Corgi Time

Maggie the Corgi was a foster dog.  As of Thanksgiving Day 2009, Maggie is officially no longer a foster dog.

She's our dog.

I felt like I just needed to come out and say it.  I know some of you will roll your eyes and say "Emily adopted another dog again".  But the rest of you will be happy for us.  Because Emily didn't adopt another dog.  Red did. 

It's not a secret that Red has loved this little girl from the start.  I'm happy that he finally realized that before she went away again.

Red is even going to construct a little set of stairs for her to get up onto our bed by herself. 

Yeah.

How many dogs does that make for us now?  I've lost count

This is the first time in my entire life that I've said this.  But I think we've got enough pets.

Science vs. God

My dad sent this to me this morning.  After I read it, I found it was something that I absolutely had to share.

'Let me explain the problem science has with religion.'

The atheist professor of philosophy pauses before his class and then asks one of his new students to stand.
'You're a Christian, aren't you, son?'
'Yes sir,' the student says.
'So you believe in God?'
'Absolutely. '
'Is God good?'
'Sure! God's good.'
'Is God all-powerful? Can God do anything?'
'Yes'
'Are you good or evil?'
'The Bible says I'm evil.'
The professor grins knowingly. 'Aha! The Bible! He considers for a moment. 'Here's one for you. Let's say there's a sick person over here and you can cure him. You can do it. Would you help him? Would you try?'
'Yes sir, I would.'
'So you're good...!'
'I wouldn't say that.'
'But why not say that? You'd help a sick and maimed person if you could. Most of us would if we could. But God doesn't.'
The student does not answer, so the professor continues. 'He doesn't, does he? My brother was a Christian who died of cancer, even though he prayed to Jesus to heal him. How is this Jesus good? Can you answer that one?'
The student remains silent. 'No, you can't, can you?' the professor says. He takes a sip of water from a glass on his desk to give the student time to relax. 'Let's start again, young fella. Is God good?'
'Er..yes,' the student says.
'Is Satan good?'
The student doesn't hesitate on this one. 'No.'
'Then where does Satan come from?'
The student falters. 'From God'
'That's right. God made Satan, didn't he? Tell me, son. Is there evil in this world?'
'Yes, sir.'
'Evil's everywhere, isn't it? And God did make everything, correct?'
'Yes'
'So who created evil?' The professor continued, 'If God created everything, then God created evil, since evil exists, and according to the principle that our works define who we are, then God is evil.'
Again, the student has no answer. 'Is there sickness? Immorality? Hatred? Ugliness? All these terrible things, do they exist in this world?'
The student squirms on his feet. 'Yes.'
'So who created them?'
The student does not answer again, so the professor repeats his question. 'Who created them?' There is still no answer. Suddenly the lecturer breaks away to pace in front of the classroom. The class is mesmerized. 'Tell me,' he continues onto another student. 'Do you believe in Jesus Christ, son?'
The student's voice betrays him and cracks. 'Yes, professor, I do.'
The old man stops pacing. 'Science says you have five senses you use to identify and observe the world around you. Have you ever seen Jesus?'
'No sir. I've never seen Him.'
'Then tell us if you've ever heard your Jesus?'
'No, sir, I have not.'
'Have you ever felt your Jesus, tasted your Jesus or smelt your Jesus? Have you ever had any sensory perception of Jesus Christ, or God for that matter?'
'No, sir, I'm afraid I haven't.'
'Yet you still believe in him?'
'Yes'
'According to the rules of empirical, testable, demonstrable protocol, science says your God doesn't exist... What do you say to that, son?'
'Nothing,' the student replies.. 'I only have my faith.'
'Yes, faith,' the professor repeats. 'And that is the problem science has with God. There is no evidence, only faith.'
The student stands quietly for a moment, before asking a question of His own. 'Professor, is there such thing as heat? '
'Yes.'
'And is there such a thing as cold?'
'Yes, son, there's cold too.'
 'No sir, there isn't.'
The professor turns to face the student, obviously interested. The room suddenly becomes very quiet. The student begins to explain. 'You can have lots of heat, even more heat, super-heat, mega-heat, unlimited heat, white heat, a little heat or no heat, but we don't have anything called 'cold'. We can hit down to 458 degrees below zero, which is no heat, but we can't go any further after that. There is no such thing as cold; otherwise we would be able to go colder than the lowest -458 degrees. Every body or object is susceptible to study when it has or transmits energy, and heat is what makes a body or matter have or transmit energy. Absolute zero (-458 F) is the total absence of heat. You see, sir, cold is only a word we use to describe the absence of heat. We cannot measure cold. Heat we can measure in thermal units because heat is energy. Cold is not the opposite of heat, sir, just the absence of it.'
Silence across the room. A pen drops somewhere in the classroom, sounding like a hammer.
'What about darkness, professor. Is there such a thing as darkness?'
'Yes,' the professor replies without hesitation. 'What is night if it isn't darkness?'
'You're wrong again, sir. Darkness is not something; it is the absence of something. You can have low light, normal light, bright light, flashing light, but if you have no light constantly you have nothing and it's called darkness, isn't it? That's the meaning we use to define the word. In reality, darkness isn't. If it were, you would be able to make darkness darker, wouldn't you?'
The professor begins to smile at the student in front of him. This will be a good semester. 'So what point are you making, young man?'
'Yes, professor. My point is, your philosophical premise is flawed to start with, and so your conclusion must also be flawed.'
The professor's face cannot hide his surprise this time. 'Flawed? Can you explain how?'
'You are working on the premise of duality,' the student explains.. 'You argue that there is life and then there's death; a good God and a bad God. You are viewing the concept of God as something finite, something we can measure. Sir, science can't even explain a thought.' 'It uses electricity and magnetism, but has never seen, much less fully understood either one. To view death as the opposite of life is to be ignorant of the fact that death cannot exist as a substantive thing. Death is not the opposite of life, just the absence of it.' 'Now tell me, professor. Do you teach your students that they evolved from a monkey?'
'If you are referring to the natural evolutionary process, young man, yes, of course I do.'
'Have you ever observed evolution with your own eyes, sir?'
The professor begins to shake his head, still smiling, as he realizes where the argument is going. A very good semester, indeed.
'Since no one has ever observed the process of evolution at work and cannot even prove that this process is an on-going endeavor, are you not teaching your opinion, sir? Are you now not a scientist, but a preacher?'
The class is in uproar. The student remains silent until the commotion has subsided. 'To continue the point you were making earlier to the other student, let me give you an example of what I mean.' The student looks around the room. 'Is there anyone in the class who has ever seen the professor's brain?' The class breaks out into laughter. 'Is there anyone here who has ever heard the professor's brain, felt the professor's brain, touched or smelt the professor's brain? No one appears to have done so. So, according to the established rules of empirical, stable, demonstrable protocol, science says that you have no brain, with all due respect, sir.' 'So if science says you have no brain, how can we trust your lectures, sir?'
Now the room is silent. The professor just stares at the student, his face unreadable. Finally, after what seems an eternity, the old man answers. 'I Guess you'll have to take them on faith.'
'Now, you accept that there is faith, and, in fact, faith exists with life,' the student continues. 'Now, sir, is there such a thing as evil?' Now uncertain, the professor responds, 'Of course, there is. We see it Everyday. It is in the daily example of man's inhumanity to man. It is in The multitude of crime and violence everywhere in the world. These manifestations are nothing else but evil.'
To this the student replied, 'Evil does not exist sir, or at least it does not exist unto itself. Evil is simply the absence of God. It is just like darkness and cold, a word that man has created to describe the absence of God. God did not create evil. Evil is the result of what happens when man does not have God's love present in his heart. It's like the cold that comes when there is no heat or the darkness that comes when there is no light.'
The professor sat down.


