S U M M E R

S . . . . . . . . . . . . I love to Swim. The water feels better than silk against my skin.

U . . . . . . . . . . . . Unbelievable Ocean Sunset // Especially in Hawaii

M. . . . . . . . . . . . Maker.....God Made Summer!

M. . . . . . . . . . . . The Moon is awe-inspiring

E. . . . . . . . . . . . Every Breeze is so nice. Evening Darkness Calms a hot day.

R. . . . . . . . . . . . Gentle Summer Rain Cleans the Sky

Haikus for Mother's Day May 13th

Mom

Without her I Do
Not exist except in Her
Imagination

Mother

Ever Faithfully
Lovingly working in the
Home to make it good

Grandma

Spoiling the kids
That look quite a bit like hers
Wants to start over

Daughter

Dreams she had more time
To spend with her mother who
Lives so far away

Aunt

Necklace you crocheted
I still proudly wear at work -
Photo of the beach

Auntie

I miss your smile
Sweet laugh and the delicious
Hand-made tortillas

Friend

You were there for me
Bikes rides games and movies too
My fair wedding maid

Sister

Wondering what kind
Of sister I would have had -
My friends have been great

Child

Wondering what kind
Of person you would have been -
Are you in heaven

Cousins

I loved you dearly
I hate that you died so young
We had such good times

Wife to husband

Sorry for the times
I failed with my emotions -
Please forgive me now

Sons

How could anyone
Expect any more from you
Who are Gifts from God

Church Kids

I will miss you all
Our bonds will survive for years
Believe God Loves You

God

I know you are near

Even though you seem so far

Help me to be true

Peace

Today I pray for
Peace in this pazzo world -
What caused this chaos


Christina Marie Falco Elias

(: * Q U O T E S * :)

"Everybody can be great - because anybody can serve. You don't have to have a college degree to serve. You don't have to make your subject and verb agree to serve. You only need a heart full of grace; a soul generated by love."
- -Martin Luther King, Jr.

"Learn to get in touch with the silence within yourself, and know that everything in this life has purpose. There are no mistakes, no coincidences. All events are blessings given to us to learn from."
-- Elizabeth Kubler-Ross

"Don't judge each day by the harvest you reap, but by the seeds you plant."
--Robert Louis Stevenson

“A fool despises good counsel, but a wise man takes it to heart.”
--Confucius

"Good works are links that form a chain of love."
--Mother Teresa

"Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy."
--Jesus Christ

Time for Reflection

"Lord God, you walked among us as a man of sorrows and one acquainted with grief. Hear us on this Day of Sorrows as we pray for all who bear the burdens of grief. Help us, O God, with the knowledge that we do not carry our burdens alone. May all who sorrow know again that nothing in all creation can separate us from your love, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. Amen."
"O Lord, we can betray You in many ways. We have turned from those whose physical needs we could afford to meet. We have been insensitive to the plight of the prisoner, the lonely, the powerless and the handicapped. We have placed blame on others which was properly our own. Forgive us for these and other betrayals against You and against others. We thank you, Lord, that you take from us the weight of such guilt, if we but ask. Amen. "
"Lord Jesus, we confess that it is easy for us to look at Pilate and wonder what he was thinking. He is so easy to condemn. Did he really believe he was innocent? Do we believe we are innocent? Would we have made another decision? We would like to think so, but under pressure, filled with fear, blinded by our own prejudices, probably not. Forgive us for not always standing for Your truth and Your ways. Forgive us for too often choosing the easy way, rather than Your way. Thank You for loving us so much that You willingly endured this kind of injustice and humiliation for our salvation. We bow in silent gratitude before You. Amen."

Unison Prayers from church I attended April 6th 2007, Good Friday

THE RELATIONSHIP IS OVER...don't cry for me

I want to break up WITH FOOD! I really need to stop overeating-- eating due to emotions not addressed, or boredom, etc. I need to seriously address this 47 year old bad habit of mine, Coping Mechanism, whatever you want to name it.
I turn the big 5.0. in a few months.
I need to tackle this and be cured of it for my next *50* years---sure!
My Reality Check was being weighed at the doctor's office April 2nd.
I've already increased my activity, walking, parking farther away, stairs, ex-bike.
I am eating less. I'm trying to decipher my emotions before choosing to eat. I found a great web-page on being cured of binge eating. My therapist is helping me address the real deeper issues related to my being overweight.
My doctor would not give me a diet pill--damn her! (just kidding)
Please pray for me to accomplish this. Thanks.

H E A L I N G

Healing for me May include:

Accepting God's Forgiveness
Action leads to attitude
Admitting fault
Advice, support, listening ear, and unconditional love from people walking the Christian life
Allowing myself a reasonable amount of time to grieve
Asking God to bless everyone who mistreats me (Romans 12:14)
Believing God Will Heal me
Bible Study
Corporate worship weekly
Counseling from professional Christian
Entrusting my life to Jesus
Facing my giants head on
Faith that God will work it all out for good since He allowed it to happen
(Fasting and Prayer--Hard for me to do)
Fellowship with Christians
Forgiving those who have hurt me
Fun humor laughter playtime recreation can help at times
Getting my focus off self and onto others
Hugs, encouragement, support and listening ear from my husband
Listening for the whisper of God’s direction in my heart and mind
Personal private study of scripture
Prayer prayer prayer and more prayer
Seeking God’s face for the best way to proceed
Serving those less fortunate
Thanking God for my many blessings
Trusting God's promise he will not forsake me
Waiting for God’s direction in God’s time

=================================================
The stages of grief Kubler-Ross identified are:

Denial (this isn't happening to me!)
Anger (why is this happening to me?)
Bargaining (I promise I'll be a better person if...)
Depression (I don't care anymore)
Acceptance (I'm ready for whatever comes)

"I am the way, the truth, and the life!"

Jesus answered.

"Without me, no one can go to the Father."

--John 14:6

I was Impressed

I work in a hospital. Monday I read a doctor's chart note.
It included:
"Prayed with patient and family."
I've done this too, but never put that in a hosptial chart note!
Good Job Doctor!

Haiku for Inner Peace

Peaceful bliss begins,
a delicate downy wisp,
a fluttering hope.

