Remarkable Testimony from Abortion Survivor

September 29, 2010 by Lillie

Amazing testimony from abortion survivor Gianna Jessen.

Three Problems Solved, but a New One Appears

September 27, 2010 by Lillie

Thanks to Christopher Roberts, who is a regular commenter, for helping me find the answer to the question, “Has Anybody Here Seen My Old Friend Threaded Comments?”

When I upgraded WordPress, Brian’s Threaded Comments plugin quit working, and I couldn’t get the threaded comments in WordPress to work. Gravatars have never showed up in comments since I started using this theme, although the gravatars show up in the dashboard. And new commenters told me they didn’t get any message their comment was going into moderation, so they weren’t sure if it went through or not.

Christopher made several recommendations, including How to Add Nested Comments to Your WordPress Theme by C. Bavota. The article includes a comments.php file that I copied and pasted into the same file in my theme. Voilà! Threaded comments, gravatars, and the moderation message all appeared.

Alas, however, CommentLuv quit working. Anybody have any suggestions about that? I’d love a fix for that problem that doesn’t undo the fixes the new comments.php file made.

Updated 9/29/10: Although I had deleted and reinstalled the plugin once before without success, I decided to delete CommentLuv for the entire day, then reinstall it later. After I did that, it appears to be working. Please let me know if it works for you.

Filed Under Blogging · 28 Comments

Today is International Freelancers Day

September 24, 2010 by Lillie

In a recent post, I told you about International Freelancers Day. Today is the first day of a two-day free online conference for solo professionals. Some of the best freelancers around will be sharing their expertise throughout both days. You’re bound to find several sessions that can help advance your freelancing career.

Added 2/5/11: Even though the conference is over, check out the site as these folks are offering regular video training sessions for freelancers.

Filed Under Events and Group Writing Projects · 35 Comments

World Alzheimer’s Day 2010

September 21, 2010 by Lillie

Today is World Alzheimer’s Day, which the Alzheimer’s Association states is:

… a day when the Alzheimer’s Association joins with organizations and people around the globe to raise awareness about Alzheimer’s and its impact on our families, communities and nations. Today, 35 million people worldwide are affected by Alzheimer’s and related dementias, and this number is growing rapidly. World Alzheimer’s Day is an opportunity to raise awareness about Alzheimer’s disease and the need for more education, support and research.

Most people probably know that one of the primary symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease is memory loss. However, some of the other signs are less well-known—and often even more difficult to deal with. These are the 10 signs from the Alzheimer’s Association:

Memory loss that disrupts daily life
Challenges in planning or solving problems
Difficulty completing familiar tasks
Confusion with time or place
Trouble understanding visual images and spatial relationships
New problems with words in speaking or writing
Misplacing things and losing the ability to retrace steps
Decreased or poor judgment
Withdrawal from work or social activities
Changes in mood and personality

Regular readers know Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is a cause close to my heart. In several previous posts, I have shared my experiences as one of the caregivers for my father.

Today, I am blessed and challenged as the sole caregiver for another family member with Alzheimer’s. I do not discuss this out of respect of the privacy of my loved one. But AD was a regular part of my life for seven years before my father’s death and has been a constant part of my life for more than a year.

I’m excited to report to report that my sister, Nancy Nicholson, will soon publish a booklet of practical tips for Alzheimer’s patient. Nancy was also a caregiver for my father, and she became so interested in helping others with this devastating disease that she earned a degree in social work and went to work in a nursing home. Now she is a social work consultant for several nursing homes, and in the course of her work, she trains staff on how to work with patients with AD.

Her tips booklet began life as a school project. I have encouraged her for several years to update and publish this helpful guide, and she’s in the process of preparing the manuscript now. I didn’t say, “I told you so,” but I couldn’t suppress a smile when we started working on the project. Nancy read the original booklet and said, “I didn’t realize I knew so much back then!” Of course, she’s expanding the tips and adding updated information. My associate, Beverly Ellison, and I are giving her input from our experiences as well as editing the document.

