Subject: Blue Friday is Coming





You may have seen these pictures before, but please look and read it all again and let's act on it!

International Picture of the Year.

Here are two very touching photos honored this year.

First Place :





First Place

Todd Heisler The Rocky Mountain News



When 2nd Lt. James Cathey's body arrived at the Reno Airport , Marines climbed into the cargo hold of the plane and draped the flag over his casket as passengers watched the family gather on the tarmac.



During the arrival of another Marine's casket last year at Denver International Airport , Major Steve Beck described the scene as so powerful: 'See the people in the windows? They sat right there in the plane, watching those Marines. You gotta wonder what's going through their minds, knowing that they're on the plane that brought him home,' he said 'They will remember being on that plane for the rest of their lives. They're going to remember bringing that Marine home. And they should.'

Second Place





Second Place

Todd Heisler The Rocky Mountain News

The night before the burial of her husband's body, Katherine Cathey refused to leave the casket, asking to sleep next to his body for the last time The Marines made a bed for her, tucking in the sheets below the flag. Before she fell asleep, she opened her laptop computer and played songs that reminded her of 'Cat,' and one of the Marines asked if she wanted them to continue standing watch as she slept. 'I think it would be kind of nice if you kept doing it,' she said. 'I think that's what he would have wanted'.









And the one that really tightens MY throat:











PLEASE KEEP THIS GOING!

Blue Fridays.

Very soon, you will see a great many people wearing blue every Friday. The reason? Americans who support our troops used to be called the 'silent majority' We are no longer silent, and are voicing our love for God, country and home in record breaking numbers We are not organized, boisterous or overbearing.



Many Americans, like you, me and all our friends, simply want to recognize that the vast majority of America supports our troops. Our idea of showing solidarity and support for our troops with dignity and respect starts this Friday -- and continues each and every Friday until the troops all come home, sending a deafening message that every red-blooded American who supports our men and women afar, will wear something blue. By word of mouth, press, TV -- let's make the United States on every Friday a sea of blue much like a homecoming football game in the bleachers. If every one of us who loves this country will share this with acquaintances, coworkers, friends, and family, it will not be long before the USA is covered in BLUE and it will let our troops know the once 'silent' majority is on their side more than ever, certainly more than the media lets on. The first thing a soldier says when asked 'What can we do to make things better for you?' is .'We need your support and your prayers.' Let's get the word out and lead with class and dignity, by example, and wear something blue every Friday.



IF YOU AGREE -- THEN SEND THIS ON.

IF YOU COULDN'T CARE LESS -- THEN HIT THE DELETE BUTTON. BET YOU DON'T!



Only two defining forces have ever offered to die for you:

1. Jesus Christ

2. The American G. I.



One died for your soul, the other for your freedom.



YOU MIGHT WANT TO PASS THIS ON,

AS MANY SEEM TO FORGET BOTH OF THEM.

SamKat editorial:  Harsh and, hopefully tongue in cheek, but what a government spending savings!  One would have to convert changes to extended unemployment checks (no jobs available today), but twelve months should be enough.


Subject: FW: A Texan's Answer to Welfare



Some of the ideas may seem a bit harsh but others are spot on. A Texan's Answer to Welfare? This was in the Waco Tribune Herald, Waco , TX Nov 18, 2010



Put me in charge . . .



Put me in charge of food stamps. I'd get rid of Lone Star cards; no cash for Ding Dongs or Ho Ho's, just money for 50-pound bags of rice and beans, blocks of cheese and all the powdered milk you can haul away. If you want steak and frozen pizza, then get a job.



Put me in charge of Medicaid. The first thing I'd do is to get women Norplant birth control implants or tubal ligations. Then, we'll test recipients for drugs, alcohol, and nicotine and document all tattoos and piercings. If you want to reproduce or use drugs, alcohol, smoke or get tats and piercings, then get a job.



Put me in charge of government housing. Ever live in a military barracks? You will maintain our property in a clean and good state of repair. Your "home" will be subject to inspections anytime and possessions will be inventoried. If you want a plasma TV or Xbox 360, then get a job and your own place.



In addition, you will either present a check stub from a job each week or you will report to a "government" job. It may be cleaning the roadways of trash, painting and repairing public housing, whatever we find for you. We will sell your 22 inch rims and low profile tires and your blasting stereo and speakers and put that money toward the “common good..”



