Little Star

Wonderful article in today's Denver Post about former tennis great Andrea Jaeger, and her love for helping sick children. Her foundation is called Little Star. Andrea will be inducted into the Colorado Tennis Hall of Fame on Friday, "largely for her contributions as a humanitarian."

"My injury was, in a strange way, a blessing," Jaeger said. "I had a tremendous natural athletic gift and instincts, but I wouldn't do anything to win like so many others. For whatever reason, God said, 'This one is not going to get ruined by sports. I'm going to take her.' "

Nora Laughing at Daddy

Baby in a Box

I just laugh when I see the expression on Reece's face. The title is a reference to Farrell and Farrell's song, "People in a Box" from the '80's. This picture is from our April 2007 vacation to Southern California.

The 10 Most Redeeming Films of 2007

For a much better commentary on this article and these films, you should keep an eye on Phil's blog, for his thoughts. But I also like films, so I read the article, and found myself unfamiliar with half of them. I've seen "Amazing Grace" (wonderful!), heard about "Kite Runner" (Laura has read the book), and would like to see "Juno" (the inexpensive internet service? Uh, no.) But the one that most stood out to me, was the one we watched on our recent flight to see Hannah and her sisters (only one sister, Julia), and their parents. And that film was about a rat. A rat is in (no, he's the star!) one of the top 10 redeeming films of last year? Yes, he is. And he's quite a wonderful rat, with an extraordinary sense of smell, and a great cook! And he understands his calling and pursues his passion (which is a great thing for rats, as well as for people.) I know, this film came out last year, and I'm just now seeing it? Yes, I'm slow about some things. But I'll still probably have to buy a copy of "Ratatouille." It's the kind of film the grandkids will always like, and I'll find inspiring, especially since I love to cook.

My Molecular Level is Looking Younger!

After returning from my workout this morning, I was delighted to read the results of a new study, suggesting that the act of exercising may actually protect the body against the aging process. The Washington Post article says, "Physically active people have cells that look younger on a molecular level than those of couch potatoes." I love young looking cells, don't you? Now if they would just make their way to the surface of my body, so I would actually look younger, that would be good. (Oh yea, they look younger "on a molecular level!") Well at least I know that exercising several days a week is a good thing, not only because it makes me feel better, but also perhaps it will help me live longer. And all that on a morning where I found myself reading Romans 12, about presenting my body to God as a living and holy sacrifice. Good news!

The Watercolor

The picture is a beautiful watercolor from Claire. The scene is a river on highway 74 between Evergreen and Morrison. It was May 2007, the water was cold, and Hannah and Julia were (are) cute! Claire has a wonderful talent from God, she uses it freely, and our family is a blessed recipient. We are grateful. And so is Hannah.

Prince Caspian

Kellen and I were playing the Disney version of SceneIt last night, while Reece concentrated on a couple of puzzles. (here's Kellen with Nora, left, and Reece with Nora, below.) One of Kellen's game questions related to a 2005 movie version of one of C.S. Lewis' The Chronicles of Narnia. While we both agreed we needed to watch "The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe" again soon, it reminded me of the upcoming premiere this spring of the next installment, Prince Caspian. PC comes to theatres May 16th. (No doubt you'll read more about this on "Food and Flicks".) Because of this I think I need to read the story again, before the movie comes out. I think I'll enjoy the movie more, beside, I find myself not remembering PC. L,W,W stuck with me, probably as with most people. It seemed the most memorable. But the other six are equally as wonderful to read! I neeed to start that right after we return from Minnesota. "Once there were four children whose names were..."

What do you do when you get married?

That's the perceptive question that former president Bill Clinton received yesterday from the press. Only "the press" was 5-year old McKenna Chance! It's a tough question for any of us really, if we're honest about it. What do we do when we get married...aside from the usual stuff? Mike Mason wrote in The Mystery of Marriage, "There is no one who is not broken by this process [the process of marriage]. It is excruciating and inexorable, and no one can stand up to it. Everyone gets broken, at least a little, on the wheel of love, and the breaking that takes place is like nothing else under the sun." Maybe that's why the psalmist said, "Unless the Lord builds the house, it's builders labor in vain." (Psalm 127:1)

Encouraging Widows

A week ago our small group experienced the loss of a dear friend, and one of our men, lost his wife to cancer. We "weep with those who weep" as Paul says in Romans 12:15, grieving with Bob, while knowing that Kay is with Jesus, and no longer suffering. But this side of eternity, we still groan, longing for the eternal life that we were made for. Often we don't know how to love those who have experienced the severe loss of a loved one. In this article, Miriam Neff offers some suggestions for encouraging widows (and widowers), some "do's and don'ts" as it were. I think these are good. God's Word is also good, as Psalm 116:15 says, "Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his saints."

Welcome to CT!

Believe me when I say that I come to blogging, kicking and screaming (it feels more like flogging!). But it's time that I had an outlet for my thoughts, even if I'm the only one who reads them! It may also be an outlet for photos, both personal and otherwise.

I'm grateful to son Philip who has been blogging for some time, and evidently not injured by it in anyway that I can tell. He didn't make me start this, but I know that since he opened the door for my writing on his blog, I'd better find another outlet pretty soon...

I always welcome comments on what appears here.

So, that's about it as far as a welcome is concerned. (Does that mean everything from here on is an Unwelcome?)

Oh yes, the picture. My side of the family taken this summer at Red Rocks. Handsome aren't we? Can you pick my family out? I already told you, they are all my family!