Nancy provides information about the symptoms and stages of the disease and gives tips for a variety of situations. Topics include communication, safety, administering medication, eating, activities of daily living, and activities for the patient’s enjoyment. She also discusses specific behaviors, such as inappropriate/disturbing behavior, physical/verbal aggression, and sundowning. Nancy gives practical advice to caregivers on taking care of themselves so they can give the best care to their loved ones.

And she emphasizes the importance of laughter, which Beverly mentioned in her post about being caregiver for her mother.

Perhaps most importantly, the booklet is filled with examples of real-life situations and how other caregivers have handled them. Readers can adapt what has worked for others to the situations encountered with their own loved ones.

We don’t have a date of publication yet, but I will definitely let you know when we do. If you are a caregiver or know someone who is a caregiver for a patient with AD, you will want to read or share this booklet.

Bloggers are uniting today to raise awareness of Alzheimer’s disease. Find more posts at Bloggers Unite.

Filed Under Events and Group Writing Projects · 50 Comments

The Gift: Becoming Primary Caregiver for Mom with Alzheimer’s

September 17, 2010 by Beverly

Introduction from Lillie: This is the first post from my associate, Beverly Ellison. You can look forward to more posts from Beverly in the future.

=====================================================================

Chances are many of you who are reading this have been impacted by Alzheimer’s Disease (AD). As our society continues to age, AD will continue to make itself known. My 91-year-old mother was diagnosed six years ago.

AD affects people in different ways. In my mother’s case, this mysterious disease has taken away her short-term memory, but that’s okay—that’s why I’m here. AD has changed our lives—my Mom’s, of course, as well as my husband’s (Carl) and mine.

I am primary caregiver for my Mom, yet when I was gifted (yes, gifted) with this responsibility, none of us was prepared. My Mom left her home one day for a short stay in the hospital as the result of a fall at her home (no broken bones!). When she was dismissed, she came home with Carl and me; she never returned home to live. Understandably, she resented it.

The first several months were challenging for all of us, but over time, with God’s help and the love and support of my husband (my Mom’s “son” as she calls him), things progressively got better. My mother lived with us for nearly three and a half years. She has resided in an assisted living facility for nearly three years now, and she enjoys it very much.

What an amazing transformation—for all of us—in the six years since Mom’s diagnosis! My Mom, like me, is by nature an introvert. As long as I’ve known her, she has been an introvert and was always very shy. As a direct result of AD, she exhibits the behavior of an extrovert, and is having the time of her life! She dances—I never knew she could! She sings—I never knew she could do that, either! She and I have so much fun together sitting and talking, running errands, watching a good movie together, and going to church together, to name a few.

Taking care of my Mom and spending this cherished time with her has created a closeness we never knew before. We laugh and joke all the time. We’ve even made a game out of the loss of her short-term memory. When she asks the same question every few minutes, I respond in a way that makes her laugh and laugh and laugh. I love to hear her laugh! Why, I think that because of her and my naturally extroverted husband, I am becoming an extrovert, too!

So, you see, taking care of my Mom truly is a gift!

Next Tuesday, September 21, is World Alzheimer’s Day. Lillie will have a post on that day, then I’ll be back next Thursday soon with some do’s and don’ts for dealing with people with AD. Stay tuned; I’ll tell you more in a few days!

Until then,

God bless you!! God bless America!!!

Beverly Ellison <><

Filed Under Causes · 85 Comments

Interview with Ben Ferguson: Chaplain to the Chaplains

September 15, 2010 by Lillie

Usually the guests I interview on my blog are authors—and today’s guest is, in fact, an author. However, Ben Ferguson is doing something he considers much more important than writing at the moment, and that something is what we’re going to talk about today.

I first met Ben virtually through my friend and former pastor, Father Jerry Sherbourne. Father Jerry left parish ministry to serve in the Army as a chaplain. During his deployment to Iraq, he was adopted by Adopt-a-Chaplain, and he raved about how much the organization helped him and other chaplains.

Father Jerry introduced me to Ben, who has had two books published. Ben was working on a book about using Biblical principles to handle everyday problems, and Father Jerry recommended me as an editor. Ben almost finished the book, but once he got involved in Adopt-a-Chaplain, he put the book aside and took on a new ministry. We have stayed in touch, and I had the wonderful experience of meeting Ben in person recently when the proud grandpa came to San Antonio for his grandson’s graduation from basic training.

