A faith that hasn't been tested is a faith that can't be trusted

I took these pictures of the inside of a pansy this morning. I dig my camera!







A small pink flower:

****HALLOWEEN CANDY RECALLED!!*****

There is a new warning put out by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency....


Sherwood brand Pirate's Gold Milk Chocolate coins are being recalled due to the fact that they contain Melamine, the ingredient in milk products that has caused many infant deaths in china. These candies are sold at Costco, as well as many bulk and dollar stores. Please make sure to check your children's Halloween candy and DO NOT LET THEM EAT THE PIRATE COINS (you know the ones wrapped in the shiny gold foil) and please let other parents know about this.




for fact-checkin'...

http://www. snopes. com/food/warnings/coins. asp


http://www. inspection. gc. ca/english/corpaffr/recarapp/2008/20081008e. shtml

A little more detail than what I posted the other day.  Posted from an email I got from the www.aclj.org people - more info found at their site.
The Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC), the largest lobbying body of nations within the United Nations (U.N.) - including countries in the Middle East, Asia and even South America - is pushing an anti-Christian agenda with full force.

They're attempting to pass a sinister resolution called ''Combating Defamation of Religions.'' It sounds palatable -

However, a careful reading shows that it boldly targets men and women of faith, like you and me, who speak out - in any way - against Islam.

Please understand, this radical proposal essentially discriminates against Christians sharing the Good News. It could make the proclamation of your faith an international crime - punishable by imprisonment ... even death.

When Supreme Court Justice Scalia said in a recent dissent, ''America is at war with radical Islamists,'' he was exactly right.

We are seeing worldwide persecution of Christians as part of the radical Muslim mission to ''take the world for Islam'' - by purging Christianity from the face of the earth.

·         In Saudi Arabia, a Muslim father violently cut out his young daughter's tongue and burned her alive upon learning she had become a Christian.

·         In Africa, a leading Gospel singer was seized, stuffed into a cargo box - with a single hole for air - and left for a month to go crazy or die.  After two years, she was released, fled her captive country, and was granted political asylum in Denmark.

·         In Iran, a couple was tortured for reading the Bible.

·         Two men in Algeria were tried and convicted for possessing Christian books.

And today we face extremely dangerous threats everywhere because of the one posed by the OIC.

Make no mistake, the ACLJ is absolutely dedicated to combating this perilous resolution at the United Nations.

In fact, our European Centre for Law and Justice (ECLJ) is officially recognized by the U.N. - which is absolutely critical right now as we work aggressively as your voice on this issue.

I am personally leading a team of ACLJ and ECLJ attorneys and staff researching, preparing reports and oral presentations - on your behalf, to protect your religious freedom.

We're calling on the U.N.'s High Commissioner of Human Rights to vehemently oppose this dangerous resolution and focus instead on improving existing international law to protect the religious beliefs of all individuals. 

We are deeply saddened that there will be ANOTHER Dog Auction in
Thorp, Wisconsin (Clark County) on WEDNESDAY September 24, 2008 at
Horst Stables.

We will be there (again!) to PROTEST these despicable auctions! We
will NOT stop our protests until the auctions stop. Puppy mills breed
misery and the auction dogs are puppy mill dogs! PLEASE, if you can,
take the day off work, make the drive, join us for the protest!

Additional information on the specifics of the event will be posted by
our friends at Clark County Humane Society. Please log onto their web
site http://www.cchs- petshelter. org/ (scroll down to the Auction
section of the Home Page). The latest on the organization for the
protest will be posted there. Generally, plan to meet between 10:00
and 10:30 am in Thorp (location to be announced). The auction usually
starts at Noon.

PLEASE BE THERE...WE need you and the DOGS REALLY need you!

Eilene Ribbens - Executive Director
The Wisconsin Puppy Mill Project
www.NoWisconsinPupp yMills.org

Five minutes on the dangers of CFLs and how asinine it is that the gov't is requiring these by 2014 courtesy of it's energy bill.

I didn't realize these bulbs were so dangerous!

