The Air I Breathe

Some more pictures of Zulu

2009-04-27T22:56:00.002-04:00

Zulu

2009-04-25T17:43:00.002-04:00

This is my new parakeet, his name is Zulu!

Please Read this article

2009-01-12T21:39:00.002-05:00

MITCH ALBOM

Detroiters carry on amid all the hardships

'And yet...' Detroiters go head-to-head with the realities they face, good or bad

BY MITCH ALBOM • FREE PRESS COLUMNIST • January 10, 2009

Mitch Albom's article in the latest issue of Sports Illustrated is part pride and catharsis. He acknowledges the slights and hardships -- large and small -- that Detroit has endured, which should demonstrate to the country that Detroit will never be a beaten city. It is "part of the backbone of this country."

This article first appeared in the Monday edition of Sports Illustrated, which still can be found at newsstands. It also can be found at www.SI.com, as can more great stories.

Mitch's message from Detroit

Republished with the permission of Sports Illustrated

This was Christmas night. In the basement of a church off an icy street in downtown Detroit, four dozen homeless men and women sat at tables. The smell of cooked ham wafted from the kitchen. The pastor, Henry Covington, a man the size of two middle linebackers, exhorted the people with a familiar chant.

"I am somebody," he yelled.

"I am somebody!" they repeated.

"Because God loves me!"

"Because God loves me!"

They clapped. They nodded.

A toddler slept on a woman's shoulder. Another woman, holding a boy who looked to be about 4, said she was lucky to have found this place open because "I been to three shelters, and they turned me away. They were all filled."

As she spoke, a few blocks to the south, cars pulled up to the Motor City Casino, one of three downtown gambling palaces whose neon flashes in stark contrast to the area's otherwise empty darkness. Sometimes, on a winter night, all that seems to be open around here is the casino, a liquor store and the pastor's kitchen, in the basement of Pilgrim Church. It used to be a famous church, home to the largest Presbyterian congregation in the upper Midwest. That was a long time ago -- before a stained-glass window was stolen and the roof developed a huge hole. Now, on Sundays, the mostly African-American churchgoers of the I Am My Brother's Keeper Ministries huddle in a small section of the sanctuary that is enclosed in plastic sheeting, because they can't afford to heat the rest.

As food was served to the line of homeless people, I watched from a rickety balcony above. My line of work is writing, partly sportswriting, but I come here now and then to help out a little. This church needs help. It leaks everywhere. Melted snow drips into the vestibule.

"Hey," someone yelled, "who the Lions gonna draft?"

I looked down. A thin man with a scraggly black beard was looking back. He scratched his face. "A quarterback, you think?"

Probably, I answered.

"Whatchu think about a defensive end?"

That would be nice.

"Yeah." He bounced on his feet. "That'd be nice."

He waited for his plate of food. In an hour, he would yank a vinyl mattress from a pile and line it up next to dozens of others. Then the lights would dim and, as snow fell outside, he and the other men would pull up wool blankets and try to sleep on the church floor.

This is my city.

"Them Lions gotta do somethin', man," he yelled. "Can't go on the way they are."

We remember the way our city used to be

And yet ...

And yet Detroit was once a vibrant place, the fourth-largest city in the country, and it lives in the hope that those days, against all logic, it will somehow return. We are downtrodden, perhaps, but the most downtrodden optimists you will ever meet. We cling to our ways, no matter how provincial they seem on the coasts. We get excited about the auto show. We celebrate Sweetest Day. We eat Coney dogs all year, and we cruise classic cars down Woodward Avenue every August, and we bake paczki doughnuts the week before Lent. We don't talk about whether Detroit will be fixed but when Detroit will be fixed.

And we are modest. In truth, we battle an inferiority complex. We gave the world the automobile. Now the world wants to scold us for it. We gave the world Motown music. Motown moved its offices to L.A. When I arrived 24 years ago to be a sports columnist at the Detroit Free Press, I discovered several letters waiting for me at the office. Mind you, I had not written a word. My hiring had been announced, that's all. But there were already letters. Handwritten. And they all said, in effect, "Welcome to Detroit. We know you won't stay long, because nobody good stays for long, but we hope you like it while you're here."

Nobody good stays for long.

We hope you like it while you're here.

How could you not stay in a city like that?

We feel like screaming, though it's not our way

And yet ...

And yet to live in Detroit these days is to want to scream. But where do you begin? Our doors are being shuttered. Our walls are falling down. Our daily bread, the auto industry, is reduced to morsels. Our schools are in turmoil. Our mayor went to jail. Our two biggest newspapers announced they will soon cut home delivery to three days a week. Our most common lawn sign is FOR SALE. And our NFL team lost every week this season. A perfect 0-16. Even the homeless guys are sick of it.

We want to scream, but we don't scream, because this is not a screaming place, this is a swallow-hard-and-deal-with-it place. So workers rise in darkness and rev their engines against the winter cold and drive to the plant and punch in and spend hours doing the work that America doesn't want to do any more, the kind that makes something real and hard to the touch. Manufacturing. Remember manufacturing? They do that here. And then they punch out and drive home (3 o'clock is rush hour in these parts, the end of a shift) and wash up and touch the kids under the chin and sit down for dinner and flip on the news.

And then they really want to scream.

Because what they see -- what all Detroit sees -- is a nation that appears ready to flick us away like lint. We see senators voting our death sentence. We see bankers clucking their tongues at our business model (as if we invented the credit default swap!). We see Californians knock our cars for ruining the environment (as if their endless driving has nothing to do with it). We see sports announcers call our football team "ridiculous." Heck, during the Lions' annual Thanksgiving game, CBS' Shannon Sharpe actually wore a bag over his head.

It hurts us. We may not show it, but it does. You can say, "Aw, that's the car business" or "That's the Lions," but we are the car business, we are the Lions. Our veins are right up under the city's skin -- you cut Detroit, its citizens bleed.

We want to scream, but we don't scream. Still, enough people declare you passé, a dinosaur, a dying town, out of touch with the free-market global economic machine, and pretty soon you wonder if they're right. You wonder if you should join the exodus.

We have sports greats who understand true stardom

And yet ...

And yet I had an idea once for a sports column: Get the four biggest stars from Detroit's four major sports together in one place, for a night out. The consensus cast at the time (1990) was clear. Barry Sanders was the brightest light on the Lions. Steve Yzerman was Captain Heartthrob for the Red Wings. Joe Dumars was the most popular of the Pistons. And Cecil Fielder was the big bat for the Tigers.

All four agreed to meet at Tiger Stadium, before a game. I picked up Dumars at his house. He was alone. No entourage. Next we went for Sanders, who waited in the Silverdome parking lot, by himself, hands in pockets. When he got in, the two future Hall of Famers nodded at each other shyly. "Hey, man," Barry said.

"Hey, man," Joe answered.

At the stadium Yzerman, who drove himself, joined us, hands also dug in his pockets. As conversations go, it was like the first day of school. Awkwardness prevailed. Later -- after we chatted with Fielder -- we sat in the stands. The hot dog guy came by, and we passed them down: Lion to Red Wing to Piston. And when Yzerman put his elbow in front of Sanders, he quickly said, "Excuse me."

Somehow I can't see that being duplicated in Los Angeles. ("Kobe, pass this hot dog to Manny") or New York City ("Hey, A-Rod, Stephon wants some mustard"). But it worked in Detroit. The guys actually thanked me afterward.

Stardom is a funny thing here. You don't achieve it by talking loud or dating a supermodel. You achieve it by shyly lowering your head when they introduce you or by tossing the ball to the refs after scoring a touchdown. Humility, in Detroit, is on a par with heroism. Even Dennis Rodman didn't get really crazy until he left.

We live among ghosts as life grows colder

And yet ...

And yet we live among ghosts. Over there, on Woodward Avenue, was Hudson's, once America's second-largest department store; it was demolished a decade ago. Over there, on Michigan and Trumbull, stood Tiger Stadium, home to Ty Cobb and Hank Greenberg and Al Kaline and Kirk Gibson; it lasted nearly a century, until the wrecking ball got to it last year. Over there, on Bagley, is the United Artists Theater, which used to seat more than 2,000 people; it hasn't shown movies since the 1970s. The famous Packard plant on East Grand Boulevard used to hum with activity, but now its halls are empty, its windows are broken and its floors gather pools of water. On Lafayette Avenue you can still see the old Free Press building, where I was hired, where those letters once arrived in a mail slot. It used to house a newspaper. It doesn't anymore.

Any mature city has its echoes, but most are drowned out by the chirping of new enterprise. In Detroit, the echoes roll on and on, filling the empty blocks because little else does. There is not a department store left downtown. Those three casinos hover like giant cranes, ready to scoop up your last desperate dollar. We have all heard the catchphrases about Detroit: A city of ruins. A Third World metropolis. A carcass. Last person to leave, turn out the lights.

For years, we took those insults as a challenge. We wore a cloak of defiance. But now that cloak feels wet and heavy. It has been cold here before, but this year seems colder. Skies have grayed before, but this year they're like charcoal. We've been unemployed before, but now the lines seem longer; we hear figures like 16% of the labor force not working, Depression numbers. I read one estimate that more than 40,000 houses in our city are now abandoned. Ghosts everywhere.

We are a sports town that knows how to care

And yet ...

And yet we remember when the streets were stuffed, a million people downtown at a parade, as our hockey team was given a royal reception; every car carrying a player was cheered. This was 1997, and the Red Wings, after a 42-year drought, had once again won the Stanley Cup. Players and coaches stepped to the microphone and heard their words bounce back in waves of sound and thundering applause. Yzerman. Brendan Shanahan. Scotty Bowman. A hockey team? Who does this for a hockey team? Hockey is an afterthought in most American cities. Here, we wear it as a nickname. Hockeytown. We know the rules. We know the good and the bad officials. We sneak octopi in our pants legs and throw them onto the ice at Joe Louis Arena.

Who loves hockey like this? What other American city comes to a collective roar when the red light flashes? And what other American city goes into collective mourning when two of its players and a team masseur are seriously injured in a limo crash? People in Detroit can still tell you where they were when they heard about that limo smashing into a tree in suburban Birmingham six days after the Cup win of '97, forever changing the lives of Vladimir Konstantinov, Slava Fetisov and Sergei Mnatsakanov. Vigils were held outside the hospital. Flowers were stacked at the crash site. The TV and radio news broke in with updates all day long. How critical? Would they skate again? Would they walk again?

Remember, these were two hockey players and a masseur, Russians to boot; none of them did much talking in English. Didn't matter. They were ours, and they were wounded. It felt as if there was no other news for weeks in Detroit. "You hear anything?" people would say. "Any updates?"

When people ask what kind of sports town Detroit is, I say the best in the nation. I say our newspapers will carry front-page stories on almost any sports tick, from Ernie Harwell's retirement to the Detroit Shock's winning the WNBA. I say sports is sometimes all we have, it relieves us, distracts us, at times even saves us. But what I really want to tell them about is that stretch in 1997, when the whole city seemed to be nervously pacing around a hospital waiting room. I can't do it justice. It's not that we watch more, or pay more, or cheer louder than other cities. But I will bet you my last dollar that, when it comes to sports, nobody cares as much as Detroit cares.

We struggle, too, to make it through an 0-16 season

And yet ...

And yet the gods toy with us. They give us the Lions. Our football team puts the less in hopeless. Its owner, William Clay Ford Sr., has been in charge for 45 years. He has seen one playoff victory. One playoff victory in nearly half a century? Meanwhile, the backstory on Lions failure could fill a library. Blown games. Blown trades. Some of the most pathetic drafting in history, much of it orchestrated by Matt Millen, a former player who was hired out of the TV booth. Honestly, how many teams can use first-round draft picks on a quarterback, a receiver, a running back and two more receivers, as the Lions did from 2002 through '05, and not have a single one of them on the team just a few years later? And two of them out of the NFL altogether?

Wait. Here's a better one. In the last 45 years -- or since Ford took over -- the Lions have had 13 non-interim head coaches, and not a single one was ever a head coach in the NFL again. Not one. Rick Forzano. Tommy Hudspeth. Monte Clark. Darryl Rogers. Wayne Fontes. The list goes on. Nobody wanted them after Detroit. The Lions don't just hurt your reputation, they permanently flatten your tires.

Joey Harrington, a star college quarterback of unflagging optimism who foundered after the Lions drafted him with the No. 3 pick in 2002, once told me of a fog that seems to settle over inhabitants of the Lions' locker room -- an evil, heavy cloud of historic disappointment that becomes self-perpetuating. Maybe it's the curse that Bobby Layne supposedly cast on this team after it traded him, saying it wouldn't win for 50 years.

That was 51 years ago.

No wonder Bobby Ross, who once coached San Diego to a Super Bowl, turned in his whistle and walked out of Detroit in the middle of a season. No wonder Sanders, the best running back Detroit ever had, quit the game at age 30. He actually gave money back rather than continue to play for the Lions.

Against this awful tapestry, in an economic crisis, in the darkest of days, came the 2008 season. What cruel fate could conjure such timing? After going 4-0 in the exhibition season (how's that for irony?), the Lions fell behind in their first regular-season game 21-0, in their second 21-3, in their third 21-3 and in their fourth 17-0 -- all before halftime. Their fifth game was the closest all year. They lost by two points. The margin of defeat? Our quarterback du jour, Dan Orlovsky, lost track of where he was and ran out of the back of the end zone for a safety.

Stop laughing. Do you think this has been easy? Do you think it's fun watching four guys miss tackles on a single play? Do you think it's fun watching Daunte Culpepper arrive, fresh off coaching his son's peewee games, and get the nod as starting quarterback? There were days when it seemed as if all you needed to be on the Lions roster was a driver's license.

Week after week, as our businesses suffocated, as our houses were foreclosed and handed over to the banks, our football team lost -- to Jacksonville by 24 points, to Carolina by nine, to Tampa Bay by 18. And then, on Thanksgiving, the Tennessee Titans came to town with a 10-1 record. In front of the only national TV audience we would have all year, our Lions fumbled on their second play from scrimmage. A few plays later, Tennessee's Chris Johnson ran six yards untouched into the end zone -- the beer vendors were closer to him than the Lions' defenders -- and before you could check the turkey in the oven, the Lions were down, 35-3.

At halftime Sharpe wore that bag over his head and joined his colleagues in loudly suggesting that the NFL take the annual tradition away from the Motor City. "We have kids watching this," Sharpe said. "And they have to watch the Detroit Lions. This is ridiculous. The Detroit Lions every single year. This is what we have to go through."

No, Shannon. This is what we have to go through.

We know about our troubles already

And yet ...

And yet it's our misery to endure. There's a little too much glee in the Detroit jokes these days. A little too much flip in the wrist that tosses dirt on our coffins. We hear a Tennessee player tell the news media that the Thanksgiving victory didn't mean much because "it was just Detroit." We hear Jay Leno rip our scandalous former mayor, Kwame Kilpatrick, by saying, "The bad news is, he could be forced out of office. The good news is, any time you get a chance to get out of Detroit, take it."

We hear Congress tongue-lash our auto executives for not matching the cheaper wages of foreign car companies. We hear South Carolina Sen. Jim DeMint tell NPR that "the barnacles of unionism" must be destroyed at GM, Ford and Chrysler. