Mourning the loss of President Gordon B. Hinckley, the beloved Prophet of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, members and non-members alike are flocking to Utah by the tens of thousands.
From Hinckley memorial register signing locations, the Church President lying in state for two days prior to the funeral on Saturday, to the funeral services, tremendous numbers of people wish to pay tribute to President Hinckley.
"In addition to the crowds coming to pay their respects, the same group that protests at military funerals, the Westboro Baptist Church, is planning on showing up. Wihongi says it's their right to demonstrate, but he's warning funeral-goers not to let these people tick them off. "If people just do their thing and don't give them the audience they're looking for," he said." www.ksl.com link
While Utah is prepared for the concourses of public, protesting may cause havoc as those whose emotions are already running thin from mourning may find their anger ignited in defense of this man, whose magnificence is globally respected.
Some have begun preparations to stop the picketing of this so-called "church", the Westboro Baptist Church, from disrupting the reverence of the ceremonies that are planned.
Link To Comments Regarding Protesting
"Word on the street is...
Westboro Baptist Church is going to protest his funeral. Apparently they think Gordon B. was making it ok to be gay or something. Who knows with those idiots.
On the brighter side, there will be a counter-protest where they will be blocking these idiot's view with sheets, tarps, etc.
There will be no provocation of the protesters, and no one involved in the counter protest will even speak to them. the goal is to block their view, and blocking them from view. Kinda cool I think.
Anyone interested in joining this silent, and non-violent counter demonstration, can attend a planning meeting this Friday night at...
Coffee Connection.
1588 S State St.
Starts at 8 PM.
The counter-protest meet up is at 200 N West Temple, Saturday 9am.
Thanks."
Looking at what this Westboro Baptist Church stands for, it is a disgust and disgrace that it is representing itself as a Baptist Church. Certainly, we all know that the Baptist religion does not preach this way. They represent themselves in an upstanding Christ-like manner. On the other hand hatred is preached from every angle from Westboro Baptist Church.
Regarding President Hinckley and the "Mormon" church, they have printed a flyer that digs quotations from the Bible and directs them in such a way that is...well in order to get the full gist, unfortunately you may have to read a quote. Link to pathetic flyer, click here
"It is impossible for anybody who believes Mormon nonsense to get to Heaven. All dead Mormons are in Hell, where they are tormented day and night forever. Rev. 14:10,11"
"...in religious protest and warning; to wit:"Be not deceived; God is not mocked." Gal. 6:7. God Hates Fags! & Fag-Enablers. Ergo, God hates Gordon Hinckley and every Mormon heretic."
For anyone reading the above quotations, steam may start streaming out of your ears from anger. However, remember what President Hinckley has said, what he has stood for during his life. In this case, he would show mercy. He would probably send them a smile and then turn the other cheek. He would not confront them to stir them up further in anger and stress, to assist them in bringing their cause further to the forefront. He would be gentle and Christ-like.
Look at what these people stand for, ripping apart scripture for their own good. "Since 1955, Westboro Baptist Church (WBC) has taken forth the precious from the vile, and is therefore as the mouth of God (Jer. 15:19)."
They are not only picketing President Hinckley's funeral, but additionally picketing the funeral of Marine Lance Cpl. Maria Lauterbach, both on the same day. What good does this "organization" feel it is actually doing? Here is what they say on the Lauterbach funeral picketing schedule regarding Marines. Picket Schedule Link
"They are sissified, perverted, brute beasts, who will beat you bloody. We have had numerous incidences with Marines; they are all foul-mouther and violent, with very few exceptions, if any. They are a microcosm of Doomed America, and they are all irreversibly headed for Hell for fighting for a nation that has gone the way of Sodom and Gomorrah: Isaiaah 3:25 Thy men shall fall by the sword, and thy mighty in the war...[You're going to eat your babies!]...The siege is coming! America is Doomed! Amen!"
While looking into this church and its beliefs, the bio of Pastor Fred Phelps was pretty helpful, along with a memo he wrote to his church, which shows global hatred. Link To Memo
Obviously, from this memo, he wants control of his "congregation". Talking about where his "congregation" won't find the truth he states, "...and you don't find it in the form of a Bible college or a theological seminary, or a Sunday School of little churches meeting in different rooms for different age groups, or a super church with hierarchical rulers of archbishops, district superintendents, cardinals, popes or any such human authority above the local church, or a Billy-Graham-type multi-church crusade, or a so-called universal, invisible church, or a Youth for Christ Rally, or a foreign mission board, or a Focus on the Family-type Radio ministry, or a TV ministry -- or any of these legions of extra church religious groups, all of which have no authority from God Almighty to speak for Him or even to exist, and all of which therefore are Satanic frauds preaching Armenian lies."
So, if steam wasn't already streaming out of your ears, your face is now red with the fury of anger. Or you are at the point of thinking,"What?".
Shouldn't what the Westboro Baptist Church is doing be classified as hate crimes? What is a hate crime? Wikipedia link
"Hate crimes (also known as bias motivated crimes) occur when a perpetrator targets a victim because of his or her membership in a certain social group, usually defined by race, religion, sexual orientation, disability, ethnicity, nationality, age, gender, gender identity, or political affiliation. Hate crimes differ from conventional crime because they are not directed simply at an individual, but are meant to cause fear and intimidation in an entire group or class of people.
Hate crime can take many forms. Incidents may involve physical assault, damage to property, bullying, harassment, verbal abuse or insults, or offensive graffiti or letters."
Further, the punishments for these incidents are becoming harsher due to the hate crimes that are "the most destructive of the public safety and happiness. It is said that, when the core of a person’s identity is attacked, the degradation and dehumanization is especially severe, and additional emotional and physiological problems are likely to result. Society then, in turn, can suffer from the disempowerment of a group of people. Furthermore, it is asserted that the chances for retaliatory crimes are greater when a hate crime has been committed. The riots in Los Angeles, California, that followed the beating of Rodney King, a Black motorist, by a group of White police officers are cited as support for this argument."
In these cases, where this group intends to bully and harass, give verbal abuse and/or insults during their protests, wouldn't these be considered hate crimes? Wouldn't there be a reason to shut this system of picketing down, even with the freedom of speech and expression?
"The U.S. Supreme Court unanimously found that penalty-enhancement hate crime statutes do not conflict with free speech rights because they do not punish an individual for exercising freedom of expression; rather, they allow courts to consider motive when sentencing a criminal for conduct which is not protected by the First Amendment."
During these funerals, do as the loved ones would want you to do. Look the other way. Forget these predators are trying to entice hateful emotions. Additionally, if you are reading this and are able to protect the families involved from these predators, please do so as has been so wonderfully done in past picketing experiences performed by Westboro.
Sources:
www.ksl.com
www.godhatesfags.com (Westboro Baptist Church)
en.wikipedia.org
Wednesday, January 30, 2008
Tuesday, January 29, 2008
Made In The USA, Stimulus Package continued...
Stimulus for U.S. or for China continued...
February 2007, The Christian Science Monitor printed an article by Peter Navarro regarding China's brand of mercantilism. They had foresight that the government still has yet to pick up on.
"Watch your flanks! That's a sound piece of advice US politicians have ignored as they remain mesmerized by the train wreck called Iraq. Meanwhile, a ruthlessly mercantilist China is running a flanking maneuver so effective that it now threatens America's economic, financial, and political independence.
America is addicted to a daily "fix" of Chinese capital that floods in to purchase US government bonds – and thereby fund the US budget and trade deficits."
Click Here For The Full Article
An issue with all of the manufacturing outsourced to China from the U.S.? A new bill that will increase operating costs by 25-30% this year...for companies operating in China. Doesn't that mean that the goods will also include a cost increase? Why not manufacture them in America, offering jobs to the increasingly unemployed population?
"China’s National People’s Congress passed the Law of Employment Contracts on June 29, 2007. It formalizes workers’ rights concerning overtime hours, pensions, layoffs, employment contracts and the role of trade unions. Considered one of the strictest in the world, it is stirring apprehensions most in the ranks of Taiwan’s China-based small and medium enterprises - operations that are usually too small to support a professional human resource management framework.
Among other mandates, the law requires employers to sign written contracts with every employee. Also, after two contract renewals, workers automatically earn the right to work for the employer indefinitely. Employees can only be let go for clear cause and would still receive a pension. In the expanded role for trade unions, employers will be required to consult with them before making rules and regulations, concluding employment contracts or implementing economic dismissals.
The bill was the first major national law in China circulated in advance to gauge public reaction. As a result more than 191,800 separate comments were received via the Internet, newspapers, periodicals, and letters soon after the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress launched the plan.
Hsiao Hsin-yung, a human resource consultant specializing in China’s labor regulations, suggested that complying with the law could increase the operating costs of Taiwanese manufacturers by some 30%, creating a heavy burden for already struggling enterprises."
Asia Times Article
With businesses already discussing moving away from China to more favorable locations because of cost, how will this affect the U.S. economy?
"China on Tuesday introduced a labor law that enhances rights for mainland workers, including open-ended work contracts and severance pay."
"Higher costs may drive manufacturers with low margins out of China, damping investment in factories that helped push inflation to a 10-year high. Olympus, one of the world's largest digital camera makers, and Yue Yuen Industrial, the biggest maker of shoes for brands like Nike, are among companies shifting some production to Vietnam to cut costs."
International Herald Tribune
So, when you receive your rebate check, that is if the Stimulus Package ever gets passed through the Senate without so many changes that the President vetoes it, where are you going to spend your money?
If you did not read my original post regarding the Stimulus Package, here is the link. Just food for thought. MADE IN THE USA! Click Here For Stimulus Pkg Post Link
Sources:
www.csmonitor.com (The Christian Science Monitor)
www.atimes.com (Asia Times)
www.iht.com (International Herald Tribune)
February 2007, The Christian Science Monitor printed an article by Peter Navarro regarding China's brand of mercantilism. They had foresight that the government still has yet to pick up on.
"Watch your flanks! That's a sound piece of advice US politicians have ignored as they remain mesmerized by the train wreck called Iraq. Meanwhile, a ruthlessly mercantilist China is running a flanking maneuver so effective that it now threatens America's economic, financial, and political independence.
America is addicted to a daily "fix" of Chinese capital that floods in to purchase US government bonds – and thereby fund the US budget and trade deficits."
Click Here For The Full Article
An issue with all of the manufacturing outsourced to China from the U.S.? A new bill that will increase operating costs by 25-30% this year...for companies operating in China. Doesn't that mean that the goods will also include a cost increase? Why not manufacture them in America, offering jobs to the increasingly unemployed population?
"China’s National People’s Congress passed the Law of Employment Contracts on June 29, 2007. It formalizes workers’ rights concerning overtime hours, pensions, layoffs, employment contracts and the role of trade unions. Considered one of the strictest in the world, it is stirring apprehensions most in the ranks of Taiwan’s China-based small and medium enterprises - operations that are usually too small to support a professional human resource management framework.
Among other mandates, the law requires employers to sign written contracts with every employee. Also, after two contract renewals, workers automatically earn the right to work for the employer indefinitely. Employees can only be let go for clear cause and would still receive a pension. In the expanded role for trade unions, employers will be required to consult with them before making rules and regulations, concluding employment contracts or implementing economic dismissals.
The bill was the first major national law in China circulated in advance to gauge public reaction. As a result more than 191,800 separate comments were received via the Internet, newspapers, periodicals, and letters soon after the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress launched the plan.
Hsiao Hsin-yung, a human resource consultant specializing in China’s labor regulations, suggested that complying with the law could increase the operating costs of Taiwanese manufacturers by some 30%, creating a heavy burden for already struggling enterprises."
Asia Times Article
With businesses already discussing moving away from China to more favorable locations because of cost, how will this affect the U.S. economy?
"China on Tuesday introduced a labor law that enhances rights for mainland workers, including open-ended work contracts and severance pay."
