Web Robin

Modern-day miracles

Oftentimes, in one circumstance or another, a change of attitude may be needed, hoped for, anticipated, and sometimes even expected. But when such attitudes involve a culture of thought (as opposed to just an individual) changes are usually slow in coming.

It's exciting to see recorded for all to witness this small indicator of how far attitudes have changed over the years as they relate to the standing of members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saint in Missouri and Kansas. These proclamations were made in conjunction of the opening of the new temple in Kansas City, Missouri, this first week of April 2012.

http://www.mormonnewsroom.org/article/mormons-kansas-city-missouri-temple-governors-proclamations

 

Water for the World

I mentioned a while back about our planned trip to South Sudan to work on water projects, education and microbusiness. 

This past weekend we joined our South Sudanese friends in celebrating what they've waited a lifetime to see--the independence of their country. South Sudan became an independent and soverign nation on July 9, 2011. 

This past week, we took some important steps to get ready for the trip. Melat needs her certificate of citizenship, so we ordered that. Destiny and I spent (along with five more members of our South Sudan mission team) at a training camp to learn how to make BioSand water filtes.  The training was created as a ministry of the Quaker church, but we had representatives from many faiths and nations including India, Pakistan, Iraq, Burundi, Kenya, Hondurus, Nicaragua, Uganda and South Africa, and of course our South Sudan team from Kent Lutheran Church. 

An Important Day

May 30, 2011 

Diversions in Dixie

I just got back from a whirlwind trip to visit the Tennessee Grays. The boys seem all grown up, reading, telling jokes, and singing songs while being helpful and protective elder brothers to Piper. We had all sorts of adventures, we went to see Toy Story 3, Heather made homemade lasagna and cake for my birthday, we visited the Discovery Center (a child's exploratorium center), comimos cena de una carnicería, played board games and cards, all while evading flash floods from the pervasive summer thunderstorms. (The whole state of TN feels like the atrium in Paradise. My perfect environment.) 

I will share a few photos below along with a really cute video of Xander & Bastian reading a story that I had brought them. (The book is "I Love You Through and Through, it is a favorite bedtime story of Jacob's.) 

Today's the day!

An incredible example of service

Read the story of Betty Chinn, a woman from Eureka, CA, who was honored by Maria Shriver's WE Empower organization for her service to the homeless.

Keepin' it safe

not my kind of logic

Back when we lived in Maryland, Richard and I knew a family that was remarkable for several negative reasons. They had 5 children, and a nice enough house, but were not tidy people -- to put it mildly. I remember being assigned as the woman's visiting teaching companion. When she would drive, I had to have the window rolled down because the smell in the car was overwhelming. We have lots of stories from our association with these people, but the one that is pertinent to my topic today comes from one of those rides in the car.

I must have noticed that there weren't any seatbelts in the back seats. One of her children must have been with us. I asked, "why don't you have her wear a seatbelt?" Ginny's astonishing answer was something like, "well, since I can't have them all in seatbelts, we don't have any use a seatbelt."

This recollection was brought to mind last weekend when Richard and I were leaving Chico and headed home. I'd wanted to get a soda, so we stopped at a gas station. Clearly posted inside and out were signs saying, "Due to federal law, restroom not available to the public."

I was curious about what new law prohibited people from using a gas station bathroom, so asked the clerk about it. He said that the bathroom wasn't up to handicap access code. It would require a remodeling of the entire store, and removal of the refrigeration section, to make the bathroom wide enough. Because the owner couldn't afford that remodel at this time, NO one was allowed to use the bathroom.

What?

Does that make sense to you?

Grim news for grocery shoppers

Prices are not likely to go down...even though gas prices have fallen recently.

The AP report on MSNBC indicates that there's usually a lag between when gas prices fluctuate and the impact of that change is reflected in food costs.

Meantime, prices will continue to go up, particularly for beef, chicken and pork -- for two reasons.

1. The cost of grain skyrocketed so high that many livestock owners "thinned their herds" to "deal with the increases."
2. So now there are fewer animals available, and their feed is still very expensive.

For a long time, chicken has been the frugal alternative to red meat, but according to the senior VP of the National Chicken Council [now there's a title!], "that's about to change."

Maybe more of us will find it worthwhile to incorporate vegetarian meals into our regular menus.

A disturbing news item

At the risk of crossing the line into politics, I'd like to see your opinions on the recent changes in land use described in an article by a Washingtonpost.com author.

One thing I really don't understand is how a "former timber lobbyist" could become a top US Forest Service official. Does that make sense to you?