The family tree

The family tree is not your usual tree as in Elm, Oak, Maple, or Pine trees that you may have in your yard. It is the genealogy of your family – a record of descendants from your past to whom you are kin.

Wikipedia says it like this:

• A family tree is generally the totality of 'ones ancestors represented as a tree structure, or more specifically, a chart used in genealogy. The image of the tree probably originated with one in medieval art of the Tree of Jesse, used to illustrate the Genealogy of Christ in terms of a prophecy of Isaiah (Isaiah, 11:1).

I have been doing the genealogy charts for both my husband’s and my ancestors for years. And, the more you do, the more you want to do. It is an on-going task; you never quit. There is always one more detail you want to find or one little tidbit that has alluded you over the years.

Genealogy has been going on all through out history. In Matthew 1, you will find the entire genealogy of Christ.

Matthew 1:17, "So all the generations from Abraham to David are fourteen generations; and from David until the carrying away into Babylon are fourteen generations; and from the carrying away into Babylon unto Christ are fourteen generations."

There is no possible way we could ever take our genealogy research back as many generations as Christ. But, with diligent searches, we can achieve more than we think. There are many research avenues open to the novice genealogist.

Ancestry.com has a world of information. You can get a subscription to Ancestry.com that will give you access to lots of information you might not find any place else. They have all the census up to 1930 waiting for you to explore. Cindy’s List of genealogy sites on the Internet can keep you busy for weeks, months, maybe even years. You can find many genealogy forms at The Bailey’s Free Genealogy Forms web site. Or, you may prefer to get them at Free-Genealogy-Forms. They all are downloadable and printable forms. You can also acquire a copy of a genealogy program for your computer such as Family Tree Maker, which I use, or others that may be free. This makes it easy to keep track of all the information you get over the years. But, be sure and keep a back up copy!

Many more sites are available such as Genealogy.com, Family Search.org by the LDS church, State Gen Sites and a host of others you can find through a google search for genealogy sites and information.

Have a great time in your genealogy research – ‘digging up bones’, as we like to say.

Linked at Conservative Cat

Technorati Tags: Genealogy, Family, Ancestors, Research, Charts, Forms

Breaking News: Gonzales resigns

WASHINGTON - Attorney General Alberto Gonzales has announced his resignation, ending a monthslong standoff with critics who questioned his honesty and competence at the helm of the Justice Department.

President Bush accepted Gonzales' resignation on Friday. Solicitor General Paul Clement will act as attorney general until a replacement for Gonzales can be found. Democrats have constantly been saying that Gonzales was not the man for the job. They disagreed with the way that the department handled the firing of the U.S. attorneys. Perhaps this will make them a little happier until the new replacement has been found.

Linked at Conservative Cat

Technorati Tag: Alberto Gonzales, Attorney General, Resignation, President Bush,

Artificial life likely in three to ten years

clipped from www.usatoday.com Around the world, a handful of scientists are trying to create life from scratch and they're getting closer. Experts expect an announcement within three to 10 years from someone in the now little-known field of "wet artificial life."

When I read this article, I was reminded of the story in Genesis 11 where the people began to build a city and tower to reach heaven.

Genesis 11:4, "And they said, Go to, let us build us a city and a tower, whose top may reach unto heaven; and let us make us a name, lest we be scattered abroad upon the face of the whole earth."

Well, the Lord came down and took a look. He confounded their language and spread them abroad! When the people think they are smarter than God, then God lets them know who is boss.

HT: Tim Gilson at Thinking Christian

Technorati Tags: Artificial, Life, Scientists

Muslims threaten Christians: Convert or die

According to a report out by Voice of the Martyrs, Christians in neighborhoods in Pakistan are being told by Muslims to leave Christianity and join Islam, or they will die.

There have been numerous threats sent to Peshawar's Kohati area," sources for VOM reported this week. "The letters say if we don't become Muslim we will be killed."

The unsigned threats began several weeks ago, when residents of Peshawar, the capital of the North-West Frontier Province, reported receiving the letters threatening suicide bombings if they did not convert.

Christian residents of the Tailgodom, Sandagodom and Goalgodom neighborhoods received the threatening letters. Each of the districts house about 2,000 residents. They were told they would be wiped out on August 10, if they did not convert. Although the date has come and gone, they do not know what may happen to them at any time. Now, they live in fear and uncertainty, not knowing what might come.