"Higher costs may drive manufacturers with low margins out of China, damping investment in factories that helped push inflation to a 10-year high. Olympus, one of the world's largest digital camera makers, and Yue Yuen Industrial, the biggest maker of shoes for brands like Nike, are among companies shifting some production to Vietnam to cut costs."
International Herald Tribune
So, when you receive your rebate check, that is if the Stimulus Package ever gets passed through the Senate without so many changes that the President vetoes it, where are you going to spend your money?
If you did not read my original post regarding the Stimulus Package, here is the link. Just food for thought. MADE IN THE USA! Click Here For Stimulus Pkg Post Link
Sources:
www.csmonitor.com (The Christian Science Monitor)
www.atimes.com (Asia Times)
www.iht.com (International Herald Tribune)
Sunday, January 27, 2008
Prophet and President of the LDS Church Has Passed Away
I just received news that President Gordon B. Hinckley, the Prophet of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has passed way. He was 97 years old.
The exact cause of his death was not immediately released, however he did pass away in his home from incidence related to age.
For links regarding the details on this story, please see the following...
abc4.com
www.ksl.com
The exact cause of his death was not immediately released, however he did pass away in his home from incidence related to age.
For links regarding the details on this story, please see the following...
abc4.com
www.ksl.com
Sabbath Day, January 27, 2008
What a great country we live in, this great United States of America, that we have the freedom to practice our religion.
"Freedom of religion is a guarantee by a government for freedom of belief for individuals and freedom of worship for individuals and groups. It is generally recognized to also include the freedom not to follow any religion. Freedom of religion is considered by many in many nations and people to be a fundamental human right."
-The freedom of religion as stated by Wikipedia
As members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, Sunday is a day of rest from our weekly schedule of work. Today is a day that we reserve for worshipping our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.
Here is a description of one of our beliefs.
Link To The Below Quoted Information
The Restoration of Truth
Heavenly Father Reveals His Gospel to All
"Why doesn't God call prophets today?
Throughout history God has revealed His gospel through prophets, such as Noah, Abraham, Moses, Peter and others, and has endowed them with divine authority, which is priesthood, to speak and act in His name (Amos 3:7). These prophets teach the people the gospel and direct His Church. They teach and testify about the character of God and the special mission of Jesus Christ, inviting all to partake of the blessings of the gospel.
You can find the testimonies of prophets in the Old Testament, the New Testament, and in the Book of Mormon.
Through revelation from God, the Old Testament prophets knew that the Savior Jesus Christ would come to the earth. These prophets knew that the Savior would come to provide the way for all of us to return to our Father in Heaven, and they recorded their witnesses for us to study and to pray about so that we can have faith in Jesus Christ.
The New Testament records the life and teachings of Jesus Christ and contains the words of prophets and apostles who were witnesses that He is the Son of God. John the Baptist was a prophet who prepared the way of the Savior ( Luke 1:76). Peter, James, John, and the other Apostles also testified of Him. As you read the accounts of these prophets and apostles, your understanding and faith in Jesus Christ will grow.
Throughout the Book of Mormon, there are examples of many prophets who testified of Jesus Christ. Among these prophets are men named Lehi, Nephi, Benjamin, Mosiah, Alma, Abinadi, Helaman, Mormon, and Moroni. Book of Mormon prophets bore fervent testimony of Christ so later generations could also develop faith in the Savior and look to Him for redemption. As the prophet Nephi wrote, "And we talk of Christ, we rejoice in Christ, we preach of Christ, we prophesy of Christ, and we write according to our prophecies, that our children may know to what source they may look for a remission of their sins" ( 2 Nephi 25:26).
Those who follow the prophets receive the blessings God has promised, while those who reject the gospel and God's prophets lose those blessings and distance themselves from God—placing them in spiritual darkness, which eventually leads to a condition called apostasy. Widespread apostasy occurs when God's priesthood authority to teach and administer the ordinances of the gospel is withdrawn.
The scriptures record the pattern wherein God repeatedly reaches out to His children by revealing His gospel through a prophet, who in turn teaches the people. Some people follow, then become disobedient; others reject it outright. The Lord then takes away His priesthood and the gospel is lost. When there are those prepared to follow Him again, the Lord reveals anew His gospel and restores His priesthood. Such periods when prophets are commanded to teach the gospel, often involving a restoration, are called dispensations?. The periods of time headed by a prophetic leader, such as Adam, Enoch, Noah, Moses and so forth, are called dispensations.
The divine truths your Heavenly Father desires you to know have been restored by God for the final time—never to be removed from the earth again—through the latter-day prophet Joseph Smith. As Moses and other biblical prophets received revelation from God, so Joseph Smith saw God the Father and His Son, Jesus Christ and was chosen to testify of Them and to restore the gospel and His Church.
In June 1844, Joseph Smith, the first prophet of this dispensation, was murdered in Carthage, Illinois. The leadership of the restored Church of Jesus Christ then passed to Brigham Young, who was the senior Apostle? of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. He became responsible for leading the Church under Jesus Christ's direction. Throughout the 33 years Brigham Young led the Church, he:
Led the first group of pioneers across 1,000 miles of unsettled plains, arriving in the Salt Lake Valley in 1847.
Supervised the subsequent immigration of more than 70,000 people from the U.S. and Europe.
Founded over 350 settlements, including communities in Utah, Idaho, Wyoming, Colorado, New Mexico, Arizona, Nevada, California, Canada, and Mexico.
Brigham Young was called by God as the next prophet after Joseph Smith. Just as Brigham Young was called of God to succeed Joseph Smith, so this pattern of succession of prophets, as directed by Jesus Christ, continues today. The current prophet and President of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is Gordon B. Hinckley. He is assisted by two counselors: Thomas S. Monson and Henry B. Eyring. Together, they make up the First Presidency of the Church (much like Peter, James, and John in Christ's time).
The current Apostles of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints are:
Boyd K. Packer
L. Tom Perry
Russell M. Nelson
Dallin H. Oaks
M. Russell Ballard
Joseph B. Wirthlin
Richard G. Scott
Robert D. Hales
Jeffrey R. Holland
Dieter F. Uchtdorf
David A. Bednar
Quentin L. Cook
Just as God led the Israelites out of slavery and to a better place through His prophet Moses, He leads His children today into happier, more peaceful lives when they choose to follow Jesus Christ by following His living prophet. You are invited to read or listen to the words of living prophets and consider how knowing God's will can benefit your life."
For more information, including a short video, please click on the following link.
Mormon.org
"Freedom of religion is a guarantee by a government for freedom of belief for individuals and freedom of worship for individuals and groups. It is generally recognized to also include the freedom not to follow any religion. Freedom of religion is considered by many in many nations and people to be a fundamental human right."
-The freedom of religion as stated by Wikipedia
As members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, Sunday is a day of rest from our weekly schedule of work. Today is a day that we reserve for worshipping our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.
Here is a description of one of our beliefs.
Link To The Below Quoted Information
The Restoration of Truth
Heavenly Father Reveals His Gospel to All
"Why doesn't God call prophets today?
Throughout history God has revealed His gospel through prophets, such as Noah, Abraham, Moses, Peter and others, and has endowed them with divine authority, which is priesthood, to speak and act in His name (Amos 3:7). These prophets teach the people the gospel and direct His Church. They teach and testify about the character of God and the special mission of Jesus Christ, inviting all to partake of the blessings of the gospel.
You can find the testimonies of prophets in the Old Testament, the New Testament, and in the Book of Mormon.
Through revelation from God, the Old Testament prophets knew that the Savior Jesus Christ would come to the earth. These prophets knew that the Savior would come to provide the way for all of us to return to our Father in Heaven, and they recorded their witnesses for us to study and to pray about so that we can have faith in Jesus Christ.
The New Testament records the life and teachings of Jesus Christ and contains the words of prophets and apostles who were witnesses that He is the Son of God. John the Baptist was a prophet who prepared the way of the Savior ( Luke 1:76). Peter, James, John, and the other Apostles also testified of Him. As you read the accounts of these prophets and apostles, your understanding and faith in Jesus Christ will grow.
Throughout the Book of Mormon, there are examples of many prophets who testified of Jesus Christ. Among these prophets are men named Lehi, Nephi, Benjamin, Mosiah, Alma, Abinadi, Helaman, Mormon, and Moroni. Book of Mormon prophets bore fervent testimony of Christ so later generations could also develop faith in the Savior and look to Him for redemption. As the prophet Nephi wrote, "And we talk of Christ, we rejoice in Christ, we preach of Christ, we prophesy of Christ, and we write according to our prophecies, that our children may know to what source they may look for a remission of their sins" ( 2 Nephi 25:26).
Those who follow the prophets receive the blessings God has promised, while those who reject the gospel and God's prophets lose those blessings and distance themselves from God—placing them in spiritual darkness, which eventually leads to a condition called apostasy. Widespread apostasy occurs when God's priesthood authority to teach and administer the ordinances of the gospel is withdrawn.
The scriptures record the pattern wherein God repeatedly reaches out to His children by revealing His gospel through a prophet, who in turn teaches the people. Some people follow, then become disobedient; others reject it outright. The Lord then takes away His priesthood and the gospel is lost. When there are those prepared to follow Him again, the Lord reveals anew His gospel and restores His priesthood. Such periods when prophets are commanded to teach the gospel, often involving a restoration, are called dispensations?. The periods of time headed by a prophetic leader, such as Adam, Enoch, Noah, Moses and so forth, are called dispensations.
The divine truths your Heavenly Father desires you to know have been restored by God for the final time—never to be removed from the earth again—through the latter-day prophet Joseph Smith. As Moses and other biblical prophets received revelation from God, so Joseph Smith saw God the Father and His Son, Jesus Christ and was chosen to testify of Them and to restore the gospel and His Church.
In June 1844, Joseph Smith, the first prophet of this dispensation, was murdered in Carthage, Illinois. The leadership of the restored Church of Jesus Christ then passed to Brigham Young, who was the senior Apostle? of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. He became responsible for leading the Church under Jesus Christ's direction. Throughout the 33 years Brigham Young led the Church, he:
Led the first group of pioneers across 1,000 miles of unsettled plains, arriving in the Salt Lake Valley in 1847.
Supervised the subsequent immigration of more than 70,000 people from the U.S. and Europe.
Founded over 350 settlements, including communities in Utah, Idaho, Wyoming, Colorado, New Mexico, Arizona, Nevada, California, Canada, and Mexico.
Brigham Young was called by God as the next prophet after Joseph Smith. Just as Brigham Young was called of God to succeed Joseph Smith, so this pattern of succession of prophets, as directed by Jesus Christ, continues today. The current prophet and President of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is Gordon B. Hinckley. He is assisted by two counselors: Thomas S. Monson and Henry B. Eyring. Together, they make up the First Presidency of the Church (much like Peter, James, and John in Christ's time).
The current Apostles of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints are:
Boyd K. Packer
L. Tom Perry
Russell M. Nelson
Dallin H. Oaks
M. Russell Ballard
Joseph B. Wirthlin
Richard G. Scott
Robert D. Hales
Jeffrey R. Holland
Dieter F. Uchtdorf
David A. Bednar
Quentin L. Cook
Just as God led the Israelites out of slavery and to a better place through His prophet Moses, He leads His children today into happier, more peaceful lives when they choose to follow Jesus Christ by following His living prophet. You are invited to read or listen to the words of living prophets and consider how knowing God's will can benefit your life."
For more information, including a short video, please click on the following link.
Mormon.org
Saturday, January 26, 2008
Mental and Physical Self-Therapy for Lyme Disease
During the course of suffering with the multiple symptoms of late-stage Lyme Disease, your body goes through a roller coaster of symptoms that include atrophy of your muscles from lack of use, loss of memory, and depression from chronic illness, among lists of other symptoms.
Here are some pointers from personal experience to help yourself (and those around you) cope with some of the symptoms as listed above.
Physically...
There will, realistically, be days when you will be in bed. You will crash and burn because you push yourself to take care of the functions of daily life.
Mentally...
Don't feel guilty about those days. They are necessary for your body to recuperate from a debilitating disease that remained untreated and misdiagnosed for a long period of time.
Physically...
Because of the multiple symptoms, you may not have been in the habit of exercising your body for quite some time. In order for your body to become strong again and to heal, you need to get your body moving. This will need to be a gradual process. Start with short walks, when weather permits, as the fresh air will also help the mental side of the disease. Your muscles also need stretching. Use a DVD or Video that includes beginner yoga with meditation so that you can incorporate the mind and body into the process. With yoga, your muscles become stronger and become stretched out at the same time. I recommend...
It's simple. Note: Don't feel like you have to do all of the things they do, just do your best and build up to it.
Mentally...
The physical and mental connection is strong. If you can take care of both of them by doing a yoga routine, that is definitely worth your while. As your body becomes stronger, you will notice that the mind fog begins to clear up and your thoughts become more organized, which can help you communicate with your doctor(s) with regards to your treatment and the options.
Physically...
Noise is a big factor at times and things become overwhelming. Don't feel bad if you only get part of your grocery shopping done because your legs feel like they are going to give out on you. Go home, put your feet up, and read instead.
Mentally...
Forget about feeling guilty. That is something that is easy to do, especially after years of illness. You have a diagnosis of Lyme Disease. It is treatable. You have hope. Now, use your time that you would have used to finish the grocery shopping and, instead of turning on the TV to be brainless (which, I admit feels pretty good at times), read uplifting literature so that your mental/intellectual state improves. You need to exercise your brain as much as you need to exercise your body. Both have been through great ordeals.
I recommend reading something that will get you away from your burden of illness and on to the possibility of giving service to others. It is amazingly healing! Right now I am reading...
He teaches you to think of yourself in a much better frame of mind and to give more to others. I've really enjoyed this book!
Physically...
Leave the house once a day. Go for a walk. Go to the store. Walk to the mailbox. Just get out. Depression happens to everyone who experiences chronic illness and you need to get out of the feeling like you are in a cave. Also, ask for help when you need it. You may find that this is a great way to get to know your neighbors. People feel good when they help others so you are actually blessing them. Just make sure that you limit it to asking for help ONLY WHEN NEEDED, or they may feel used.
Mentally...
When you get out of the house, you will notice a feeling of awakening. You will feel like you are getting out of your cave, out of your fog, and you will feel like you are becoming part of the regular world again. It can be such a relief and a great step in recovery when fighting the depression that comes from chronic illness.
Overall, remember that these steps take time. Don't give yourself dates to accomplish certain things until you reach a point that you can actually predict better when your crash and burn times might be. Try to avoid those crash and burn times by methodically spreading your chores and errands out so that you set reasonable limits for yourself. However, keep stretching to do a little more so that your recovery can continue on an upward path.
Here are some pointers from personal experience to help yourself (and those around you) cope with some of the symptoms as listed above.
Physically...
There will, realistically, be days when you will be in bed. You will crash and burn because you push yourself to take care of the functions of daily life.
Mentally...
Don't feel guilty about those days. They are necessary for your body to recuperate from a debilitating disease that remained untreated and misdiagnosed for a long period of time.
Physically...
Because of the multiple symptoms, you may not have been in the habit of exercising your body for quite some time. In order for your body to become strong again and to heal, you need to get your body moving. This will need to be a gradual process. Start with short walks, when weather permits, as the fresh air will also help the mental side of the disease. Your muscles also need stretching. Use a DVD or Video that includes beginner yoga with meditation so that you can incorporate the mind and body into the process. With yoga, your muscles become stronger and become stretched out at the same time. I recommend...
It's simple. Note: Don't feel like you have to do all of the things they do, just do your best and build up to it.
Mentally...
The physical and mental connection is strong. If you can take care of both of them by doing a yoga routine, that is definitely worth your while. As your body becomes stronger, you will notice that the mind fog begins to clear up and your thoughts become more organized, which can help you communicate with your doctor(s) with regards to your treatment and the options.
Physically...
Noise is a big factor at times and things become overwhelming. Don't feel bad if you only get part of your grocery shopping done because your legs feel like they are going to give out on you. Go home, put your feet up, and read instead.
Mentally...
Forget about feeling guilty. That is something that is easy to do, especially after years of illness. You have a diagnosis of Lyme Disease. It is treatable. You have hope. Now, use your time that you would have used to finish the grocery shopping and, instead of turning on the TV to be brainless (which, I admit feels pretty good at times), read uplifting literature so that your mental/intellectual state improves. You need to exercise your brain as much as you need to exercise your body. Both have been through great ordeals.
I recommend reading something that will get you away from your burden of illness and on to the possibility of giving service to others. It is amazingly healing! Right now I am reading...
He teaches you to think of yourself in a much better frame of mind and to give more to others. I've really enjoyed this book!
Physically...
Leave the house once a day. Go for a walk. Go to the store. Walk to the mailbox. Just get out. Depression happens to everyone who experiences chronic illness and you need to get out of the feeling like you are in a cave. Also, ask for help when you need it. You may find that this is a great way to get to know your neighbors. People feel good when they help others so you are actually blessing them. Just make sure that you limit it to asking for help ONLY WHEN NEEDED, or they may feel used.
Mentally...
When you get out of the house, you will notice a feeling of awakening. You will feel like you are getting out of your cave, out of your fog, and you will feel like you are becoming part of the regular world again. It can be such a relief and a great step in recovery when fighting the depression that comes from chronic illness.
Overall, remember that these steps take time. Don't give yourself dates to accomplish certain things until you reach a point that you can actually predict better when your crash and burn times might be. Try to avoid those crash and burn times by methodically spreading your chores and errands out so that you set reasonable limits for yourself. However, keep stretching to do a little more so that your recovery can continue on an upward path.
Friday, January 25, 2008
Stimulus for U.S. or for China?
Watching the news today, I had to almost laugh at the decision that our government is making as a "stimulus" for the economy. Why laugh? Because if I didn't laugh, I'd probably scream.
There is already controversy surrounding the package. Once U.S. citizens receive the package rebate checks, they are reportedly going to turn around and spend most of it at places like Walmart. What is wrong with that, you ask? Because the money spent at Walmart will most likely go straight to China.
Here is the reason that the rebates may most likely go straight to China if spent at Walmart. Click Here For Link To Article
"China is Wal-Mart's most important supplier in the world. The overseas procurement home office in Shenzhen, a city of South China's Guangdong Province, has played a key role in the firm's global purchasing business.
Wal-Mart shifted its overseas procurement centre from Hong Kong to Shenzhen in February 2002 to better serve the purchasing and exporting business.
"If Wal-Mart were an individual economy, it would rank as China's eighth-biggest trading partner, ahead of Russia, Australia and Canada," Xu said."
The word is getting out about our free trade issues, however. More Americans are realizing that our trade issues are directly affecting our economy.
An article on CNN.com relates the feelings of the American population quite eloquently. Click Here For Link To Article
"We are a nation crawling into a fetal position, cramped by fear that America has lost control of its destiny in a fiercely competitive global economy. The fear is mostly about jobs lost overseas and wages capped by foreign competition."
"Median household income in 2006, at $48,201, was barely ahead of where it was eight years earlier. So the prospect of a recession has made the anxious middle class even more so. Coming in a presidential election season, the approaching storm clouds have turned the economy into the No. 1 issue on the campaign trail. Fear is a potent force in American politics, and Democratic Party leaders have astutely tapped into rising voter unease about globalization."
"No matter which candidate or which party takes control of the White House one year from now, free trade will - in the words of Hillary Clinton - take a "time-out." That's because Congress - which will most likely remain in the hands of the Democrats regardless of who wins the White House in November - took away President Bush's ability to negotiate trade deals by quietly letting so-called fast-track authority lapse last summer. And lawmakers won't hand that power back to any new President - Democrat or Republican - without major new federal programs (and new trade rules) designed to ease the stress of globalization on U.S. workers."
What do you and I do in a time like this? For one, we stop borrowing money. Another choice is we stay aware of the economy, the trade, and the large companies that are involved. We make wise choices regarding our spending so that the money can actually bolster the U.S. economy, instead of a foreign economy.
On the Glenn Beck show on CNN, he has addressing this issue head-on. Click Here For Transcript Page
"Once again, our politicians have shown that needlessly spending billions more of your tax dollars has a bipartisan appeal. They can come together on spending your cash."
"Congressional leaders in the House compromised today on an economic stimulus package that includes $100 billion in tax rebates, if you make less than $75,000 a year. Other than that, you`re rich. Along with $50 billion in temporary business tax write-offs."
"For once, I really wish our do-nothing Congress would have actually lived up to their name. Your children`s future is much, much worse off tonight...."
"...does anyone know what values these parties stand for anymore? I used to think that Republicans stood for smaller government and free markets, but that`s almost laughable now. Under this package, the people who paid no income tax will get full, as they like to call them, rebates. My grandfather would have called them what they really are, handouts."
"...it allows government-chartered lenders like Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae to double the size, or almost, of the loans they`re allowed to buy. Never mind that those companies may have over $16 billion in bad loans already on their books, which are your books."
"Deficit, deficit. Where I have heard that deficit? Oh, I remember it was from the Congressional Budget Office, which just announced yesterday that the 2008 deficit is expected to grow to $250 billion, and that is without the stimulus package or a recession factored in."
"Free markets create wealth. Governments destroy it. Look around the world if you want proof. Twenty percent of the countries that have the most economic freedom have five times more wealth per person than the bottom 20 percent."
"STEPHEN MOORE, SENIOR ECONOMIC WRITER, "THE WALL STREET JOURNAL: ... We haven`t talked about the housing component. It`s, you know, I call this Uncle Sam subprime lender. Because what we`re going to do in this package, now that all the banks have finally smartened up and said, you know, "Maybe we shouldn`t be making these -- these loans to people who can`t repay them, who don`t have good credit ratings, who can`t make a down payment...
And now under this package what`s going to happen is the Federal Housing Administration, which is insured by you and me, Glenn, and Amity, we`re now going to be the subprime lenders. And you`re going to have another catastrophe in housing. But now, it`s not going to be the banks that are going to be losing money; it`s going to be the U.S. taxpayer."
"BECK: Yes. Stephen, I don`t know if you saw in "The New York Times," but Hillary Clinton revealed herself today as a spooky socialist, where she was talking about all the things that she wants to do, and she wants massive control on the markets and bigger, stronger government."
"MOORE: Yes. And this is my point. I mean, Hillary Clinton, this wasn`t yesterday, but a few months ago, she said America can`t afford all my ideas. And finally, she said something truthful."
Now that the question of the economy (which was in trouble before Bush came into office) is now in play, who do we vote for during these Presidential Elections? This is a seriously, thought provoking, mind-bending, brain-teasing, keep-you-awake-at-night question. The candidates certainly haven't lessened the stress. Instead of thinking of what will sound good coming out of their mouths, they may want to start thinking about what will actually look good on paper going through the U.S. Congress to make changes once they are in office.
Sources:
www.chinadaily.com.cn
CNN.com
The Glenn Beck Show on CNN
www.glennbeck.com
Thursday, January 24, 2008
Have A Laugh On The Sick Lady!
Because I haven't been well and able to post, I thought I'd write something easy for my readers to enjoy in the absense of the availability of my brain for something informative...workplace humor...for sick days...
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Click Here For Link
Mr. Johnston, a businessman from Colorado, recently went on a business trip to Arizona. He immediately sent an e-mail back home to his wife, Jo Ann, to let her know that he had arrived safely.
Unfortunately, he mistyped a few letters and the e-mail ended up going to a Mrs. Joan Johnson, the wife of a preacher who had just passed away.
The preacher's wife took one look at the e-mail and promptly fainted. When she was finally revived, she nervously pointed to the message, which read: "Arrived safely, but it sure is hot down here."
