What Kind of Sports Car are you?

OK, give me a break, it has been over a year since I started this blog and you have to admit, my posts have been thoughtful, eloquent, well you fill in the blanks. I don't know if it is the beautiful spring weather, or I just ran out of ideas, but I really got hooked in these silly quizzes this evening. Thank God I am a cool car!

I'm a Lotus Elise!

You believe in maximum performance and minimum baggage. You like to travel light and fast, hit the corners hard, and dance like there's no tomorrow.
I had my husband Mark take the test he ended up:

I'm a Lamborghini Murcielago!

You're not subtle, but you don't want to be. Fast, loud, and dramatic, you want people to notice you, and then get out of the way. In a world full of sheep, you're a raging bull.

When I took the test, thinking of him, this is what came up. The description fits him to a T. Go figure, it is also his dream car.

I'm a Porsche 911!

You have a classic style, but you're up-to-date with the latest technology. You're ambitious, competitive, and you love to win. Performance, precision, and prestige - you're one of the elite,and you know it.

Take the Which Sports Car Are You? quiz.

Take the test here Which Sports Car Are You? (Version 2.0) personality test and let me know what car you end up.
Here is the breakdown of the people who have taken it so far

• Chevrolet Corvette: (27%)
• Porsche 911: (15%)
• Ferrari 360:(10%)
• Ford Mustang: (9%)
• Lamborghini Murcielago: (7%)
• Mazda Miata:(6%)
• Dodge Viper: (6%)
• Mazda RX-8:(6%)
• Mercedes SLK: (4%)
• Lotus Elise: (3%)
• Nissan 350Z: (3%)
• Honda S2000: (2%)
• Audi TT:(2%)
• Porsche Boxster: (1%)

Are you a Talent, Lifer or Mandarin?

I'm a Talent!

I ran across this as I was doing a search on weight loss programs. As usual, I started with one thing and ended up somewhere else. Take the quiz, and let me know your results.

You're a risk-taker, and you follow your passions. You're determined to take on the world and succeed on your own terms. Whether in the arts, science, engineering, business, or politics, you fearlessly express your own vision of the world. You're not afraid of a fight, and you're not afraid to bet your future on your own abilities. If you find a job boring or stifling, you're already preparing your resume. You believe in doing what you love, and you're not willing to settle for an ordinary life.

Talent: 59%
Lifer: 36%
Mandarin: 41%

Take the Talent, Lifer, or Mandarin quiz.

Sing a New Song

I admit, the main reason I like going to church is to sing. I grew up in a family who attended church every Sunday morning at 8 am. As a teenager, I never really had a curfew at least not for Saturday night. Dad didn't care about how late we stayed out Saturday night, just as long as we were in the family pew on Sunday morning at 7:59 am. Since I really need at least 8 hours of sleep, well you do the math.

I love the old Lutheran hymns. Don't get me wrong, I do like the contemporary songs also, but it is the songs like "Jesus Christ is Risen Today" "A mighty Fortress is our God " and "I know that My Redeemer Lives" that I love to belt out in church. I know that some people connect scents with certain memories. For me it has always been songs.

At my high School Concordia Lutheran "Crown Him with Many Crowns" was our school anthem. I can't sing "Beautiful Savior" without thinking of my Grandpa Bremer. The song "I'm But a Stranger Here, Heaven is my home" has been sung at every Lutheran funeral I attended. What great comfort it brings for us to remember that this is not our home.

whether songs of praise, sorrow or joy, there is something about a rousing hymn that cleanses the soul. Sometimes, it is easier to sing your feelings then the say them.

He has Risen! He has Risen indeed

As I was sitting in Church yesterday on Easter morning, I started thinking about my Aunt Phyl who died a couple of months ago. I thought of her as we were singing I Know that My Remember Lives. I thought of how her voice was joining the throng of angels singing in heaven, and what a comfort it was that she was free of pain and had joined her many friends and relatives in heaven.

I also realized that most if not all o my relatives have died in the Spring. The first I remember vividly was my Grandmother Bremer. She was a no nonsense german women who loved her Lord and her family. I was a sophomore in college, and had been home visiting over Easter break. "We can dance at Pam's wedding" I teased her as I was leaving. My cousin was getting married in a month. The next day, I got a call from my Mom saying that Grandma had a massive stroke and died. At her funeral, the pastor talked about how the message of Easter Christ dying on the cross for our sins so that we could have everlasting life with him, was such a comfort to us, since we knew she was in heaven with Jesus.

In subsequent years, my Grandma Etzler, Grandpa Bremer, my dear father-in-law, Aunt Mag, and various other friends and relatives have died in early spring.

What comfort we can take in knowing that there are so many people waiting to greet us at the gates of heaven!

Keeping the Blinds Open

A friend sent this to me via e-mail. I don't know who to credit, but it really makes you think.

"YOU MUST NEVER BE AFRAID TO DO WHAT IS RIGHT! EVEN IF YOU HAVE TO
DO IT ALONE!"