George said the threats were prompted by the suggestion from U.S. presidential candidate Tom Tancredo that the U.S. threaten to bomb Muslim holy cities of Mecca and Medina in retaliation if there would be a terrorist nuclear attack on the United States.

The letter states there is death to those that follow Americans' religion of Christianity. They are intent on killing all the infidels of the world.

Linked at Conservative Cat
Church and State

Technorati Tags: Muslims, Christians, Infidels, Pakistan

Detainees numbers are up with increase in American troops

clipped from www.nytimes.com WASHINGTON, Aug. 24 — The number of detainees held by the American-led military forces in Iraq has swelled by 50 percent under the troop increase ordered by President Bush, with the inmate population growing to 24,500 today from 16,000 in February, according to American military officers in Iraq. Skip to next paragraph The Reach of War Go to Complete Coverage » The detainee increase comes, they said, because American forces are operating in areas where they had not been present for some time, and because more units are able to maintain a round-the-clock presence in some areas. They also said more Iraqis were cooperating with military forces.

The strategy of President Bush seems to be working with the addition of military troops to Iraq. More insurgents are being detained because of the ability of the military to have more troops on duty night and day.

The plan was for more detention officers and more detention centers to be built. Abu Ghraid prison is no longer being used by the American military.

Is anybody listening?

Sometimes there is an exception to the rule. When someone speaks, we need to turn our attention to that person. But, often, people become boring, and I find myself entertaining myself with something else in order not to pay attention.

But, do you ever find yourself speaking to someone, only to have someone else push themselves into the conversation? Then the person to whom you were speaking just turns their attention to the other person, not hearing a thing you are saying. That really annoys me! I have even got up and left because of how some people seem to be more important than the conversation we have had going before the person so rudely interrupted.

Don't know about you, but I was taught manners when I was home. You did not butt into conversations. You politely stood and waited to say what was on your mind, or you came back later to speak to that person. You didn't just jump in and start talking. Either you had no teaching at home, or you 'was not listening' when your Mother was speaking!

I get so upset with some of the commentators and their guests on television. I find myself screaming at the TV - "SHUT UP". They will all sometimes go off on a rampage, and I am sure they hear nothing the other person says. How can you with a commentator trying to speak his mind, and the four waiting in the wings all talking to and at one another? Makes no sense. They just seem like a bunch of children trying to out do the other! I love to watch Bill O'Reilly, but sometimes I just want to throw something at his guests! I love Hannity and Colmes (Hannity is my guy!), but some of the guests just do not get it! How easy is it to 'wait in line' for your turn? Would these same people push ahead in line at the local fast food restaurant? Probably so! They sure show no manners in front of millions of people; why should a handful at McDonald's make a difference?

Linked at Conservative Cat

Technorati Tags: Listening, Manners, Respect

Some great blogs I have discovered

I do not lack in my bookmarks for great blogs! Some I have found on my own, and others I've found through friends. One of those friends has started her own blog and she is doing great! So why not click on these links and perhaps you will find a blog that you will end up visiting daily.

• Eyes of Wonder - I was introduced to Jewels' blog by a friend. And, I am so happy I chose to check it out. She is a stay-at-home Mom, homeschools her children, and does much more. One of her greatest talents is writing, I do believe. She is able to get you so engrossed in a post that you just want to know more. She freely shares her work, her children, and the life they lovingly share together. Check this blog out; you will be glad you did!
• Melodies and Hymnsongs - My friend, Cathy just recently started her blog. She is doing a great job, too. She writes about hymns, but she also writes music. If you love Jesus, music, and devotionals, you are sure to find her blog a welcome addition to your favorites.
• Nanna's Reflections - Maxine is another grandmother, with one grandchild. She writes about God, her family, and other things. Drop by her corner of blogosphere and I assure you that you will be blessed! She is a wonderful, loving person.
• Talk...to...Grams - Carolyn is from the great state of Missouri, home of Branson, one of my favorite places to visit. She is also a grandmother, and she loves to talk about her family, her faith, and other blogs. Go give her a visit.

Technorati Tags: Blog, Friend, Jesus, Family

Compelled to convict?