Click Here For Link
I'm tired. For a couple years, I've been blaming it on iron poor blood, lack of vitamins, dieting and a dozen other maladies. But now I found out it ain't that. I'm tired because I'm overworked.
The population of this country (the USA) is 237 million. 104 million are retired. That leaves 133 million to do the work. There are 85 million in school, which leave 48 million to do the work. Of this there are 29 million employed by the federal government.
This leaves 19 million to do the work. Four million are in the Armed Forces, which leaves 15 million to do the work.
Take from the total the 14,800,000 people who work for State and City Government and that leaves 200,000 to do the work.
There are 188,000 in hospitals, so that leaves 12,000 to do the work. Now, there are 11,998 people in Prisons. That leaves just two people to do the work. You and me.
Boy Oh Boy . . . And you're sitting there reading this. No wonder I'm tired, I'm the only one working.
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Link Here
Jesus and Satan have an argument as to who is the better programmer. This goes on for a few hours until they agree to hold a contest with God as the judge.
They set themselves before their computers and begin. They type furiously for several lines of code streaming up the screen. Seconds before the end of the competition, a bolt of lightning strikes, taking out the electricity.
Moments later, the power is restored, and God announces that the contest is over. He asks Satan to show what he had come up with. Satan is visibly upset, and cries, "I have nothing! I lost it all when the power went out."
"Very well, then." said God, "Let us see it Jesus fared any better."
Jesus entered a command, and the screen came to life in vivid display, the voices of an angelic choir poured forth from the speakers.
Satan was astonished and stuttered, "But how? I lost everything, yet Jesus' program is intact! How did he do it?"
God chuckled and replied, "Jesus saves."
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Click Here For Link
The patient demanded, "Doc, I just must have a liver transplant, a kidney transplant, a cornea transplant, a lung transplant, and a heart transplant."
"WHAT?" yelled the doctor. "Tell me, exactly why you think you need all these transplants."
"Well," explained the patient, "my boss told me that I needed to get reorganized."
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A plumber attended to a leaking faucet at the neurosurgeon's house. After a two-minute job, he demanded $150.
The neurosurgeon exclaimed, "I don't even charge that amount and I am a brain surgeon."
The plumber replied, "I agree. You are right! I too, didn't either, when I was a surgeon. That's why I switched to plumbing."
Sunday, January 20, 2008
Sabbath Day, January 20,2008
What a great country we live in, this great United States of America, that we have the freedom to practice our religion.
"Freedom of religion is a guarantee by a government for freedom of belief for individuals and freedom of worship for individuals and groups. It is generally recognized to also include the freedom not to follow any religion. Freedom of religion is considered by many in many nations and people to be a fundamental human right."
-The freedom of religion as stated by Wikipedia
As members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, Sunday is a day of rest from our weekly schedule of work. Today is a day that we reserve for worshipping our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.
The following is another piece of our basic doctrine. To compliment this text, you can use this link Click Here to view a video with more about these similar principles.
"The Restoration of Truth
The Gospel Blesses Families and Individuals
What's missing in my life? God has established families to bring happiness to His children, allow them to learn correct principles in a loving atmosphere, and prepare them to return to Him after they die. Because families are ordained of God, they are the most important social unit in time and in eternity."
"Marriage (Genesis 2:18) and family ( Genesis 1:28) are central focal points in God’s plan for the eternal destiny of His children. Your Heavenly Father wants you to do all you can during your time on Earth to prepare yourself to live in an eternal family."
"Successful marriages and families are established and maintained on sound principles, like those that Jesus Christ taught. These principles include faith in Jesus Christ, prayer, repentance, forgiveness, respect, love, compassion, work, and wholesome recreational activities. A home established on gospel principles is a place of refuge and safety, where the Spirit of the Lord can abide, blessing family members with peace, joy, and happiness (“ The Family: A Proclamation to the World”)."
"No marriage or family is perfect. When dealing with challenging relationships, it may help to remember that each person on this earth is a beloved son or daughter of God and has a divine nature and destiny. Learning to love and serve your family members, as Christ taught, will help you become more like your Heavenly Father and will help you prepare to live with Him again in an eternal family."
Family is the center for our beliefs. By incorporating gospel principles into my life and by using them in my family life, my relationships are strong, communication is better, and bonds with members of my family are everlasting. This is my testimony of this part of the gospel. For more on my testimony, please see my post at THIS LINK.
"Freedom of religion is a guarantee by a government for freedom of belief for individuals and freedom of worship for individuals and groups. It is generally recognized to also include the freedom not to follow any religion. Freedom of religion is considered by many in many nations and people to be a fundamental human right."
-The freedom of religion as stated by Wikipedia
As members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, Sunday is a day of rest from our weekly schedule of work. Today is a day that we reserve for worshipping our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.
The following is another piece of our basic doctrine. To compliment this text, you can use this link Click Here to view a video with more about these similar principles.
"The Restoration of Truth
The Gospel Blesses Families and Individuals
What's missing in my life? God has established families to bring happiness to His children, allow them to learn correct principles in a loving atmosphere, and prepare them to return to Him after they die. Because families are ordained of God, they are the most important social unit in time and in eternity."
"Marriage (Genesis 2:18) and family ( Genesis 1:28) are central focal points in God’s plan for the eternal destiny of His children. Your Heavenly Father wants you to do all you can during your time on Earth to prepare yourself to live in an eternal family."
"Successful marriages and families are established and maintained on sound principles, like those that Jesus Christ taught. These principles include faith in Jesus Christ, prayer, repentance, forgiveness, respect, love, compassion, work, and wholesome recreational activities. A home established on gospel principles is a place of refuge and safety, where the Spirit of the Lord can abide, blessing family members with peace, joy, and happiness (“ The Family: A Proclamation to the World”)."
"No marriage or family is perfect. When dealing with challenging relationships, it may help to remember that each person on this earth is a beloved son or daughter of God and has a divine nature and destiny. Learning to love and serve your family members, as Christ taught, will help you become more like your Heavenly Father and will help you prepare to live with Him again in an eternal family."
Family is the center for our beliefs. By incorporating gospel principles into my life and by using them in my family life, my relationships are strong, communication is better, and bonds with members of my family are everlasting. This is my testimony of this part of the gospel. For more on my testimony, please see my post at THIS LINK.
LDS Humor, "Sunbeams"
Subject: Sunbeams
An allegedly true story from a physician in Utah.
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I work part-time as a teacher of family doctors. The program provides training on psychiatric disorders and emphasizes the importance of emotional support. The new doctors are given plenty of time to visit with their patients and learn about their challenges. One of our interns, who has never lived in Utah and knows nothing about Mormons, is still struggling to understand the cultural climate here. Last week he was interviewing a new patient and stumbled on what he thought was a raging psychosis.
Doctor: "Well, Mrs. Olsen, we've talked about your high blood pressure and your medications. Are you experiencing any particular stress in your life?"
Patient: "Oh, yes! It's the Sunbeams. They're driving me crazy."
Doctor (very surprised): "The sun beams?"
Patient: "Yes. I've never had trouble with them before, but this group won't sit still. They bounce all over the room, and run out the door and down the hall."
Doctor (reaching for a pen): "Have you told anyone about this?"
Patient: "Of course. I told the president."
Doctor: "Really! What did the president tell you?"
Patient: "She said Sunbeams are like that. I'm just going to have to learn to deal with them."
Doctor (concerned that he may be missing something): "I know people who are sensitive to sun beams. Do they cause you a rash or anything?"
Patient (confused): "A rash? No."
Doctor: "What's the biggest problem they're creating?"
Patient: "It's the noise. They just won't quit talking."
Doctor (astonished): "The sun beams are talking to you?"
Patient: "Well, yes. But mostly they talk to each other."
Doctor (scribbling furiously in the chart): "I see. Can anyone else hear them talking?"
Patient (after a moment of stunned silence): "You're not LDS, are you?"
Saturday, January 19, 2008
Why Aren't Doctors Educated Regarding Lyme?
It's so frustrating to see others having similar problems to those I've had with mysterious fluxuating symptoms and no answers to why they are so severely ill. Why aren't doctors educated regarding Lyme disease? The testing is so easy. The symptoms are very broad, yes. However, when you have a patient who needs help and there are no answers, why aren't you testing them?
Here is an example of an online medical help forum where the doctor didn't even think of the OBVIOUS...
Med Help Forum Link
"I got suddenly ill after a camping trip 2 and a half years ago, and have never felt the same since. My initial symtoms were flu like, but much worse, I couldn't eat for a week, and I couldn't get out of bed for at least a week... I couldn't go anywhere for 5 months...The "mono" never went away, but it got slightly better...I have such strange symptoms though, I dont know what to make of it! I am of doctors telling me its anxiety...I can barely get out of bed and am tired all the time, and also many symptoms I have could not possibly be due to anxiety."
If you look at the forum, it takes, not the doctor, but another forum member to mention Lyme. Who knows if this person ever actually received that comment to get them the help that they needed.
As this story from Michigan shows, doctors need to be made aware of the symptoms and testing for Lyme disease so that the illness doesn't become so debilitating for the patient by the time they are lucky enough to be diagnosed properly.
Link - Click Here
"He was an honor student and a star athlete. But when a mysterious illness suddenly sidelined a Roseville teenager, his parents were desperate for answers...By October, Cameron Holloway was too sick to go to school and too weak to even think about playing soccer...Amy Holloway (Mom) turned to the Internet for answers. She said she learned from a woman in Pennsylvania that it could be Lyme Disease...when she addressed the idea to doctors, they "seemed to laugh at me," said Amy Holloway... A first test was negative, but a second test confirmed Cameron Holloway had Lyme Disease...only 30 percent of people with the disease get a rash at all and it does not always look like a bulls-eye...Cameron Holloway is now being treated with antibiotics, but faces a long road to recovery. He is focused on building up his strength so he can return to school, his friends and hopefully play soccer...My knees get weak and they hurt. I have muscle pains. I get night sweats, numbness in my legs and it's been really hard," said Cameron Holloway...His parents are grateful their son is being treated, but wish his illness would have been diagnosed sooner."
Remember, if you get the symptoms as listed in my post Link Here from January 5, 2008, get the simple tests done for Lyme as listed in the same post. Additionally, remember that you are not alone. There are many of us that have suffered the symptoms that you have suffered and are here to help you through your recovery.
Here is an example of an online medical help forum where the doctor didn't even think of the OBVIOUS...
Med Help Forum Link
"I got suddenly ill after a camping trip 2 and a half years ago, and have never felt the same since. My initial symtoms were flu like, but much worse, I couldn't eat for a week, and I couldn't get out of bed for at least a week... I couldn't go anywhere for 5 months...The "mono" never went away, but it got slightly better...I have such strange symptoms though, I dont know what to make of it! I am of doctors telling me its anxiety...I can barely get out of bed and am tired all the time, and also many symptoms I have could not possibly be due to anxiety."
If you look at the forum, it takes, not the doctor, but another forum member to mention Lyme. Who knows if this person ever actually received that comment to get them the help that they needed.
As this story from Michigan shows, doctors need to be made aware of the symptoms and testing for Lyme disease so that the illness doesn't become so debilitating for the patient by the time they are lucky enough to be diagnosed properly.
Link - Click Here
"He was an honor student and a star athlete. But when a mysterious illness suddenly sidelined a Roseville teenager, his parents were desperate for answers...By October, Cameron Holloway was too sick to go to school and too weak to even think about playing soccer...Amy Holloway (Mom) turned to the Internet for answers. She said she learned from a woman in Pennsylvania that it could be Lyme Disease...when she addressed the idea to doctors, they "seemed to laugh at me," said Amy Holloway... A first test was negative, but a second test confirmed Cameron Holloway had Lyme Disease...only 30 percent of people with the disease get a rash at all and it does not always look like a bulls-eye...Cameron Holloway is now being treated with antibiotics, but faces a long road to recovery. He is focused on building up his strength so he can return to school, his friends and hopefully play soccer...My knees get weak and they hurt. I have muscle pains. I get night sweats, numbness in my legs and it's been really hard," said Cameron Holloway...His parents are grateful their son is being treated, but wish his illness would have been diagnosed sooner."