Before you write that I've violated someone's rights, realize that all of the above is voluntary. If you want our money, accept our rules.. Before you say that this would be "demeaning" and ruin their "self esteem," consider that it wasn't that long ago that taking someone else's money for doing absolutely nothing was demeaning and lowered self esteem.



If we are expected to pay for other people's mistakes we should at least attempt to make them learn from their bad choices. The current system rewards them for continuing to make bad choices.



AND While you are on Gov’t subsistence, you no longer can VOTE! Yes that is correct. For you to vote would be a conflict of interest. You will voluntarily remove yourself from voting while you are receiving a Gov’t welfare check. If you want to vote, then get a job. Now, if you have the guts - PASS IT ON...



This email was cleaned by emailStripper, available for free from http://www.papercut.biz/emailStripper.htm

Cancer is a strange cell ... Thanks Ron Walters!

Subject: Fw: Cancer is a Strange Cell


You can go along for years in remission

and then one day it pops its head up again.

If you ever have it you will never be free of it.

Pray for the day there will be a permanent cure.



A SMALL REQUEST...







93% won't forward, but I'm Sure You Will.



A small request.....Just one line





Dear God,

I pray that You will guide someone to find a cure for cancer in 2011 .

In Jesus Name, Amen





All you are asked to do is keep this circulating.

Even if it's only to one more person.

In memory of anyone you know who has been

struck down by cancer or is still living with it.

A Candle Loses Nothing by Lighting Another Candle.



Please Keep This Candle Going

A blog post ... Thanks Beau and Nicole Hummel and Dr. Hovermale!

SamKat editorial:  Forgive this inept nerd- me.  The pics are in, but not quite in the proper sequence.  Great tribute to one of OSU football's very best coaches!


Subject: Tressel's Legacy


A class guy whose legacy will live on, but his love for OSU and the future of his career ruined by the greed and self-serving acts of those players who he tried to help. To take the blame for so much that wasn't his fault shows the integrity of the man and his life's legacy as it is forming.

Jim

Blog Posted by Beau and Nicole Hummel


Coach Tressel's Legacy...according to me







You won't be able to read or hear about this story on ESPN, Sports Illustrated, or the Columbus Dispatch this week. You see there is nothing, as a fallen people, that we like better than a story of a good man who also has fallen - sad isn't it. (Believe me, I know from personal experience!) We get a weird sort of pleasure reading about it, listening to all the details, and then making comments about it to our friends, family, and posting comments about it all over the Internet. Twisted - I know, but think of how many times we participate in this. Well, this is my blog and I've decided I'm going to do something different. I'm not going to condemn anyone, but I'm also not going to excuse anyone. What I really want you to see after this blog entry is that our legacies do not have to be defined by our failures, our sins, our mistakes despite what some TV commentator might say, but they can be defined by the grace of God working through us day in and day out.



Well, in light of that, I would like to remind you or maybe tell you for the first time my story of Coach Tressel and the legacy that he will carry in my family.



On Aug 17th my son was run over by a lawnmower. It just so happened that on that day Bryson was wearing his brand new #33 jersey. Bryson was probably the biggest 4 year old OSU football fan ever and was so excited about his new jersey. In fact, his dad had on a matching jersey. Turns out his daddy used his jersey to tie around Bryson's leg to stop the bleeding and Bryson's jersey was cut off. While I was in the emergency room with Bryson before he was life-flighted to Columbus Children's hospital he let me know that he was upset about his new jersey. I assured him we would get him a new one, but never did I dream how things would turn out for him.

Bryson on the morning before his accident in his brand new jersey.





Bryson had his leg amputated and then spent quite a bit of time in the hospital as he healed. During that time, through a series of events that I'm not even sure of, Coach Tressel was made aware of Bryson's accident and his love for the Buckeye's. It wasn't a couple of days later and Coach Tressel came to meet Bryson in person. He came alone: no cameras, no media, no support crew. He came. He encouraged. He let us tell him Bryson's story. He let us take his picture with Bryson. He gave Bryson some signed hats and a covered note pad. He promised to get Bryson to a OSU football practice and to an Ohio vs. Michigan game (since that always falls on the weekend of Bryson's birthday). All of that was great, but what left the biggest impression on me was when he handed us his business card and wrote his personal cell phone number on the back. He told us to call if we needed anything - are you kidding me! Who does that! I will tell you - not somebody who is only interested in lining his pockets or winning football games. We were of no value to him, my husband is a youth pastor, we don't live in Columbus, & we aren't alumni of the university. We were just a hurting family who he took time for, in the middle of football season, to encourage.

