I purchased a new Bible from CBD and just love it for my devotional reading > MOSAIC.

Norway is the best place in the world to live while Niger is the least desirable, according to an annual report by the United Nations. The 182 countries were ranked according to the quality of life their citizens experienced.>STORY

Dr. Valerie Schneider gave us a report about Georgia. The Georgia where they don’t grow peaches… > STORY

Discover your personality type. >LINK

David Berkowitz is a prison inmate who has been incarcerated since 1977. He was sentenced to prison for the rest of his life. He was the notorious murderer known as “Son of Sam.”   It was in 1987, when  living in a cold and lonely prison cell, that God got hold of his life. Here is his story of hope. < STORY

One of my favorite folk singers is gone. LINK

43,000 can not be a church can it? LINK

Listen and sing along to songs with the word “Moon”. LINK

The top 100 baby boy names in the US and their meanings: LINK

A new pack of genetics companies say they can tell mutt owners which breeds their dogs come from with a mere cheek swab and a fee of $60 to $125. LINK

He is my kind of coach and Man: LINK

+ After watching the 5:30 NBC News I thought that it should be renamed, “The Drug Company Channel,” where you get some news from time to time.  The side effects of these pills being promoted are not appetizing so eat your meal before the news.

After the “Drug Company Channel” I could not eat the strawberry short cakes Kathy made (from scratch) so we ate them as a 9 PM snack.  Oh, so good.

+ Remember the date: Wednesday August 12th – Church block party on the front lawn.  Dan Ognavic, strolling minstrel will provide music. Bonnie will provide amazing Bingo prizes. (Grand Prize for most Bingo games won will be a 2 night stay in Chilton).  Food grilled by masters of the charcoal.  Plus lawn games including the famous water ballon toss.  Anyone willing to donate a dunk tank?  Andy Hopp loves taking the dunk from kids throwing fast balls to baptize him.

+ An old man and woman were married for many years, even though they hated each other.

Whenever there was a confrontation, screaming and yelling could be heard deep into the night.

The old man would shout, ‘When I die, I will dig my way up and out of the grave and come back and haunt you for the rest of your life!’ Neighbors feared him. They believed he practiced black magic, because of the many strange occurrences that took place in their neighborhood. The old man liked the fact that he was feared. To everyone’s relief, he died of a heart attack when he was 98.

His wife had a closed casket at the wake. After the burial, she went straight to the local bar and began to party, as if there was no tomorrow. Her neighbors, concerned for her safety, asked, ‘Aren’t you afraid that he may indeed be able to dig his way up and out of the grave and come back to haunt you for the rest of your life?’

The wife put down her drink and said, ‘Let him dig. I had him buried upside down.’

Super Bowl Quarterback also carries a Bible to score points. LINK

Billy Graham gave the inauguration prayers for Nixon, Bush and twice for Clinton.  What did he say? LINK.

Ten Most Redeeming Films of 2008. I liked “The Visitor” LINK

Kids draw the darnedest things.  Better check their homework, Mom! LINK

The Pope is definitely not stuck in the Middle Ages. LINK

Starbucks – stir your own I guess. LINK

Is Obama following in Bush’s footsteps? OOPS! LINK

Library treasure trove of  books: “Christian Classics”.  Take a read about the “City of God” with Saint Augustine.

Alltop is an online “Magazine Rack” of all topics. You can narrow it down to Christian Articles…

Circle of Prayer:  “The writings of the Fathers of the Church and the early Church history are essential reading for those interested in the history of our Christian faith, and in particular the One Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church. Here we find the traditions held since Apostolic Times and handed down to the Apostles and their successors by Christ. Here also we find the  writings against the early heresies and the antoginists.”

Christian Headlines: Top news articles impacting Christians around the world.

Rotten Tomatoes: What’s Hot and what’s Not in Films.

Webby Awards: The “academy” awards for website, online video, marketing etc. Vote for your favorite web site…but I guarantee you will find this site a never ending display of cool sites in hundreds of categories.

Whatever happened to those OLD WESTERNS  with all the cowboy heroes?  Man, this will take you back…

What if old Noah had a blog?

According to Ray – start praying for “the other guy” who loses the election…

This pastor had the same reasons for joining the Evangelical Covenant as I did.

