Happy Thanksgiving!

I'm so lucky to have a wonderful family (both on my side and Matt's), a spectacular husband, great friends, and an overall happy, full life. Thanks to all of you for making my life richer. We will be heading over to my parents for a quiet day of stuffing our faces, watching football, and walking the dogs with my parents and John. And I get off easy—the only things I've been assigned to make is a pumpkin pie and a vegetable (roast green beans with red onions and walnuts). I got two recipes off cooksillustrated.com, of which I'm a big fan. This will be the first time I've made pumpkin pie without evaporated milk and after actually simmering the pumpkin and cream and everything, so it should be interesting. I'm even tackling a homemade crust. It's pretty hard to screw up pumpkin pie, so I'm optimistic. Anyway, again, hope you all have a wonderful day surrounded by loving family and friends. Enjoy your turkey!

A Poll: Your Participation Is Requested!

We're asking you to weigh in on Matt's latest facial hair configuration. Please comment, and be honest. Does it make him look:
a. Sexy
b. Like a hipster.
c. Like a member of The Village People
d. Like Jesse Ventura
e. Like a metrosexual.
f. Like someone who knows how to kick -ss, and has experience doing so.
g. Like a member of a boy band.

*Feel free to make multiple selections. And thank you for your help!

What is going on around here?

Six Muslim imams were removed from a US Airways flight at Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport on Monday and questioned by police for several hours before being released, a leader of the group said.

Winning the Race

From WCCO:

Sen. Satveer Chaudhary, a practicing Hindu, was re-elected in District 50 last week. Rather than call, his Christian opponent Rae Hart Anderson offered him an e-mail concession that he said read more like a sermon. The following is the text of that e-mail message.

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Congratulations on winning the District 50 senate race. Your phone is "busy"...no doubt with good wishes!

I've enjoyed much of this race, especially the people I've met...even you! I see your deficits--not all of them, and your potential--but not all of it. Only your Creator knows the real potential He's put in you. Get to know Him and know yourself...you'll be more interesting even to you!

The race of your life is more important than this one--and it is my sincere wish that you'll get to know Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. He died for the sins of the world, yours and mine--and especially for those who accept His forgiveness. His kingdom will come and His will be done--on earth as it is in heaven. There's more....I love belonging to the family of God. Jesus is the way, the truth and offers His life to you and each human being. Pay attention...this is very important, Satveer. Have you noticed Jesus for yourself...at some moment in time, yet???

God commends His love to us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.
Romans 5:8

Death came upon all and was defeated by the superiority of Jesus' life and His tomb is empty. God in Christ is reconciling the world back to Himself, with offered forgiveness--this is one choice we get to make nose to nose with the living God--fear Him and you need fear no other. Become His family and know the love of God that passes knowledge. See Isaiah and the Gospel of John...good reading while waiting for fishes to bite.

God sent not His son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.
John 3:17

Jesus Christ lives in His earth family by His Spirit. He said He'd be back, and He said it first. You could invite Him to make the race of your life 'eternal'. God waits to be gracious to each person that knows they need to be forgiven. Do you? I think you do. Just ask. Christ won eternal life for you and said so. Take Him at His Word. Take some time to get acquainted with this power-filled Jesus...God with us. You could be a temple of the living God, by invitation---yours, TO GOD. :) There's nothing like belonging to Christ...not winning, not money, not degrees...it's the best.

Good wishes and better wishes...until you wish for the best!

Rae Hart Anderson

The World Divided

Thanks for sending, Emily!

Smug

I still wish I had named Augie Rupricht. It just fits.

House Update

Other than needing to one day install a new kitchen floor, eventually replace the carpet in the family room, and make some updates to the study, the downstairs is almost done!!! Matt has been putting the finishing touches on the main living areas ... painting the doors and the baseboards, etc. But it's nice to be relatively far along. Next up ... cleaning up the basement and redoing the upstairs. That will be a big one. For now, its' nice to be making progress.

Before:
After:

Zelection

Reasons to celebrate:
The lightbulb seems to have gone off in Bush's head.
No more Rummy ... FINALLY.
The U.S. House is Democratic.
The U.S. Senate is probably Democratic.
Amy Klobuchar easily won her Senate seat.
Both the MN House and Senate are now in Democratic hands.
Gordon and Cory won their state Assembly seats in Wisconsin.
The people have spoken! Vive le proletariat!

Wet hankies over the celebration:
Michelle "laser beam from God" Bachmann won that congressional seat. (What are The People thinking in that district??? Global warming "just a fad?" Argh!)
MN still has a Republican governor (though I can't complain having voted for Hutchinson)
Mary Schrock lost her race (but did better than any Democrat since the Civil War, according to my mom).
Dick "Dr. Evil" Cheney is still VP.