Answered! Life's 25 toughest questions

Hello world-wide-web,
     Jesus thank you for all answered prayers. Lord, forgive us for not taking better care of this precious Earth you gave us. Please help us figure out a way to stop the oil spill in the Gulf; please Jesus, we need your help!Guide and bless all those who are suffering from any kind of addiction. In Your Name, Heavenly Father. Amen.

Yahoo news is mostly amusing and I don't ever find anything on it worth posting, but that changed when I read this article from Reader's Digest. Remember Reader's Digest? I think of the Digest as a potpourri of great literature, well, maybe not great literature, but certainly thought provoking and intelligent. Okay, mostly intelligent...Just enjoy the article, please.

Is love ever forever? When do kids become adults? Why is the line you're in always the slowest? Mysteries of the universe -- solved. Advice columnist Jeanne Marie Laskas weighs in.
1. Can love really last a lifetime?
Absolutely -- but only if you chuck the fairy tale of living happily ever after. A team of scientists recently found that romantic love involves chemical changes in the brain that last 12 to 18 months. After that, you and your partner are on your own. Relationships require maintenance. Pay a visit to a nursing home if you want to see proof of lasting love. Recently I spoke to a man whose wife of 60 years was suffering from advanced Alzheimer's disease. He came to sit with her every day and hold her hand. "She's been my best friend since high school," he told me. "We made a promise to stick together." Now, that's a love story.
2. Why do married folks begin to look like one another?
Watch any two people who like each other talking, and you'll see a lot of mirroring. One smiles, and so does the other. One nods or raises her eyebrows, and so does the other. Faces are like melodies with a natural urge to stay in sync. Multiply those movements by several decades of marriage, all those years of simultaneous sagging and drooping, and it's no wonder!
3. Can a marriage survive betrayal?
Yes. It takes time and work, but experts are pretty unanimous on this one. In her book The Monogamy Myth, Peggy Vaughan estimates that 60 percent of husbands and 40 percent of wives will have an affair at some point in their marriages. That's no advertisement for straying -- but the news is good for couples hoping to recover from devastating breaches of trust. The offended partner needs to make the choice to forgive -- and learn to live with a memory that can't simply be erased. Infidelity is never forgotten, but it can gradually fade into the murky background of a strong, mature marriage.
4. Why does summer zoom by and winter drag on forever? Because context defines experience. As Albert Einstein once said: "When you are courting a nice girl, an hour seems like a second. When you sit on a red-hot cinder, a second seems like an hour."
5. Do animals really have a sixth sense?
Or seventh or eighth! A box jellyfish has 24 eyes, an earthworm's entire body is covered with taste receptors, a cockroach can detect movement 2,000 times the diameter of a hydrogen atom -- and your dog's sense of smell is up to 100,000 times greater than yours (some dogs have been known to smell human cancers). It's safe to say that animals experience a much different world than we do.
6. Why does the line you're in always move the slowest?
Because you're late for your kid's band practice, and you curse your luck and envy those speeding by. Conversely, when you're in the fast line, unfettered by stress, you don't even notice the poor schlubs in the slow lane. Good luck rarely commands one's attention like bad luck. (See answer on buttered toast, "The Ultimate Test," below.)
7. By what age should you know what you want to do with your life?
Any moment now. This used to be a question the young asked. Now it's a quandary for baby boomers. The Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that younger boomers have abandoned the American ideal of picking a job and sticking with it. Between the ages of 18 and 36, these boomers held an average of 9.6 jobs. That's a lot of exploration. The wisdom of elders in all cultures seems to be this: There's nothing to do with a life but live it. As Gandhi pointed out, "Almost anything you do will be insignificant, but it is very important that you do it."
8. Where do traffic jams come from?
Scientists are hard at work on this one, studying computer models of the physics of gridlock and inventing all new traffic-light algorithms. Some of them postulate that the rhythms of automobile traffic are influenced by the same cyclical forces that cause waves in the ocean. For the average commuter, though, it may be helpful to think of it this way: congestion. There are just too many darn people trying to do the same thing at once. (Flush every toilet in a single office building simultaneously, and see what happens.) All of this by way of saying: Buy a newspaper, load up some favorite tunes on your MP3 player, and take the bus.
9. When is your future behind you?
When you stop chasing dreams. So don't stop!
10. Do you have to love your job?
No. Love your children, your spouse and your country. Love your parents, your neighbor and your dog. Loving is too important an emotion to attach to the way you make a living. But it's OK to strive for satisfaction. According to a recent Harris Poll, across America 59% of workers say they are extremely, somewhat or slightly satisfied with their jobs, but a depressing 33% feel as if they've reached a career dead end. If you're among the latter and thinking about a new job, consider the fact that employees in small firms said they felt more engaged in their work than did their corporate counterparts.
11. Can a man and a woman ever just be friends? For a short time perhaps. Making the friendship last requires that you find each other at least vaguely repulsive. Good luck!
12. When do you take away Grandpa's car keys?
