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