Is our society getting a little over zealous in convicting our children of a sex offense, when they are only children playing pranks? Why are we trying to ruin the lives of our children, children who will bear the scars of over-zealous adults that probably did the same thing when they were young? It saddens me to see the way our schools have become police states, not a place of learning, but a place of fear – fear that anything you do may be ‘held against you’. The ‘zero tolerance’ rule has done more harm than help.

Case in point – two seventh graders in Patton Middle School in Oregon will forever have a mark against their names. It doesn’t matter that they probably meant no harm to anyone. And, besides that, it wasn’t just these two youngsters, but 5 more, including a girl. They said it was ‘slap the butt day’. I wonder why all the kids were not charged. Was it because one was a girl? I also wonder why this couldn’t have been handled in this school, rather than going to the extreme and labeling these two young boys as sex offenders. Boggles the mind!

Now, Cory Mashburn and Ryan Cornelison, both 13, face the prospect of 10 years in juvenile detention and a lifetime on the sex offender registry in a case that poses a fundamental question: When is horseplay a crime?

All told, Roache interviewed 14 students besides Cornelison and Mashburn. Seven confessed to bottom-swatting, including one girl who described it as "a handshake we do." Two of the alleged victims said they had swatted boys' buttocks themselves.

I can remember my young days in school. Kids do crazy things (horse-play) that do not amount to a ‘hill of beans’. And, I don’t know one person who was traumatized by silly things kids do when they are young. The boys would put their hands on a girl's shoulder to see if she was wearing a bra – silly boys do silly things when they are young and have their eyes on girls – SO do girls!

The outlines of the case have been known. But confidential police reports and juvenile court records shed new light on the context of the boys' actions. The records show that other students, boys and girls, were slapping one another's bottoms. Two of the girls identified as victims have recanted, saying they felt pressured and gave false statements to interrogators.

Children need to be able to have a life – not have to be scared that an innocent touch is going to follow them the rest of their life in the way of having to sign up as a sex offender. Something major is wrong in the fabric of our society. As children get older, they realize certain things are not appropriate, and given time, they change. I feel that many parents press charges against kids that should not be. Their parents or possibly the school (in this case, from what I’ve read) pressures kids to say things they are not comfortable with in order to build a case against the kids involved. Why can’t we teach our kids that these things aren’t appropriate, let them live a child’s life, and deal with appropriate punishment rather than labeling them as sex offenders for life? Children are not perfect; neither are their parents. They learn from their parents and peers. And, I believe these kinds of offenses should be handled on campus, not in the court of law, where it is going to drain these families, making it hard for them to ever recover.

HT: Susan’s Blog

Linked at Conservative Cat
Don Surber
Big Dogs Weblog

Technorati Tags: Sex Offender, Children, Horse-play, Zero Tolerance

Finding it hard to become motivated

I have no idea what the problem is with becoming motivated – at anything. Perhaps it is this summer heat which has reached the highest temperatures in many years – 106 here, at times. Even when it is in the 90’s, there has been hardly any air to speak of.

I’ve heard people say, in order to cause someone to become motivated at about a particular thing, you need to ‘light a fire’ under them. I don’t know if lighting a fire under me at the moment would motivate me to do much. I have become a little complacent in my life recently, doing only what is necessary at the moment. I have not felt like ‘running a country mile’ to impress anyone outside my husband. I have lots of things I could be doing, especially book reviews, but find it hard to even want to get started. I know I have to do them, but right now is just not the time. It is easier to eat, wash dishes, and sit down to compute than it is to read books. I don’t watch much television, with the exception of news, so that is not a problem. I am sure not addicted to soap operas!

Does anyone have a cure for loss of motivation? Have you had a similar problem with motivation, and found a way to overcome? If you do, would you please share it with me?

I have slackened off on posting even to this blog. Last night, I was trying to figure out a setting for my camera in order to do a picture for a Flickr assignment. I could not figure it out, and was trying to read the ‘fine’ print in my camera manual. My husband spoke up and said, ‘you need to stop emailing so much and study that manual more’. Sure – easy said! When you don’t work outside the house and your friends don’t live near, it is easier to email to keep up with every thing happening in their lives. I cannot give up my emailing!

With this post, I am trying my best to become motivated in order to keep my blog updated. If you come here and do not find me motivated, how about dropping me a comment or an email and tell me to get with the plan!