He fulfilled his promises to Bryson. Bryson was able to go to two OSU football practices and went to the Ohio State/Michigan game the next year and sat in the most amazing seats. On the notebook he gave Bryson he wrote, "The Buckeyes are cheering for you." Bryson was very impressed by that. While watching the football games even now a couple years later Bryson will say, "That's Coach Tressel! That's my friend!"

At Bryson's 1st OSU practice

After Bryson's 2nd OSU practice





OSU/Michigan game - we had to hold him the whole game because he didn't want to miss anything.





So, Coach Tressel's legacy in our family will simply be this that he was an encourager when we needed encouragement, was compassionate when we needed compassion, perfect - NO (but really who of us is), and to Bryson "friend." I'll take that kind of legacy any day of the week.



On a side note, random people have asked me how Bryson is taking all of this (knowing what a big fan he is) and I will tell you this, he is just sad that Coach Tressel won't be coaching the Buckeye's next year.



Posted by Beau and Nicole Hummel at 9:19 PM

Sex and grammar ... Thanks Clay!

Sex And Good Grammar






For all my friends in the education field and those that want to be grammatically correct....



On his 74th birthday, a man got a gift certificate from his wife.

The certificate paid for a visit to a medicine man living on a nearby reservation who was rumored to have a wonderful cure for erectile dysfunction. After being persuaded, he drove to the reservation, handed his ticket to the medicine man and wondered what he was there for. The old man handed a potion to him, and with a grip on his shoulder, warned," This is a powerful medicine. You take only a teaspoonful and then say “1-2-3." “When you do, you will become more manly than you have ever been in your life and you can perform as long as you want." The man was encouraged. As he walked away, he turned and asked, "How do I stop the medicine from working?" "Your partner must say “1-2-3-4,” he responded. "But when she does, the medicine will not work again until the next full moon. "He was very eager to see if it worked so he went home, showered, shaved, took a spoonful of the medicine and then invited his wife to join him in the bedroom. When she came in, he took off his clothes and said, "1-2-3!" Immediately, he was the manliest of men. His wife was excited and began throwing off her clothes and then she asked "What’s the 1-2-3 for?" And that, boys and girls, is why we should never end our sentences with a preposition, because we could end up with a dangling participle.

Catholic Saint ... Thanks Doug Brooke!

On a Saturday afternoon, in Washington D.C. , House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's aide visited the Cardinal of the Catholic cathedral.




He told the Cardinal that Nancy Pelosi would be attending the next day's sermon, and he asked if the Cardinal would kindly point out Pelosi to the congregation and say a few words that would include calling Pelosi a saint.





The Cardinal replied, "No. I don't really like the woman, and there are issues of conflict with the Catholic Church over certain of Pelosi's views." Pelosi's aide then said, "Look. I'll write a check here and now for a donation of $100,000 to your church if you'll just tell the congregation you see Pelosi as a saint."





The Cardinal thought about it and said, "Well, the church can use the money, so I'll work your request into tomorrow's sermon." As Pelosi's aide promised, House Speaker Pelosi appeared for the Sunday sermon and seated herself prominently at the edge of the main aisle.



And, during the sermon, as promised, the Cardinal pointed out that House Speaker Pelosi was present.





Then the Cardinal went on to explain to the congregation -- "While Speaker Pelosi's presence is probably an honor to some, she is not my favorite person. Some of her views are contrary to those of the church, and she tends to flip-flop on many other views.





Nancy Pelosi is a petty, self-absorbed hypocrite, a thumb sucker, and a nit-wit. Nancy Pelosi is also a serial liar, a cheat, and a thief. Nancy Pelosi is the worst example of a Catholic I have ever personally witnessed.



She married for money and is using it to lie to the American people. She also has a reputation for shirking her Representative obligations both in Washington, and in California . She simply is not to be trusted."



The Cardinal completed his view of Pelosi with, "But, when compared to Obama, House Speaker Pelosi is a saint."