Remember, if you get the symptoms as listed in my post Link Here from January 5, 2008, get the simple tests done for Lyme as listed in the same post. Additionally, remember that you are not alone. There are many of us that have suffered the symptoms that you have suffered and are here to help you through your recovery.
Wednesday, January 16, 2008
Zeitgeist Movie...What's Your Opinion?
There's an online move called Zeitgeist. Have you heard about its controversy yet? If not, here is the run-down.
During this article, I portray my own opinion. Please be sure to realize that your opinion may differ.
While I began my viewing, I was distraught by the absolute invasion of image after image of violence and grotesque bloodshed. I probably should have ended my viewing except that I knew that there was something to be revealed behind that curtain of disgust.
As the movie progressed, symbolic images of the bible given to someone with the American flag being draped over the top emerged. Images of evolution. Images of control.
Following these exhaustively disturbing images came dialog.
First came a comedian's condescending comments about religious people believing in God and questioning (in comedic context) why they would actually believe in a loving God, even if there was a place called "Hell", beginning the slap-in-the-face for Christianity, along with every other organized religion.
The continuing dialog remained set on conversion of the viewers to Atheism, or at least a push to disregard organized religion.
Someone with knowledge on the astrology and history then told a sorted tale about how all of the world's beliefs in Saviors were, in fact, plagiarism. That they all belong to the same tales that Egyptians wrote about the rise and fall of the actual sun.
The obvious God-mockers claim that the bible is a great astrological reference, but that Christianity and organized religion, as a whole, was put together as a means of control by government.
Once again, dialog follows that mocks believers of religion, along with reinforcement that the religious believers are being controlled by the government.
Freedom of religion is a constitutional right. Here is a definition Wikipedia Link - Click Here
"Freedom of religion is a guarantee by a government of freedom of belief for individuals and freedom of worship for individuals and groups. It is generally recognized to also include the freedom not to follow any religion. Freedom of religion is considered by many in many nations and people to be a fundamental human right."
"In a country with a state religion freedom of religion is generally considered to mean that the government permits religious practices of other sects besides the state religion, and does not persecute believers in other faiths."
Following the religion bashing, The Zeitgeist Movie attempts to prove that the government managed to produce 9/11.
I believe that there are events that may never completely make sense to those of us who were not present in one of the planes (obviously no survivors to tell the tale), or in one of the buildings. However, through manipulation of a barrage of images, text, and spliced interviews, they attempt to prove...
...That the government orchestrated all of 9/11 for profit and control.
...That there could not have been a plane that hit the Pentagon, because there were no remnants of the plane.
...That there could not have been a plane that went down in a field because there wasn't anything left.
...That the Twin Towers could not have fallen without help from demolition.
...That building 7 was a controlled demolition.
...That there were war games going on and NORAD couldn't separate the war games from the real hijacked planes.
Following that poorly orchestrated facade comes an absurd collage of events looped together in attempt to prove government issued terrorism has been produced to create a means to new legislation...
...They compare the American government to the Nazi government.
...That the whole society is being held together by the controlled use of fear of TERRORISM.
Of course, through the production, they add their own words, highlight certain documentation, hide other documentation, add only certain spliced news footage, etc.
I admit the population has obviously been frightened of terrorism. However, there has been a numbing effect on the population. People are use to the terminology being overused. The majority of the population has gone on with their lives, following the initial shock of 9/11, and don't pay particular attention to the word "terrorism". I believe that The Zeitgeist Movie attempts to use "terrorism" as a means to frighten their viewers into submission, rather than the way they portray its use.
Additionally, they use inappropriate shock value, which includes a call made by a man from his office while in one of the towers as it was collapsing on 9/11 ...
...followed by a speech on secrets not being the correct way of life along with footage of the JFK assassination, somehow linking the two together...yet another inappropriate shock value insert...capitalizing on death, violence, and emotional events in human history.
Their methods are certainly to utilize fear and violence to strike emotional tension in their viewers so that they submit to the viewpoints of the creator of the film and question the very core of their reality.
They follow this section with a poor attempt at trying to prove...
...That banks are bad.
...That banks equal debt and debt equals slavery...therefore, we are all slaves.
...They claim that the Founding Fathers were very aware of this "debt=slavery" concept.
There definitely may be worldwide controlling factors within the banking and media outlets that you may want to be aware of...here is a link to a post regarding a recent acquisition... Click Here For Link
While I may agree that debt may equal a form of slavery, this movie completely sensationalizes the system and may cause panic for those who live in these times if they are not aware of the nature of this film...conspiracy theory!
What is the definition of a conspiracy theory? As stated in Wikipedia...
"A conspiracy theory usually attributes the ultimate cause of an event or chain of events (usually political, social, pop cultural or historical events), or the concealment of such causes from public knowledge, to a secret, and often deceptive plot by a cabal of powerful or influential people or organizations. Many conspiracy theories imply that major events in history have been dominated by conspirators who manipulate political happenings from behind the scenes."
General arguments against conspiracism, also quoted from Wikipedia...
"Many people tend to respond to events or situations which have had an emotional impact upon them by trying to make sense of those events, typically in spiritual, moral, political, or scientific terms."
"Events which seem to resist such interpretation—for example, because they are, in fact, unexplainable—may provoke the inquirer to look harder for a meaning, until one is reached that is capable of offering the inquirer the required emotional satisfaction."
"At other times, the unfolding of complex sequences of events such as political phenomena are explainable, but not in simple terms. Conspiracy theories are often preferred by individuals as a way to understand what is happening around them without having to grasp the complexities of history and political interaction."
The above seems to describe this movie quite eloquently.
Here are some additional reality questions that they try to tag on to the film...
...They claim that we don't have to pay income tax and that it's nothing less than slavery.
...They claim that America funded both sides of WWII...purposely.
...They claim that all wars are for profit...that they are all staged by planned war pretexts.
This movie compares what is happening in the American government directly with what happened in Nazi Germany and Hitler. They compare Hitler with Bush. They compare Nazi documents with U.S. documents.
I find it interesting that they put that information in their movie. There is a documented factor between the Bush family and Hitler. You can read more about it at this link... Prescott Bush.
Here is just a blurb...
"Investigator John Loftus has said, "As a former federal prosecutor, I would make a case for Prescott Bush, his father-in-law (George Walker) and Averell Harriman [to be prosecuted] for giving aid and comfort to the enemy. They remained on the boards of these companies knowing that they were of financial benefit to the nation of Germany." Two former slave laborers from Poland have filed suit in London against the government of the United States and the heirs of Prescott Bush in the amount of $40 billion. A class-action lawsuit filed in the U.S. in 2001 was dismissed based on the principle of state sovereignty."
Next, The Zeitgeist Movie begins opposition of the organized educational system and portrays it as another government control mechanism. They portray that the government promotes drinking, watching movies, extensive TV viewing, and endless mind-numbing entertainment.
Again, they repeat that organized religion is part of government control.
One factual piece of data that they throw in is the NAU (North American Union), which I have yet to find information to debunk. However, they present it with much more information regarding governmental control of society than is currently on the front lines. A post with information and links is located at Click Here For Link
The Real ID card is supposed to lead to an RFID module, which will be implanted. Do you think that "they", the government, could actually have that power?...According to this movie, it's supposed to be located in all new passports.
Here are some links to RFID that you may want to read to educate yourself.
NPR - California Law Outlaws RFID Implant Mandate
What is RFID?
A controlled population? You may want to read my post at Click Here For Link, where you may find that there are people that are willing to control the population so that they don't leave behind as much of a carbon footprint.
Again, The Zeitgeist Movie includes some fact with fiction mixed in, highly sensationalized, so that those who watch become angry, upset and enraged.
Here is a definition of the word zeitgeist from Wikipedia...
"Zeitgeist" refers to the ethos of a select group of people, that express a particular (predominantly post-modern) world view, which is prevalent at a particular period of socio-cultural progression."
"Zeitgeist is the experience of a dominant cultural climate that defines, particularly in Hegelian thinking, an era in the dialectical progression of a people or the world at large. Hegel's main contribution to the formulation of the concept of Volksgeist is the attribution of a historical character to the concept. The spirit of a nation is one of the manifestations of "World Spirit" (Weltgeist). That Spirit is essentially alive and active throughout mankind's history. Now, the spirit of a nation is an intermediate stage of world history as the history of the World Spirit. The World Spirit gives impetus to the realization of the historical spirits of various nations (Volksgeister')."
"The spirits of individual nations are both the articulations (Gliederungen) of an organization and its realization. The spirits of individual nations represent a segment of the World Spirit out of which emerges the unlimited universal spirit. A comparison is introduced here between the status of an individual and that of a nation's spirit. In the process of his formation the individual undergoes various changes without, however, losing his identity. As a part of world history, a nation—exhibiting a certain trend expressed in its Volksgeist— plays its part in the total process of world history. But once it contributes its share to world history it can no longer play a role in the process of world history. The submersion in the total process prevents a people's cultural rebirth, because it has exhausted its creativity in the historical growth of its guiding spirit. It is for this reason that one of Hegel's disciples, Michelet, considered the idea of a renaissance of the Jewish people as philosophically impossible."
I applaud the use of the Internet as a media platform for entertainment and creativity. It's an innovative and future-forward venture. Additionally, the freedom of speech and freedom of press are, most arguably, some of our most treasured constitutional freedoms. However, The Zeitgeist Movie seems to provoke feelings of hatred toward religion, government, education, and society in general. Concluding a film so that your viewers want to move to into bomb shelters, take their children out of school, pull all of their money out of the economy, or assault their government, isn't a platform advisable for bringing any type of positive outcome to any event(s) in history.
Sources:
www.zeitgeistmovie.com
en.wikipedia.org
www.npr.org
www.aimglobal.org
issuesoncall.blogspot.com
Sunday, January 13, 2008
Sabbath Day, January 13, 2008
What a great country we live in, this great United States of America, that we have the freedom to practice our religion.
"Freedom of religion is a guarantee by a government for freedom of belief for individuals and freedom of worship for individuals and groups. It is generally recognized to also include the freedom not to follow any religion. Freedom of religion is considered by many in many nations and people to be a fundamental human right."
-The freedom of religion as stated by Wikipedia
As members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, Sunday is a day of rest from our weekly schedule of work. Today is a day that we reserve for worshipping our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.
Here is a description of one of our beliefs.
The Restoration of Truth www.mormon.org
God is your loving Heavenly Father.
Does God really know me?
God is your Father in Heaven (Matthew 6:9). We call God Heavenly Father because He is the Father of our spirits and we are created in His image (Genesis 1:27). God has a body that looks like yours, though His body is immortal, perfected, and has a glory beyond description.
He knows you personally and loves you more than you can comprehend. To help you find happiness in this life and guide you to return to live with Him, Heavenly Father provided a plan called the gospel of Jesus Christ, a guide based on the life and teachings of His Son, Jesus Christ.
From the beginning, Heavenly Father has called prophets to testify, record His word, and provide His plan for His children on the earth. The teachings of prophets are found in sacred books called scriptures (Amos 3:7).
Your Heavenly Father knows you and loves you and wants to help you return to Him. Your life on Earth is part of His plan for you to gain a body, learn, grow, and find joy.
Sometimes life is hard, lonely, or frightening, but your Heavenly Father is always there. He sorrows when you suffer and rejoices when you do what is right. He wants to communicate with you as you sincerely pray to Him, and He stands ready to give you comfort, peace, and guidance in your life.
Jesus Christ taught that you must know the only true God to have eternal life (John 17:3). As His child, you must know who He is and what He is like to find greater peace and joy, both in this life and in the life to come."