Linked at Third World County
Conservative Cat

Technorati Tags: Motivation, Complacency,

A day in the life of a blogger

Some of us bloggers have a life, believe it or not. But, that does not mean we are not addicted to blogging. On the contrary. I blog every chance I get. Or, at least, I read blogs and comment even if I don’t have a thing to blog about. I suppose you could say blogging has gotten into my blood.

I get up with blogging on my mind, literally. When my husband is around, he likes to say I’m hooked to the computer/laptop, whichever one I am working on at the time. But, that does not mean that I don’t busy myself with other duties. I do get up and make my breakfast before I blog. I have to have a good breakfast to give me the energy to blog! 

I wash my dishes, clothes, and whatever else needs to be done. I’m not as adamant about housework as I once was. I’ve learned it will be there when I get back to it. And, I have been known to leave the house and stay gone all day, never to touch the computer until late, as I did today. I’ve also been known to go on vacation for a week and never look at a computer. So, I’m not an addict – just addicted.

I do have a Christian web site, but since I started blogging a little over two years ago, it has not been tended to like it once was. But, it still gets thousands of hits, many more than this blog, and I also do a newsletter. But, when I started to blog, I felt like it was my little niche on the Internet. I don’t post personal things about my family, but I do post on various things, including Christianity, politics, news, the persecuted church, etc. So, you see, it does keep me rather busy. Sometimes I run into a slump, and I might got a few days without posting. But, that does not mean I am tired of blogging, or that I am about to quit something I dearly love.

I love to blog. I do not like to get into arguments or big debates on blogs. I see where some blogs have taken their authors and it is not for me. I do love comments, though. I don’t mind a round of comments/questions/answers, etc, but not to argue. I have seen a few get washed out on blogging – hopefully, it will never happen to me.

By the way, I do have friends outside of the blog. I do occasionally talk on the phone to my friends and my children. I do go shopping; in fact, I did that today. I even made a visit to a sister-in-law for a couple hours this afternoon. My mind was far from blogging. But, here I sit, in my nice easy chair, with my laptop on my knee – blogging away. In between, we have eaten three meals – 2 at home, and one out, since I did meet my husband for lunch while I was out running round. So, now that you know I am just a normal person, with a life, and addicted to blogging, I’ll get back to what I dearly love, writing for the Internet.

Linked at Conservative Cat
Church and State

Technorati Tags: Blog, Blogger, Life, Normal, Addicted

Soldier's Bible stops sniper's bullet

clipped from www.tampabays10.com Baghdad, Iraq - A US soldier serving in iraq believes his Bible saved his life after it stopped a sniper's bullet. 22-year-old Army Private First Class Brendan Schweigart had his Bible tucked in a pocket beneath his bullet proof shield when he was shot with a high powered rifle while on a mission in Iraq. The bullet missed his vital organs, came out his chest, and lodged in his Bible before it could do more damage. This happened two weeks ago. He's now already out of the hospital and on light duty. He has received a Purple Heart.

Thank the Lord this young man loved the Lord enough to keep his Bible close to him! Otherwise, he may not be in as good a shape as he is.

Technorati Tags: Bible, Soldier, Army, Sniper, Bullet

Doorman makes up story

Some people will do almost anything to make the headlines.

clipped from www.reuters.com LONDON (Reuters) - It's safe to go back into the waters off Britain -- reports of a man-eating shark that have made front page headlines were just a great white lie.

Technorati Tags: London, Britain, Whale, Doorman

I am on a roll tonight

I have been visiting blogs tonight. And some of the posts just seem to jump out at me, like Jollyblogger’s post on 10 words to get rid of. Of course, he had read Tim Ferris’ blog entry on this subject. So, I jumped over and read the entry, including the comments.

When I finished reading, I decided I had something to add to these posts. Have you ever talked with someone and heard these words over and over:

“like, you know, and uh, like, and uh”?

My husband worked with a guy that literally drove me crazy when I had to sit around and hear him speak. I wanted to say, are you not able to talk without using all those words? Do you not know how to put together at least one sentence without using ‘and uh’?

I also hate ‘duh’, although teenagers literally eat the word daily! Or, perhaps ‘so’ is your word. When someone makes a remark about something you’ve said, you answer with ‘so’?, as if that gives them any clue as to what you mean.

