Happy Thanksgiving!

We've had some tragedies in our community in recent weeks. People to whom we have connections have suffered terrible losses. One family lost everything in a fire, including their 9-year-old son, and one family lost a 36-year-old daughter to cancer just two days after she gave birth to her second son. These tragedies were fast, brutal, and unexpected, and left their survivors reeling from shock and grief.

Our family has felt some of that shock and grief, and done whatever we could to help the families involved. But it has reinforced something I've always tried to keep in mind...to be thankful for every day and every person. It could all end or drastically change in a heartbeat.

Our lives are filled with imperfect people who do stupid things--sometimes to us. Our lives are filled with frustrating situations--we don't have enough money, we don't like our jobs, we're sick to death of our house, our car, our clothes, our town, or the people we have to see day in and day out. I know that, I know life isn't perfect, and sometimes it isn't what we imagined or hoped it would be when we were dreaming our dreams of the future.

Obviously, we have both the right and the responsibility to change the things we can change, to make our lives as satisfying and generous as they can be. But today is the perfect day to stop dwelling on the things we wish were different, just for a day. Today is the day to look around and tell ourselves, and tell God, and tell each other, even if nothing ever changes, even if this is as good as it gets, I love you, and I am so grateful to have you in my life. I am so grateful to have a home, a car, a job (or three), dear friends, and family who is always there for me. I would be shocked and grieved if any of these people or things were taken from me, though somtimes it takes a tragedy (or two) to remind me how grateful I am.

I love y'all. I tell God thank you every day for letting me be your mommy, your wife, your daughter, your sister, your relative, your teacher, your pastor, your friend. I'll try to show my thankfulness by being better at all those things, and I'll try to change what needs to be changed. But not today. Today I'm just thankful, grateful from the bottom of my heart. I just wanted you to know.

Happy Thanksgiving!

December's Commemorations

December 2008 is:

Monthly Observances

Bingo's Birthday Month
Colorectal Cancer Education and Awareness Month
Identity Theft Prevention and Awareness Month
National Drunk & Drugged Driving (3D) Prevention Month
Choose A Summer Camp Month
National Write A Business Plan Month
National Tie Month
Safe Toys and Gifts Month
Spiritual Literacy Month
Take a New Year's Resolution to Stop Smoking

Weekly Observances

National Handwashing Awareness Week: 7-13
Human Rights Week: 10-17
Gluten-free Baking Week: 14-20
Posadas : 16-24
It's About Time Week: 25-31
Kwanzaa: 26-1/1

Daily Observances

International Voluntary HIV Counselling & Testing Day: 1
World Aids Day: 1
International Day for the Abolition of Slavery Day: 2
Rockerfeller Center Xmas Tree Lighting: 2
Special Education Day: 2
Special Kids Day: 3
International Day of Disabled Persons: 3
Extraordinary Work Team Recognition Day: 4
National Dice Day: 4
International Volunteer Day for Economic & Social Development: 5
Coats & Toys for Kids Day: 6
Miners' Day: 6
National Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day: 7
International Civil Aviation Day: 7
National Cotton Candy Day: 7
Human Rights Day: 10
UNICEF Birthday: 11
Poinsettia Day: 12
International Shareware Day: 13
National Childrens' Memorial Day: 14
Bill of Rights Day: 15
Wright Brothers Day: 17
International Migrants Day: 18
International Human Solidarity Day: 20
Hanukkah: 21
Humbug Day: 21
National Haiku Poetry Day: 21
World Peace Day/Winter Solstice: 21
Christmas: 25
Boxing Day: 26
National Chocolate Day: 28 & 29
New Years Eve: 31
Universal Hour of Peace Day: 31
World Peace Meditation Day: 31

Not a lot of observances in December; maybe because there's already so much going on. I always remember World AIDS Day because it's on my birthday. And don't forget to hug a miner on the 6th!

Veterans' Day

I am working on a post about the elections, but every time I go to try to find sources for my thoughts, my computer decides that opening two browser windows is too much work. So, that's coming. I apologize to my loved ones who are veterans for not posting in a more timely manner yesterday; you were in my thoughts and prayers and certainly those of my children as well.

My dear friend Michelle sent this post, with her experience yesterday and the simple prayer that was part of it. I offer her thoughts to you in gratitude for all our veterans have done for us, and for all those who pay the price of freedom so that we don't have to.

Michelle writes:

Those of you who know me well will recall that I have served 15 years in the Navy, between active duty and Reserves. I took my children to the commemoration ceremony in town today, and in the moment of silence this prayer came into my heart. I'd like to share it with you.

Heavenly Father, bless my brothers and sisters who have died in the service of our nation. Bless and comfort their familes.

Lord, guard and protect my brothers and sisters who are serving right now. Bring them home safely.

Father, send comfort and healing to my brothers and sisters who have been wounded in service of our nation, whether in body or in soul. Hold them close, and help them become whole again.

In Jesus's name I ask these blessings. Amen.

