Saturday, June 23, 2007

Help! My Poinsetta is Dying!







Scottius and I have been so excited because our Christmas poinsetta was actually looking great after I had pruned it back about 5 weeks ago. It has been exciting to see the new growth - all the new leaves! However, suddenly it has taken a turn for the worse! I have been trying to keep it moist without overwatering it, but the leaves have began to wilt. I have also had it in indirect light as the instructions suggested. Any suggestions from any of you green thumbers? :) I would so love to keep it alive this year!!

Sunday, June 17, 2007

Happy Father's Day (and Son's Day) to Scottius and Angus (and all fathers)























Happy Father's Day to Scottius and Happy Son's Day to Angus!! (When Angus was a little tike we decided to have a special day for him and named it Son's Day. A few years later he asked that we celebrate it on Father's Day too. ) Those two are pretty special even though they tease me endlessly! I deserve it most of the time though! :)

Of course, I want to wish a Happy Father's Day to all fathers too. Thanks to God, we still have Scottius' dad. My real dad died when I was nineteen, and then my step-father died a couple of years ago. We still have both our moms too which is great. They are the best parents we could ever have!

Frasier



















I use to hate this show, but now I love it except for when they add in perverted lines or the swearing or "Oh, my God!" I like to fast forward it when it gets suggestive.

The cast of Marty,Eddy, Frasier, Niles, Daphne, and Roz really click together. It is particularly fun to watch Frasier and Niles go back and forth about their common cultural and "psychological" interests or their competiveness. They are really good and captivating actors! My prayer is that Christ will touch each of them in a life-changing way, and that we will see them in heaven someday.

Oops! Sorry!

Lucy goofs up again!! Goodness!! :) For some reason, I cannot edit my last post. I am just not the computer whiz like Scottius or Angus!! Anyway, the one correction I can make is about the time of passing of Billy Graham's wife, Ruth. I posted that she died on Friday instead of Thursday.

Although they are of different denominations with different doctrine from our Lutheran doctrine (She was a Presbyterian but still supported Billy Graham in his Baptist faith.), the one thing that always struck me about them was their humility. I remember him especially saying many times that the older he got, the more aware he was of his many sins and his unworthiness to be granted the gift of eternal life. That's it for all of us. None of us are worthy of ANYTHING Christ give us, especially of our faith and gift of living in heaven someday with Him by believing in Him as our Savior. That is our greatest gift. Yes, our spouses, family, loved ones, and friends are so very precious but can never be more important than Christ. He is the only way to heaven. May Christ comfort Billy Graham and his family as they await their time of going to heaven as well.

Saturday, June 16, 2007

True Love














This is so sweet what Billy Graham said about his wife, Ruth, after her passing yesterday.

“Ruth was my life partner, and we were called by God as a team. No one
else could have borne the load that she carried. She was a vital and
integral part of our ministry, and my work through the years would have
been impossible without her encouragement and support.

“I am so grateful to the Lord that he gave me Ruth, and especially for
these last few years we’ve had in the mountains together. We’ve rekindled
the romance of our youth, and my love for her continued to grow deeper
every day. I will miss her terribly, and look forward even more to the day
I can join her in Heaven.”





Ruth Bell Graham Dies
Wife of Billy Graham Succumbs to Lingering Illness, Surrounded by Loved Ones at Her Deathbed

ONTREAT, N.C., JUNE 14—Mrs. Ruth Bell Graham, beloved wife of world-renowned evangelist Billy Graham, died at 5:05 p.m. today, at her home at Little Piney Cove in Montreat, N.C., surrounded by her husband and all five children. She was 87. A public funeral service to honor Mrs. Graham has been scheduled for 2 p.m. on Saturday, June 16 in Anderson Auditorium at the Montreat Conference Center in Montreat, N.C. Learn more about the public service

“Ruth was my life partner, and we were called by God as a team,” Mr. Graham said of his life-long marriage and ministry partner. “No one else could have borne the load that she carried. She was a vital and integral part of our ministry, and my work through the years would have been impossible without her encouragement and support.

“I am so grateful to the Lord that He gave me Ruth, and especially for these last few years we’ve had in the mountains together,” Mr. Graham continued. “We’ve rekindled the romance of our youth, and my love for her continued to grow deeper every day. I will miss her terribly, and look forward even more to the day I can join her in Heaven.”

Mr. Graham confirmed today that his wife’s final resting place will be at the foot of a cross-shaped walkway in the Prayer Garden on the grounds of the recently dedicated Library bearing his name adjacent to his ministry headquarters in Charlotte. Earlier this year the Grahams agreed together that they would be buried side-by-side at the Library, a decision made by the two of them alone.