And, that brings me to remarks we make without even realizing what we are saying. One of those I hear most often is ‘that tickles me to death’. Does it? Or, perhaps it is ‘I’m crazy’. Well, I don’t want to bring death or craziness on me, so I’m trying to break the habit! And, I do believe most of our speech is a learned habit. We say these things, and the words linger in our mind, and come out through our mouth. We have them said before we even realize it. The habit wasn’t established in a day and it takes more than a day to get rid of the habit. But, if we work on it long and hard enough, we will master the urge!

Technorati Tags: Words, Remarks, Habit, Speech

Gaza Christian forcibly converted to Islam

clipped from www.israeltoday.co.il Hamas-aligned officials at Gaza City's Palestine International University have been accused of forcibly converting one of their female Christian colleagues to Islam. Sana al-Sayegh, head of the university's Science and Technology Department, disappeared in late June, reported WorldNetDaily. Days later she contacted her family and indicated that she was being held against her will and would have to marry a Muslim man who was also a professor at the university.

How can there ever be peace in a country where they force a Christian to convert to Islam, hold her against her will, and make her marry a Muslim? We have heard that this is a peaceful religion out of the mouths of some of the highest in our government. I have a problem with any religion who has to force someone to convert. I pray that this woman has held on to her belief in God, although they are saying she converted. She needs our prayers for protection.

HT: Reformed Chicks Blabbing

Technorati Tags: Gaza, Christian, Islam, Muslim

Is procrastination in your vocabulary?

I do not know of anyone who has not procrastinated at least one time in life. As we grow older, the amount of times goes up, believe me.

Many times, I’ve set myself a schedule to do something at a certain time or specific day, only to put it off until later. Well, sometimes later never gets here. Call it laziness. I call it building habits, and sometimes habits are hard to break.

One of the worse things to procrastinate over, if you are a computer user, is doing a regular backup. As David found out over at Third World County, it lands you in deep trouble. I have done this several times. I keep meaning to do a back up, and forget or wait too long. Then, out of no where, my computer has crashed. Several of those times, I’ve lost almost everything I’ve had on my computer. And, it’s a sinking feeling when the computer will not boot up.

One thing I procrastinated over this year was buying flowers for my concrete containers on my front porch and retaining wall. I only have 4 long ones and 4 square ones and they take lots of flowers. I thought I’d buy begonias to put in them because they seem to do better and stay prettier longer. I have grandsons who come over during the summer and usually play basketball and break them down. I kept putting it off until it’s too late. And, guess what! They only played basketball a couple times on the drive because it’s been entirely too hot to play outside – that is, unless they are cutting grass for Papa and making money. Then, it’s a different story!

I found an article that makes interesting reading. The article is called “Procrastination: 10 Things To Know”. The article says procrastinators sometimes sabotage themselves. And procrastinators do it for different reasons.

• Those who wait until the last moment

• Avoiders because of fear of failure or maybe even success

• Those that cannot make a decision
  

This article may help all procrastinators become non-procrastinators!

Linked at Conservative Cat

Technorati Tags: Procrastination, Habit

How safe are our bridges?

With the collapse of the Interstate bridge in Minneapolis, Minnesota last night, it makes you wonder just what shape our nations' bridges are in.

MINNEAPOLIS – An interstate bridge jammed with rush-hour traffic suddenly broke into huge sections and collapsed Wednesday into the Mississippi River, pitching dozens of cars 60 feet into the water and killing at least seven people.

The eight-lane Interstate 35W bridge, a major Minneapolis artery, was in the midst of being repaired, and two lanes in each direction were closed when the bridge buckled.

“There were two lanes of traffic, bumper to bumper, at the point of the collapse. Those cars did go into the river,” said Minneapolis police Lt. Amelia Huffman. “At this point there is nothing to suggest that this was anything other than a structural collapse.”

From all accounts I've heard, this bridge just suddenly shook hard, rumbled, and collapsed before the eyes of those on the bridge. Watching the video that was taken at the time of impact, it looked like dominoes coming down.

I've been reading a good article on rehabilitation of our bridges. It says that many of our bridges are in need of repair or perhaps replaced. And, the average age of our bridges are 40 years old, which means we have lots of bridges much older. Some of those bridges are obsolete. Many of our state bridges on the Interstates have been either repaired or replaced in our state in the last few years. Hopefully they are maintaining all bridges so that a catastrophe like the one in Minnesota doesn't happen here.

Linked at Conservative Cat

Technorati Tags: Bridges, Catastrophe, Minneapolis, Minnesota, Repair, Rehabilitation