Sources:
www.lds.org
www.mormon.org
"Freedom of religion is a guarantee by a government for freedom of belief for individuals and freedom of worship for individuals and groups. It is generally recognized to also include the freedom not to follow any religion. Freedom of religion is considered by many in many nations and people to be a fundamental human right."
-The freedom of religion as stated by Wikipedia
As members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, Sunday is a day of rest from our weekly schedule of work. Today is a day that we reserve for worshipping our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.
Here is a description of one of our beliefs.
The Restoration of Truth www.mormon.org
God is your loving Heavenly Father.
Does God really know me?
God is your Father in Heaven (Matthew 6:9). We call God Heavenly Father because He is the Father of our spirits and we are created in His image (Genesis 1:27). God has a body that looks like yours, though His body is immortal, perfected, and has a glory beyond description.
He knows you personally and loves you more than you can comprehend. To help you find happiness in this life and guide you to return to live with Him, Heavenly Father provided a plan called the gospel of Jesus Christ, a guide based on the life and teachings of His Son, Jesus Christ.
From the beginning, Heavenly Father has called prophets to testify, record His word, and provide His plan for His children on the earth. The teachings of prophets are found in sacred books called scriptures (Amos 3:7).
Your Heavenly Father knows you and loves you and wants to help you return to Him. Your life on Earth is part of His plan for you to gain a body, learn, grow, and find joy.
Sometimes life is hard, lonely, or frightening, but your Heavenly Father is always there. He sorrows when you suffer and rejoices when you do what is right. He wants to communicate with you as you sincerely pray to Him, and He stands ready to give you comfort, peace, and guidance in your life.
Jesus Christ taught that you must know the only true God to have eternal life (John 17:3). As His child, you must know who He is and what He is like to find greater peace and joy, both in this life and in the life to come."
Sources:
www.lds.org
www.mormon.org
Saturday, January 12, 2008
Lyme Disease. Welcome to the War Zone!
The Lyme disease war zone is described by Stephen Harrod Buhner, in his book called Healing Lyme, as "...a battle between people holding competing theories of Lyme disease and its treatment. The intensity of the conflict has regrettably reached almost religious levels amongst the different proponents. Caught in the crossfire are those with Lyme disease who are trying to understand what is happening to them, and to discover how best to deal with it. This is, in my opinion, reprehensible."
When pondering the thought of Lyme disease and how I was infected, most doctors would take me back in time, to memories of when I may have experienced a tick bite. Of course, having late stage Lyme, I cannot remember any such occassion. However, the physicians have never inquired regarding other causes of my transmitting the disease, nor have they inquired regarding my family and their health circumstances.
"In order to reduce the incidence of this disease, the education of health professionals, the public and politicians about Lyme, needs to be addressed."
--Wendy Leffel, M.D., "Healing Lyme"
Did you know that there are other possible means of transmiting Lyme disease?
Note: most of these are refuted through the CDC's site CDC Lyme Disease
*Human Breast Milk
*Tears
*Urine
*Semen
*also has been transmitted to babies in the womb
*mosquitos
*mites
*fleas
*biting flies
*other documented routes
The stereotype that Lyme is only spread through tick bites is one of the things that keeps the medical community from diagnosing and treating the growing, unreported, number of cases of Lyme disease..."...that a significant amount of reputable research is being ingnored by the mainstream medical community."
"Epidemiologic data suggest that the actual incidence of Lyme disease could be as much as 10 times higher than CDC data indicate. This probably is a result of a restrictive case definition from the CDC, inevitable misdiagnosis, and the fact that physicians tend to under report reportable diseases of all kinds."
--Jonathan Edlow, M.D., Harvard Medical School
These organisms (borrelia) are often present in such small numbers, and antibodies are so low in some of those infected that they don't show up on the standard blood tests for Lyme. Therefore, there is a desperate need for standard use of more sensitive tests to accurately diagnose the population. There may be many of those that have tested negative for the disease, who are actually infected.
"We desperately need practitioners on the frontlines who recognize and treat Lyme properly in the early, most curable stages and who take appropriately aggressive measures in later stages."
--Wendy Leffel, M.D., "Healing Lyme"
Other approaches to treatment need to be approached. Antibiotics are known as not tough enough in the fight against late-stage, or chronic Lyme disease. Even with this research and evidence, the CDC recommendations for treatment are exclusively built around antibiotics. See their recommendations for treatment here CDC treatments and links
"Science, though it often is, should never be the plaything of the powerful nor used to control the innocent for the accummulation of power and profit."
--Stephen Buhner, "Healing Lyme"
What treatments are the correct treatments?
What diagnostic data is the correct data to report?
What tools and tests should be used for diagnosis?
"Six points stand out to me after a rather long and intense examination of the existing material: (1) There is a lot of hysteria about Lyme disease. Everybody is pretty scared, most are not really sure what to do, including the physicians; (2) There are a lot more sick people than the statistics indicate; (3) Antibiotics are not nearly as effective as purported to be; (4) Clear, concise, unemotional information is hard to obtain; (5) Tests for Lyme disease are not very reliable; (6) Something very strange is going on in the field of Lyme disease and its treatment."
--Stephen Buhner, "Healing Lyme"
Why aren't patients, across the country, being tested for Lyme? Why is this such a hard diagnosis to obtain, when it is the correct diagnosis?
Sources:
www.cdc.gov
www.lymenet.org
www.lymediseaseassociation.org
Healing Lyme, by Stephen Harrod Buhner
Friday, January 11, 2008
Finally Friday!
Finally it's Friday night!
I don't have to get up early to get kids off to school.
I ran all of my erands today, instead of being insane and doing it like everyone else, on Saturday.
My family will all be home so we will be able to play some board games and do some things like that.
Of course, it won't all be fun and games. I have over 8 years of de-cluttering and reorganizing to do around this house. We really need some order around here! Yes, I am a "type A", which stands for anal.
Right now, I'm networking a post I wrote on another blog I have to my network on Digg. That takes a while because it only allows me to share to a certain number of people at a time and I have about 1000 in my network. That weblog location is http://maxyourping.blogspot.com and it is about maximizing your blog with widgets, gadgets, technology, networking and other useful advice. Here is the link if you are interested. Click Here
Tomorrow I will be posting another in the series of informational posts on Lyme Disease. The more I investigate as my diagnosis and treatment continue, the more interesting the information becomes.
At the same time as I am networking on Digg, I am going to throw a load of white laundry in the wash on a delay so that it will be done in the morning to put in the dryer. I love my washing machine!
If you haven't watched my YouTube video selection to the left, you should. I have included a guy that is hillarious and is funny in a clean way...vary rare in the comedy scene!
Until tomorrow...
I'm grateful for Fridays!
I'm grateful for my family members who are helping us provide while my Husband is unemployed.
I'm grateful for my children and their hugs.
I'm grateful for appliances!
I'm grateful for a smiling faced checker when you go to a busy place like Walmart, who has a great attitude and bags your items just right!
I'm grateful for the other coaches who are working with me at the elementary school on The Knowledge Bowl...we all have children with Asperger's Syndrome.
I'm grateful for reliable cars, that I pray can stay reliable until we are employed and can afford to service them.
I'm grateful for my cats and their companionship, as if they are like little toddlers, entertaining me and needing me at the same time.
I'm grateful for the beautiful snow that fell today. The flakes were big and fell very gracefully without a lot of wind.
I'm grateful for the school crossing-guard who works between the parking lot at the park and the parking lot at the school. He is always so much a gentleman and so happy to be doing his job.
Thursday, January 10, 2008
Positive Attitude Regardless of Frustrations
I've been frustrated today regarding a few things, which of course never happens to anyone else on the planet, hah, hah.
1. A nagging migraine from my Lyme Disease that just won't stop...pretty typical for many with the disease.
2. Contractors still working on my house after having it "finished" over a year ago.
3. My site on Blogger being crawled by Adsense and one of my URLs being blocked so all of my Adsense ads won't show up and not getting answers after a full day with Blogger and Adsense...of course there are no phone numbers...you just have to wait until you hear back from their help groups or help forums with the answers.
4. Deleting the story/article I spent time on that was blocked (the URL) when Adsense sent their spiders to crawl my site on the 6th and knowing that I'll never get that work back...just so that I might find a fix for the ads.
However, I choose to live on the positive side of life. Here are things I am grateful for today...
1. I had contractors at my home that were willing to fix some of the issues that had not been previously fixed by the builder's previous contractors. They had a positive attitude and were professional...and didn't leave me with a giant mess to clean up.
2. I had time with my Husband (still unemployed) while we were working on computers we have set up side-by-side in the loft of our wonderful house that we are blessed with. I love time with my Husband. He is my best friend and we have a lot of laughs!
3. My husband let me feel good about laying down to take a nap to try to get rid of my headache (didn't work, but I did need the rest). He took care of getting the kids their snacks, meds, homework, dinner and ready for bed. Did I tell you I have an awesome Husband?!
4. I don't live in Iraq, Israel, Pakistan or Iran but here in the U.S., where I count what constitutional rights we have available and uncompromised a blessing.
5. I have family who is a great support, rallying around us in our time of unemployment and my time of illness and recovery, helping us provide monetarily, emotionally, and spiritually. True blessings!
6. I have great neighbors who watch out for each other and care for one another. We have a tight knit group in this new little neighborhood. A wonderful thing to watch! Everyone caring for one another's children while they are playing all over the neighborhood. Everyone caring for concerns about those who are having problems with paying for their houses during this housing crisis, or with selling their houses, and with their needs in general.
7. My children attend a great elementary school with a Principal who knows them and me by name and is happy to see us every day, out of the 1200 children that attend. They have wonderful teachers! They are starting wonderful programs (new school)!
8. We attend a fantastic ward (a group that meets at a certain time at my church building) on Sundays for our church meetings. They are such a support and they care very much about our well being!
9. Quiet time...this time I have while everyone else is in bed, since I took a nap and am waiting for my headache medication to kick-in, to post to my readers, who I care to know about how much hope they can have to be positive when they are chronically ill. Silence in every one's day is imperative. It clears the mind of the "junk" and lets you focus on what really matters.
10. That every day is a new beginning...a new start...a do over. All of the things that I felt that I didn't do quite right today are things that I can do a little better tomorrow. I don't mean to say that one should procrastinate. I mean to say that you should never get those voices in your head festering that you didn't do well at this or that or the other thing. Just know that you did your best for today and you'll do it different tomorrow. That is life. You choose how you wish to live it. It doesn't control you. You control it...or how you choose to look/react to it.
1. A nagging migraine from my Lyme Disease that just won't stop...pretty typical for many with the disease.
2. Contractors still working on my house after having it "finished" over a year ago.
3. My site on Blogger being crawled by Adsense and one of my URLs being blocked so all of my Adsense ads won't show up and not getting answers after a full day with Blogger and Adsense...of course there are no phone numbers...you just have to wait until you hear back from their help groups or help forums with the answers.
4. Deleting the story/article I spent time on that was blocked (the URL) when Adsense sent their spiders to crawl my site on the 6th and knowing that I'll never get that work back...just so that I might find a fix for the ads.
However, I choose to live on the positive side of life. Here are things I am grateful for today...
1. I had contractors at my home that were willing to fix some of the issues that had not been previously fixed by the builder's previous contractors. They had a positive attitude and were professional...and didn't leave me with a giant mess to clean up.
2. I had time with my Husband (still unemployed) while we were working on computers we have set up side-by-side in the loft of our wonderful house that we are blessed with. I love time with my Husband. He is my best friend and we have a lot of laughs!
3. My husband let me feel good about laying down to take a nap to try to get rid of my headache (didn't work, but I did need the rest). He took care of getting the kids their snacks, meds, homework, dinner and ready for bed. Did I tell you I have an awesome Husband?!
4. I don't live in Iraq, Israel, Pakistan or Iran but here in the U.S., where I count what constitutional rights we have available and uncompromised a blessing.
5. I have family who is a great support, rallying around us in our time of unemployment and my time of illness and recovery, helping us provide monetarily, emotionally, and spiritually. True blessings!
6. I have great neighbors who watch out for each other and care for one another. We have a tight knit group in this new little neighborhood. A wonderful thing to watch! Everyone caring for one another's children while they are playing all over the neighborhood. Everyone caring for concerns about those who are having problems with paying for their houses during this housing crisis, or with selling their houses, and with their needs in general.
7. My children attend a great elementary school with a Principal who knows them and me by name and is happy to see us every day, out of the 1200 children that attend. They have wonderful teachers! They are starting wonderful programs (new school)!
8. We attend a fantastic ward (a group that meets at a certain time at my church building) on Sundays for our church meetings. They are such a support and they care very much about our well being!
9. Quiet time...this time I have while everyone else is in bed, since I took a nap and am waiting for my headache medication to kick-in, to post to my readers, who I care to know about how much hope they can have to be positive when they are chronically ill. Silence in every one's day is imperative. It clears the mind of the "junk" and lets you focus on what really matters.
10. That every day is a new beginning...a new start...a do over. All of the things that I felt that I didn't do quite right today are things that I can do a little better tomorrow. I don't mean to say that one should procrastinate. I mean to say that you should never get those voices in your head festering that you didn't do well at this or that or the other thing. Just know that you did your best for today and you'll do it different tomorrow. That is life. You choose how you wish to live it. It doesn't control you. You control it...or how you choose to look/react to it.
Wednesday, January 9, 2008
Drowning In Sleepiness
I feel like I'm drowning in the sleepiness of having to stay awake all day.
My body wants to go to a quiet place where I can be a superhero and save the world without moving a muscle except my brain.
Dreams are a relief from the reality of days when I go from 6am to 10pm without rest and without relief...pushing myself like the little train that could.
Pretending not to have Lyme Disease, to be a supermom, to be everything to everyone.
Laundry is done, the walk and driveway is shoveled, the floors are mopped and vacuumed, the dishes are clean, my kids are well, my family is happy, now I'm going to collapse!
Something I read today that I'd like to share...
Become a Better You, by Joel Olsteen
"You may not feel well today, but don't go around saying, "I don't think I'm ever going to get over this sickness." Instead, start boldly declaring, "God is restoring health unto me. I am getting better every day in every way."
No matter how I feel during the day, my push is to beat this illness and I know that I can do it!
My body wants to go to a quiet place where I can be a superhero and save the world without moving a muscle except my brain.
Dreams are a relief from the reality of days when I go from 6am to 10pm without rest and without relief...pushing myself like the little train that could.
Pretending not to have Lyme Disease, to be a supermom, to be everything to everyone.
Laundry is done, the walk and driveway is shoveled, the floors are mopped and vacuumed, the dishes are clean, my kids are well, my family is happy, now I'm going to collapse!
Something I read today that I'd like to share...
Become a Better You, by Joel Olsteen
"You may not feel well today, but don't go around saying, "I don't think I'm ever going to get over this sickness." Instead, start boldly declaring, "God is restoring health unto me. I am getting better every day in every way."
No matter how I feel during the day, my push is to beat this illness and I know that I can do it!
Tuesday, January 8, 2008
Face of Lyme Disease, Today
I've decided to give my readers an expanded version of what it's like to have Lyme Disease, from the recovery process, which is just beginning. I will include reflections on my illness for readers to relate to as well as posts on the series that I have begun regarding the facts involved.
I feel it's important for readers to have someone to relate with, especially if they are going through something similar. If you know someone who is chronically ill, now is the time to have them subscribe to my blog because I've decided to get personal.
Here is what today was like.
Everyday is just a little bit different. It's kind of like a never-ending roller coaster ride...never very predictable, although moreso than it used to be.
I woke up, after hitting the snooze from 6:15am to 7:00am. I woke up my kids, two boys, ages 7 and 10 and then proceeded to wake up my husband so that he would be ready when I got my kids ready so he could drive them to school.
He is currently unemployed...much too long now...since October...In other words, we are hating it in the money department!
So, I have him drive the kids to school right now, so that I can take it easy in the morning until he has a job...not that I always take it easy, but I have a bit of nausea in the morning...mostly from the antibiotics and transitioning off some of the meds that have been pushed at me for conditions I really don't have.
Some days are more challenging than others because my 10 year old has high-functioning Asperger's Syndrome and my 7 year old has aspects of it, however, not as dramatically obvious...both being treated...both blessings!!!!
Today, I was really dragging when I got up, but managed to get their lunches ready and get them dressed in well-pressed clothes with their hair combed as usual. However, this morning's breakfast consisted of yogurt and poptarts. Not exactly the breakfast of champions.
Once they were out the door, I took my medicine and sat down to watch the local news...my normal morning ritual. I then had a bagel for breakfast and laid down to watch the national news and fell asleep on the couch until 11:30am. So much for productivity!
Once I woke up, I decided that I'd better make good use of my day before my kids came home so I logged onto the computer and did some networking on Digg and caught up on my email sites for 1 hour. After that I read for 30 minutes...uplifting material, followed by 30 minutes of yoga and free weights.
Knowing that the kids would walk in from the bus at any time, I decided to hurry and make the beds, clean-up the kitchen table and take care of the litter-box.
When they walked in the door, I was able to greet them with a smile, as if I had been productive all day. I had done a pretty darn good job with the time I'd used!
We did the typical after school stuff...snack, homework, chores, and then my kids went out to play with their friends for a bit. I finished taking down all of the Christmas stuff and putting the tubs and boxes down in the basement. Then, I re-arranged my family room, since the Christmas Tree wasn't there anymore. I like the way it looks. I used methods of Fung Shui and altered it from before we had the tree there. My kids like it. They get into reorganizing the furniture and stuff with me. It's fun!
Yes, my Christmas stuff was still up.
I then had my Husband help me fix dinner (he was gone all day), while I worked on fixing his glasses that broke today...don't have a job=no money for new glasses...no good...I tried for about 45 minutes...still broken.
After dinner, my Husband helped me get the kids to bathe and get ready for bed. We got them in bed. One got out of bed for a snack and back in bed. I cleaned the downstairs bathroom, did one load of laundry, prepped for tomorrow, showered, and here I am (my Husband is playing basketball with the guys at the church gym).
No, I didn't shower until 10:00pm.
Was it easy today? Not completely. I fought a migraine, which I have been fighting for 3 days now, and nausea. I also had to self-motivate quite a bit. However, once I did my yoga and read uplifting literature, I really felt quite motivated. I think that the nap was necessary as well. I used to feel guilty about those...as if they were some kind of laziness. However, I know now that my body is healing and when I need a nap, I need a nap.
Not too exciting, eh? But, I feel it was a lot better than Saturday and Sunday, in which I spent the majority of the day in bed.
Like I said...a roller coaster ride!!!
I feel it's important for readers to have someone to relate with, especially if they are going through something similar. If you know someone who is chronically ill, now is the time to have them subscribe to my blog because I've decided to get personal.
Here is what today was like.
Everyday is just a little bit different. It's kind of like a never-ending roller coaster ride...never very predictable, although moreso than it used to be.
I woke up, after hitting the snooze from 6:15am to 7:00am. I woke up my kids, two boys, ages 7 and 10 and then proceeded to wake up my husband so that he would be ready when I got my kids ready so he could drive them to school.
He is currently unemployed...much too long now...since October...In other words, we are hating it in the money department!
So, I have him drive the kids to school right now, so that I can take it easy in the morning until he has a job...not that I always take it easy, but I have a bit of nausea in the morning...mostly from the antibiotics and transitioning off some of the meds that have been pushed at me for conditions I really don't have.
Some days are more challenging than others because my 10 year old has high-functioning Asperger's Syndrome and my 7 year old has aspects of it, however, not as dramatically obvious...both being treated...both blessings!!!!
Today, I was really dragging when I got up, but managed to get their lunches ready and get them dressed in well-pressed clothes with their hair combed as usual. However, this morning's breakfast consisted of yogurt and poptarts. Not exactly the breakfast of champions.
Once they were out the door, I took my medicine and sat down to watch the local news...my normal morning ritual. I then had a bagel for breakfast and laid down to watch the national news and fell asleep on the couch until 11:30am. So much for productivity!
Once I woke up, I decided that I'd better make good use of my day before my kids came home so I logged onto the computer and did some networking on Digg and caught up on my email sites for 1 hour. After that I read for 30 minutes...uplifting material, followed by 30 minutes of yoga and free weights.
Knowing that the kids would walk in from the bus at any time, I decided to hurry and make the beds, clean-up the kitchen table and take care of the litter-box.
When they walked in the door, I was able to greet them with a smile, as if I had been productive all day. I had done a pretty darn good job with the time I'd used!
We did the typical after school stuff...snack, homework, chores, and then my kids went out to play with their friends for a bit. I finished taking down all of the Christmas stuff and putting the tubs and boxes down in the basement. Then, I re-arranged my family room, since the Christmas Tree wasn't there anymore. I like the way it looks. I used methods of Fung Shui and altered it from before we had the tree there. My kids like it. They get into reorganizing the furniture and stuff with me. It's fun!
Yes, my Christmas stuff was still up.
I then had my Husband help me fix dinner (he was gone all day), while I worked on fixing his glasses that broke today...don't have a job=no money for new glasses...no good...I tried for about 45 minutes...still broken.
After dinner, my Husband helped me get the kids to bathe and get ready for bed. We got them in bed. One got out of bed for a snack and back in bed. I cleaned the downstairs bathroom, did one load of laundry, prepped for tomorrow, showered, and here I am (my Husband is playing basketball with the guys at the church gym).
No, I didn't shower until 10:00pm.
Was it easy today? Not completely. I fought a migraine, which I have been fighting for 3 days now, and nausea. I also had to self-motivate quite a bit. However, once I did my yoga and read uplifting literature, I really felt quite motivated. I think that the nap was necessary as well. I used to feel guilty about those...as if they were some kind of laziness. However, I know now that my body is healing and when I need a nap, I need a nap.
Not too exciting, eh? But, I feel it was a lot better than Saturday and Sunday, in which I spent the majority of the day in bed.
Like I said...a roller coaster ride!!!
Sunday, January 6, 2008
Lyme Disease Series Will Continue
The third part of a series in Lyme Disease will be posted this week.
Sabbath Day, January 6, 2008
What a great country we live in, this great United States of America, that we have the freedom to practice our religion.
"Freedom of religion is a guarantee by a government for freedom of belief for individuals and freedom of worship for individuals and groups. It is generally recognized to also include the freedom not to follow any religion. Freedom of religion is considered by many in many nations and people to be a fundamental human right."
-The freedom of religion as stated by Wikipedia
As members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, Sunday is a day of rest from our weekly schedule of work. Today is a day that we reserve for worshipping our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.
"Myths & Reality was developed as a primer on The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. It was shown to a large gathering of NBC producers and reporters before the 2002 Games to help orient them to Mormon beliefs, practice and culture. NBC was the official media sponsor of the Olympics in 2002 and invited the Church to make a presentation to its large Olympic Games team."
Source:
www.lds.org
"Freedom of religion is a guarantee by a government for freedom of belief for individuals and freedom of worship for individuals and groups. It is generally recognized to also include the freedom not to follow any religion. Freedom of religion is considered by many in many nations and people to be a fundamental human right."
-The freedom of religion as stated by Wikipedia
As members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, Sunday is a day of rest from our weekly schedule of work. Today is a day that we reserve for worshipping our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.
"Myths & Reality was developed as a primer on The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. It was shown to a large gathering of NBC producers and reporters before the 2002 Games to help orient them to Mormon beliefs, practice and culture. NBC was the official media sponsor of the Olympics in 2002 and invited the Church to make a presentation to its large Olympic Games team."
Source:
www.lds.org
Saturday, January 5, 2008
Plausible Multiple Sclerosis? No Way!
As I stated in the beginning to this series of articles on Lyme Disease, I experienced at least 8 years of being critically and chronically ill. Doctors could not figure out what was causing the symptoms.
Oh yes, they would guess that it maybe Arthritis, Lymphoma, Fibromyalgia, and the last diagnosis...PLAUSIBLE Multiple Sclerosis. However, I was not going to take PLAUSIBLE as the diagnosis.
Once I went through the process as stated in my December 30, 2007 post, I finally received the real diagnosis...Lyme Disease. That was after spending family vacation at Disneyland, this past October, in a wheelchair. I am never going to spend vacation at Disneyland in a wheelchair again!
Lyme Disease creates many symptoms.
Here is one site that gives some of those symptoms.
www.anapsid.org link
Abnormal sensitivity to hot or cold
Allergies (nasal, other; new, increased or worsening)
Canker sores (frequent)
Chills and/or shakes when hungry (may occur instead of feeling hungry)
Cold hands and feet
Extreme fatigue after minimal exertion
Feeling hot or cold often
Flu-like symptoms, on-going or recurrent after initial gradual or acute onset; includes mild fever (99.5-101.5 F / 37.5-38.6 C), chills
Hair loss (alopecia)
Herpes simplex or shingles rash
Increased susceptibility to infections
Low-grade fevers
Low blood pressure (below 110/70)
Low body temperature (below 97.5)
Lymph nodes painful, swollen (in neck; under arms)
Night sweats (not related to menopause or fever)
Orthostatic Intolerance (neurally mediated hypotension)
Reactive hypoglycemia and insulin resistance
Thirst, increased
Temperature irregularities; often feeling hot or cold irrespective of actual ambient temperature and body temperature; low body temperature (below 97.6 F / 36.4 C)
Thyroid inflammation (acute thyroiditis; hypothyroidism; Hashimoto's thyroiditis)
An even more impressive and comprehensive list of symptoms comes from the following site.
Canadian Lyme Disease Foundation Click Here For Link
"Many Lyme patients were firstly diagnosed with other illnesses such as Juvenile Arthritis, Rheumatoid Arthritis, Reactive Arthritis, Infectious Arthritis, Osteoarthritis, Fibromyalgia, Raynaud's Syndrome, Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, Interstitial Cystis, Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease, Fifth Disease, Multiple Sclerosis, scleroderma, lupus, early ALS, early Alzheimers Disease, crohn's disease, ménières syndrome, reynaud's syndrome, sjogren's syndrome, irritable bowel syndrome, colitis, prostatitis, psychiatric disorders (bipolar, depression, etc.), encephalitis, sleep disorders, thyroid disease and various other illnesses."
"If you are a doctor please re-examine these diagnoses, incorporating Lyme in the differential diagnoses.
"The one common thread with Lyme Disease is the number of systems affected (brain, central nervous system, autonomic nervous system, cardiovascular, digestive, respiratory, musco-skeletal, etc.) and sometimes the hourly/daily/weekly/monthly changing of symptoms."
"No one will have all symptoms but if many are present serious consideration must be given by any physician to Lyme as the possible culprit. Lyme is endemic in Canada period. The infection rate with Lyme in the tick population is exploding in North America and as the earth's temperature warms this trend is expected to continue."
Check this page link for a list of 75 symptoms that will help you to know if you should be tested for Lyme Disease.
Click Here For Page Link
I was asked about tests for Lyme Disease. The following relates the basics on the testing.
www.acponline.org link
"Blood Tests
Blood tests, also known as Lyme titers, cannot diagnose Lyme disease alone, but they are used to confirm a diagnosis. The most common blood test ordered for Lyme disease is the ELISA, with the western blot used as a follow-up test. The ELISA tests for antibodies, the body's defense system against infections; it does not test for the bacteria itself. These anti-Borrelia burgdorferi antibodies may take up to 2 to 6 weeks after infection to appear in the blood. Therefore, a blood test immediately following a tick bite will not be able to determine whether or not a person has been infected since not enough time has passed for antibodies to develop."
"Other bacterial infections and diseases may cause an ELISA to be positive when, in fact, the patient does not have Lyme disease. Therefore, the Western Blot, a more accurate test that can be used 6 to 12 weeks after infection, is recommended to confirm all positive or equivocal ELISA results. However, if symptoms and history strongly suggest Lyme disease, a doctor may begin treatment without blood test confirmation. Note that frequent testing without symptoms that suggest infection, even in endemic areas, increases the chance of a test result being positive when a person is not actually infected with Lyme disease."
I hope that this part in the series is helpful. I will continue to give further information in this series with blogs that include treatment options, statistics, links, etc.
If you suspect you may have Lyme Disease, don't wait for a doctor to offer to test you. Take it upon yourself to ask the doctor to order the tests. There is nothing wrong with taking control of your health care. It is your life. Choose to live it fully!
Sources:
www.anapsid.org - Melissa Kaplan's Chronic Neuroimmune Diseases
Information on CFS, FM, MCS, Lyme Disease, Thyroid, and more...
Melissa Kaplan, The Carousel Network, May/June 2003
www.canlyme.com - Canadian Lyme Disease Foundation
www.acponline.org - American College of Physicians
Andrew Olmsted...Died Doing What He Loved
Andrew Olmsted, for me, was a blogger that I networked with, looked up to for interesting opinion, and found his outlook interesting and inspiring.
http://www.defenselink.mil/releases/release.aspx?r ...
The Department of Defense announced today the death of two soldiers who were supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom. They died Jan. 3 in As Sadiyah, Iraq, of wounds suffered when insurgents attacked their unit using small arms fire during combat operations. Both Soldiers were assigned to the Military Transition Team, 1st Brigade, 1st Infantry Division, Fort Riley, Kan.
Killed were:
Maj. Andrew J. Olmsted, 37, of Colorado Springs, Colo.
Cpt. Thomas J. Casey, 32, of Albuquerque, N.M.
For further information related to this release, contact Fort Riley public affairs at (785) 239-3410
Here is his final post that was released by one of his close friends on the following three sites as his last wish.
Please use this as another way to respect those serving our country in the military.
Please pay attention to his last wishes and don't use this for political reasons among others.
andrewolmsted.com
obsidianwings.blogs.com
windsofchange.net
http://www.defenselink.mil/releases/release.aspx?r ...
The Department of Defense announced today the death of two soldiers who were supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom. They died Jan. 3 in As Sadiyah, Iraq, of wounds suffered when insurgents attacked their unit using small arms fire during combat operations. Both Soldiers were assigned to the Military Transition Team, 1st Brigade, 1st Infantry Division, Fort Riley, Kan.
Killed were:
Maj. Andrew J. Olmsted, 37, of Colorado Springs, Colo.
Cpt. Thomas J. Casey, 32, of Albuquerque, N.M.
For further information related to this release, contact Fort Riley public affairs at (785) 239-3410
Here is his final post that was released by one of his close friends on the following three sites as his last wish.
Please use this as another way to respect those serving our country in the military.
Please pay attention to his last wishes and don't use this for political reasons among others.
andrewolmsted.com
obsidianwings.blogs.com
windsofchange.net
Wednesday, January 2, 2008
Guns or No Guns, Awareness Is Key
Guns or No Guns, Awareness Is Key
By Natasha Call
Are you aware of the U.S. gun statistics?
I've thought about the "What ifs"...What if my family needed protection, what if someone was trying to attack me or a family member, etc.
Still considering the options for myself and my family, I've decided to share some of the statistics regarding the percentage of those who own guns and use them to protect their families as compared to the percentage of injuries, suicides and accidental deaths.
Statistics, Facts and Quotes
http://www.ichv.org/Statistics.htm
..."FACT: Contrary to popular belief, young children do possess the physical strength to fire a gun: 25% of 3 to 4 year olds, 70% of 5 to 6 year olds, and 90% of 7 to 8 year olds can fire most handguns."
..."FACT: In 2002, a total of 828 young Americans ages 10-19 committed suicide with firearms, a decrease of 11% from the 2001 total of 928 youth gun suicides. Unlike suicide attempts using other methods, suicide attempts with guns are nearly always fatal, meaning a temporarily depressed teenager will never get a second chance at life. Nearly two-thirds of all completed teenage suicides involve a firearm."
..."FACT: The firearms used in 72% of unintentional firearm deaths and injuries, and in firearm suicide attempts and completions, for people ages 0-19 were stored in the residence of the victim, their relative, or their friend."
..."FACT: 59% of students in grades six through twelve know where to get a gun if they want one, and two thirds of these students say they can acquire a firearm within 24 hours"
..."FACT: While handguns account for only one-third of all firearms owned in the United States, they account for more than two-thirds of all firearm-related deaths each year. A gun in the home is 4 times more likely to be involved in an unintentional shooting, 7 times more likely to be used to commit a criminal assault or homicide, and 11 times more likely to be used to attempt or commit suicide than to be used in self-defense."
While facts and statistics may be interesting to some, Paul Harvey summarized this issue quite eloquently, following the Columbine Massacre.
"Paul Harvey's comment on Columbine High shootings:
How can we blame it all on guns?
For the life of me, I can't understand what could have gone wrong in Littleton, CO. If only the parents had kept their children away from the guns, we wouldn't have had such a tragedy. Yeah, it must have been the guns.
It couldn't have been because half our children are being raised in broken homes.
It couldn't have been because our children get to spend an average of 30 seconds in meaningful conversation with their parents each day. After all, we give our children quality time.
It couldn't have been because we treat our children as pets and our pets as children.
It couldn't have been because we place our children in day care centers where they learn their socialization skills among their peers under the law of the jungle while employees who have no vested interest in the children look on and make sure that no blood is spilled.
It couldn't have been because we allow our children to watch, on the average, seven hours of television a day filled with the glorification of sex and violence that isn't fit for adult consumption.
It couldn't have been because we allow our children to enter into virtual worlds in which, to win the game, one must kill as many opponents as possible in the most sadistic way possible.
It couldn't have been because we have sterilized and contracepted our families down to sizes so small that the children we do have are so spoiled with material things that they come to equate the receiving of the material with love.
It couldn't have been because our children, who historically have been seen as a blessing from God, are now being viewed as either a mistake created when contraception fails or inconveniences that parents try to raise in their spare time.
It couldn't have been because we give two-year prison sentences to teenagers who kill their newborns.
It couldn't have been because our school systems teach the children that they are nothing but glorified apes who have evolved out of some primordial soup of mud by teaching evolution as fact and by handing out condoms as if they were candy.
It couldn't have been because we teach our children that there are no laws of morality that transcend us, that everything is relative and that actions don't have consequences. What the heck, the president gets away with it.
Nah, it must have been the guns."
In my research, I've made a great discovery of alternative gun units where protection is still an option without the use and/or dangers of the standard gun.
Alternate Self-Defense/Protection Options http://www.selfdefensegearco.com/IM5-LauncherSelfProtectionGun.htm
"The statistics are staggering: 95,000 rapes reported every year in the U.S., 875,000 assaults, and 400,000 other violent crimes. Choose the most advanced personal safety solution on the market - the Avurt ™ IM-5 ™ gun.
“The Avurt IM-5 gun is a small, handheld unit that shoots up to five PAVA filled projectiles at attackers up to 40 feet away. It's non-lethal, easy to use, and highly effective at disabling attackers before they get close enough to do you harm."
There are many differing view points and opinions on gun issues. I have not made up my mind regarding which opinion is correct. I find myself split between protection and the dangers involved in gun ownership.
If you discuss the issue of gun control and ownership with anyone, it can become one of those heated issues, such as politics, which takes many sides, coming from varying experiences.
One conclusion I have made is that there is no definitive right or wrong. In my various discussions with groups and individuals, my conclusion is that each person must make their own decision and no government group can actually stop a person or population from getting their hands on guns, whether it is legally or illegally.
This work is licensed under a
Creative Commons Attribution-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License.
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