The stillness of joy
starts deep within the Spirit,
eager to expand.

Allowing sorrows
to soften into balance,
deepening the soul.

~Flame RavenHawk
March 8, 2003

We missed you GATO

Thanks Marnie for watching James-Jadey

San Jose

Precious Jedi




Nice to see Pastor Steve

Sweet Sunny Dog

More Snow

Ouch Luke. You hit hard.

Go Nick!

Wowie, Brad!

What NOT to do

Good Job old man. Bouncing off the ridge.

Beautiful cold Tahoe

What a nice wife! Didn't dump the coffee.
Needed it to warm my hands.

So, we're human?

"NO ONE IN THIS WORLD ALWAYS DOES RIGHT."
Ecclesiastes 7:20 (contemporary english version)
"Not a single person on earth is always good and never sins."
Ecclesiastes 7:20 (new international version)


"YOU CAN'T DEPEND ON ANYONE, NOT EVEN A GREAT LEADER."
Psalm 146:3 (contemporary english version)
"Don’t put your confidence in powerful people; there is no help for you there."
146:3 (new living translation)

WHY DID JESUS COME?

PASTOR GREG LAURIE'S Devotion:
Monday, December 25, 2006 Why Did Jesus Come?

"I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly."
— John 10:10
This has been a busy time of year for almost everyone. For us as Christians, it's been a joyful celebration of the birth of Jesus. We marvel at the fact that God humbled Himself and was born in a cave. But why did He come? First, Jesus Christ came to proclaim good news to the spiritually hurting, to preach the good news to us. He came to heal the broken-hearted. Medical science has found ways to reduce and even remove pain. But there is no cure for a broken heart. Jesus came to set people free who are bound by sin. Jesus came to open our spiritual eyes to our spiritual need.He came to lift up those who are crushed by life. He came to give us abundant life. Jesus came to lift us from the physical realm of the senses to the spiritual realm to show us that there is more to life.He came to give His life for us. Jesus said, "For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many" (Mark 10:45). He came to die. Jesus Christ came to this earth to seek and save those of us who are lost, just as a shepherd seeks a lost sheep. So in all of this hustle and bustle, wrapping paper, mistletoe, and brightly colored lights, let's get down to the bottom line. Christmas is about God sending His Son to die on a cross. He was born to die, to give us abundant life, to give us a life that is worth living. http://www.harvest.org/

simeon who?

Luke 2:15-33 (Contemporary English Version)

After the angels had left and gone back to heaven, the shepherds said to each other, "Let's go to Bethlehem and see what the Lord has told us about." 16They hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and they saw the baby lying on a bed of hay. 17When the shepherds saw Jesus, they told his parents what the angel had said about him. 18Everyone listened and was surprised. 19But Mary kept thinking about all this and wondering what it meant. 20As the shepherds returned to their sheep, they were praising God and saying wonderful things about him. Everything they had seen and heard was just as the angel had said. 21Eight days later Jesus' parents did for him what the Law of Moses commands. And they named him Jesus, just as the angel had told Mary when he promised she would have a baby. 22The time came for Mary and Joseph to do what the Law of Moses says a mother is supposed to do after her baby is born. They took Jesus to the temple in Jerusalem and presented him to the Lord, 23 just as the Law of the Lord says, "Each first-born baby boy belongs to the Lord." 24The Law of the Lord also says that parents have to offer a sacrifice, giving at least a pair of doves or two young pigeons. So that is what Mary and Joseph did. 25 At this time A MAN NAMED SIMEON was living in Jerusalem. Simeon was a good man. He loved God and was waiting for God to save the people of Israel. God's Spirit came to him 26and told him that he would not die until he had seen Christ the Lord. 27When Mary and Joseph brought Jesus to the temple to do what the Law of Moses says should be done for a new baby, the Spirit told Simeon to go into the temple. 28Simeon took the baby Jesus in his arms and praised God, 29"Lord, I am your servant, and now I can die in peace, because you have kept your promise to me. 30 With my own eyes I have seen what you have done to save your people, 31and foreign nations will also see this. 32Your mighty power is a light or all nations, and it will bring honor to your people Israel." 33Jesus' parents were surprised at what Simeon had said.

what is CHRISTMAS NOT to you?

What is the true meaning of Christmas?
Why is the standard phrase: "Is all your shopping done?"
I'm tired of being asked that!
I'm tired of all the commercialism and materialism and manipulation by companies and advertisers.
I'm tired of being told one has to say "Happy Holidays" to not offend some. Why did this man at church say that to me?????
I was bold today and wore to work, under my open lab coat, a tee with baby jesus and mary and peace above it. (My friend Cyndy made that years ago. THANK YOU CYNDY. I miss you. Did you find a job? )
And an angel pin on my lab coat, and my jesus ring and my cross ring.
No one said a thing.
Tuesday was Awesome. 24 (children and adults) from my church Christmas caroled around the church neighborhood. We blessed the neighbors and were blessed right back. Thanks to Pastor Elie who prayed for us on our way.
REMEMBER TO HELP THE NEEDY. Don't just give to those who already have too much.

HEY BRAD, WANNA DANCE ???????? !

I awoke to a great radio show on ballroom dancing and the HEART!
It improves posture, decreases stress, improves breathing and is aerobic!
Can burn 1000 calories in an evening!
Sounds much more fun(tolerable) than treadmill or jogging.

"Heart Failure Patients Can Waltz Their Way to Stronger Hearts
Dancing sometimes offers better results than exercise, researchers report"
"Waltz dancing improves functional capacity and quality of life for chronic heart failure patients without important side effects. It may be considered in combination or as an alternative to exercise training in these patients," added Belardinelli, the director of cardiac rehabilitation and prevention at Lancisi Heart Institute in Ancona, ITALY

http://www.emaxhealth.com/80/8245.html
Dancing Can Improve Heart Failure Patients and Lead To Healthier Hearts

Heart Failure Treatment Through Dancing Waltz

Dancing improves ability to function and quality of life among chronic heart failure patients and may be a good alternative to other aerobic exercises, researchers reported at the American Heart Association's Scientific Sessions 2006.
"Our research suggests that dancing is a new choice of exercise training for patients with heart failure," said Romualdo Belardinelli, M.D., lead author of the study. "This is good news, because if we want patients to take part in lifelong aerobic exercise at least three times a week, it should be something that's fun and makes them want to continue."