PS: The student was Albert Einstein.
Albert Einstein wrote a book titled 'God vs. Science' in 1921.....

I Made It!

Okay, yes, I am one of those loser bloggers who nearly faints when I happen to pop up on another blogger's blog.  Not just because it might mean that they think I'm worth putting on their blog, but especially if they are famous. 

And I have made it!  The Pioneer Woman finally wrote about her Mall of America advanture, which I attended, and I am in one of her photos!!!  Eek!

What can I compare that to that will make you understand?  Hmmm...

It's like cleaning out last year's jacket and finding a $50 bill.

No, that doesn't quite explain...

It's like being pulled up onto the stage at a concert by the hottest guy in your favorite band.  How's that?

Okay, so Ree didn't pull me up onto the stage to sing with her.  But I am front and center in one of her blog photos.  And that's good enough for me!

Yup. There I am.  The loser with the camera. And I'm only one of like three people who wore a sweatshirt that day.  Loser! 

DIY Decorating

I love decorating for Christmas.  I love it I love it I love it.

When Thanksgiving Day comes to a close, I dive into a decorating frenzy.  The tree goes up, gets lights and decorations and the fall stuff goes back into storage for the year.

Thanksgiving weekend, since I'm off from work, is typically my decorating weekend.  So can you guess what I've been doing all day?

Decorating of course!

As they day starts to wind down, I am running out of ideas and my house isn't looking as full of Christmas Spirit as I'd like.  But I don't feel like running out to drop more money on more decorations. So, I had to dig into the DIY part of my brain.

It hit me that I have rolls and rolls of materials that are just waiting to be put to use.

Christmas wrapping paper.  And tape.

Last week, I ordered some stuff from one of my favorite magazines. I got these little black cast iron reindeer and the shelf I wanted to put them on happened to be black as well.  It didn't work. So I cut out a square of dollar store wrapping paper, folded it down so it had clean edges, and laid it under the reindeer.  Voila!