Lillie: Welcome to A Writer’s Words, An Editor’s Eye, Ben. Meeting you in person was such a blessing. I loved hearing about AAC, and it’s a real treat to introduce you and Adopt-a-Chaplain (AAC) to my readers. Actually, regular readers have heard about AAC. In addition to a number of posts in which I’ve included Adopt-a-Chaplain along with other troop support organizations, I’ve written the following articles about AAC:

So people who have read my blog for some time may know a little about AAC, but I’m sure they and newer readers who haven’t heard of Adopt-a-Chaplain before would like to know more about it. Please tell us how—and why—AAC supports deployed chaplains.

Ben: Occasionally someone will introduce me as a “founder” of Adopt-a-Chaplain. I love that. It gives an opportunity to talk about how God started the ministry. A small group of us meet each Friday for breakfast and encouragement. In January 2005 we had our “burning bush” experience in the form of a forwarded email from a chaplain in Afghanistan who needed encouragement. It’s probably a good thing God didn’t tell us as much about what He had in mind as He did Moses. Had we known then what we know now we may have said like Moses, “Here am I, Lord; please send someone else.” We adopted Luis and the rest as they say is history.

Lillie: I know you and the rest of the AAC leadership are Christian. However, you don’t limit your support to chaplains who share your faith. What is required for a chaplain to be adopted? What faiths are represented among adopted chaplains?

Ben: Early in the ministry the question came up as to who we would adopt. Following a vigorous debate and discussion that lasted perhaps 15 seconds our conclusion was: “If God sends a chaplain to us He expects us to support them–no questions asked! “As a consequence we’ve adopted and supported 600+ chaplains from just about every letter of the ecclesiastical alphabet. God sends them and we support them.

Lillie: What kinds of support do you provide?

Ben: The ministry began in January 2005 when a chaplain in Afghanistan needed someone to encourage him. Three of us adopted him for prayer and one of our group started communicating with him. After a few weeks the chaplain was asked if there was anything we could get him to help with his ministry. He said he could use some snacks and goodies to encourage his soldiers to hang around after chapel so we started sending packages of goodies. Over the years the kinds of items we ship have changed to meet changing conditions. Now an increasing amount of what we send are tools for ministry more than goodies.

Initially folks at home weren’t shipping a lot of goods down range. Over the past couple years we’ve seen an explosion of corporate and community groups sending “stuff” to chaplains and individual units. The few boxes we send a chaplain each month isn’t a lot compared to amount of boxes they receive from secular sources.

To me the boxes we send are more about what they tell the chaplain than the contents of the boxes. I see them more as a tangible reminder to the chaplains that someone is thinking about and praying for them and their family. One chaplain said, “I need to know that someone other than my family is praying for me.”

Another said he came back late at night following a 14 hour ride along on a mission with his soldiers. He was totally exhausted and had nothing left to give. When he opened the door to his room he saw a box from us on his bunk. That, he said, reminded him that he wasn’t alone and that someone cared for and was praying for him personally.

Lillie: What is the one thing the chaplains request most?

Ben: That’s an easy one. Prayer. More than one chaplain has said if they had to choose between packages or prayer—prayer wins every time. Prayer is something anyone can do. One of our group was talking to a lady about the ministry when she commented that she would love to help but was on a very limited fixed income budget. She was asked, “Do you know how to pray?” “Of course,” was her answer. When she prays for chaplains and our troops, she’s as much involved in ministry as those who give money, goods, or time.

Lillie: Have you had any unusual requests from chaplains?

Ben: Yes. Probably the most unusual request came from a Navy chaplain at the Warrior Transition Center in Kuwait. All Navy personnel entering and leaving the combat zone go though the center. When the Navy transitioned to new digital cammos, the Master Chief asked “chaps” if he could get a male mannequin in order to display the proper wearing of the the new cammies. Within 24 hours of receiving the request, “Steve” the mannequin of the proper size was on it’s way to the very surprised and happy Master Chief.