Ruth Bell was born June 10, 1920, in Qingjiang, Kiangsu, China, the daughter of medical missionaries L. Nelson and Virginia Leftwich Bell. She attended high school in Pyongyang, (now North) Korea. She first came to the United States at the age of 7, while her parents were on furlough. She returned to the U.S. at the age of 17 to attend Wheaton College in Wheaton, Ill. Shortly after his arrival on campus, she was introduced to “Preacher,” the nickname other students gave the strapping Billy Graham from Charlotte, North Carolina. They were married in August, 1943, following their graduating together that June.

Between 1945 and 1958, Mrs. Graham gave birth to five children, whom she raised—sometimes single-handedly—while her husband was away on extended national and international evangelistic crusades. The three daughters and two sons who survive her are all actively involved in ministry, including eldest son Franklin, who heads the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association (BGEA) founded by his father.

“My father would not have been what he is today if it wasn’t for my mother,” Franklin said. “She stood strong for what was biblically correct and accurate. She would help my father prepare his messages, listening with an attentive ear, and if she saw something that wasn’t right or heard something that she felt wasn’t as strong as it could be, she was a voice to strengthen this or eliminate that. Every person needs that kind of input in their life and she was that to my father.”

In 1959, Mrs. Graham published her first book, “Our Christmas Story,” an illustrated volume for children. She went on to write or co-author 13 other books, many of them works of poetry she wrote as an emotional release while her husband was so often on the road through the years.

“I don’t believe Mother has adequately been recognized and honored for what she had done; because, without her, Daddy’s ministry would not have been possible,” said Ruth Graham, youngest daughter—and namesake—regarding her mother’s influence and partnership in her father’s ministry.

“How does one live with one of the world’s most famous men?” daughter Ruth continued. “God began training my mother for this position years ago in China. Her parents exercised a profound effect upon the development of her character, and laid the foundations for who she was. What she witnessed in her family home, she practiced for herself—dependence on God in every circumstance, love for His Word, concern for others above self, and an indomitable spirit displayed with a smile.

“Her happiness and fulfillment did not depend on her circumstances,” the younger Ruth concluded. “She was a lovely, beautiful and wise woman, because early in life she made Christ her home, her purpose, her center, her confidant, and her vision.”

Mrs. Graham’s significant role in Mr. Graham’s ministry was recognized in 1996, when they were jointly awarded the Congressional Gold Medal in a special ceremony in the Capital Rotunda in Washington, which reflected a consensus of love and support from all branches of government in attendance.

Ruth Graham was always a vital part of Mr. Graham’s evangelistic career, and he turned to her for advice and input about many ministry decisions. One of the early uses of media by the BGEA was the “Hour of Decision” radio program begun in 1950, which she named. After her upbringing in China and high school experience in Korea, she continued to have a burden for the people of Asia. She encouraged her husband to visit and later accompanied him during his historic visits to the People’s Republic of China.

Ruth Graham has been in frail health since suffering spinal meningitis in 1995. That was exacerbated by a degenerative back condition that began with a fall out of a tree while helping a grandchild fix a swing in 1974 that resulted in chronic back pain for many years. Bedridden or wheelchair-bound since the late 1990s, Mrs. Graham wasn’t able to accompany her husband during his last few years of ministry, but was always a continued source of inspiration and support for him through her prayers and wise biblical counsel.

Mrs. Graham is survived by her husband Billy; daughters Virginia, Anne Morrow, and Ruth Bell; sons William Franklin, III, and Nelson Edman; 19 grandchildren; and numerous great-grandchildren.



Return to Introduction








Tuesday, June 12, 2007








As I have noted before, this is a very hot issue with me as it is with many Americans. I respect President Bush for being strong to protect our country through the War on Terror, Patriot Act, and enforcing important legalities to thwart future terrorist attacks; HOWEVER, I am VERY upset with him and his administration about backing this ludicrous amnesty bill. As noted below, if the proposed amendments outlined in this end of the day bulletin had passed, then I would be more supportive of this bill. Scottius has a great idea though: just enforce the present law and build the fence!!! And also, let's make sure that our border patrol agents are protected when they are trying to enforce the law and protect our country. And while we are on the changes that need to be made, let's start by adopting English as our official and natural language of the United States of America!! This is the United States, and if someone wants to live here, then abide by the rules and learn to be an American!!!!!!! I have nothing against immigrants, but I am against illegal immigrants who want to make America like Mexico culturally and take advantage of our
"free" health care systems and social programs!!! Did you know that if we cross the Mexican border and try to do what these illegals are doing, we would get kicked out of the country immediately? Shouldn't that give our politicians a little clue what is going on here? Well,this redhead better stop soapboxing for now or she will have to be dealing with high blood pressure problems. :)


To: Friends and Supporters

From: Gary L. Bauer, Chairman
Campaign for Working Families

Date: Monday, June 11, 2007



It’s Back

We warned you Friday that the so-called comprehensive immigration reform
bill wasn’t dead, but wounded. Forty-eight hours later, the White House is
engaged in a full court press to resuscitate the bill. Administration
spokesmen made the rounds on the Sunday talk shows vowing to fight on, and
President Bush will be making a rare Capitol Hill visit tomorrow to sell
the plan to skeptical senators in his own party – three-quarters of whom
voted against the bill Thursday night.

But the expenditure of additional political capital on this bill – as a
matter of politics and policy – makes little sense. In tackling
immigration reform in a “comprehensive” manner, the politicians are putting
the cart before the horse (amnesty before border security) and they have
lost the confidence of the American people.

The respected polling firm Rasmussen Reports has done outstanding work
tracking this debate, and I wanted to share some of Rasmussen’s post-mortem
commentary:

“There is no mystery to why the public opposed the bill. In the minds of
most Americans, immigration reform means reducing illegal immigration and
enforcing the border. Only 16% believed the Senate bill would accomplish
that goal. …

“From the beginning, the Senate approached the issue with [the] top
priority of addressing the legal status of the illegal aliens. They
addressed concerns about guest-worker programs and questions about whether
family or skill level should be more important when determining who could
enter the country.

“All of those are important questions, but they are not the most important
question. Rasmussen Reports polling found that 72% of Americans believe
it’s Very Important to reduce illegal immigration and enforce the borders.
Just 29% said it was Very Important to legalize the status of those
illegally living in the country today.”

Yesterday on Fox News Sunday, White House spokesman Tony Snow said, “Our
sense is that if Majority Leader Harry Reid brings it back up, which he
should, and permits a full debate, …we’re not only going to get a bill, but
we’re going to get a better bill.”

Really? Knowing that border security and enforcement is the main concern
of the public, let’s recap just a few of the amendments that were defeated
in two weeks of debate:

--The Coleman amendment to end the policy of “sanctuary cities,” defeated
48-to-49;

--The McConnell amendment to require a photo ID for voting in order to
combat voter fraud, defeated 41-to-52;

--The Cornyn amendment to deny amnesty to gang members and illegal aliens
with criminal records, defeated 46-to-51;

--The Vitter amendment to guarantee a secure, biometric check in / check
out visa system be in place prior to any guest worker program going into
effect, defeated 48-to-49; and

--The Coburn-DeMint amendment to guarantee full border security prior to
amnesty, defeated 42-to-54.

(To see how your senators vote on these amendments, be certain check out
CWF’s online Congressional Scorecard at http://www.cwfpac.com)

Maybe President Bush is going to go to Capitol Hill tomorrow and urge
senators to reconsider their votes on these important border security
amendments. That would be a debate worth having. I suspect Harry Reid
decided to cut off the debate last week because all these votes against
commonsense border security issues was getting a little embarrassing.

As Rasmussen Reports noted, border security could rally the overwhelming
majority of Americans and unite the conservative base against Ted Kennedy
and the pro-amnesty liberals in the Senate. But without these amendments,
it’s hard to imagine how we will “get a better bill,” and the insistence of
Washington’s political elites on forcing something through that the public
clearly does not want will only infuriate the grass roots even more.



Thursday, June 07, 2007

I Love That Diet Dr. Pepper!!!


Well for about four long years I have gone without my Diet Dr. Pepper because of the nutrasweet controversy. Therefore, I decided to start using Splenda and drinking Diet Rite instead until I heard about the Splenda controversy about six weeks ago.
But...reading about the false claims towards Nutrasweet on Snopes.com finally clinched it. I am going to drink it with moderation and not worry about it.

Hello...Hello...Hello...Scottius, I'm Back








HELLO...HELLO...HELLO SCOTTIUS, I'M BACK (but not in black :))!! It took Scottius giving me a good kick to get going on my posts again!! Well, I also have to admit that I was having trouble getting into my blog until Scottius helped me out! This "Lucyitis" is pretty sad, isn't it? Anyway, we are done with school and are just doing a few things for school on a very flexible and easygoing schedule. We want to have a fun and relaxing summer! Anyway, I hope I can do more blogging this summer than I have been able to do this past year!