August 22, 2007 by Karen of Scottsdale
You know those mainstream media TV programs that do political analysis? Every election year since the 90s when the GOP took control of Congress all you ever heard asked on those supposedly unbiased political analysis talk shows was “What will the Democrats have to do to regain control of the Congress?” Well I’ll bet you that you’ll never hear anyone ask “What will it take for the GOP to gain back control of the Congress and the Senate?”
You know I’m right.
Category politics | Tags: | 2 Comments
August 19, 2007 by Karen of Scottsdale
I have become a Red Robin junkie since they opened a new restaurant near us at the new Tempe Marketplace off of McClintock Road just south of Loop 202. I’m sure that tells all of you who live outside of Phoenix Metro exactly where I’m talking about. 
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Category food critic, life in Scottsdale, life with Norm | Tags: | 1 Comment
August 15, 2007 by Karen of Scottsdale
It seems that Russia has a low birth rate and a high death rate and a shrinking population since the early 1990s. They have one-seventh of the world’s land surface but they are one of the most sparsely settled countries in the world with only 141.4 million citizen. To counteract this crisis that have instituted a Day of Conception for three years now giving couples time off from work to procreate. They even give cash incentives to families who have more than one child. The Duggar family of Arkansas would make a fortune in Russia! Hmm… maybe the should do some seminars for Russian couples?
I wonder why it is then that so many American families are adopting Russian orphans? I know of four children from Russia adopted by two different families and three of the children are siblings. There is even a group here in the Phoenix area who brings children over from Russia to spend a week with families here in an effort to match them for adoption purposes. Seems rather ironic doesn’t it?
What’s even more ironic is that China, right next door to Russia, won’t allow couples to have more than one child. That is so sad.
I think it is wonderful when couples adopt a child who needs a family and I think it’s equally wonderful when a woman puts her child up for adoption instead of having an abortion. Had I married younger and been better off financially I would have adopted children.
Now, don’t think I’m against what Russia is doing to encourage a population increase through a higher birth rate. I just think it’s rather ironic when you look at the big picture.
Category pro life | Tags: | Comments Off
August 12, 2007 by Karen of Scottsdale
Confession: I have perfectionist tendencies which lead me to fear of failure and thus I am prone to procrastination. I don’t like this about myself. It causes me to not do things that I should do and even feel called to do because I place too much stock in the results. If my results are less than perfect then I tend to see this as failure. So many times I start things and then don’t complete them because I don’t think it’s going to work. For example, I’ve been trying to write a decent blog post for the past couple of weeks but every time I start to write something I get so far and then quit because I don’t think what I write will be good enough. I’m often critical of myself. Can you believe that? Pretty stupid, huh?
This morning I was challenged by a simple statement: What if I lived as though I was loved? I’m talking about loved by God. John 3:16 says: “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” God’s love for us is what gives us value.
Read this passage: Luke 7:36-50. I have been forgiven much, therefore I can love much.
In Colossians 1:27, we learn that Christ in us is the hope of glory. That word glory, I learned today, refers to dignity and worth.
First John 4:19 says that we love because God first loved us.
So what do I take from all of this? Well, if I live as though I am loved then I should not fear failure because God’s love for us is not based on what we do. There is nothing I can do to make God love me more. I am not perfect and I will never reach perfection in this life. Therefore I must do those things God places in my heart to do even if I don’t feel that I can do it perfectly.
Category faith, sunday thoughts | Tags: | 4 Comments
August 2, 2007 by Karen of Scottsdale
Having grown up a big time time Star Trek fan since the age of five, I can really appreciate someone who can analyze politics using a Star Trek episode. Check out Len Munsil’s post on the recent Arizona “Clean Elections” scandal.
Category politics, star trek | Tags: | Comments Off
August 2, 2007 by Karen of Scottsdale
Well I pulled off a good one on my husband for his birthday with the help of some friends of course. About two months ago our friend Ben from Oregon got this great idea for Norm’s birthday. He thought it would be fun to get Norm the Denny Crane bobble head doll he put on his blog as an idea for his birthday, but with a twist — a custom bobble head to look like Norm. Too funny! My friend Tracy helped with the surprise too by allowing me to ship the custom bobble head to her house so Norm would not intercept the package before his birthday.
Ben had the Denny Crane bobble head shipped to our house with a note to Norm saying he could not open this special package from “ABC television” because it was for Karen only.
A few weeks ago I gave the package to Tracy in front of Norm saying that she was going to wrap it for me. In the meantime she switched the packages so tonight, we Norm thought he was opening a package containing a Denny Crane bobble head it was really a “little Norm” bobble head doll. He was surprised for sure! You can hear him tell the story and see the pictures on his blog.
Category life with Norm | Tags: | 1 Comment
August 2, 2007 by Karen of Scottsdale
My wonderful husband, Norm, turns 64 today. Happy birthday, Honey!
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