Lillie: You’ve seen many “God things” through this ministry. Will you tell us about some of those experiences?

Ben: We define a God Thing like this: God already has the answer on the way before we even know the need exists. What some might call a coincidence is when God chooses to remain anonymous. Here’s a couple examples:

I received an email from one of our chaplains one evening. His unit was preparing for a humanitarian mission to a local village and said, “You’re not going to believe this, but the army has sent us two pallets of toothpaste but no toothbrushes.” The next morning we received an email from a group in New York saying they had been supporting a unit downrange that had redeployed. It went on to say they had two cases of tooth brushes left over and had already shipped them to us hoping we could use them. The answer was on the way before we knew of the need.

An eighth grade student at a parochial school decided to enlist his fellow students in a project to write letters to our troops. Once they were written they then wondered about how to get them to the troops. Following a phone call, the letters were delivered to us and in turn we shipped them to chaplains. The chaplain knows who isn’t getting any mail and he’s able to hand them a “letter from home.” Late one evening a few weeks later the young man’s mom sent an email. She said her 7^th grade daughter’s group wanted to write letters also and asked if they could do that. In the email she said they anticipated having 100 letters.

Early the next morning I received an email from one of our chaplains asking if we could write letters to some of his soldiers who weren’t getting any mail and attached a list of names and addresses. It was early and my inbox had quite a morning backup so I went on to the next email. Later in the day I came back and opened the attachment expecting to see a few names. When I looked at the list it seemed quite long so I counted the names. He asked for letters for 100 soldiers and the list of names came to …drum roll please… 100! His question had already been answered. In short order, each of his 100 soldiers far from home near Baghdad received a letter from an eighth grade student in San Jose, California.

Lillie: I love to hear those God Thing stories, and I know you’ve experienced many of them. You’re known as the chaplain to the chaplains. Just what does that mean and how did that come about?

Ben: To be honest, being called the “chaplain to chaplains” was never one of my goals, and sometimes it makes me a little uncomfortable to be called such. A few months into the ministry we had a “Jethro moment.” Moses was operating as a one-man band handling all the leadership chores during Israel’s desert days until Jethro, his father-in-law, suggested he delegate some responsibilities to others. A division of responsibilities was made, freeing up Moses’ time to do what he was called to do…lead the nation. The three of us who had our “burning bush” experience that Friday morning decided to follow that biblical principle and divide responsibilities based on our gifts and backgrounds.

Frank Bergandi with years of experience as a CEO in the software industry assumed the role of overall leader. Dan Hoebeke, a lawyer by training, works in the areas of planned giving and is extremely adept at networking, so he became the point person for public contact. I was a pastor and know the “ministerial truth” that chaplains don’t wear a blue shirt with a big red “S” on the front so it seemed logical I should assume the responsibility of communicating with the deployed chaplains. It wasn’t long until we saw God’s blessing and recognized that each of us had “come to the kingdom for such a time as this.”

Most people don’t realize that every person in the military has someone who is responsible for and accountable for them…except the chaplain. A chaplain put it like this: “The chaplain spends all his time looking out for his soldiers but no one looks out for the chaplain.” A Marine commander in Iraq was a little more direct when he asked the senior chaplain in their area of operations “Who looks out for your chaplains?” Chaplain said “I do.” The commander then asked “Who looks out for you…and don’t tell me God.” The commander recognized the need for the chaplain to have someone who looked out for him.

In the interest of full disclosure, the military does have a structure of supervisory chaplains, but it has an inherent drawback. Deployment in a combat zone is physically, emotionally, and spiritually demanding and many chaplains seem to hit a wall at some point during deployment. It isn’t a matter of if but rather when, and the inevitable question arises: “What’s a chaplain to do when it happens?” Command says the chaplain can come to them with problems. But chaplains know it’s not a good career move to go to command with serious questions, problems, or doubts because their fitness reports, one criteria in consideration for promotion, are written by command.