Belardinelli is a professor of cardiology at Università Politecnica delle Marche School of Medicine and director of cardiac rehabilitation and prevention at Lancisi Heart Institute in Ancona, Italy.
In a previous study, he and colleagues found that dance - specifically, slow and fast waltz - was safe and improved functional capacity and quality of life for people who suffered from heart disease and previous heart attacks.
"We repeated the study in patients with chronic heart failure, and the results were identical," he said. "The amount of work during a session of dance is very similar to that of a session of traditional aerobic exercise."
Researchers studied 110 patients (89 men, average age 59) with stable chronic heart failure, meaning their left ventricular ejection fraction, which is the heart's pumping ability, was less than 40 percent. A group of 44 patients were randomized to participate in supervised exercise training (cycling, treadmill) three times a week for eight weeks. Another group of 44 patients danced, alternating between slow (5 minutes) and fast (3 minutes) waltzes, lasting 21 minutes, three times a week for eight weeks. A third group (22 patients) had no exercise.
Researchers monitored patients' heart rates during exercise and dancing sessions. At the start of the study and at eight weeks into it, all patients underwent cardiopulmonary exercise testing – an exercise stress test that analyzed ventilation and gas exchange to determine the effect of training and gauge functional ability. Participants also underwent imaging tests on their arteries.
Patients then completed the Minnesota Heart Failure Living Questionnaire to rate their quality of life. Participants rated how heart failure affected their sleeping ability, participation in hobbies, housework, sexual activity, level of worry, depression and other aspects of daily life.
"The results indicate that dancing improves functional capacity and quality of life – particularly when it came to questions about emotions – among patients who underwent the dance protocol, while there was no improvement in these areas at eight weeks in the patients who did not exercise," Belardinelli said.
Cardiopulmonary fitness increased at similar rates in those who did routine exercise training and in those who danced, with dancers experiencing slightly greater benefits. Oxygen consumption (peak V02) increased 16 percent among the exercisers and 18 percent among the dancers. Anaerobic threshold, the point above which muscles fatigue, increased 20 percent among exercisers and 21 percent among dancers.
Ventilatory response (VE/VCO2) increased 14 percent among exercisers and 15 percent among dancers, while an index of cardiocirculatory fitness (VO2/W) increased 18 percent in exercisers and 19 percent among dancers.
The dancing group's arteries also had greater capacity than those of non-exercisizers to dilate (become more elastic) due to the effect of dancing on the inner part of the arterial wall (the endothelium). The endothelium is stimulated by exercise to produce favorable substances, including nitric oxide, a gas that dilates and protects the arteries from atherosclerosis. Another improvement was that the cardiac fibers became more elastic.
Quality of life was "surprisingly more significantly" improved in the dancing group versus the exercise group. Lower scores meant fewer problems interfering with a good quality of life and, among the dancers, scores dropped from an average of 56 to 41. For the exercisers, scores dropped from an average of 58 to 48. Ejection fraction didn't significantly change in either the exercising or dancing group.
No one had to withdraw from the study because of adverse events, indicating that dancing is safe, researchers said.
"All these improvements have been demonstrated by standard exercise training based on stationary cycling or treadmill exercise," Belardinelli said. "Thus, dancing is able to induce the same physiological benefits as standard aerobic exercise in patients with chronic heart failure."
Belardinelli said studies should look at the heart-health effects of dancing on larger populations of people.

ENGLAND VACATION

Sorry this post is so late!
My Family had the opportunity to go to ENGLAND this past summer. One week in London and one week in the country where Brad drove!!!!!!!
I want to share what I viewed as Positive and Negative:
POSITIVE: Family Bonding. Learned about world and local history. Beautiful flowers everywhere. Natives respect their country. Moist air. Beautiful landscape. Good news programs, not fake or hollywoodish. Friendly and helpful people. Courteous drivers. No loose dogs. Awesome transportation subway "tube" system. "Mind the gap." Cool rocks and shells from Winchelsea (pebble) Beach. Walked through a beautiuful meadow full of lambs--refreshed my soul. Enjoyed The Tempest starring Patrick Stewart as Prospero. Left prayer requests in one of the cathedrals.
NEGATIVE: So expensive to eat and lodge, just about double the American dollar. Tobacco smoke everywhere. Pubs in every block. Petral fumes. Small streets. No ice. $ admission charged to even nature places. Eleven hour plane trip was difficult for me.
Neutral observations: A lot of red hair. A lot of pink tops. No floral tops. Ladies tops tight and low cut. No Hispanic people. Many White Indian Black. Surprised we did not see pedestrian killed by taxi or bus. My period returned after 2 years.....who would have figured? tmi.....

W O R S H I P

I had the opportunity to Lead the Singing and play keyboard at a Ladies Retreat. I tried to think of this as Worship as opposed to Performance. I was less nervous this time. I prepared this document for the ladies. (Thanks to Andrew for his example of Worship in Youth Group.)
===============
WORSHIP
What does worship mean to you?
Singing? Praying? Loving? Listening? Giving? Offering? Reading? Surrendering? Repenting? Forgiving? Listening? Resting? Sharing? Caring? Adoring? Praising?

Matthew 2:1-3 (CEV)
When Jesus was born in the village of Bethlehem in Judea, Herod was king. During this time some wise men from the east came to Jerusalem 2and said, "Where is the child born to be king of the Jews? We saw his star in the east and have come to worship him."

Psalm 100:1-3 (CEV)
Shout praises to the LORD, everyone on this earth. 2Be joyful and sing as you come in to worship the LORD! 3You know the LORD is God! He created us, and we belong to him; we are his people, the sheep in his pasture.

Psalm 96:8-10 (NLT)
Give to the Lord the glory he deserves! Bring your offering and come into his courts. 9 Worship the Lord in all his holy splendor. Let all the earth tremble before him. 10 Tell all the nations, “The Lord reigns!” The world stands firm and cannot be shaken. He will judge all peoples fairly.

Hebrews 12:28-29 (CEV)
We should be grateful that we were given a kingdom that cannot be shaken. And in this kingdom we please God by worshiping him and by showing him great honor and respect. 29Our God is like a destructive fire!

John 4:23-24 (The Message)
"It's who you are and the way you live that count before God. Your worship must engage your spirit in the pursuit of truth. That's the kind of people the Father is out looking for: those who are simply and honestly themselves before him in their worship. God is sheer being itself—Spirit. Those who worship him must do it out of their very being, their spirits, their true selves, in adoration."

Psalm 95:5-7 (Contemporary English Version)
The ocean is the Lord's because he made it, and with his own hands he formed the dry land. 6Bow down and worship the LORD our Creator! 7The LORD is our God, and we are his people, the sheep he takes care of in his own pasture. Listen to God's voice today!

P S A L M => 3 4

1I will always praise the LORD. 2With all my heart, I will praise the LORD. Let all who are helpless, listen and be glad. 3Honor the LORD with me! Celebrate his great name. 4I asked the LORD for help, and he saved me from all my fears. 5 Keep your ey es on the LORD! You will shine like the sun and never blush with shame. 6 I was a nobody, but I prayed, and the LORD saved me from all my troubles. 7 If you honor the LORD, his angel will protect you. 8 Discover for yourself that the LORD is kind. Come to him for protection, and you will be glad. 9 Honor the LORD! You are his special people. No one who honors the LORD will ever be in need. 10Young lions may go hungry or even starve, but if you trust the LORD, you will never miss out on anything good. 11Come, my children, listen as I teach you to respect the LORD. 12Do you want to live and enjoy a long life? 13Then don't say cruel things and don't tell lies. 14Do good instead of evil and try to live at peace. 15If you obey the LORD, he will watch over you and answer your prayers. 16But God despises evil people, and he will wipe them all from the earth, till they are forgotten. 17When his people pray for help, he listens and rescues them from their troubles. 18The LORD is there to rescue all who are discouraged and have given up hope. 19The LORD's people may suffer a lot, but he will always bring them safely through. 20Not one of their bones will ever be broken. 21Wicked people are killed by their own evil deeds, and if you hate God's people you will be punished. 22The LORD saves the lives of his servants. Run to him for protection, and you won't be punished.

SUDOKU = DIET

Since England I've been hooked on Crosswords (great family fun time) and then Sudoku Number Puzzles.
Bought a beginning book at Target for Sudoku.
The first one I completed took me 75 minutes! Ouch!
Yesterday I did one in 15 minutes!
I'm trying to Sudoku instead of overeat!!!!!!
I've had so much stress at work and church I am escaping with number puzzles....
How's that for a chubby dietitian's plan?
I also feel like my memory is worse and hope this will help my brain function, seriously!

Here's an online site
http://www.soduko.org/

READ THIS BOOK by Dr. Francis Collins

"The Language of God: A Scientist Presents Evidence for Belief "
http://www.latimes.com/news/printedition/front/la-na-collins17aug17,1,7302416.story?coll=la-headlines-frontpage
Dr. Francis Collins has mapped the human genome and embraced Christ. He sees no conflict, but there are skeptics on both sides.
By Stephanie Simon, Times Staff WriterAugust 17, 2006
ROCKVILLE, Md. — The dying woman looked up at her physician. "What do you believe?" The question unsettled Dr. Francis Collins. For days, he had watched the elderly woman serenely endure the pain of a failing heart, certain she was leaving this world for a better one. She talked to him often of her faith. He listened with bemusement. He was a man of science; he had earned a PhD in physical chemistry at Yale and was completing his medical degree with bedside training at a North Carolina hospital. When his patients talked of God, he pitied them.Yet confronted with the woman's earnest question, Collins felt not superior, but oddly ashamed. After 30 years, he still remembers how he flushed as he stammered: "I'm not really sure."The patient died soon after. And Collins embarked on a journey of exploration that took him to the White House to discuss his landmark map of human DNA with President Clinton — and to a lonely mountain meadow, where he dropped to his knees one bright morning and surrendered himself to Jesus Christ.A scientist and a believer. A born-again Christian and director of the National Human Genome Research Institute, a federal project with 550 employees, a $480 million annual budget and a mandate to explore every twist of the DNA that makes us who we are. The synthesis has brought Collins much joy and intellectual satisfaction. But he's frustrated, too, that he's perceived as such an oddity.In his new book, "The Language of God: A Scientist Presents Evidence for Belief," Collins expresses his dismay at what he calls "the chasm between science and faith."Evolution versus intelligent design. Darwin versus God. Embryonic stem-cell research versus the sanctity of human life."We act as though there's a battle going on," Collins said. "An irreconcilable conflict."He feels no such conflict. He believes in evolution and in the resurrection. He wears a silver ring with a raised cross and works at a dining-room table painted with the double-helix of DNA.Tall and trim, with gray hair; blue eyes; a relaxed, self-effacing manner; and just the barest hint of a Southern twang, Collins, 56, has set himself up as an emissary between two clashing worldviews.He urges his fellow scientists to give up the arrogant assumption that the only questions worth asking are those science can answer. He entreats his fellow believers to recognize it's not blasphemous to learn about the world.One day last summer, in the basement office of his suburban home here, Collins dictated this manifesto into a tape recorder: "Science is not threatened by God; it is enhanced. God is most certainly not threatened by science; He made it all possible." It became the central thesis of his book — with this addendum: "Abandon the battlements."This plea for a truce encourages some veterans of the culture wars.Polls routinely show that about half of all Americans believe God created man, fully formed, within the last 10,000 years, as the Bible recounts. The vast majority of scientists find that ludicrous, but their account of man evolving from primordial muck does not resonate broadly, especially with Christians who believe in a personal God, deeply concerned about each human life.Collins, some hope, might bridge this gap by reassuring Christians that they can buy evolution without selling out their faith. Eugenie C. Scott, director of the National Center for Science Education, called Collins' book "extremely important … particularly because it was written from a conservative Christian view. This is not some Unitarian speaking."Some Christians accuse Collins of denying the foundation of faith when he calls the Biblical creation account an allegory."Not accepting the history in Genesis undermines the entire gospel," said Ken Ham, president of a ministry called Answers in Genesis, which promotes creationism. "The Bible says from dust we come and to dust we return. We don't return to an ape-man when we die."From the other camp, some scientists ridicule Collins' effort to find a place for God in the scientific framework."I could just as well say that there are 70 pink elephants revolving around the Earth," said Herbert A. Hauptman, a Nobel laureate in chemistry. Science and faith "are simply incompatible," he added. "There's no getting around it."

Some of Art's Grandkids

Luke, Nick, Ben and Matt in 1997 /// Ashley and Luke in 2004

IN DEEPEST SYMPATHY

DOROTHY FALCO AND ARTHUR ELIAS
YOU WILL BE MISSED

read poems brad just wrote about his dad here
http://mistere0915.blogspot.com/

Two of the Most Wonderful People in this world

Went to heaven (July 9, July 13)

My 12 Year old "baby"

Hey Luke.
Hope you had a great 12th birthday yesterday on the Houseboat!
Love, Mom

TO COMFORT YOU

Psalms of Strength and Comfort
"My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.-Psalm 73:26
"God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea.-Psalm 46:1-2
"The LORD is the strength of his people, a fortress of salvation for his anointed one.-Psalm 28:8
"Be merciful to me, O LORD, for I am in distress; my eyes grow weak with sorrow, my soul and my body with grief.-Psalm 31:9
"But you, O LORD, be not far off; O my Strength, come quickly to help me.-Psalm 22:19
"The LORD gives strength to his people; the LORD blesses his people with peace.-Psalm 29:11
"O my Strength, I watch for you; you, O God, are my fortress.-Psalm 59:9
"Summon your power, O God; show us your strength, O God, as you have done before.-Psalm 68:28
"My hand will sustain him; surely my arm will strengthen him.-Psalm 89:21
"The LORD is my strength and my song; he has become my salvation.-Psalm 118:14
"My soul is weary with sorrow; strengthen me according to your word.-Psalm 119:28

http://www.christianitytoday.com/todayschristian/special/psalms.html

YOUNG DEATH

I attended a catholic vigil and mass for a co-worker’s sister last week. I hated the relentless praise of Mary. I tried to pray during that time.
Good that came out of it (Romans 8:28) I encouraged another sister, a stranger to me, a young girl, who had guilt and asked for forgiveness from her dead sister in front of all of us.
As I gently rubbed her arm I told her you did nothing wrong. You are a good person. What you are feeling is normal. God Bless you. You did nothing wrong. Your sister knows that.
She thanked me (weeping, head down).
I believe God placed me there to comfort this distraugt young lady, a stranger to me.
God is so Amazing. All Powerful. All Knowing. Sovereign. Loving. Kind. Merciful. Wonderful. Just. Forgiving. Helpful. Forever.

Very Touching Song

The Song "Daises and Roses" really touched me.
Read about it:

"Roaring Lambs" was meant as a challenge to Christians. Where does your song on the CD, “Daisies and Roses” fit in?
It is about how we felt when we went to Saudia Arabia to play for the soldiers. The whole trip was a challenge because we were in a country where you couldn't speak about your faith. We had to sign death-penalty notices before entering the country stating we would not bring in any kind of Christianity. Guess you could say that we had to tell a white lie because all we sang about was God.
"Daisies and Roses" came out of that experience. The challenge was trusting in God and going forth into a country where we knew we weren't welcome but we were granted the victory for facing up to the challenge.”
http://www.beliefnet.com/story/29/story_2913_1.html

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00004TLYJ/102-6538003-1836922?v=glance&n=5174

DAISIES AND ROSES
It starts from the motions that blade 'round my mind
Causes premonition, and it takes me out of time
It's a story told over of how I came to be
Screaming from the mountains I was blind but now
I seeI am a soldier trying to be one living in salvation, shining like the sun
Daisies and Roses are all I can see, all I'll ever live for
That sun, those stars, holy sea (louloulouloulouloulou... 17)
Oh! Lonely soldier, why are we alone?I thought we were all connected
My, I thought we've grown, we all need attention to heal from our cries
I dream of your smiles to drench my dying eyes
Colors and visions, mountains and streams
Needing each other, oh baby, it's better than it seems
Daisies and roses are all i can see
All I ever lived for, that sun, those stars (loulouloulou... 17)

GREAT MUSIC!

KELLY MINTER'S "GOOD DAY"
Artist websites

I bought this a while back and just had the opportunity to listen.
I LOVE THIS C/D!!!!!!!!!

Any More Sure [2001]
Good Day [2001]
Believer [2001]
On My Way Back Home [2001]
Any Way [2001]
Speak to Me [2001]
After All [2001]
Return to Me [2001]
Calling Out [2001]
Whatever I Do [2001]

FORGET the BEEF

Back in the 80's Wendys' had this clever commercial with this short old lady with a gruffy voice yelling "Where's the beef!?" It made for a good BBQ invite.....

Well, I tell you, stop the beef:
====================
"Mad cow disease is the common term for bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE), an invariably fatal disease that slowly destroys the nervous system in cattle. Scientists believe the disease is caused by a protein called a prion that occurs naturally in the brains of animals and people. Normally, prions are harmless, but when they're misshapen — something that can happen when a process called protein folding goes awry — they can cause devastating illness......

The first indications of the disease are psychiatric — personality changes, memory loss and impaired judgment. People with vCJD eventually develop dementia, which robs them of the ability to speak, think, remember or care for themselves. Problems with balance and coordination also are common, leading to falls and difficulty walking.
Although it seems to take years or even decades for signs and symptoms of vCJD to appear, once they do develop, people with the disease rarely live more than 12 to 14 months. The cause of death usually isn't the disease itself but a complication such as infection or heart or respiratory problems.
Are certain types of beef or cuts of beef safer than others?
The chances of eating infected beef are very low — even in countries with a relatively high rate of mad cow disease, such as the United Kingdom, Portugal, France, Spain and Germany. Still, the meats most likely to contain prions include hamburgers, hot dogs, sausages and luncheon meats because they generally contain meat from different parts of the animal. The parts of cows that have the highest risk of carrying prions include the bone marrow, brain, spinal cord, eyes and small intestine. Cuts of beef muscle or whole muscle meats appear to be FREE OF THE PRIONS that can lead to vCJD......

