owe it to ourselves and our children to do this right. Rushing through the process because our president is worried about his approval ratings is insane. And the fact that the president claims this bill is not about him is crazy too — it’s all about him. He is desperate to pass something that actually WORKS (remember the failed stimulus plan??)

And if it’s not about him, as he claims, then why are some news stories headlining: Obama may have to wait for health care passage . Shouldn’t that read, “Nation may have to wait for health care passage?”

Let’s slow down and look at this like rational adults. Let’s stop allowing our emotions to rule our heads. Our future generations are counting on us to get this right.

Friday Fun

Friday (Drinkable) Craft: Healthy Smoothies and Frozen Treats

July 24, 2009July 24, 2009 Karen

I thought I would take advantage of this warm weather and pass a few cool drink recipes on to you. You can find many more cool, delicious recipes at Family Fun.

Drink slowly, we don’t want brain freeze. 🙂

Watermelon Sherbet Smoothie
smoothie-watermelon

You may want to consider buying “seedless” watermelon, which has small, white seedpods (instead of black seeds) that are edible and virtually unnoticeable once you blend the melon. For a special touch, serve in tall frosted glasses and top with a sprinkling of mini chocolate chips.

RECIPE INGREDIENTS:
3 cups fresh watermelon cubes
1 cup crushed ice
1 cup watermelon, raspberry or lime sherbert
4 tsp. lime juice
1/2 cup miniature semisweet or white chocolate chips

About 10 minutes before you’re ready to mix the smoothies, place four tall glasses in the freezer to frost. Then wash the whole melon as you would other fruits and vegetables, and cut it into quarters. (The number of quarters you’ll need to yield 3 cups of cubes will depend on the size of the melon.) Slice each quarter you plan to use lengthwise into three wedges, then slice the flesh away from the rind. Use a fork to scrape away the seeds and chop the melon into cubes.

Combine the crushed ice, watermelon cubes, lime juice and watermelon, raspberry, or lime sherbert, and blend until smooth.

Pour the mixture into the frosted glasses and top each one with a half dozen or so miniature chocolate chips. Serves four.

(How do you pick out a good melon? Look for one that’s symmetrical, with a yellow underside–a sign of ripeness–and no nicks or bruises. Store the watermelon at room temperature for up to two weeks.)

Razzle-Dazzle
smoothie-razzle

For a tarter version of this fruity blend, use pink grapefruit juice instead of orange juice.

RECIPE INGREDIENTS:
1 frozen banana
3/4 cup raspberries
1 cup orange juice

Combine the fruit and juice in a blender or food processor. Blend until smooth. Serves one.

Blue Lagoon

smoothie-blue

With milk as a base, this berry blend is as much a meal as a beverage–just right for serving as a breakfast shake.

RECIPE INGREDIENTS:
1 cup fresh blueberries
4 scoops vanilla frozen yogurt
1/2 to 1 cup milk

Combine the blueberries, frozen yogurt and milk in a blender or food processor. Blend until smooth, adding more milk if necessary. Serves one.

King Kong

smoothe-kong

A swirl of chocolate syrup is the perfect topping for this thick and nutty treat.

RECIPE INGREDIENTS:
1 frozen banana
2 to 3 tbsp. natural peanut butter, chunky or smooth
1 cup orange juice

Combine the frozen banana, peanut butter and orange juice in a blender or food processor. Blend until creamy. Serves one.

Orange Creamsicle

smoothie-orange

Like the classic ice-cream treat that inspires it, this refreshing shake combines the zest of orange and the rich, smooth flavor of vanilla.

RECIPE INGREDIENTS:
1 cup orange juice
4 scoops vanilla frozen yogurt

Combine the orange juice and frozen yogurt in a blender or food processor. Blend until creamy. Serves one.

Lemon Cups

smoothie-lemon

If life gives you lemons, make Lemon Cups!

RECIPE INGREDIENTS:
2 teaspoons lemon zest
4 to 5 lemons
3/4 cup fresh lemon juice (from the lemons)
3 1/2 cups water
1 1/4 cups sugar
Mint leaves and lemon zest for garnish

1. Scrape the 2 teaspoons of zest from one of the lemons, then cut all of the lemons in half and juice them. Measure 1 cup, reserving the rest for another use.

2. Use a melon baller to remove any remaining pulp. Slightly trim the bottom of each lemon cup so it sits flat, then set them on a plate, cover, and place them in the refrigerator.

3. In a medium saucepan, combine the water and sugar over medium heat, stirring until the sugar has dissolved. Bring the water to a boil, then add the lemon juice and zest and boil for 2 minutes.

4. Transfer the liquid to a mixing bowl and allow it to cool to room temperature. Place the bowl in the freezer until the mixture begins to freeze, several hours or overnight. Use a fork to break up the ice, then stir it until fluffy.

5. Spoon 1/2 cup of the slush into each lemon half, then cover them and freeze until you’re ready to serve. Garnish with a mint leaf and lemon zest before serving, if you like. Serves 8 to 10.

