The Last Stand - Asteroid Soteria

"Asteroid Soteria" was the name the rock was given,
Originally derived from Greek, the meaning is salvation.
No one thought this asteroid would be our saving grace,
In fact, they thought that it would end all of the human race.

They say when faced with life or death, people go two ways,
Some face the end with prayer and grace while others go astray.
In the days before the asteroid, the earth was Hell on Earth,
Murder, cheating, stealing, proved how little life was worth.

But after every store was looted and all the blood was shed,
It seemed the evil had all gone, repented, or was dead,
And then the good people of the world stood silent hand in hand,
Prepared to meet the great big rock and make their Final Stand.

Well Asteroid Soteria, hurtled closer with each minute.
The sirens stopped, all was hushed, waiting for the rock to end it.
All that was heard was soft, sweet prayer from every single nation,
This was it, our judgement day, our day of Revelation.

Looking up, Soteria became brighter than the sun,
Streaking through the atmosphere, our time was almost done,
Then out of nowhere came a scream, like a billion cries,
And that formerly fatal asteroid exploded in the sky.

As each tiny piece fell to earth, they acted like a prism
Gorgeous color everywhere, I guess we’ve been forgiven.
Getting rid of evil, He showed his glorious plan,
As rainbow symbols of His love were scattered through the land.

Biggest Excuses not to Exercise

You need to exercise. You must to do it for good health and you must do it regularly. There are dozens of excuses why you can't, but for each one of them there is a better reason why you should. The following are the top five excuses for not getting fit and tips on how to overcome them.

Excuse #1 - I Have No Time to Exercise

Do you have twenty minutes? In twenty minutes you can walk around the block two or three times, you can do a bunch of crunches, or a few rounds of push-ups. It is understandable that you can't make it to the gym everyday due to time constraints but you certainly can find time to get moving.

Excuse #2 - I Can't Afford a Gym Membership

People were exercising for years before the gym came into existence. Walking or running are terrific exercises you can do for the cost of a good pair of shoes. Carry a few weights if you want to increase your difficulty level. Crunches, stretches, Pilates and other floor exercises can be done in your living room on a nice mat. If you absolutely require a gym, check out your local YMCA, almost all of them have geared to income gym memberships.

Excuse #3 - I Can't Exercise with a Newborn/Toddler

Sure, this is a challenge, but on a nice day you will both benefit from a brisk walk with the stroller. There are also classes popping up everywhere that teach you exercises you can do while wearing your baby. Check out babybootcamp.com for more information. Most gyms have a baby-sitting service for toddlers and pre-schoolers on site. If your gym has this, take advantage, it is great for you to work-out and a great opportunity for you little one to socialize.

Excuse #4 - I am Too Fat, Everyone Will Laugh at Me

That is simply not true. Most fit people will respect anyone trying to improve their health through exercising, and a person who makes fun or laughs isn't worth worrying about. That being said, if you are still uncomfortable working out at a gym, check out the many home workouts available. If money isn't a factor, buy a home gym or a treadmill or invest in some good work-out DVD's. You also might want to check on-line local ads to see if there is a personal trainer who will come to your home to develop a program especially for you.

Excuse #5 - It Hurts When I Exercise, So I Shouldn't Do It

Check with your doctor and make sure there is no underlying reason for your pain. The reason you are in pain is probably because you are doing exercises that are beyond your fitness level. If you have not been active for awhile you are better off starting with a beginner fitness level. Be honest with yourself and start slow. You are far better off doing a lighter work-out until you build up strength and endurance than doing one hard one and quitting.

We live such busy lives today but we must take the time to look after ourselves and a regular fitness program needs to be included in our schedules. So the next time you are searching your brain to come up with an excuse to avoid exercising, search a little bit harder to figure out how you are going to "just do it". You will feel better for it.

The Lure of the Dollar Store

The lure of the dollar store is hard to resist with all those bargains calling out to you. No need to resist, this is one guilty pleasure you can absolutely indulge. There are many terrific deals found in dollar stores. In fact, they should be a part of your weekly shopping.

The following are the Top Dollar Store Deals with some helpful hints on what to avoid.

1. Gift Bags, Ribbon, Tissue Paper, Cards

Dollar Stores have everything you need to wrap up the prettiest package for any occasion at a fraction of the cost of Hallmark or even Walmart.

Avoid: Transparent tape - it is often a factory second and won't work properly.

2. Children's Craft Supplies

Look here for construction paper, stickers, coloring books, pipe cleaners and glue.

Avoid: Crayons, markers, paint - they are of lower quality than the name brands.

3. Dishes

If you need a few little fruit nappies or some pretty glass plates, the Dollar Store has a better selection than Sears.

Avoid: Ceramic plates or bowls - turn them over first to make sure they are intended for food use. Some are simply decorative.

4. Birthday Party Supplies

Almost everything you need for a birthday party can be found at the dollar store. You can often find popular characters (Spiderman, Whinnie the Pooh, etc) on napkins and plates. Make sure to pick up some plastic cutlery and disposable cups in the same color hues. You can also get prizes, birthday hats and games.

Avoid: Candy which is often imported or not fresh and birthday candles which tend to burn very quickly.

5. Sunglasses

Why would you pay $20 a pair just to lose them? The Dollar Store has UV rated sunglasses for the whole family at a dollar a pair. Buy a few pair for each family member.

Avoid: Frames with rhinestones which will likely fall off.

6. Outdoor Toys

Pails and shovels, water guns, inflatable toys and bubbles are all sure to bring huge grins from young kids. The Dollar Store has terrific selections of these toys.

Avoid: Anything painted - there is always the worry that some lead contaminated toys from China may have found their way to the Dollar Stores.

7. Dog Supplies

Leashes, collars, chew toys can all be found at unbelievable prices.

Avoid: Dog food - name brand food maybe manufacturing rejects and no-name food is too risky to give your dog.

8. Home Decorating

For a student decorating the dorm room or anyone who is looking for a cheap home makeover, you can find deal after deal at the Dollar Store. Welcome mats, area rugs, curtains, throw pillows can be found for next to nothing.

Avoid: Candles - they burn too fast and may not be safe

9. Calculators

Great for doing the budget. Pick yourself up a big button calculator or a pocket sized one for the same low price.

Avoid: Novelty calculators, such as pens or key chains. They seldom work for more than a couple of days.

10. Reading Glasses

At a dollar a pair you can keep a spare pair in the kitchen, car or a purse for those days when you forgot where you put your prescription glasses.

Avoid: Using them in place of getting prescription glasses.

There are even more bargains that can be added to this list, as well as more things to shy away from. The savvy buyer shops at the Dollar Store with an open mind but a wary eye.

What are the Qualities of a Good Neighbor

Love thy Neighbor?

There are few other groups of people that can bring up such a range of mixed emotions. Friendly, bothersome, helpful, nosy - these are all words we can use to describe the people next door. You seldom have any choice with whom you will be sharing a lawn or driveway. You may end up with friends for life or you may end up building a big, tall fence to keep them on their side of the grass.

For the healthiest relationship with your neighbors follow:

The Ten Commandments for Being a Good Neighbor

1. Thou Shalt Not Borrow

Nothing comes between neighbors faster than a tool or appliance that is never returned or returned in less than fabulous condition. Try not to borrow from you neighbor and if you absolutely have to then make sure that the item is returned promptly and in perfect condition. The exception to this rule is a cup of sugar - no need to return that, it's what neighbors are for.

2. Thou Shalt Not Be Excessively Noisy

Do not mow your lawn before nine o'clock in the morning and don't blast your music after nine o'clock in the evening. If you are throwing a party and it might run late and noisy, make sure to inform your neighbors and invite them if you can.

3. Thou Shall Watch Thy Neighbor's House

Not when they are home of course but if you see something suspicious when they are out, call the police.

4. Thou Shalt Not Let Thy Guests Park in Thy Neighbor's Driveway

Have them park in your drive or on the street. If you must use your neighbor's drive make sure you ask first.

5. Thou Shall Invite Them Over For A Coffee or Beer

It is nice to socialize with your neighbors and it pays to keep up with what is happening on your block. Your neighbor may have information about the road being torn up or how much the Jones's paid for that new car.

6. Thou Shalt Not Let Thy Dog Crap on Thy Neighbor's Lawn

And if he does clean it up immediately. This goes for cats too.

7. Thou Shall Go the Extra Mile

Whether it is shovelling your next door neighbor's walk or mowing the elderly woman on the corner's grass, going the extra mile really pays off for keeping a neighborhood friendly.

8. Thou Shalt Not Yell at Thy Neighbor's Children for Playing on Your Lawn

Kids are kids and they are going to play wherever their games take them. If they are not being destructive, let them play happily on your lawn. You might even enjoy them.

9, Thou Shall Return Thy Neighbor's Mail Unopened

No one actually buys the "I thought it was mine because it was in my mailbox" excuse for reading mail delivered to their house in error, Just return it.

10. Thou Shalt Help Make Your Neighborhood a Community

Lives are so much busier today, we don't take the time to know our neighbors like past generations did and that is such a shame. Take the time to bring cookies to the newly moved in, or make a dinner for the sick, organize a block party or host a neighborhood meeting. It just takes one or two motivated people to create a community.

People truly underestimate the value of their neighbors. You see these people more often than you do most of your friends and family. Warm, respectful relationships with the gang next-door and across the street can add a special quality to your life that you were unaware you were missing. Good fences don't necessarily make good neighbors.

Finding out the Sex of the Baby

A pink nursery or a blue one? "Sugar and Spice" or "Snips and Snails"? When I realized I was pregnant, the sex of my child was the least important thing to me. It took us ten years to get pregnant and all we cared about was having a healthy baby.

My husband definitely didn't want to find out the sex. I wanted to know but I thought I would respect his wishes and be surprised. Our baby didn't seem to want us to know either. Always turning away from the ultrasound wand and keeping those legs tightly closed.

At about five months I pregnancy induced high blood pressure and I had to have regular ultrasounds to monitor my little jellybean. It would be too much to keep seeing my child and not know what the gender was. I have to admit by this time I had decided I wanted a little girl. This was likely to be my only child and I wanted a girl to dress up, to take shopping, to share secrets with and to love and cherish. Oh I would love a boy as well, and just as much but a baby girl is special. I kept my thoughts to myself; I would never want a son to think he wasn't wanted.

I told my hubby that I needed to know the sex of our child and couldn't wait any longer. He agreed that I could know but I would have to keep it a secret from him. Well, I was lying on the bed, ultrasound goop all over my belly and my mom was at the bed's edge watching the monitor with us. The tech asked us if we wanted to know the sex. I tentatively told her "yes".

"You are having a girl" she said.

I have never heard more beautiful words in my life. I sat up and almost knocked myself out on the arm attached to the monitor and my mom was crying. We finished up the rest of the appointment and I called my husband. Mr. I-can-wait couldn't ask fast enough what we were having. I made him wait until I got home and showed him the ultrasound picture. When he figured it out the silliest grin burst out on his face and we hugged and cried. We knew we were meant to have this precious little girl.

From that moment on, she was no longer a fetus but a baby, we knew her and she had a name. On January 31st, 2007, just a few minutes after midnight our beautiful Kaitlin came into this world. She has been nothing but joy to us. She is a girly girl, all curls and giggles, smiles and kisses. Sugar and spice and everything nice.

How to Sleep on a Plane and other Long Haul Travel Tips

Children's stories often talk about the magic above the clouds; unicorns, giants, golden harps and the like. Seasoned flyers know the truth though, it's just recycled air and bad food. Flying is a large part of our busy lives, whether it's holidays with Grandma or closing the big deal. The following tips will help you get through it without turning into a troll.

1. Before booking your ticket.

If you are flying economy you want to visit www.seatguru.com. This terrific website allows you to type in your airline and get a list of the best and worst seats in their entire fleet of planes. It is up to you to decide if being too close to the bathroom is worth the trade off of having extra legroom.

2. Booking your ticket.

Most tickets are bought on-line now and you always have the option of choosing your own seat. If you are travelling alone, always look for group of seats where the aisle or window seat is already taken. You then take the other aisle or window seat, leaving the middle free. These middle seats fill up last so you have a greater chance of having that valuable free seat buffer between you and the other passenger. If you are travelling as a couple, choose both the window and the aisle leaving the middle open. If the seat gets taken, no one will mind changing from the middle seat so you can sit together and if it is not taken, it's a much more pleasant flight.

3. Booking your meal.

When you book your ticket you can also choose from a variety of meals (low fat, vegetarian, kosher, etc). If you order one of these meals you get served first (more sleep time) and often they are fresher.

4. Before you leave for the airport.

A lot of people will tell you to check in on-line. They say it's quicker and you don't have to get to the airport as early. It might be quicker if you have no luggage but if you have bags to check, that line is often just as long as the check-in line. Also, if you check-in you have the opportunity to ask for an upgrade. Don't be a jerk about it, dress well and ask nicely. I always say "if the flight is booked and you need to bump someone to business I'd be willing to change seats". They usually smile at you and tell you they will see what they can do. Quite often you won't know until boarding, when they take your boarding pass and issue you a new one (in business!). It is surprising how often you are upgraded just by asking politely. If you are pregnant, tell them this when you ask for the upgrade, a polite, well dressed pregnant woman usually will get bumped up.

5. At the airport.

Arrive early and bring a book. Try hard not to work when travelling on long haul flights. If you can relax at the airport beforehand you are more likely to sleep on the plane.

6. Boarding.

As soon as they call your plane boarding, use the restroom. This reduces the amount of airplane washroom trips. then just relax until the line is finished. Why rush to get on the plane and sit in those cramped seats before you have to? Stay in the boarding lounge and watch the line and get up when you see half a dozen people left to go through. There is no need to rush, everyone gets there at the same time.

7. On the plane.

Before you even sit down get out everything you want for the flight and put it within your grasp. Book and bottle of water can go in the pocket in front of you. Laptop,if you must work, can go under the seat in front of you.

8. Dinner service.

Hopefully you pre-ordered your special meal and you will eat first. This is perfect if the middle seat is free. You can finish your meal; put the tray in the middle seat and watch a movie and drift off to sleep.

9. SLEEPING.

Put on your headphones even if you aren't watching the movie, to ensure that people won't talk to you. Put your seat back as far as possible. Don't worry about the guy behind you; the guy in front of you isn't worried about you. Pull out the foot bar from under the seat in front of you. Find a comfy position, pull the blanket up to your chin and head off to dreamland before the fellow beside you starts snoring.

10. Arriving.

Here it pays to get off the plane quickly. If you can walk fast - do it! You have to get ahead of all those passengers or you will be stuck behind them at passport control/customs. Use the moving sidewalks and walk on them.

11. Passport Control/Customs.

Your journey is almost over. You have made it this far. You are well rested, well fed and just got some great exercise racing to customs. All you need to do here is have your documentation ready, be courteous and be polite.

The next time you have an overseas or other long haul flight try these little tips and maybe you can find a little of the magic that just may exist above the clouds.

The Broken Ornament

It was a beautiful thing, selected with care,
Collected with pride, an ornament so rare.
Hand-painted and jewelled, a joy just to see,
With its own special spot each year on the tree.

Then one fateful Christmas when my daughter was three,
As enthralled with the ball as I knew she would be,
I let her hold it and touch it before I put it in place,
I could see fascination on her sweet little face.

I was a moment too late, It happened so fast,
Through her tiny fingers my Christmas bulb passed.
In thousands of pieces my pretty ball lay,
As I looked at the fragments my head started to sway.

I could feel the anger beginning to rise,
I could feel the tears starting to form in my eyes,
But then a much stronger feeling began to take hold.
A feeling that came from the depth of my soul.

My bejewelled ornament was only a thing,
My sweet, darling daughter is my everything.
As I bent down to sweep her in a loving embrace,
I thought to myself, this is what can’t be replaced.

The love of a child, is more precious than gold,
I’ve been blessed with my girl to have and to hold.
And as I comforted her and kissed away tears,
I thought, this is what I waited for all of those years.

Collecting these ornaments to help fill the hole,
My Christmas tree was always a sight to behold.
Now an ornament less, it is the most beautiful yet ,
As under its branches my toddler sits.

So if a broke, shattered ball is the price I must pay,
To have my sweet, darling, daughter with me today,
We can break one a year and my smile won’t fade,
I will just close my eyes and then I will pray,

Lord,

Please bless my tiny ornament breaker,
Watch over her, wherever life takes her.

Forgive her the trespasses she makes here on earth.
Let her celebrate Christmas, your holy son’s birth.

And Lord, Let there be plenty of joys and few tears,
No matter how many ornaments break through the years.

Amen