I Blog for Human rights

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Location: New Jersey, United States

trying to be part of the solution

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Friday, November 24, 2006

Changes underway

Sorry for the mess...will be cleaned up before the weekend.

I'm still stuffed









Thank you to everyone who made Thanksgiving so TERIFFIC this year! The second photo was supposed to be first??? It shows how the day began..as soon as we got on the NJ Turnpike. The black and white was later in the day. I love the part of the day when everyone is done eating and sitting around talking.

The eve of Thanksgiving our church had a really nice service where we simply gathered, broke bread and well...gave thanks. It was really nice. My thanks are more abundant than ever this year. We need to remember that simply having a roof over our head, warmth and a place to lie protected at night is worthy and necessary to give thanks for.

I honestly believe that not having something at some point in your life makes having it later such a true blessing. Looking back years ago to Thanksgivings in San Diego, when I was by myself and couldn't afford to fly home, I remember volunteering every Holiday at St. Vincent De Pauls. That way I wasn't alone sitting home feeling sorry for myself. At the time I was there every Sunday for 4 or 5 hours and had really gotten to know a lot of the men at the shelter. So here I felt an extended family and the Shelter was usually short help on the actual holiday. We both won.

Now, much later I have a wonderful family, husband and life.....and yes a whole new appreciation for that gift. I know what I had and I know what I have and am thankful for both.

Please take some time to be Thankful! Our pastor made a good point at the service. The simplest prayer and sometimes the most powerful is only two words long....

THANK YOU.

Monday, November 20, 2006

And now something totally stupid...


This is what happens when you give an adult a pack of crayons at Friendly's!
Rather than go to Sears for our family photo we drew our own. Note that Dave drew me scowling..hmmmm.

Thursday, November 16, 2006

TheSmileTrain













Changing the World One Smile At a Time





There are millions of children with clefts in developing countries. Each one can be helped with surgery that takes as little as 45 minutes. And costs as little as $250.
Will you help just one?


It just might be the most effective, impactful donation to a charity you ever make. 100% of your donation will go towards programs that help children, 0% will go to overhead. The free cleft surgery your donation will help provide, is a true, modern-day medical miracle: it costs as little as $250 and takes as little as 45 minutes. That’s all it takes to give a desperate child not just a new smile, but a new life. When you see the impact your donation has, you’ll end up smiling too.

Since March 2000 The Smile Train has helped 193,795 children!

100% of all donations go towards programs.
We’re the world’s largest and most cost-effective cleft charity.
Smile Train meets all Better Business Bureau standards.

Just look at Gabriel, 6 months old from Brazil before and after:

Just Look at that smile!!!




Tuesday, November 14, 2006

Anyway by Mother Theresa
















Anyway - From Mother Theresa
Mother Teresa hung a copy of this poem on a wall

of the orphanage she founded in Calcutta. Its source is unknown.

People are often unreasonable,
illogical and self-centered;
Forgive them anyway.

If you are kind, People may accuse you
of selfish, ulterior motives;
Be Kind anyway.

If you are successful, you will win some false friends
and some true enemies;
Succeed anyway.

People may cheat you;
Be honest and frank anyway.

What you spend years building,
someone could destroy overnight;
Build anyway.

If you find serenity and happiness,
they may be jealous;
Be happy anyway.

The good you do today,
people will often forget tomorrow;
Do good anyway.

Give the world the best you have,
and it may never be enough;
Give the world the best you've got anyway.

You see, in the final analysis.
It is between you and God;
It is never between you and them anyway.

Saturday, November 11, 2006

Off to Mount Holly


Today Dave and some other people from our church are finishing the job of erecting a new sign at a local church. It was great to see everyone come together for such a good cause. A gentleman from our church Done has become the sign man after doing the same for our church. I'm actually about to run to be the unofficial photographer of the event. Here is a previous (still not completely edited) photo of the group.

Wednesday, November 08, 2006

The Promise

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Really Beautiful. I absolutely love the painting Flaming June..it was a bonus it was in this video.

BAM

Today Dave and I, along with his parents are off to the Emeril Live Show in NYC. In line at 2pm taping to start at 4pm. Mind you we aren't even definitely getting in per the ticket..but cross your fingers. Dave will be so happy if we get in. He may have a heart attack if we actually get in and get a table up front!

Last night I overdosed on Rice Krispy Treats, compliments of Dave's mom. Let's just say that yesterday was extremely rough because of our impending refiance that seems to be going from bad to worse. I ended up in tears at one point yesterday. Well, you know Rice Krispy Treats solves all of the world's problems...

I have been up since 4am ish because I was so stressed I woke myself up grinding my teeth really hard. How gross. So I decided to organize, really organize, my ipod. I'm sitting here minding my own business and I swear I saw a mouse run across the kitchen. It was either that or a HUGE dustball that banged a box on its way under our island in the kitchen. I woke Dave up at 5am, for what reason I don't know. I don't want him to kill it, just get it out. The rediculousness of the idea wasn't apprent at this time of day. Now I know why he gave me such a strange look. He has promised to get some humane release traps for me tomorrow. Now I'm getting ready to go back to bed finally at 6am for a bit. For some reason I have pink Uggs (ok Target Uggs..maybe they are fuggs or thuggs) as mouse protection until I get under the covers. I really am an artard.

Tuesday, November 07, 2006

Why Tracy Chapman's debut album still rocks


Click on the album for Tracy Chapman at Amazon.

I dug out some old cd's last night. You know the ones you sing along to when nobody else is around..really loud. I actually got emotional belting out behind the wall. Only a great, no uber song can do that to you. Not to metion the album is 16 years old.

I'm surprised my Tracy Chapman debut cd still plays. I think I know every word on the cd by now. Since I've become more involved in domestic violence and sexual abuse..one song in particular really got to me. The first:

Behind the Wall

Last night I heard the screaming
Loud voices behind the wall
Another sleepless night for meI
t won't do no good to call
The police
Always come late
If they come at all
And when they arrive
they say they can't interfere
With domestic affairs
Between a man and his wife
And as they walk out the door
The tears well up in her eyes
Last night I heard the screaming
Then a silence that chilled my soul
I prayed that I was dreaming
When I saw the ambulance in the road
And the policeman said
"I'm here to keep the peace
Will the crowd disperse
I think we all could use some sleep"

This song really gets to me...not only the words but the way Tracy Chapman sings it.

The Second song just seemed to sum up, sadly how the state of things hasn't changed much since the albums release in 1990:

Why

Why do the babies starve
When there's enough food to feed the world
Why when there're so many of us
Are there people still alone
Why are the missiles called peace keepers
When they're aimed to kill
Why is a woman still not safe
When she's in her home
Love is hate
War is peace
No is yes
And we're all free
But somebody's gonna have to answer
The time is coming soon
Amidst all these questions and contradictions
There're some who seek the truth
But somebody's gonna have to answer
The time is coming soon
When the blind remove their blinders
And the speechless speak the truth.

All I can say about this one is hmmm okay and wow.

I think its time to load up on all the albums I missed by this amazing woman.

Wednesday, November 01, 2006

Empathy

Empathy is back! Matt has a teriffic blog you should spend some time and visit!