Our coffee table has 3 squares of black laquer glass on it.  And the wood and glass mixed with the Moose antler dish didn't hold much Christmas cheer. I'm not a doily girl.  (Doilly? Doiley?)  But that antler really needed something under it.  So, I pulled out the center glass and taped wrapping paper to it and it really spruced it up.  I am considering finding two more paper patterns and just covering the other two glass pieces.

You'll have to forgive my picture taking skills today.  No, I haven't had too much eggnog.  It just happens that my trusty old camera is having some issues and having trouble finding it's focus these days.

Basically free Christmas decorations.  I already had all of the materials needed and the idea could be used just about anywhere in the home.  When New Year's rolls around, it's super easy clean up!  And you'll already be warmed up to tearing it off whatever you applied it to!

Happy DIY decorating!

Linking up with Kimba's DIY Tuesday!!!!

I'll Tell You Why

A common question that I run into is "Em, how come you're always covered in fur?"

Well, I'm here to finally answer that question for you. 

Actually, you know what?  I don't even need to use words.  Just see for yourself.

Thank you and have a nice day.

Thanks...

Today I'm thankful for many things.  My life has bloomed into a wonderful gift over the past few years.

I'm thankful for my family, whose always just a phone call away.

I'm thankful for my fiancee, who tolerates me being insane.

I'm thankful for my 4 dogs and my cat, because they have shown me what unconditional love really means.

I'm thankful for Jake because he's been by my side through more than anybody else.

I'm thankful for Frankie because she's shown me how to have fun.

I'm thankful for Kirby because when life gets serious, Kirby doesn't.

I'm thankful for Maggie, for keeping the other 3 in check and for showing Red that dogs aren't all that bad.

I'm thank for Sylvester, because he can read time.

I'm thankful for Bud Light and wine, because they help me tolerate my 4 dogs and my cat.

I'm thankful that I have a good, full time job that I enjoy, and coworkers who make it great.

I'm thankful for a vehicle to drive.

I'm thankful for a warm bed to sleep in.

I'm thankful that I have the freedom to blog about whatever I want, whenever I want.

I'm thankful for my life, and even though I always seem to find things to complain about, I really am grateful for everything.

Happy Thanksgiving!  Don't forget to thank God for all of the blessings in your life.

Ree ~ The Pioneer Woman

Today is going down on my list of one of the greatest days of my life. 

Today, I met the woman who learned me to cook real food.  Today, I got to sit down and talk, face to face, with the woman who inspired me to start a blog of my own.  The woman who taught me to play piano...

Wait, that wasn't this woman.  Never mind.

Today... I met The Pioneer Woman, Ree Drummond.

But Ree is so awesome that she could probably teach us all to play the piano via her website... If she wanted to. 

She was so down to earth.  So friendly.  So personable.  And she's so funny!  And I'm really glad that she was all of those things, because I don't know what it would have done to me to find out that she really wasn't who she appears to be on her website.

This woman and her blog and her cooking and her photography have changed my life profoundly, for the better.

My lovely friend Hohni and her daughter Tiah arrived at my house at 7:30 this morning.  We got to the Mall of America by 9am, just as Barnes & Noble opened so I could purchase my book.  Then we headed for the line.  And for the next 4 hours, wait in line is all we did. 

But it wasn't so bad.  We met these two gals who were just a blast to talk to! 

Renee and Michelle.  We first met them at the B&N when we were both looking for the same book.  And shortly after they were in line behind us.  I think that's one of my favorite parts of the blogging community is that for one, most of them are so friendly and two, going to an event like this where everybody is there for the same reason, it was no hardship to sit for 4 hours with these women and just talk about PW. I'm sorry, Renee.  I don't know how to put the little thing above the E in your name.  But I know that it belongs there!  And Michelle, thank you for bringing your super cool phone with so we could check PW's site right there while we waited!

I didn't know what to say when it was my turn to talk to Ree. I was so nervous, my brain actually vacated my head for the 30 seconds that I was up there. So I just said "Hi Ree!  Welcome to Minnesota!" and she told me that she loved my accent.  She's from Oklahoma.  And I loved her accent.  She signed my book and we took a picture together.  I can't believe I got to sit next to Ree!  Like it or not, this woman is a celebrity.  And she totally deserves it.

After I left the table, Ree provided us with free t-shirts!  They are beautiful.

We also had a little surprise!  Marlboro Man and their two boys showed up as well! 

All in all, it was a hell of a day.  A great day!  It isn't everyday that you get to meet one of your idols.

Oh!  And the book?  The book rocks.  It's beautiful and clever and doesn't even look like a cookbook when you flip through it.  It's so unique and it's definately worth the few bucks that it costs to purchase.  Go and get it!