Twenty-two states currently require frequent testing for senior drivers. The American Medical Association and the AARP, however, say safe driving has more to do with functional ability than age. True, seniors are more at risk for reduced vision, hearing loss and impairments associated with arthritis -- but all of these conditions depend on the individual. So when it seems to you that Pop is becoming a danger to himself and a danger to others, tell him straight. Point out that his reactions have slowed or his judgment is losing its edge. Suggest he not drive anymore. Be firm, but at the same time, don't treat him like a child. Allow him his dignity. Offer him a ride.
13. Do siblings who fight really end up liking each other?
I surveyed my older sisters, both of whom have vivid memories of how I tripped, pummeled, and whacked them with various large plastic dolls (hey, they started it -- they teased me!), and both confirmed my suspicion that nowadays they like me just fine. I sure like them. All the experts will tell you that fighting among siblings is normal. The key is how parents handle it. Rule No 1: Don't take sides. Never get into a discussion of who started what or what is more fair. Stop fights with a time-out for all offenders. My mother would send us to separate rooms. So we invented string phones and a pulley system to transport necessary treats and toys. And whatever we were fighting about was forgotten.
14. How do you know when to end a friendship?
As soon as you get that sneaking suspicion that it never really began.
15. Why do we turn into our parents when we swore we wouldn't?
Because really, when all is said and done, we admire them.
16. Can a half-empty person become a half-full person?
A current theory is that people have an "emotional set point." Some folks are just made happier than others. Pessimists will see this as bad news, believing it really doesn't matter what you do -- they are never going to be any happier. But there is hope -- as any optimist will see! Happiness has more to do with how you construe the events in your life than the actual events themselves.
17. When do kids become adults?
Biologically, it's happening earlier; emotionally, it seems to be happening later. Nowadays puberty occurs in females between ages 8 and 14, between 9 and 15 in males. A generation ago, when you turned 18, you were out the door and on your own. Now we see kids in the Boomerang Generation coming home to Mom and Dad after college, hoping for a hand with bills, laundry, meals and other responsibilities of adulthood. It's cute for a while, less adorable the older the kid gets.
18. Can a mother be friends with her teenage daughter?
No. Most teens aren't ready for anything close to a mature friendship. According to current research, the brain continues to develop into a person's 20s. Mothers often want to befriend their daughters; fathers, their sons. But this is not in anyone's best interest. Teenagers need to form identities distinct from their parents. That means: lots of privacy, even some secrets. It's usually easier for a teenage girl to befriend the friend of her mother, and it's usually best for the mother to leave it at that.
19. Does money really buy happiness?
No. Because happiness isn't for sale. Many people get tripped up by this one, amassing wealth only to find themselves cycling into a bottomless pit of unsatisfiable yearning. Turns out, joy and misery are not that far apart when it comes to very big wads of cash. Consider the case of a Kentucky couple who won $34 million in 2000. Thrilled to be released from the demands of their boring old jobs, they frittered their fortune away on fancy cars, mansions, all the usual stuff -- losing everything that mattered in the process. They divorced, he died of an alcohol-related illness, and she died alone in her new house just five years after cashing the winning ticket. When it comes to happiness, only people you love, and who love you, can bring it. If you have enough dough to buy yourself a luxurious yacht, but no real friends to sail with, you're sunk.
20. Can spenders and savers stay married?
Sure -- and they won't run out of things to talk about either. Disagreements over money are a leading cause of divorce, so experts advise lots of work around this issue if, financially speaking, you've found yourself married to your opposite. Tip: Always talk in terms of "ours" instead of "mine" or "yours," and work your strengths. The saver should be allowed to draft the budget; the spender gets to be in charge of vacations, celebrations and ordering extra toppings on the pizza.
21. Is money the root of all evil?
No. Greed is. Elvis nailed this one when he said, "Sharing money is what gives it its value."
22. What do you do if you see a parent berating a child?
Cringe. Take a deep breath. If you truly believe you can help the situation, approach as someone showing sympathy -- not as an accuser or member of the parent police. Empathize with the overstressed parent. Suggest that he take a deep breath. Tell him it worked for you.
23. Why is it so hard to say you're wrong?
Because it often involves saying, "I'm sorry," which is even harder. Throughout history people have found it easier to stop speaking to one another, punch, slander, shoot and bomb rather than apologize. Tip: Next time just say, "Whoops," and see what happens.
24. When should you reveal a secret you said you wouldn't?
It's a matter of damage control. Is the person who asked you to keep the secret in danger of hurting himself or others? If so, intervene. Otherwise, mum's the word.
25. Does the toast really always fall buttered-side down?
Scientists in the Ask Laskas Kitchen conducted a study for which they first toasted an entire loaf of bread, one slice at a time. They buttered each slice, and dropped it from a variety of heights ranging from tabletop to ceiling. Among their findings: A dropped piece of toast never lands on its edge; stomping your foot and yelling "Darn!" does not change a thing; and the floor in the Ask Laskas Kitchen is not nearly as clean as we'd like. Well, life's like that. Never as neat as you'd like it to be. But keep buttering your toast. And savor every slice you've been given.

