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Personal and Family Information:
Zurisaday lives with her father and her mother. Her duties at home include running errands and cleaning. There are 3 children in the family. Her father is employed as a church worker and her mother maintains the home.

Zurisaday is not attending school because she is too young. Singing, playing house and playing with dolls are her favorite activities. She also attends Bible class regularly.

Because of your sponsorship, Zurisaday will have new opportunities to learn and grow physically, mentally, and spiritually. Thank you for your concern and prayers.

I was recently talking to a friend/the guy I was kinda named after/my mom’s friend from high school in Kuwait.  We were talking about how she was, and her addictions.

It was a really great conversation.  It helped me remember my “real mom”.  I got the opportunity to weed through my memories, and recall what she was like sober.  And you know what….. she was a good mom.  It’s hard to think that drugs of some sort controlled her for a good part of her life.  It is nice to look back at the memories of her, and remember the times she was clean, and the unmistakable love she had for all of her children.

My mom died this day 4 years ago.  The last words I said to my mother weren’t nice.  As a matter of fact, they were probably some of the most hurtful words I’ve ever said.  But, I can live knowing that she did know I love her and know that she loves me.  The hurt is still with me, but a rejoice to know that she isn’t in pain.  She isn’t suffering from addiction anymore, and that she is again, my real mom.  I know she loves me, and that feels good.

Mom, I love you.

I was reading about the swine flu this morning.  *I read that in America there are 2600 reported cases which resulted in 3 deaths.  That means that under .01% of people infected by the virus will die.   After .03% of our population is even infected by the swine flu.

Because of the swine flu, they’re closing schools, landing planes saying not to ride the subway. (OK, that was Biden, but still)  The nation is in a panic.  Understandably so.  There is something wrong. The nation wants a plan.  We want to know what we can do to avoid it.  Is there something we can drink, a class we can take that will tell us what not to do?  How can we NOT get this HIGHLY contagious virus. (.03%)

In America, the divorce rate is 50%.  50%.  That means that either you or me are going to get a divorce.  That means, that by the end of my life, 1/2 of my friends are going to be married, and divorced.  That means 50% of my friends kids are going to have to go through that.  That means that every other car you see on your way to work today, is either divorced or will be divorced.  That means that there is something seriously wrong.

Why aren’t we reacting to the divorce rate like we are the swine flu?  Why?  The numbers are higher.  You are about 1000 times more likely to get divorced than you are to get the swine flu.  Why aren’t we asking the tough questions? How can we avoid this?  What can I do to make my marriage safe? Is there a class we can take?  Can I drink something (Or NOT drink something) to avoid this?  How do I make sure I’m not stuck in the ‘stay together for the kids’ pandemic?

Where is the urgency for the important things?  When will we start to panic about the state of our relationships like we panic about the [media created] pandemics?  I urge you to pray about this today.  To pray about your friends and family.  I urge you to take the steps necessary to save and protect your marriage.

*My math isn’t 100% accurate, but the numbers I pulled are from the interwebs, so there some truth to them.

So, most of you know, I’m not too terribly ‘skilled’ at code.  Some would say I’m subpar.

What I am good at is being hard headed, and not liking to lose.  When I am faced with losing, my brain stretches to unimaginable measures.  Tonight, that happened, and I was able to help a fellow blogger out with his site.

Most of you probably don’t know him, he’s just a small time blogger named Carlos Whitaker.

So, his comments were down for a while.  3 or 4 hours I think.  I helped, I solved the problem.  Once I solved the problem, I commented on his blog, and… the rest is in screenshot history.

If you can’t read that, I say, “Who’s your daddy?” and Los himself says, “Andy is.”

I’m not one to brag, but, I have fathered a man who is older than me, and far superior, (at least to technorati)

That’s pretty flippin sweet.  If this is your first time here, click around, leave comments, read away. There is some good stuff here somewhere.  If you find it, let me know!

I want to say, I love the blog community.  There are HUGE things happening in my life right now. (Mainly, I’m getting married in 3 days! but also, Andrea and I have joined a team of AMAZING bloggers over at http://www.caffeinatedfaith.com and we are doing huge things there.  More to come soon, including ways to help out charities of YOUR CHOICE.  (you’ll get something in return.)

This is truely a body of Christ, and that is what I strive to be.  The internet can be viewed as breeding grounds for a lot of negative things, and it makes my heart pump to be part of something that isn’t negative, and is actually a positive influence on peoples lives.

Can I get an AMEN?  How do you use the internet to form community?

Before I start first let me point you to 1 Samuel 16:7

“The Lord does not look at the things human beings look at. People look at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the Heart.”

Here we are back at the heart. Probably the first thing people forget about. It’s sad really, now with our culture, or “pop-culture” people are more concerned about their image.

Everyone wants to make an image for themselves. Some people want to be the emo, some the goth, some the football star, the debater, the theif or even the person who didn’t care what anyone thought of them (but really cared more). I was the same way. I wanted to be the grunge kid. I couldn’t just take on the look, I had to take the attitude, and the actions with it. I don’t miss those days. I wish I could accurately relay the feelings I had, the cutting, the crying at night, but then going to school, and making everyone laugh. It was tough. Life was tough. Why do kids do it to themselves?

You do not have to have an image. You do not have to wear name brands, or shirts that imply you drink or smoke pot to be cool! You do not have to drink or smoke pot to be cool! In fact, if you drink or smoke pot, you aren’t cool. You are just beginning your path of non-success and low self-esteem. Trust me. I’ve been there.

I thought I was cool when I could out drink everyone at the party when I was 15. I thought I was cool because I moved to Atlanta and knew all of the bar owners, and I even thought I was cool because I had done more drugs than anyone I have ever met. Guess what. I wasn’t. I took a step back. I heard what people were saying about me. Turns out, I was just one of those people at the bar, that I hated when my dad would take me there as a child.

So why are we so focused on what we look like or how people portray us? And, why is it that we almost always want people to portray us the wrong way. “I want people to think I’m a junkie-alcoholic that doesn’t care about anything.” I mean, that’s what I was practically saying in high school.

What are you saying? The way you dress? The things you say? The drugs you do? The parties you go to? The people you make fun of? What are you saying about yourself? Does it make you proud? Are you happy to be the stoner, gossiper, loose girl, or untamable guy? Is that the influence you want to set for younger children who may see you? Is that what you wanted to be when you were a child? Is that how you want to be remembered? Really? Where is your self-respect?

Look in the mirror, and stare at yourself in the eyes. Can you do it? I know I never could. If you can’t, evaluate yourself. Why can’t you stand to stare yourself in the eyes. What are you ashamed of, and what can you do to fix it?

Maybe this is a little too harsh but I don’t care. You are already an image. Some people may have respected you at some point, some people may still. Don’t let them down. Don’t let yourself down. Take a step back, stop caring about your false-image and be real. Be honest. Be what makes you proud. Be yourself.