Michelle
(Lieutenant Commander, U. S. Navy Reserves)

Some Thoughts on Election Day

My God! How little do my countrymen know what precious blessings they are in possession of, and which no other people on earth enjoy!
~Thomas Jefferson


Each man must for himself alone decide what is right and what is wrong, which course is patriotic and which isn't. You cannot shirk this and be a man. To decide against your conviction is to be an unqualified and excusable traitor, both to yourself and to your country, let men label you as they may.
~Mark Twain


Ours is the only country deliberately founded on a good idea.
~John Gunther


It is not the function of the government to keep the citizen from falling into error; it is the function of the citizen to keep the government from falling into error.
~Robert H. Parker


To compel a man to subsidize with his taxes the propagation of ideas which he disbelieves and abhors is sinful and tyrannical.
~Thomas Jefferson


Let every nation know, whether it wishes us well or ill, that we shall pay any price, bear any burden, meet any hardship, support any friend, oppose any foe, to assure the survival and success of liberty.
~John F. Kennedy


Ask not what uyour country can do for you. Ask what you can do for your country.
~John F. Kennedy


Don't forget to vote today!

Some Last Minute Election Information

Here is some information that I got when I was doing political fundraising. My classes found it useful, so I though y'all might as well. It lays out what each political party generally says about some of the major issues. I know that not everybody follows the entire line of their chosen party, but these are generally what each party says.

Taxes

Republicans: Believe that tax cuts to all tax-paying Americans generate economic growth, which results in more tax revenue for the government.
Democrats: Believe in keeping tax rates at a higher level to provide for social programs.

Spending

Republicans: Want to control or decrease spending. If necessary, programs should be reduced to control spending.
Democrats: Believe that spending is necessary to provide services to the nation. Believe increasing taxes will allow more programs to be funded.

Size of Government

Republicans: Believe that a smaller national government is best. Believe that the states should decide how to implement programs successfully in their state.
Democrats: Believe that there should be a large national government. Believe that decisions should be made in Washington DC and then communicated to the states.

National Defense

Republicans: Want a strong and large military. Believe that decisions regarding military action may be made without United Nations approval.
Democrats: Want an average strength and sized military, because we can depend on our allies to help us. We must have United Nations approval before any action outside of our own country is taken.

Social Security

Republicans: Allow individuals to have some control over their retirement monies, including the possibility of privately investing their social security funds.
Democrats: The federal government should control the investment, investing in Treasury bills, and increasing the national debt if necessary.

Farming

Republicans: Support farmers by opening new markets for the products to be sold. Create a fair export/tariff system.
Democrats: Support farmers by giving them price supports and guaranteeing a price for the products produced.

Abortion

Republicans: Most are strongly pro-life and vote in favor of stronger restrictions on abortion.
Democrats: Most are strongly pro-choice and fight efforts to make obtaining an abortion more challenging.

Gun Control

Republicans: Interpret the 2nd Ammendment as guaranteeing private gun ownership. Want to preserve the right to keep and bear arms.
Democrats: Support gun control initiatives. Believe in national registries and regulating the sales of guns. Interpret 2nd Ammendment as allowing for state militias alone.

Environment

Republicans: Decisions should be made with consideration for the population that is impacted by the decision and the environmental impact of the decision.
Democrats: Decisions should be made in favor of the environment, whatever the other economic consequences may be.


So...everybody ready for tomorrow?

5 Halloween Character Case Files

I got this article from WebMD, by way of Alicia's blog Mental Health Notes (thanks, Alicia!).

They did case files for witches, zombies, ghouls, vampires, and werewolves. It's pretty fascinating. Some of the things we learn are that witches are probably the most psychologically healthy of the characters, since they were likely to have been women healers and herbalists, especially in the Middle Ages. Not that there haven't been women who weren't mentally ill or used their skills for harm, but mostly, they were just misunderstood and feared because of their knowledge and power.

Zombies were probably originally victims of medieval "trials by ordeal" in which accused persons were treated with a drug that made some people stumble about and walk stiffly with arms outstretched (of course, if you didn't do that, you were innocent). It's also possible that another origin was in Haiti, among voodoo priests who would drug a victim into subservience, say that it was done by magic, and make those victims their zombie slaves.

Ghouls, which are creatures that eat corpses, were probably originally people with one of those disordered compulsions that compelled them to fantasize and obsess about eating dead flesh, and then sometimes to do it. That's about all they say, but I'd be very interested in knowing more about that kind of obsession (or maybe I'm just better off not knowing!).

Apparently there are several psychiatrists who have done analyses of vampires, particularly Bram Stoker's Dracula. They talk about a pathological need to control others, which may be represented by their controlling their very life and death through their blood. They also mention anemia as a possible physiological cause, but surprisingly they don't mention porphyria, which is the one I've always heard.

Werewolves and other were-animals are probably afflicted with a rare psychiatric disorder called lycanthropy. In this disorder, the person imagines himself or herself able to turn into an animal, possibly as a way to cope with violent or murderous feelings.

So, there you go. All the spooky stories, all the supernatural things that have ever happened can be explained by the psychiatrists.

Or can they?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clinical_lycanthropy

And now for something really scary...

In honor of Halloween, I'm posting a site that might interest you. It features photographs and videos of ghosts and other entities that are thought to be supernatural. The site is Slightly Warped's Ghastly Ghost Gallery .

I am warning you, though, that some of these are really scary. Not bloody or gory, but just so real, and experts have never been able to figure out how they might have been faked or whether there's another, less supernatural explanation. So, if you are freaked out by this sort of thing, you probably shouldn't check this out. I kind of wish I had given myself that advice last night; I might have slept better.

I don't have any opinion about the veracity of these photos and videos. They look real to me, but I would probably be very easy to fool. But I do know that there are things in the world that can't be explained. And I also know that most of the people of the world throughout history have believed that the supernatural world touches the natural one--at least occasionally. That's pretty persuasive to me.

Love y'all. Have a safe Halloween.