 I didn’t realize I had so many unposted shots!

healthy Boober


even a small bit of attention was gratefully accepted (and that sweatshirt was won in a raffle, I was never SFFD):


( Collapse )Please do not ever declaw your cats. It is an amputation of their toes to the first knuckle...that is the entire hunk of YOUR finger that houses the nail and nailbed. Imagine typing with fingers that had been amputated...grabbing things...touching things...that pain never goes away. Imagine if YOUR TOES had that first nail chopped off...the agonizing pain every day as you walked on those mutilated feet. Nerve endings that would forever be overly sensitive. There are other options to declawing, such as keeping their nails trimmed twice per month (easy to do at home), Soft Paws nail covers, retraining them not to claw things by providing proper places for them TO scratch and rewarding them for doing so, and spritzing them with water (not in the face) to scare them away when you catch them clawing something. Never scold them and then immediately put them on the proper thing - they’ll probably associate the two. Either scold and chase away, or just grab them and put them immediately on the PROPER scratching post and praise them. Scratching posts should have a good, solid base so that it won’t tip over when kitty scratches, and tall enough so that kitty can stretch out. Alpine scratchers are cheap and cats LOVE them (they’re slanted, and made of cardboard...about $20 at most chain pet stores). You can find a VERY cheap cat tower that’ll go to your ceiling at WalMart. KatWALLks Cat Furniture, Cat Trees, Cat Perches is an AWESOME alternative to cat towers, and if you MUST let your kitty outdoors (*coughMARIAHcough*), please consider the Cat Fence-In cat containment system for your back yard. One can even take that idea and get the parts from a local store and save money doing it that way.

So, I was reading the book of Hebrews and finished it today after much underlining. This stuff is SO GOOD, I can't NOT post it! I LOVE THIS BOOK!!!! since this is a bit lengthy, I'll lj-cut it, though.

hebrews 10 verses:

Think back on those early days when you first learned about Christ.Remember how you remained faithful even though it meant terrible suffering.  Sometimes you were exposed to public ridicule and were beaten, and sometimes you helped others who were suffering the same things.  You suffered along with those who were thrown into jail, and when all you owned was taken from you, you accepted it with joy. You knew there were better things waiting for you that will last forever.

   So do not throw away this confident trust in the Lord. Remember the great reward it brings you!  Patient endurance is what you need now, so that you will continue to do God’s will. Then you will receive all that he has promised.

hebrews 11 verses:

Faith is the confidence that what we hope for will actually happen; it gives us assurance about things we cannot see.

³² How much more do I need to say? It would take too long to recount the stories of the faith of Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, David, Samuel, and all the prophets. ³³ By faith these people overthrew kingdoms, ruled with justice, and received what God had promised them. They shut the mouths of lions, ³⁴ quenched the flames of fire, and escaped death by the edge of the sword. Their weakness was turned to strength. They became strong in battle and put whole armies to flight. ³⁵ Women received their loved ones back again from death.

   But others were tortured, refusing to turn from God in order to be set free. They placed their hope in a better life after the resurrection. ³⁶ Some were jeered at, and their backs were cut open with whips. Others were chained in prisons. ³⁷ Some died by stoning, some were sawed in half,^[d] and others were killed with the sword. Some went about wearing skins of sheep and goats, destitute and oppressed and mistreated.<( Collapse )

Song by Alter Bridge, video by a fan.

-- Betta Care Sheet --

Introduction: Betta splendens (pronounced “bet-ta” not “bait-a”) are freshwater, tropical fish native to Thailand and are commonly referred to as “Bettas” or “Siamese Fighting Fish”. Originally the betta was bred to produce fierce fighting fish, but today breeding attempts have turned towards developing luxurious fins, brilliant colors and varied tail shapes. Because of their popularity, bettas have become one of the most popular tropical fish in the world.

Housing: In its natural habitat, bettas live in vast rice paddies where the water is 12 to 24 inches deep, warm and low in oxygen. Commercially, bettas are often offered for sale in small cups. This might lead one to believe that they prefer small quarters, but like most creatures, they are much happier with room to move about.

Male bettas must NEVER be put together as they will frequently fight to the death. Females can often share an aquarium, but must be watched carefully for compatibility. Keep females in tanks that are 10 or more gallons, heavily planted and in schools of three or more. Males and females cannot be housed together.

Miniature bowls, the “Betta Hex”, and planted vases make unsuitable, long term homes for bettas. A single male betta can be housed in a bowl or critter keeper of 1.5 to 2 gallons which will allow for freedom of movement. The smallest bowl a betta should ever be housed in is 1/2 gallon. Decorative gravel can be placed in the bottom of the bowl with a silk or live plant for the betta to rest on. Some aquarium-keepers house bettas in the community tank with other fish, but care must be taken to be sure that the other fish do not nip the fins of the betta, or that the betta does not attack the other fish. ( Collapse )