Elton has it over Bing on this contest. 

Hey – How about flying THE NO FRILLS AIRLINE?  These two old pros are better than SNL!

Too often people join a church and then they slip out the “back door” and we see them no more.  Larry says we need to be a STICKY CHURCH. Right?

This man is spiritually as tough as the Steelers and from that region! George Will has a good piece on why the Episcopal Church in the US is dwindling. 

I wonder if we knew this would happen we’d be happy about “democracy” in a Iraq.

Of news and note:

The cost of feeding, housing and clothing a child born in the year 2007 until his or her 18th birthday is $269,040.

At Nino’s Bellissima Pizza in New York, you can order a 12-inch pizza covered with creme fraiche, lobster tail and four different types of caviar for $1,000.

One out of every 100 Americans is in prison, the highest incarceration rate in the world, and in history.

Lowest and Highest season attendance for the Milwaukee Brewers: LINK

The snack was immortalized in the iconic American baseball anthem Take Me Out To The Ballgame. LINK

Who in the world invented “Bubble Gum?” LINK

How did the Potato Chip come into being? LINK

It takes a “back seat driver” to invent this: LINK

Who was the first person to… LINK

He served the shortest term of any American President: LINK

The LONGEST sermon ever preached: LINK

The WEALTHIEST Americans of all time:  LINK

The fastest times for the 100 meter race. LINK

If it wasn’t for him I couldn’t see, stay warm, be safe from lightning or know how far I drove: LINK

What was Paul Newman’s last movie? LINK May he rest in peace. I feel real old…like the song in his movie… LINK

Where does our hope come from as a nation and a world?   Scot Mcknight has an excellent article about the relationship of political hopes to Christian hope.  Read it here…

The word “missional” is in wide use these days. Where did it come from and what does it mean for the church?  Read and watch a video from a senior saint here.

Are you carrying around “baggage” that is holding you back?  Mac has a good, short post on “Unload your Emotional Baggage.”

“If you would be a real seeker after truth, it is necessary that at least once in your life you doubt, as far as possible, all things.”
- Rene Descartes

Okay.  This post is trying to lure you into diving into the varieties of where Google can string you along.  If you are still reading this you are starting to take the bait.  What depths can you endure?  I feel a tug on my line…

• Mike says that he will help me learn to eat this really fresh fish…
• My dad ate this fish that comes in a jar from Milwaukee. I love ‘em too..Dad lived to be 101!
• In Rhinelander you could have tried to catch this…
• And if you wondered why Lakeland College has a fish for a Mascot….
• How about one of these pricey gills for your aquarium?

• The invasion of this species is changing Lake Michigan – and not for better…
• Genetically speaking, I could get “hooked” on this fish…
• Did you know when the best fishing is in Lake Galilee? If only Jesus knew!
• I make sure to eat some of these every week.  Sometimes I get them from King Oscar…

So, which one of the above was a real surprise?  And, if you eat fish – what is your fave?  All seafood included.

For those of you with some respect for Martin Luther:

Wittenberg, the city where Martin Luther famously nailed his 95 theses to the door of the Schlosskirche, launched a decade of events this weekend to celebrate the German reformer who forever changed the face of Christianity.

Luther Decade was opened on Saturday with a re-enactment of Luther’s arrival in the city, where he came in 1508 to continue his theological studies.

__________________________________

I saw in the Walgreens flier Sunday that they have a sale on ALTOIDS.  I really like their chocolate covered flavor but they were not available. However, they have a new CREME DE MINTHE flavor which is great as an after dinner mint.  What’s your favorite MINT?

___________________________________

 I also bought some (forgive me Caribou lovers) Dunkin’ Donuts coffee which was also on sale.  We were down to our last few beans of Caribou and will restock when we go to see Karin in Minnesota next month.  Dunkin’ Donuts coffee has a rich, smooth taste and no hint of bitterness.  Almost as good as Tim Horton’s of Canada.  What coffee do you have at home?

_____________________________________

Kathy brought home a report of spiritual richness after spending the weekend with 200 Covenant women.  She said the speaker was inspirational and the fellowship lots of fun and sweet.  Have you ever been glad you atteded a retreat or conference?