So, now you know! God bless!
"I am a little pencil in the hand of a writing God who is sending a love letter to the world." Mother Theresa

Mom is on vacation!

Hello world-wide-web,
Jesus, thank you for blessing my mother and brother to arrive safely in El Paso. And Lord, I ask that you bless me with an even greater understanding of my mother as she stays with family for three weeks. Help me, Lord, to put our relationship in a new perspective, infusing our relationship with compassion, patience, love, and a sense of humor. Jesus, I pray too that all travelers/drivers safely arrive to and from their destinations. I'm praying special prayers for some people who have asked me to pray for a family member, Lord; remember them and heal them, Lord, as only you can. In Your Name, Amen.

As I was just telling Jesus, my mom, who has lived with me for six years, took a much needed vacation - at the prompting of my brother - yesterday. She probably hasn't seen her family in EP for at least as long as she's lived with me. Mom is 78. She doesn't like to fly and she was anxious about the drive to EP. It's a long drive, and the weatherman said it was going to rain. Fortunately, the rain held off, thanks Lord, and once mom is settled in at her sister's I think she will really enjoy spending time with her family. Normally she only stays for a week, but I think these three weeks will be a real treat for her. Her absence at my house has been interesting for me. I spent most of Thursday, after Carlton and mom left, thinking about my mother and how I felt about her being away. I began to think about how much parents, for good or bad, influence our lives. Now, I've lived alone before, so arriving to an empty house is no big deal for me. When I lived alone, I didn't have a dog, so Toby is an added bonus. Although Toby, poor thing, has to stay outside during the day, because mom isn't home to let him in and out of the backyard. I think it's cruel to have him cooped up all day in the front room, especially since I have a nice big backyard. He doesn't seem to mind, though, and is really happy when I'm home, as dogs normally are when their masters arrive from work.
I was sad when mom left and I wonder how much I'll do, or not do, while she is away. It's nice to know I don't "have to" do anything, not really, while she is vacationing. For example, if I don't feel like washing dishes, they don't get washed until I want to, and I'm okay with that.
I even *gasp* contemplated not going to church, but that was only a joke in my head. However, this does mean I don't need to get up early for anything and certainly not because someone else is awake in the house. I have tremendously enjoyed the quiet of my house. Mom usually has her t.v. blaring, in Spanish and English. I'll be able to study, read, and write, all in the quiet of my home!
One big goal I want to accomplish: organizing my kitchen. Yes, one day next week, or even the weekend, I will go through all the drawers, cabinets, etc and just throughout unused, unwanted things and keep all the necessities.
I must tell you, dear reader, and I would be remiss if I don't mention this: I wonder if mom's absence is God's way of preparing me for her death. Yes, morbid, so I won't dwell on it it too much, other than to say, I know I will appreciate my mom more than ever when she returns.
I think I did my mom right on Mother's day: I cleaned out her car, and vacuumed and wiped down the interior, took her car through a car wash, filled her car with gas, and bought her a dozen roses. Oh, and gave her some spending money for EP. I can only hope my actions let my mom know that despite our feuds, she is really loved and appreciated.
Hug your mom if she's close and tell her you love her; or call your mom, tell her you love her and then hang up. :) I mean really does anything more need to be said? :)
Remembering that we live finite lives doesn't need to make us sad; knowing we live finite lives forces us to realize we need to make every moment count.
God bless you all, each and every one.