This story is so true, not just for our country but, especially for our friends and family that ENDURE SPOUSAL ABUSE physical or verbal, that we take a stand. More power to ya!

The other day, my nine year old son wanted to know why we were at war...My husband looked at our son and then looked at me. My husband and I were in the Army during the Gulf War and we would be honored to serve and defend our Country again today. I knew that my husband would give him a good explanation.

My husband thought for a few minutes and then told my son to go stand in our front living room window. He said "Son, stand there and tell me what you see?"
"I see trees and cars and our neighbor's houses." he replied.
"OK, now I want you to pretend that our house and our yard is the United States of America and you are President Bush."
Our son giggled and said "OK."
"Now son, I want you to look out the window and pretend that every house and yard on this block is a different country" my husband said.
"OK Dad, I'm pretending."
"Now I want you to stand there and look out the window and pretend you see Saddam come out of his house with his wife, he has her by the hair and is hitting her. You see her bleeding and crying. He hits her in the face, he throws her on the ground, then he starts to kick her to death.
Their children run out and are afraid to stop him, they are screaming and crying, they are watching this but do nothing because they are kids and they are afraid of their father. You see all of this, son....What do you do?"
"Dad?"
"What do you do son?"
"I'd call the police, Dad."
"OK. Pretend that the police are the United Nations. They take your call. They listen to what you know and saw but they refuse to help. What do you do then son?"
"Dad.......... but the police are supposed to help!" My son starts to whine.
"They don't want to son, because they say that it is not their place or your place to get involved and that you should stay out of it," my husband says.
"But Dad...he killed her!!" my son exclaims.
"I know he did...but the police tell you to stay out of it. Now I want you to look out that window and pretend you see our neighbor who you're pretending is Saddam turn around and do the same thing to his children."
"Daddy...he kills them?"
"Yes son, he does. What do you do?"
"Well, if the police don't want to help, I will go and ask my next door neighbor to help me stop him." our son says.
"Son, our next door neighbor sees what is happening and refuses to get involved as well. He refuses to open the door and help you stop him," my husband says.
"But Dad, I NEED help!!! I can't stop him by myself!!"
"WHAT DO YOU DO SON?" Our son starts to cry.
"OK, no one wants to help you, the man across the street saw you ask for help and saw that no one would help you stop him. He stands taller and puffs out his chest. Guess what he does next son?"
"What Daddy?"
"He walks across the street to the old ladies house and breaks down her door and drags her out, steals all her stuff and sets her house on fire and then...he kills her. He turns around and sees you standing in the window and laughs at you. WHAT DO YOU DO?"
"Daddy..."
"WHAT DO YOU DO?"
Our son is crying and he looks down and he whispers, "I'd close the blinds, Daddy."
My husband looks at our son with tears in his eyes and asks him: "Why?"
"Because Daddy.....the police are supposed to help people who needs them... and they won't help.... You always say that neighbors are supposed to HELP neighbors, but they won't help either...they won't help me stop him...I'm afraid....I can't do it by myself daddy.....I can't look out my window and just watch him do all these terrible things and...and.....do nothing...so....I'm just going to close the blinds....
so I can't see what he's doing........and I'm going to pretend that it is not happening."
I start to cry. My husband looks at our nine year old son standing in the window, looking pitiful and ashamed at his answers to my husband's questions and he says... "Son"
"Yes, Daddy."
"Open the blinds because that man.... he's at your front door... "WHAT DO YOU DO?"
My son looks at his father, anger and defiance in his eyes. He balls up his tiny fists and looks his father square in the eyes, without hesitation he says: "I DEFEND MY FAMILY DAD!! I'M NOT GONNA LET HIM HURT MOMMY OR MY SISTER, DAD!!! I'M GONNA FIGHT HIM, DAD, I'M GONNA FIGHT HIM!!!!!"
I see a tear roll down my husband's cheek and he grabs our son to his chest and hugs him tight, and says... "It's too late to fight him, he's too strong and he's already at YOUR front door son.....you should have stopped him BEFORE he killed his wife, and his children and the old lady across the way. You have to do what's right, even if you have to do it alone, before its too late." my husband whispers.

THAT scenario I just gave you is WHY we are at war with Iraq. When good men stand by and let evil happen son, THAT is the greatest atrocities in the world won't affect him.
"YOU MUST NEVER BE AFRAID TO DO WHAT IS RIGHT! EVEN IF YOU HAVE TO DO IT ALONE!" BE PROUD TO BE AN AMERICAN! BE PROUD OF OUR TROOPS!! SUPPORT THEM!!! SUPPORT AMERICA SO THAT IN THE FUTURE OUR CHILDREN WILL NEVER HAVE TO CLOSE THEIR BLINDS..."

This should be printed in every newspaper and posted in every school in America. Of course that won't happen so we'll use the internet. If your blinds are closed do nothing with this email. If they are open I do not need to tell you what to do.
GOD BLESS!!!!!!!!!!