As a former pastor I’ve been there done that and understand their dilemma. Chaplains put their pants on one leg at a time like the warriors they serve, have the same physical limitations, emotional pressures, and family issues at home. Even though they have the same issues that weigh their warriors down, they’re expected to be up 100% of the time. One chaplain commenting on the pressures they face then asked, “But who wants to talk to a depressed chaplain?”

They need to unload some of the burdens they’re carrying but are afraid it might have a negative impact on their career. They know I’m a refuge outside the military structure where they can unload their fears, frustrations, anger (yes anger), or doubts knowing that whatever they say goes no further. During communications with one chaplain I sensed he was rapidly approaching “the wall” and commented, “….you seem a little up tight; what’s going on?” Within a couple hours I received a three-page single-spaced 8 pt type “dump.” Yeah, he was uptight and needed to unload months of frustrations on someone. I’m glad it was me and not his wife or commander.

One chaplain getting ready to return from deployment said it like this: “You were a life preserver in an ocean of emotion.” I don’t have a lot of great answers but I am a good listener. When it’s all said and done, chaplains usually aren’t looking for answers but for an understanding ear so they can say what’s eating at them. Saying or writing what they’re feeling is a pressure release or as one said “I didn’t realize how much it would help to say what I was thinking and relieve the pressure.”

Lillie: Most nonprofit organizations use donated funds for salaries and administrative expenses. How can AAC operate as a completely volunteer organization, with no paid staff or facilities?

Ben: That’s a question people ask, especially when they look at the nonprofit tax form the ministry files and see nothing but zeros on the lines related to overhead and administration. Simply put, it’s one of those daily God Things. We operate a little differently than some ministries. We never ask anyone for money or for supplies to ship. We believe that 100% of the money that is donated should and does go to ministry needs for chaplains and the warriors they serve. When I travel to meet and visit returned chaplains I pay my own way. I told my wife that when I win the lottery I was going to meet every chaplain when they come home from deployment. Her reply was, “You won’t win the lottery if you don’t buy a ticket.” So that’s why I haven’t won……

I went to the post office to mail a flat rate box to our first chaplain in Afghanistan. After returning I was at my computer feeling quite fluffed up about what I had done. As I sat there revelling in what the “great” thing It dawned on me the chaplain had 1,000 soldiers. I found myself asking the same question as the disciples when Jesus told them to have 5,000+ sit down for lunch when all they had was enough fish and bread for a couple sandwiches: “What is this among so many?”

God’s answer was: Whatever we have, when it’s put in His hands, it IS enough. Almost immediately we began to get emails from people across the country asking, “How can we help?” Supplies began to arrive, and as the number of chaplains increased, groups from around the country assumed responsibility of caring for “their” deployed chaplain.

Occasionally an affiliate group will apologize that the economy has negatively affected donations so they’re not sending as much as before. My response is always the same: God asks that we be faithful with what we’re given and not worry about being fruitful. When we’re faithful with what He’s given us, He produces the fruit.

A pastor once asked, “Where does the money come from for this ministry?” I was being a little facetious when I said, “I don’t know.” I went on to say that when we need money to buy stamps for 100 boxes, it is there. When we finished packing each Thursday, the shelves were completely bare—even the crumbs were packed. Before we left people would ask, “Do we come back next week?” The answer was always “Yes.” The next week the shelves were full again. I went on to tell the pastor this is a 21^st century example of Elijah’s oil and meal. In 5+ years, we’ve never missed a packing or shipping date due to lack of goods to ship, money for postage, or willing hands to pack the boxes.

At lunch with one of our Navy chaplains who had returned, we were talking about the number of troop support organizations that have grown up since the war against terrorists began in 2001 when he said something that I’ll never forget. “When I arrived in Iraq with the Marines,” he said, “I sent emails to 12 troop support organizations requesting support. Eleven responded with a fundraising letter but you responded with, ‘How can we help you?’”

I was discussing the ministry with a businessman one day when he asked, “What’s your next step?” I had no idea what he was asking so asked what he meant. He replied “When the troops come home, what are your plans for the future?” My response was, “When our troops come home, we go home. “

Adopt-a-Chaplain isn’t a job—it’s a ministry. As long as our troops are in harm’s way, we’ll be at our post supporting them. Initially in 2005 when the ministry began, we figured it would last about a year but almost 6 years later our initial estimate of how long the ministry would be needed turned out to be about as accurate as budget projections from the Congressional Budget Office.

Lillie: Where can people learn more about Adopt-a-Chaplain and how they can get involved?

Ben: They can get a general over view by visiting www.adopt-a-chaplain.org

We send out a weekly newsletter containing some of the highlights of the ministry. If anyone would like to receive the Highlights, email me at casaferg@sbcglobal.net

Lillie: I look forward to each issue of the Highlights. I’m disappointed that you aren’t finishing your book, because you’re an excellent writer, and your message is important. However, I recognize how important your ministry is. I’m glad you’re putting your outstanding writing skills to work delivering a great message every week in Adopt-a-Chaplain’s e-mail newsletter, and I’m glad that Adopt-a-Chaplain is ministering to our chaplains to help them minister to their flocks. Thank you and all the Adopt-a-Chaplains leadership, volunteers, and supporters!

Ben: At one time I hoped the 24-hour time limit for each day didn’t apply to me because I was busy doing good things. I finally accepted that God wasn’t going to give extra hours I needed so I had to make decisions about priorities. As much as I enjoy writing and teaching it became apparent God’s direction was for me to focus my time and energies in ministry to our chaplains. That was the right decision for me. Perhaps in the future when our warriors and chaplains return home I’ll return to writing and teaching. But for now I’m where God wants me to serve.

Lillie: Is there anything else you’d like to share that I haven’t asked?

Ben: Jesus said, “Apart from me you can do nothing.” We couldn’t do what we do without God’s help or the help of thousands of volunteers. A big “thank you” to the thousands of volunteers across the country who have the passion to be the hands of Jesus reaching out to our troops by supporting their chaplains through prayer and packages. Together we serve and together our troops are blessed. Without the thousands across the country who have joined hands with us, we could do very little.

Initially I was a bit concerned about the caliber and quality of the chaplains we would be encountering. But after serving 600+ deployed chaplains, I can say our troops have an outstanding corps of chaplains caring for them and their families.

I once was young but now am old and have been involved in a number of ministries. Adopt-a-Chaplain ministry has been the most productive, God directed, and blessed of any I’ve been associated with, and I’m thankful for the opportunity to be a small part of what God is doing.

Lillie: Thank you for your ministry and thank you for visiting. I’m sure I didn’t ask everything my readers want to know so I hope you’ll check in during the day to answer questions.

Ben: Thank you for the opportunity to share the passion I and so many across the country feel for ministering to our troops in harm’s way through the chaplains who serve them.

As you know, I’m technically challenged when it comes to new communication processes. I’m not that far removed from the hammer, chisel, and stone tablet era, but if I can answer any questions I’d be happy to do so.

Filed Under Patriotism and Troop Support · 25 Comments

Thank You to August 2010 Commenters

September 14, 2010 by Lillie



Thank you to the 172 commenters who left 242 comments in August. Your comments extended the conversation and added value and interest, and I enjoyed replying to every one of them. Every month when I post thanks to commenters, I get questions about how I compile this list. I have explained my system in detail in Compiling Thanks to Commenters.

Top Contributor (13 comments)
celine	Custom Harley Davidson Handlebars for All

Major Contributors (5-8 comments)
scarlet	freeflys
Jane	Recovering Deleted Files
William Brannan	William Brannan: Pastor, Author, Speaker

Outstanding Contributors (3-4 comments)
Christopher Roberts	Christopher Roberts Philosophy Blog
Christopher Roberts	Christopher Roberts Technology Blog
Karen Swim	Words for Hire
Melbourne	Sam Melbourne’s Travels
Paul	Free Online Pokemon Games
Carolyn Howard-Johnson	How to Do It Frugally
Daniel	Camping Chairs
Jenny	Software Business Partners
Josh	Biometric Gun Safe
jp	Harley Davidson Handlebars
Lucy	Eyes Lyrics
Paula Jo	Clean Star Home and Garden World


Significant Contributors (2 comments)

Andrew Heaton	Good Honest Dollar
Bluestocking	The Bluestocking Guide
Carl	Carl’s Words of Inspiration
Dave	Travel Iron
Dawn Colclasure	Dawn Colclasure Blog
Ernest	windowbox.com
Helen Ginger	Straight from Hel
Janice	DoNanza
Jenna	Perfect Wedding Guide
kelly	Truancy Call
limaj	Harley Davidson Handlebars
Miles	Greeting Card Universe
Sensei Matt Klein	Fun affordable self defense karate for kids
Steve	Cookery Books

Important Contributors
Abraham Kong	Elite Locksmith
Aggie Villanueva	Visual Arts Junction
Aida	Christine Foster Photography
Alesandra	Marines Costumes
Ali	A Better Exposure
Ali	A Maui Beach Wedding
Amy	Classic Photographers
Andrew	Liverpool Roofers
Arthur	Arlington VA Real Estate
Aurel Wong	Technology for Everyone
Avis Austin	American Education Services
Avis Austin	Direct Loan Servicing
BA	Online Ebook Readers
Barbara Swafford	Blogging without a Blog
Brent	Arthouse 42
Brian	Copper Basin Construction
carol	Astwood Events Limited
Carol	Outdoor Lights
Cassandra	Digital Luggage Scale
cassidy	Fort Wayne Indiana Real Estate
Cath Lawson	Cath Lawson
Cean	Centro Motel
Chad	Gamefly Review
Chris	DC Locksmith
Daniela	Push 2 Check
Daniel Woods	Filcsik Photography
Darlene ‘Dee’ Bishop	Frugal Fancy
Darren	Fat Tyres Mountain Bike Routes
Dominique	4 Walls and a View
edeli	n/a
Eli	Jarvis Photography
Emily	Label Shops
Eric	Eric D. Greene
fernando	Half Priced Books
Francis	Preferred Plumbing Drain and HVAC
George West	Family Guy Database
Glen	Courier Quotes – Compare Couriers Instantly
Graeme	Payne Pallet Inverters
Hannah	Cedar Rapids Homes for Sale
Heather	Cloth Diapers
Hubert	Bankruptcy Attorney Blog
Jacob	King Directory
James	Redbeam
James	Shine Advertising and Design
James Edward	Global Unlock
James Johnson	Promo Pays Inc
Jan	Accounting for Small Business
Jane	Fabulous Woman
Jason	BigMansLand
Jason	Finebloom & Haenel
Jayme	jaymelee23 on HubPages
Jen	Order of Wedding Speeches
Jenna	Fort Wayne Indiana Real Estate
Jenna	ivet
Jenny	Visonic
Jessia	Big Wheel Tricycle
Jim Durrey	Coldstone
jiya	All Diseases
Joe O’Neil	Specialty Answering Service
John	Industrial Marketing Advisors
John	No. 1 CD and DVD Duplication Services
johnmarc	Oslo Cheap Hotels
Jone Jones	Jarvis Photography
Joseph	Online Gambling Casino News
JZ	Wooden Toddler Toys
Kathleen	Mother Ease
Katy	The Bigger.com
Keerah	RentSpot
Keith Davis	Espeaking
Keith Tax	Hubpages: Secrets of Door County, WI
Ken	Varisport
kris	Public Wholesale
leslie	JKR Law
Lloyd Burrell	Office Desk Reviews
Louise	Peach Haven Holiday Lets
Lucy	Mother Ease
Lucy	Who Is Entry
luellen	Doyle Raizner LLP
Luke Gedeon	Codex Atlanticus di Luke Gedeon
lyndi0810	Confessions of a Working Mum
Margaret A. Blincoe	Message in a Word
Mark	uk job guides
Matthew	Matthew Oconnor
Matthew	My AdSense Formula
Melissa	SnazzyWin.com
Mia	SBP
Mia	Teen Boarding School
Michael	Sleep Apnea Symptoms/Cure Sleep Apnea
Michael Anderson	bettor.com
Michael Fisher	Capital Caterers
Michael Stinger	Patriot Coach
Mike	Free Fiction Books
Mike	The Hamper and Gift Place
Mike Elman	Elmikeo’s Place
Nancy	Sink Styles
Pauline	ApartRental
Penny Holowitz	Insurance Quotes Lady
Peter Francis	OPOC Engine
Rachel	Peak Real Estate Services
Reg Parker	Parker Zheng
Richard	Mon Belle Ami
Rob James	Rob James Magician
Ron	No. 1 CD and DVD Duplication Services
Rose	Astwood Events Limited
salaykekula	Man and Van London
Sally	Door Security Systems
Sam	Outofstress Article Submission Directory
Samuel	Bulk Tableware
Santiago	Isagenix
Sara	Sara K Blanco Photography
Sarah	Hairstyles
Scott	Alligator Self Storage
Sean Rosensteel	UserTesting.com
Shennan T.	My Colleges and Careers Blog
stela	The Biggest Loser
Steve	Eco SEO
Steve	Lift Chairs
Steve	Mug Tree
Steve	Parson Chairs
Steve	Reviewopedia
Steve Harlin	Stretching Taller
Steven	Locksmith Solutions
Sumanta	Dating PLR
Sumanta	Black Cloak Halloween Costume
Sumanta	Nuttie-Content
Sumanta	One-Step Product Reviews
Tamara	White Rabbit Costumes
tc	Jaisen J. Stango, Esq.
Thomas	Easy Scholarship 101
Tiana	Mother Ease
Tiffany	Write Your Book Now Masterclass
Tom	Organic Composter
Tony	Infogroup/One Source
Tony	Southwestern Law School
Travis	Get a Date Reviews
Tyson	Whirlwind Steel
Vic	Email Reach
Vikk	Down the Writer’s Path
Vincenzo	Peter Pan Halloween Costume
Walter S.	Monex Investigation
William Sardina	GM Vehicle

Filed Under Blogging · 17 Comments

Patriot Day 2010: Remembering 9-11

September 11, 2010 by Lillie

Today we honor and remember those who died on 9-11-2001, the people who responded with heroism and compassion, and the men and women of the Armed Forces who fight to protect our freedoms. See more at United States Army Patriot Day 2010.

ALMIGHTY God, our heavenly Father, in whose hands are the living and the dead; we remember today all those who lost their lives on 9-11 and all those thy servants who have laid down their lives in the service of our country. Grant to them thy mercy and the light of thy presence, that the good work which thou hast begun in them may be perfected. We give thanks for the heroism and compassion of all those who responded to the disaster. Comfort and protect them and everyone impacted by the tragedy of that day. Stretch forth, we pray thee, thine almighty arm to strengthen and protect the soldiers, sailors, airmen, and marines of our country. Support them in the day of battle, and in the time of peace keep them safe from all evil; endue them with courage and loyalty; and grant that in all things they may serve without reproach. O ALMIGHTY God, the supreme Governor of all things, whose power no creature is able to resist, to whom it belongeth justly to punish sinners, and to be merciful to those who truly repent; Save and deliver us, we humbly beseech thee, from the hands of our enemies; that we, being armed with thy defence, may be preserved evermore from all perils, to glorify thee, who art the only giver of all victory; through the merits of thy Son, Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Filed Under Patriotism and Troop Support · 28 Comments

International Literacy Day 2010

September 8, 2010 by Lillie

Imagine not being able to read. Imagine looking at words on a page and seeing gibberish. Imagine never being able to lose yourself in a story or find the answers to your questions in a book. Imagine not being able to fill out a job application or read a map.

According to the International Reading Association, “The World’s Leading Organization of Literacy Professionals”:

More than 780 million of the world’s adults (nearly two-thirds of whom are women) do not know how to read or write, and between 94 and 115 million children lack access to education.

As an author, obviously I depend on people being able to read in order to buy and enjoy my books. But that is minor compared to my desire for everyone to experience the joy of reading that I have been blessed with for as long as I can remember.

If you are passionate about literacy as I am, read more posts submitted to Bloggers Unite for International Literacy Day or contribute to solving the illiteracy problem by following some of the suggestions below: