Houston, we have a problem!

What killed Whitney Houston has been the lead story on most “news” programs for the past four days. And now there just might be a criminal investigation. I don’t believe that you need to be a coroner, toxicologist, or crime scene investigator to understand the cause of death. Marriage to Bobby Brown, self-indulgence, fame, a failed reality show, and the effects of cocaine addiction would be the most obvious theories.  And just in case you are concerned about whether Bobby Brown will be attending the funeral or what the future is for Bobbi Kristina, your favorite news program promises to keep you updated. I guess it has been a slow week for actual news

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I TIVOed 60 minutes on Sunday and got an hour of the Grammys instead. I was happy to see Adele take home several awards. After seeing so much blue hair, gimmicky performances, unnecessary cleavage, and bizarre outfits, I was happy to see that occasionally we still recognize actual talent.

I called last week to make an appointment for my yearly exam, and the receptionist told me that there were plenty of openings on the 14^th. I guess most women felt that seeing their gynecologist on Valentine’s Day would ruin the romance of the day. I was just happy to get my choice of appointment times without waiting for weeks to be seen. After taking my weight and blood pressure, the young nurse asked about my cycle and what birth control I was using. “What makes you think that I don’t want to get pregnant?” was my response. Even after telling her it was a joke, she didn’t laugh.  Maybe my children are right and I am not funny, or quite possibly the world has lost its sense of humor.

Super Bizarre Sunday

As my son was watching the excessive festivities leading up to the big game on Sunday, he called me in the room to watch a trailer for the upcoming Hunger Games movie. I watched it and then returned to my reading. About an hour later when the game was about to begin, I entered the room to begin dinner preparations and noticed a message scrolling along the bottom of the television screen informing viewers of the Powell deaths. He said he had thought about it when I asked why he didn’t call me in to watch that report.

I am not sure if there is a lesson to be learned about my parenting skills, or if it is just a reflection on our society in general. It seems almost daily that there are news reports and updates of missing women and children, and so often the circumstances lead one to question whether or not a “loved” one might be responsible. Certainly Josh Powell’s actions were horrific, evil and incredibly cowardly, but not really surprising. Mark Hacking, OJ Simpson, and Casey Anthony have given us reason to believe that the most unthinkable acts take place daily by one who should give all to love, honor, and protect. I am saddened that my children are growing up in a society that has become increasingly less shocked by the heinous crimes of supposable loved ones.

On a lighter note, I wish I was shocked by the offensive and repulsive behavior of those in the entertainment industry, but unfortunately it has become the norm. I wonder if the “who was that singing with Madonna” half-time performer was worried that no one would be talking about her the next day if she relied solely on her talent to make an impression. I wish I could introduce her and Mrs. Tom Brady to a bar of soap!

How tall will you be?

Faith is the daring of the soul to go farther than it can see.

William Newton Clarke

I just need to know when it is going to end is a common statement by one experiencing a trial of their faith. How long will a childless couple be expected to pray for a baby before they feel hope is lost?  An out of work father just needs to know where and when he will receive a break so that he will be able to feed his family again. The longing for companionship, the desire for the return of a wayward child, and the restored health of a loved one are common prayers uttered every day by good, kind people. No one is immune to heartache. And no one really gets to know how and when it will end

My son LOVES to play basketball. And that is a sport where height matters. He is fourteen years old, wears a size 13 shoe, and already noticeably taller than anyone in our family. When he is finally done with all the growing pains and middle of the night charley horses, he wonders how tall he might actually become. My husband recently found out about a procedure that involves x-raying the bones in the hand and determining through the expected growth of those bones how tall an individual will become. For a moment, he thought it might be fun to find out if our son could be of NBA stature.

What if he is done growing, or better yet, what if he will be 6 foot 8 inches tall? Would that knowledge alter his choices now? If he was to find out today that he has reached his maximum height, I believe that his hopes for the future would be significantly altered, and his desire and willingness to work hard toward his basketball goals would dissipate. He just might give up on his potential because he might be disappointed about his future. But, what if the opposite happened, and he was told he will grow an additional 8 inches. Many basketball players are simply content to be tall and never realize how truly great they could be because they rely more on their height than hard work.

If we knew how and when our trials would end, we would miss out on the personal growth achieved by working towards our desired goal because we might just simply endure until it is over. Praying with more fervency, relying on faith, and recognizing my strength and potential are blessings that would be missed if I simply waited for the current difficulty to pass. Each time I experience hardship, I have the opportunity to grow and stand a little taller. Some days I welcome new growth and experiences, and other days I think that I am tall enough.