What if my dog or cat eats pet food made with mad-cow-infected beef?
Several species can get diseases related to BSE and vCJD, including goats, sheep, mink, deer, elk and cats. Dogs don't appear to get this type of disease. Still, because cats and dogs often eat food that contains ground-up scraps of animals, including cows, your anxiety over your pet's health is reasonable."..........
http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/mad-cow-disease/ID00012

AWESOME PATIENT

Today I had the privilege and opportunity to educate a deaf patient on her diet.
We read and wrote back and forth.
What a sweet person. Glad to have met her.
(When I was 11 I had the signing alphabet memorized)

UNDERSTAND and FORGIVE

“Any fool can criticize, condemn, and complain but it takes character and self control to be understanding and forgiving.”
--Dale Carnegie, 1888-1955

Stop the Anger. Stop the Sex.

This am the ktla channel 5 morning news team reported:
41% of 279 TEEN GIRLS interviewed
reported that they have UNWANTED SEX with their boyfriend
because they are afraid he will get ANGRY if they don’t.

WOULD IT HELP to teach teens:

1) DON'T DATE ANYONE YOU WOULD NOT BE WILLING TO MARRY--?
2) It's OKAY TO SAVE SEX FOR MARRIAGE--?
3) It's okay to say NO!--?
4) It's respectable to have the self-control to wait.--?

Get the VOTERS to vote

I wish people who DID NOT VOTE
would be fined $ or be forced to do community service,
unless you have a legitimate excuse like illness.....

Only 27% of the California voters voted yesterday in the Primary Election.....

TRAGIC // PRAY FOR VIOLENCE TO STOP

http://www.latimes.com/news/printedition/front/la-me-venice7jun07,1,5455922.story?coll=la-headlines-frontpage

Slain Teen Was Trying to Protect His Brother
Agustin Contreras was shot at Venice High by a gang member who tried to take the cross his younger brother wore.
The fight began over a large silver cross and turned deadly after an act of brotherly devotion.Agustin Contreras, 17, described by teachers and police as a good student who was not involved in gangs, was shot to death at Venice High School as he tried to protect his younger brother Alejo from gang members bent on stealing the cross from around the 16-year-old's neck. It was the first fatal shooting on a Los Angeles Unified School District campus in more than a decade, and fueled worries about gangs and racial tensions in Venice. Police and community leaders called for calm and organized tolerance meetings in hopes of heading off retaliatory attacks...........

I Like This Quote

Watch your thoughts; they become words.
Watch your words; they become actions.
Watch your actions; they become habits.
Watch your habits; they become character.
Watch your character; it becomes your destiny.

--Frank Outlaw

PRAY FOR FAMILIES OF VICTIMS

Definition: Memorial Day: "May 30, observed in the United States in commemoration of those members of the armed forces killed in war. It is officially observed on the last Monday in May. Also called Decoration Day"
How about PRAYER for all the families in the world who have had loved ones Killed In WAR??? Not just for families of soldiers.
"A time to tear and a time to mend. A time to be quiet and a time to speak up. A time to love and a time to hate. A time for W A R and a time for P E A C E ." ---Ecclesiastes 3:7-8
1997 PHOTO of my son Luke age 2 years 10 months at Canoga Park Memorial Day Parade. My son Nick, then 6 years old, is in the parade...

MARRIAGE

HAPPY 24th ANNIVERSARY BRAD!

Thanks for a loving weekend.

Double "24" season finale starts in 35 minutes!

Health Check-Ups NEED HELP

http://www.shns.com/shns/g_index2.cfm?action=detail&pk=MEDICAL-05-17-06
......A new government-sponsored study out this week looked at all the preventive services offered by doctors and rated them according to both their potential health impact as well as their cost-effectiveness.
According to the study, five of the top-rated services are being provided to fewer than half the patients who should be getting them.
"Many Americans are not receiving the most valuable preventive services,'' said Ashley Coffield, a senior analyst with the Partnership for Prevention, a national nonprofit organization dedicated to health promotion, who helped write the report......
Of the 25 top-valued services, the researchers found that seven are utilized by less than 50 percent of the patients who should get the care.
They include:
_ Discussing daily aspirin use with men 40 and older, women 50 and older and anyone else at increased risk for heart disease. If everyone took the blood thinner that should (and some have medical reasons not to), as many as 80,000 lives a year might be saved, the report said.
_ Screening adults for tobacco use, offering them brief counseling and offering medicines and other aids to help them quit. Although this is one of the most valuable services, 65 percent of patients haven't received this service as recommended. If everyone got it and just two or three percent of smokers managed to quit, it would save the country more than $3 billion a year in medical costs
_ Regular screening for colorectal cancer. Although it's the second-deadliest cancer, it had a high cure rate when caught early. But 65 percent don't get properly screened. If all adults over age 50 were regularly checked, it would prevent 19,000 deaths a year.
_ Pneumococcal vaccine for adults over 65. One dose of this shot prevents pneumonia from numerous types of bacterial infection and protects for 10 years. Yet only 45 percent of seniors have gotten the shot. If they all did, it would cut health costs by $50 million a year and save thousands of live.
_ Asking adults about alcohol use. It's estimated that if all adults were periodically counseled about drinking, 6,000 deaths and 400,000 injuries a year could be avoided.
_ Chlamydia screening among all sexually active women under age 25. There are 3 million new cases of this disease each year. If all women were appropriately tested, the experts say 60,000 cases of pelvic inflammatory disease and 7,500 cases of infertility could be prevented.
_ Vision screening for older adults. About one of every four seniors wear inappropriate corrective lenses for their eyes. Getting them the right glasses could not only improve their quality of life and self-sufficiency, but also reduce hip fractures from falls.
A separate report from the National Eye Institute released last week, based on a national sample of vision tests, found that six percent of Americans over age 12 are visually impaired, and most of them, about 11 million, do not have corrective lenses. It also found that the age group most likely to have vision problems that can be corrected, but are not, are those aged 60 and older

Female Victims Need More Help

http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/health/270374_abuse16.html
"Domestic violence is so common among women that doctors should be doing more to detect cases and get their patients the help they need, according to the authors of two new studies.......
For example, women in the study who'd been abused within the past five years were four times more likely than other women to have symptoms of severe depression in addition to at least one other physical symptom, including nausea, back pain, chest pain and headaches.They were also three times as likely to describe their health as fair or poor. Although physical abuse was associated with the worst health for women, psychological abuse, such as put-downs, controlling behavior and threats, also affected the women's health.........
Because battered women are often socially isolated (sometimes at the insistence of their partner), a doctor's office might be the only place they're alone with someone else, said Kelly Starr, who reviews fatalities related to domestic violence for the Washington State Coalition Against Domestic Violence".......

THANK YOU MOTHER

God Bless All Mothers and All Women who care for children
Song written from the point of view of a child:
M—O—M written by Brad Elias April 2002
Who carried me until my birth? M—O—M
Who told me just how much I’m worth? M—O—M
Who kissed my knees when they were skinned?
Who forgave me each time I sinned?
M—O—M
Mother Of Mine, Maker of Miracles
M—O—M
God showed his love by giving us them
M—O—M
My own Mama, My Only Model
M—O—M
So I spell love
M—O—M
Who tidied up when she was tired? M—O—M
Who told me I’m her heart’s desire? M—O—M
Who prayed for me both night and day
To keep me in the narrow way?
M—O—M
Mother Of Mine, Maker of Miracles
M—O—M
God showed his love by giving us them
M—O—M
My own Mama, My Only Model
M—O—M
So I spell love
M—O—M

MAY 22nd will = 24 years married !

Wedding Invitation Photo from 1982

Santa Cruz California

Nice shot Jane


Chris and Brad met at SJSU in 1978

Smart Dolphins

Dolphins name themselves with whistles

Bottlenose dolphins swim together near the village of Fagasa in American Samoa. New research using the recorded sounds of wild dolphins off the Florida coast shows that the marine mammals give themselves signature whistles that act as names.

http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2006/05/060508_dolphins.html

For Your Health

Experts Issue New Stroke-Prevention Guidelines
http://www.forbes.com/forbeslife/health/feeds/hscout/2006/05/05/hscout532536.html

For Patients:
Have regular screenings for high blood pressure -- at least every two years in adults and more frequently in minorities and the elderly -- and keep blood pressure under control.
Don't smoke, and eliminate exposure to secondhand smoke.
If you have diabetes, maintain tight control of blood pressure. If you have diabetes and other stroke risk factors, talk to your doctor about taking a cholesterol-lowering statin drug.
Reduce your intake of salt (no more than 2.3 grams of sodium a day), and increase your intake of potassium (at least 4.7 grams a day) in order to lower high blood pressure. Eat a diet high in fruit, vegetables, low-fat dairy products and low in saturated and total fat.
Lower total cholesterol to acceptable levels.
Lose weight, which can lower blood pressure.
Get moderately intensive physical activity for a least 30 minutes a day.
For Doctors:
Treat cardiovascular diseases that increase stroke risk such as coronary heart disease, heart failure and peripheral artery disease.
Consider clot-preventing anticoagulants or antithrombotics for high-risk patients with atrial fibrillation.
Consider statins for patients with diabetes and other stroke risk factors.
For patients with severe blockage of the carotid artery in the neck without symptoms, consider recommending preventive carotid endarectomy surgery by a surgeon with a low complication rate.
Beginning at age 2, use transcranial Doppler ultrasound to screen children with sickle cell disease and consider transfusion therapy for those with an elevated risk of stroke.
Evaluate adult sickle cell patients for stroke risk factors and manage those risk factors according to the general guidelines in this new stroke prevention statement.
Do not prescribe hormone therapy (with estrogen, with or without progestin) for primary stroke prevention.

The guidelines also include suggestions on other measures that may reduce stroke risk.
For Patients:
Alcohol intake should be limited to no more than two drinks a day for men and one drink a day for nonpregnant women.
Don't use illicit drugs.
Women who smoke or have a history of blood clots should not take oral contraceptives.
If you notice signs of sleep-disordered breathing (loud snoring, excessive daytime sleepiness, repeatedly gasping for air during sleep), go to a specialist to be evaluated.
For Doctors:
Treat the components of metabolic syndrome -- abdominal obesity, high triglycerides, low HDL cholesterol, high blood pressure, insulin resistance.
Consider low-dose aspirin therapy for women at high risk of stroke.

SERVICE by 3 YEAR OLDS

Lucas Jacob Elias, 3 years old, and his friend, preparing

water bottles to hand out to people at the Memorial Day Parade 1998.

(Nick was sick.) Thanks Pastor Steve, for Kindness Evangelism.

Photo from 2001

My Sons at

10 and 7 years old

TINY ANIMALS NEW TO SCIENCE

Deep ocean trawl nets new 'bugs'
By Richard Black
Environment Correspondent, BBC News website
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sci/tech/4973240.stm
Catches from the deep include a possible new species of dragonfish
A three-week voyage of discovery in the Atlantic has returned with tiny animals which appear new to science. They include waif-like plankton with delicate translucent bodies related to jellyfish, hundreds of microscopic shrimps, and several kinds of fish...........

YOUNG CHRISTIAN ARTIST

I just listened to "Out of the Shade" by Melia Mann.
I am so impressed. What a music range. What depth, soul, heart, love goes into her singing. What an original, too.
I am honored to think that this young lady once babysat my boys.
"It sounds like you have monkeys in your bed" she commented on the squeaky frame.

Buy the disc and support this artist.
http://www.meliamann.com/

Why why why why why why why why and why?

BRITISH WOMAN TO GIVE BIRTH AT AGE 63

http://www.eitb24.com/portal/eitb24/noticia/en/life/fertility-treatment-one-of-britains-oldest-mothers-to-be-will-giv?itemId=D29124&cl=%2Feitb24%2Fsociedad&idioma=en

sex

Teen Virginity Pledges: Can They Work?
Half of Pledgers Deny Pledge; Other Teens Become Born-Again Virgins
http://www.webmd.com/content/article/121/114387.htm

Healthier Drinks at School, finally

School Soda Ban Called Good First Step
http://www.forbes.com/forbeslife/health/feeds/hscout/2006/05/03/hscout532509.html

[Back in 1991 I remember moms and dietitians demanding less high sugar and high fat items to be sold at schools.]