Johnny Appleseed

smoothie-apple

The apple-lovers in your household won’t be able to resist this slushy cooler. For younger kids, you may want to substitute apple juice, which is a bit sweeter than cider.

RECIPE INGREDIENTS:
8 apple-cider ice cubes
1/4 cup apple cider or water

Drop the apple cider ice cubes into a blender or food processor. Pour in the apple cider or water. Blend until slushy, adding more liquid if necessary. Serves one.

(By the way, Family Fun did not pay me to pass these recipes on to you. I thought you would like them, they looked delicious to me and … that’s all 🙂 ).

Summer Fun

Summer Fun: July 24th

July 24, 2009July 23, 2009 Karen

Are you ready for some fun ideas to keep your kids busy this next week?

Here are five ideas to get the creative juices flowing (and please, take these ideas, build on them, make them your own, use them as a springboard for bigger and better ideas):

Day One – Family movie night – watch old movies, or watch the videos your child made.

Day Two – Make a wish list of places you would like to visit with your child. Look them up on a map. Google information about these places and talk about how living in these places would be different than where you’re living now.

Day Three – Make a personalized bookmark with your child.

Day Four – Read a poem aloud with your child. Now see if you can write a poem with your child.

Day Five – Ask your child to study town history from old newspapers. Talk what’s unique about your town. Make a time capsule and bury it or place it somewhere safe (maybe in a safe deposit box at the bank?)

Crafts for the Kids (by age)

Toddlers	4 to 5 year olds
6 to 8 year olds	9 to 12 year olds

Featured Craft of the Week:
Toddlers
Color in a Bag

4 to 5 year olds
Petal Pendants

6 to 8 year olds
Doubleheaders

9 to 12 year olds
Corn Husk Puppets

Here is a fun activity from the book, “A Lithgow Palooza!”:

groovy-face2 Adopt-a-Soup Can

Hang on to your hats, this is a nutty palooza. But trust me, the kids will love it. Andy Warhol exalted the sameness in his Campbell’s Soup can series. This palooza brings an individual can of soup to life and gives it a personality all its own.

What to do:

Choose a can of soup to adopt. Roam the soup aisle at the grocery store and read aloud the names of various kinds of soup. Pick a soup that tickles your fancy and bring it home to “live.” Invent a name that suits your soup can’s personality; think Beany Bacon, Alpha Beth Soup, Tommy Tomato, Charlie Chowder, and so on.

At home with the soup, make a birth certificate for it. Look at your own birth certificate as a sidelight. Include the soup can’s name, date, time, and place of birth (date of purchase and store name), and the name of its legal guardian (your name). Once the soup can is named and has proper documentation, invent the soup can’s life story and personality traits. Then dress it accordingly.

To dress the soup can, carefully remove the paper label. Trace the outline of the label onto a piece of paper to make a can-sized “dress” pattern. Design and color the new dress (or pants, bathing suit, tutu, and so on) for the can using the pattern. Thinking of its personality, use the soup can’s favorite colors and patterns. Stripes, solids, citrussy oranges and pinks. Businessy blues and grays. Don’t forget to leave space to draw a face onto the paper. Outfit the can by taping on his new clothes. Add hair by attaching pieces of yarn to the top of the can with tape.

A soup can’s accessories say much about his personality. Dress him up for a business meeting by adding a little necktie. Draw an umbrella and handbag for her. Or a baseball cap and glove for him.

What’s your can like? She’s a little bit shy, but loves Audrey Hepburn movies. He’s always green with pea-soup envy. Does she socialize with other soups or prefer the company of mixed nuts? The idea is to make the can as interesting a character as possible. And to get her involved in your life! She comes to the table for meals. She helps with homework. She goes to ballet class and soccer practice. She may even go to school for show-and-tell. Be sure to tell her how she got that dent below her ingredients list. It’s quite a story.

General

Welcome New Readers, Blog Hoppers and Old Friends!

July 23, 2009July 24, 2009 Karen

(Sorry about the graininess – I recorded it on the wrong setting. Duh!)

hop Don’t have time to watch the video? No problem! I’ll put it in bullets for you. 🙂

*~* Been blogging since 2005

*~* I am a proud Christian

*~* I am opinionated, but fair

*~* I graduated from college in ’03 with a degree in professional writing.

*~* I also post helpful parenting information: like my Summer Fun posts geared toward helping parents keep their kids busy/entertained during the summer months.

*~* Been happily married for 19 years

*~* Mother of two teenage boys, ages 16 and 14.

*~* Though I blog about my family, I don’t classify myself as a mommy blogger.

*~* I also write and post samples of my fiction here as well as on my fiction blog.

*~* I’m also part of a creative writing blog which consists of five other writers.

*~* My day job is a web designer. I specialize in schools. (Does your child’s school need a website or an updated website? Contact me! I’m super easy to work with!)

*~* I live in southwest Missouri, so if you’re in my area, PLEASE holler!

Thank you for stopping by. See you at THE HOP!

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Through My Eyes