McBattle

Loma Linda residents are in a battle with the Golden Arches. Apparently the highly health conscience citizens think that allowing a McDonald’s in their city will be a detriment to their overall well-being. Not sure if it was a coincidence, but I thought it a little funny that those interviewed on a recent Nightline who were in favor of the burger giant looked like they had been super-sized, while those opposed were slim and trim.

Don’t think that there was any significant battle for Herman Cain’s endorsement. But his giving the nod to Newt Gingrich didn’t seem a surprise to me. It seems that cheaters like to stick together.

The big Super Bowl Battle takes place this Sunday. I am not even confident I could name the competing teams, and therefore, it would seem that I wouldn’t care who wins. I am sure my son will be watching, and I will be cheering for one particular team. My method for determining is not scientific or sentimental, but probably slightly crazy, however, it gives me some satisfaction. On each team, I count the number of players sporting ridiculously long hair flowing from the back of their helmets, and the team with the least will get my support. I guess I am actually cheering for that silly fad to fade fast.

My guest chef

I can not take any credit for the following recipe except for the fact that I gave birth to the girl who prepared it. My daughter who had been opposed to cooking for many years decided it was time to prepare herself for the day she might need to feed herself and a cute family. She now cooks dinner every Wednesday, and now Wednesday is my favorite day of the week. When someone else decides the menu, you just might find yourself eating something that you never thought would be tasty. Adding fresh chopped avocado to a bowl of hot soup would have seemed odd to me, but my daughter thought it would be yummy, and she was right!

Veggie Tortilla Soup

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 onion, diced

1 red pepper, diced

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 1/2 tablespoons ground cumin

1 (16 ounce) can crushed tomatoes

2 cans chopped green chile peppers

3 (14 ounce) cans vegetable broth

1 can corn

2 cans black beans, rinsed

2 cans pinto beans, rinsed

2 avocados, diced

tortilla chips

1. Heat oil in a large pot on medium heat, stir in onion, red pepper, garlic, and cumin. Cook for 5 minutes or until veggies are tender.

2. Add tomatoes, chile peppers and vegetable broth. Bring to a boil.

3. Reduce heat to low. Add corn, black beans, and pinto beans. Stir and cook for 5-10 minutes.

4. Garnish each bowl with avocado and chips before serving.

5. Try to get another member of your family to cook tomorrow.  :)

New Year, New Do

I heard the phrase New Year, New You so many times last week that I began to get a complex about what was wrong with the old me. If I made a list, it would probably include significant items such as needing to be less judgmental to something as frivolous as needing a change in the way I do my hair.

I am always looking for something a little different, but when my hairdresser asks, “What are we going to do today?” I panic and don’t want to do anything too drastic and leave with just a trim. I want something different, up-to-date, and new, but my hair seems to always end up looking the same. Something I believe Donald Trump and I have in common.

Saw an ad for his new Celebrity Apprentice and the only one I recognized was Clay Aiken. It was just a quick peek, but I just assumed that if you were a celebrity, people shouldn’t have to wonder why you were famous.

I did recognize other Idol alum during the recent CMA awards but was saddened to see how ridiculously thin Kellie Pickler, Carrie Underwood, and Lauren Alaina have become. I thought Lauren was so cute with her curves.

Speaking of starving yourself, I bet Warren Jeffs’ followers wish his hunger protest had a different end result now that he has banned toys, sex, and anything that might seem even slightly fun.

Unlike Mr. Jeffs, JLo and Marc Anthony won’t be serving jail time for their respective relationships with their barely old enough lovers, but it sure does seem just a little bit creepy.

Several other not-so-surprising Hollywood break-ups occurred recently. Katy Perry and Demi Moore once again find themselves single. And their former men, well, a little advise for the new year, they each could use a new do!

Black and Blue Friday

Large crowds, fist fights, pepper spray, gun shots, and even death are the price you just might need to pay to get the unbelievable bargains on Black Friday. To me, the only thing unbelievable about it is that people actually enjoy this type of shopping. One retailer recounts watching two grown women fight over a pair of sheets. I guess it is okay to act like a two year old if you are going to save five dollars. One news commentator speculated that the poor economy is to blame. As if consumers could only give this Christmas season if they got their hands on that incredibly priced 46 inch plasma television. I guess the thought of giving less was never really an option. As I watched the news Friday evening and heard story after story of shopping frenzy turned to violence, the common denominator in each incident was Wal-mart. And people worry about Obama being the anti-Christ. All of this pushing, shoving, and fighting is to usher in the holiday season celebrating the birth of the Prince of Peace. Well, just maybe our priorities are a little mixed up.