Belief and Behavior

Survey: Doctors Don't Mind Talking Religion With Patients
http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,193821,00.html
......"Protestant doctors were the most likely to inquire about a patient's beliefs and the most likely to pray with patients"......
**********
As a Hospital Dietitian I have had the opportunity to talk about faith. I have also prayed for patients. I've thought about going to school to be a chaplain.

IS THIS SAFE?

Tour takes visitors inside Hayward fault
FREMONT, Calif. - A section of the dangerous Hayward fault line is now accessible to the curious through a 15-foot pit at a public park.Scientists say "The Hayward Fault Exposed" is the Bay Area's first public exhibit of an ACTIVE fault. Visitors descend a staircase to view the fault, which runs under nine cities for about 75 miles......
http://www.mercurynews.com/mld/mercurynews/news/breaking_news/14461658.htm

MOTHER TERESA

"Do not wait for leaders; do it alone, person to person."--Mother Teresa

http://home.comcast.net/~motherteresasite/quotes.html
"Love does not measure; it just gives."
"The poor do not need our sympathy and our pity. The poor need our love and compassion."
"Prayer gives us a pure heart and a pure heart can do much."
"Pride destroys everything. To imitate Jesus is the key to be meek and humble in heart."
"Keep your heart pure. A pure heart is necessary to see God in each other. If you see God in each other, there is love for each other, then there is peace."

http://nobelprize.org/peace/laureates/1979/teresa-bio.html
Nobel Peace Prize Winner

NOT a Horror Film

Stolen Body Parts Blamed for Illnesses
http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/ap/nation/3827801.html
NEW YORK — At least a dozen people who had routine operations claim they caught deadly viruses and other germs from body parts stolen from corpses in a ghoulish scandal that has sent hundreds of people for tests.The patients tested positive for germs that cause AIDS, hepatitis or syphilis after receiving tissue transplants, according to their lawyers and court records......

H U G

CHRISTMAS HUG

2006

Spoiled Dog

SPOILED DOG

March 26, 2006

Santa Rosa

January 3, 2006

Spoiled Cat

SPOILED CAT

February 24, 2006

My Boys

One of my favorite pictures

October 1995

15 months & 4 1/2

EASTER 2006

:) <=== Good Photos Andrew. Farewell Bob(maroon shirt) ===> :(

Blood Clots possibly ==> Alzheimer's Disease.

Blood clots 'hold key' to Alzheimer's
http://news.monstersandcritics.com/health/article_1159144.php/
Blood_clots_hold_key_to_Alzheimers
.........Much work remains to be done on the link between cerebral emboli and blood clots with Alzheimer's, with the study suggesting that further research could yield effective results in lowering the numbers of dementia cases in the UK. There are 400,000 Alzheimer's sufferers in Britain alone, one in five having the disease in its most severe state.

Cat and Dog October 2005

I'm so Jazzed I learned how to upload photos here!!!!!

Warning from God

15 "I know you inside and out, and find little to my liking. You're not cold, you're not hot--far better to be either cold or hot! 16 You're stale. You're stagnant. You make me want to vomit. 17 You brag, "I'm rich, I've got it made, I need nothing from anyone,' oblivious that in fact you're a pitiful, blind beggar, threadbare and homeless.
18 "Here's what I want you to do: Buy your gold from me, gold that's been through the refiner's fire. Then you'll be rich. Buy your clothes from me, clothes designed in Heaven. You've gone around half-naked long enough. And buy medicine for your eyes from me so you can see, really see.
19 "The people I love, I call to account--prod and correct and guide so that they'll live at their best. Up on your feet, then! About face! Run after God!
20 "Look at me. I stand at the door. I knock. If you hear me call and open the door, I'll come right in and sit down to supper with you. 21 Conquerors will sit alongside me at the head table, just as I, having conquered, took the place of honor at the side of my Father. That's my gift to the conquerors!
22 "Are your ears awake? Listen. Listen to the Wind Words, the Spirit blowing through the churches."--Revelation chapter 3

CHILDBIRTH

Dont read this if you tend to get queasy.........
I did NOT have a C-section NOR an epidural x 2.
It HURT both times! I had stitches x 1. After my first
baby was born I told my husband I want 7 more=>
Crazy Mother Hormones. My first nurse was a monster.
My 2nd doctor was awesome. Email me if you want more information. (cmfelias@hotmail.com)
Canada paying high cost for C-sections: study
..........One in four pregnant women in Canada chose C-section births in 2002-03. This number is up 17 per cent from a decade earlier...........
.........."If you think you're going to have a better figure if you have a C-section rather than a vaginal birth, you're realistically wrong. It'll take longer for your abdominal muscles to get back into shape and of course you'll have a scar on your abdomen."..........
http://www.canada.com/nationalpost/news/story.html?id=ee8b059c-5522-4f41-ab7d-b0ab6b4b686a&k=42735

More on Black Holes

NASA's Chandra finds black holes are 'green'
http://www.hindu.com/thehindu/holnus/008200604261321.htm

HELP FOR MARRIAGES

I heard Dave Carder Inteviewed on the radio this morning.
He sounds level-headed. Don't know if the intverview was old or new. The book is from 1992, 1995, 1999.

"Torn Asunder: Recovering From Extramarital Affairs"
by Dave Carder
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0802477488/002-8055030-1752007?v=glance&n=283155
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/search-handle-url/index=books&field-author-exact=Dave%20Carder&rank=-relevance%2C%2Bavailability%2C-daterank/002-8055030-1752007

=> coffee =>> coffEE=>>> coFFEE=>>>> C O F F E E !

Of course I know that this study contradicts other studies, but this is the type of study this ex-mormon wants to hear! Don't you tell me I can't have my legal drug! (she says as she drops dead of heart failure.....)

"Drinking lots of coffee doesn't harm heart -study"
http://today.reuters.co.uk/news/newsArticle.aspx?type=healthNews&storyID=2006-04-24T211045Z_01_N24211565_RTRIDST_0_HEALTH-COFFEE-DC.XML
"Coffee not so bad"
http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3244211,00.html
"Coffee May Not Raise Heart Disease Risk"
http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,193070,00.html
Oh come on. "6 cups" is pushing it!!!!!!!!!

Coffee also can cause: gastritis, anemia, bone loss, and stained teeth.