Heaven is for Real

http://www.haventoday.org/rev-todd-burpo-heaven-is-for-real-s-113.html

Children haven't developed the refinement of "tact" and usually what they have to say is brutally honest.   Today I heard a radio broadcast (twice) on Haven Today, an interview with Colton's dad as he recounted the toddler's statements of his experience while undergoing an appendectomy.  What Colton saw, who he met, and what he did while in heaven - plain and simple, matter-of-fact. Thanks Colton :)

Celebrating

Father's Day weekend, graduations, weddings, anniversaries, birthdays...

Many things to celebrate and commemorate during the month of June.   Celebrating people in our lives that have helped form us into who we are today.  We take a moment to look back at where we started.  Where are we today, a year later or a lifetime later....

Milestones can serve as checkpoints on the journey.  June 2011 - commemorating a new mile... 
whether a challenge or a celebration, 
whether to continue or correct

but more than likely, all of the above. 

(...knowing that tribulation produces perseverance; ⁴ and perseverance, character; and character, hope. Rom. 5: 3-4)

Meatless Mondays on the Moooove

Entering the end-of-the-year potluck, I viewed the tables filled with all varieties of food.  Making my way over to the tables with my dish, "Gloria, please tell me it's meatless!" I was happy to reply, "yes, it is!"

I am not vegan, nor vegetarian, but wouldn't mind, at least once, twice, three times a week.  I'm not alone. Many people around the world are embracing Meatless Mondays as a lifestyle.  According to Martha Theus, author and CEO of 21st Century Vegetarians, the entire country of Belgium observes Meatless Mondays with many other communities also making the mooooove.  

Think it's just an 'eat your veggies' day? This mouth-watering, meatless Memorial Day meal may make your Mondays meatless! Click link for BBQ Chik:

http://21stcenturyvegetarians.typepad.com/21stcenturyvegetarians/2011/05/meatless-mondays-with-martha-memorial-day-special-bbq-fried-chikn.html

25 Novels...

Blogging (web log)...puts another log on the fire fueled by communication....thank you Carol for the following link...will investigate and choose one to read...what do you recommend?  http://www.onlinecollege.org/2011/06/01/25-terrific-novels-for-journalism-students/

Do Blogs Have an Agenda?

The California Journalism Awards presented by the Center for California Studies opened discussion pertaining to blogs, observing, "Do blogs have an agenda?"  It was suggested that blogs are 'more opinionated' and that, 'it's going back to it's journalism roots.'  "Everyone has an agenda,"shares David Watts Barton, editor of the Sacramento Bee, adding that everyone also wants to have a blog.

"Some blogs are tied in with a political party," stated Jon Ortiz, author of 'The State Worker' and journalist at the Sacramento Bee, "blogs push us back to engagement and that can get ugly," responding to a comment that Flash Report blogs exist to promote an agenda, further noting that some bloggers are paid to promote party platforms under the guise of the 'opinion' expressed by the blogger.  This was a point of concern for the panel.
  
Kimberly Nalder, Professor of Government at California State University Sacramento, lamented that most of the population does not think in terms of partisan and non-partisan positions and cannot distinguish between liberal and non-liberal views.  Further concern was expressed by Molly Dugan, Professor of Communication Studies at CSU Sacramento. "Opinions are entertaining. Young people want to be entertained. For the 'under 30 crowd' is not about being partisan, it's about entertainment."  The panel continued noting examples of students referencing blog statements as credible journalism sources comparable to the 'Times' and the Sacramento Bee. 

Addressing students lack of differentiation between the credibility of blogs vs. newspapers, the panel was asked if a watchdog site was needed to oversee blogs and/or whether blogs should be required to state their agenda. That discussion was quickly put to rest by Barton who simply said, "it's too complicated." 

Should bloggers have credentials? According to Barton, many professional journalists did not attend journalism school (including himself) and some go on to win Pulitzer Prizes. He emphasized that it's more of a calling than a profession and getting a degree is not a requirement. Barton was quick to mention Matt Drudge (Drudge Report) whom no one knew - nor credentialed, notwithstanding is now a leading force of information.

To be sure, blogs have an agenda in the storytelling arena - partisan or non-partisan, fact or opinion - or a bit of both.  One closing statement from the panel:  'you have to love what you're writing about. Blogging will consume you...it's not wishy-washy.' 


This storyteller concludes: Blogs are web logs placed in the fire of technology, fueled by the need to communicate.

(The panel discussion aired Sunday, May 29, 2011 on SoCal Channel 35)

Memorial Day

To build a mosque at Ground Zero, to me, is unthinkable. Today, Memorial Day 2011, we remember our troops with a day in their honor, along with civilians who paid the ultimate price. Thank you for serving our country. Land of the brave, home of the free.  May our actions match our words. I said "no" to building a mosque at Ground Zero.  It's just the right thing to do.

Check That Attitude

ATTITUDE 

  by Charles Swindell

The longer I live the more I realize the impact of

attitude on life.

Attitude, to me, is more important than facts.

It is more important than the past,

 than education, than money,

than circumstances, than failures, than successes,

 than what other people think, say, or do.

It is more important than appearance, giftedness, or skill.

 It will make or break a company, a church, a home.

The remarkable thing is we have a choice 

every day regarding the attitude 

we will embrace for that day.

 We cannot change the inevitable.

The only thing that we can do 

is play on the one string we have,

 and that is our attitude.

I am convinced that life is 10% what happens to me,

and 90% how I react to it.

and so it is with you.

We are in charge of our attitudes.