"I am a little pencil in the hand of a writing God who is sending a love letter to the world." Mother Theresa

So much to be thankful for!

Hello world-wide-web,
      Jesus, as you already know, Mother's Day can be an unhappy day for some people; some are reminded of mother's who are in Your care now; some do not have a good relationship with their mother; and still others who are struggling to regain good contact and start anew with their mothers. Throughout all of this, Lord, we look to Your mother, our Blessed Mother, for guidance. She is the role model of all mothers for us: the kind, loving, encouraging, and epitome of unconditional love for her children, Mother. Please help us Lord, to love everyone like You love them, to see people as You see them, Lord. And Jesus, on Mother's Day I am also reminded of Mother Earth. Please have Mercy on Us for not taking care of this wonderful planet you gave us. Please show us the positive that can come from the oil spill in the Gulf of La. Heal that area, Lord; restore it to the natural and magnificent habitat it was before this spill, and show us how we can help. Thank you, Jesus. In Your name. Amen.

I have been truly blessed. The best news this past week, for me, was the refinancing of my home. But instead of going 'on and on' about the refinancing, I want to recommend someone to you, dear reader, if you are in the market to refinance your home. Christina Partida at Envoy Mortgage is fantastic. I wrote a letter to Chrisitina's boss, Adrienne, and am enclosing it so you can 'see' just what a great agent Christina is and how she can maybe help you.
Hello Adrienne,(Chrisina's boss)
My name is -- and I want to tell you about one of your employees, Christina Partida. But before I do that, I need to give you some background information about how I met Christina. I don’t know if you believe in Divine Intervention, Adrienne, but I do.
I received many offers to refinance my home, as I’m sure many people did, and I was fairly skeptical about using any of these companies, especially with the housing crises raging.
I also remained skeptical and unwilling to go with any of these businesses because they didn’t have the correct mortgage information for me; all of them that is, except one: Christina’s firm. This is when I met Christina; she ‘happened’ (this is the Divine Intervention I’m talking about) to answer the phone when I called and inquired about their programs to help people refinance.
Adrienne, I immediately felt comfortable with Christina. She is easy to talk to, sweet, knowledgeable, and above all, caring. She asked me what I wanted most with regard to my mortgage, and I told her a lower APR rate, as well as the amount of time to repay the loan decreased– less than 30 years. She was able to deliver the former, and though I didn’t get the latter, I did refinance my house for less than what I originally paid for my house, AND I didn’t need to put any money down for the refinance. A true miracle was worked by Christina, not to mention an additional $400 taken off the amount I was going to owe on my house…I didn’t know exactly what God had in store for my interactions with Christina, because if I had, I would have praised the Lord for her in the beginning, as opposed to now, once I’ve seen all the hard work she put into my case.
As I’m sure you are aware, Adrienne, Christina was disturbed by the lack of integrity her previous company showed in their dealings and knew she could not continue working for such an organization. During this terrible transition, when Christina was harassed and threatened, she kept in constant contact with me and kept me abreast of all that was going on with her and her previous employer. She impressed me with her poise and professionalism in these difficult circumstances.
When she began working for Envoy, Christina wasted no time in getting back to my situation; more than once did Christina drive from Carrollton to Garland to pick papers up and, when she learned that I had been in the hospital for a minor operation, she brought me roses!
Adrienne, I just want you to know you have an outstanding worker in Christina. She is a huge asset to your company. I will dedicate an FB posting to Christina and your company this coming week, and will probably also post a copy of this letter on my blog. May God continue to bless Christina, your company and you, Adrienne. Christina, thank you for all you did for me. (I will not post your last name, Adrienne, on FB or my blog, for privacy’s sake)
Christina Partida
Envoy Mortgage
9)834-3326 cell
cpartida75@gmail.com
She speaks 3 languages! English, Arabic, and Assyrian

Be blessed everyone! :)

"I am a little pencil in the hand of a writing God who is sending a love letter to the world." Mother Theresa

What would happen if Jesus took a day off?

Hello world-wide-web,
     Thank you Jesus for all of your goodness, mercy, and love. You are truly the King of Kings. I adore you, love you, and appreciate all you do for my family, friends, strangers, and me. All things in Your Name, amen.

A good friend of mine is having a baby shower this weekend, and instead of giving cards, it's been requested that we give books to build the baby's library. I love to give books! I was at HPB and found some lovely books, including one entitled, "Jesus' day off." I wanted to copy and paste it here, but it would take up too much space on my 'puter, SO you'll just need to click on this link and read it for yourself.
Jesus' day off
Carlton thinks the author handles Jesus too flippantly, but since he's an agnostic I am discounting what he thinks.
I found the book refreshing and the perfect way to introduce a young mind to Jesus.
Tell me what you think.

God bless you, dear reader, today and always!

"I am a little pencil in the hand of a writing God who is sending a love letter to the world." Mother Theresa

Go on, be silly!

Hello world-wide-web,
     Jesus, thank you for prayers answered and for all the good things that happen in the world. You are in control, Lord. Msgr Don, on the feast day of St Catherine Sienna this past week, said in his homily that St. Catherine was a mystic that spoke to you, Jesus, on a regular basis and that she asked You, "Why don't people believe in You?" Lord, you replied, "Because people don't believe I'm that good." Jesus, help us believe that you are that good. In Your Name, Lord, Amen.

Most of my time has been consumed by the Group Therapy class I'm taking. Thank goodness there are only three weeks of the semester left, so I can chill, not study, and be lazy before my next class, Ethics, in June (don't care right now what that start date is and I'm not posting it, he he).
I want to share with you one of the techniques we're learning about called Rational Emotive Behavior, or REB. This technique, unlike the other theories we are learning about, has humor as one of the methods to use with clients (a pity the others don't take humor as seriously, lol). I am ALL about the Humor. I'm doing my best to constantly become a funnier person...
But I want to tell you about some 'shame-attacking exercises' REB recommends. I encourage you to do some of these things and have fun with them; if you do try them, post on here how the 'experiment' went, as I'm curious about people's reactions and yours. :)
('Shame attacking exercises', btw, is the rationale that anxiety oftten results from shame, guilt, embarrassment, and self-damnation.)
1.  Walk through a park singing at the top of your voice.
2.  In a crowded elevator, tell people that you are glad they could attend this important meeting that you have called. (I want to try this one!)
3. Talk to animals, and pretend they are talking to you. (I already do this one...)
4. Ride in a crowded elevator facing the rear wall.
5. Tie a ribbon around a banana and "walk it" down a street.
6.  In public, shout out the exact time by saying, "The time is 11:11 and 20 seconds."
7. Go to a drugstore, and in a loud voice say to the pharmacist, "I want to buy ALL of your condoms, and since I use so many of them, you should give me a special discount!"
and for all the people who like 'bathroom humor':
After finishing a meal in a restaurant, say, "Ah, I feel a fart coming on." Please don't use this one when you're having a meal with me, though, okay? ;)!
All right, you have your assignment.
Enjoy life! :)

"I am a little pencil in the hand of a writing God who is sending a love letter to the world." Mother Theresa