Offshore Drilling - The Reality

Lifting the moratorium on offshore drilling would make little difference for consumers. According to the U.S. Energy Information Administration, production of the new supplies would not begin until 2017 and would have little effect on what Americans pay at the pump anyway — just a few cents a gallon by 2030 under the best-case scenario.

It's all politics!

Relay for Life

I was fortunate enough to be affiliated with an exceptional group of bright and energetic young women for this years local Relay for Life. Some of the team is pictured here and among those in the picture, four have lost Mothers to Breast Cancer, including my daughter. These are young women who have lost the loving and mentoring relationship that mothers and daughters share, and whose kids have lost a Grandmom. This was a first year team and they did extremely well raising in excess of $3,500 for the American Cancer Society. But almost as importantly, they are a close knit group of spiritual young women, who will likely live up to their team name, "Girlfriends For Life"....I sure hope so. My daughter was the team captain, and she knows how proud I am of her, but I do want to say how proud I am of all the "girls" and how well they did. They are already talking about next year's event, so I know we are in good hands.

If you've ever thought about participating in a Relay where you live, I would encourage you to get more information, and find out how. Let's hope that through such events, we will find a cure for this awful disease that takes so many women at such a young age, and that when this team's kids are their mothers age, all the Moms will be standing there with them.

A Lasting Legacy

When my wife passed away a little over 2 years ago, my daughter made a list of traits that exemplified her life, a life that was too short but left a lasting legacy. I think it is a fitting tribute that these traits be occasionally shared. Although our three youngest granddaughter’s will never know Grandmommy personally, they will know her from her positive influences on so many, and they will know that she loves them very much.

Follow Romans 12:9-10: “Don’t just pretend to love others. Really love them. Hate what is wrong. Hold tightly to what is good. Love each other with genuine affection and take delight in honoring each other.”

Show others you care by writing and calling consistently.

Make family your #1 priority.

Go out of your way to offer encouraging words to those who are struggling.

Don’t complain, even when it’s cancer.

Put everyone else’s needs above your own.

Give everyone the benefit of the doubt even if they don’t deserve it.
Don’t hold grudges. Be the first to give in and say you’re sorry.

Sacrifice all of your time to help your loved ones, going above and beyond.

Be able to laugh at yourself when everyone else is laughing at you.

Be willing to give away anything you have to make someone else happy.

Try to see the good in people, even if everyone around you doesn’t.

Let your motive for helping others truly be for their happiness, not for your glorification.

Make things better for others, not caring whether or not they ever realize it.

Be the first one to get up from the table and start cleaning up and doing mounds of dishes (even at the Farmer’s Market). And be the last one to stop.

Put up with people’s nonsense because you love them so much.

Be the first one to help when someone is in need.

Be the glue that holds your family together.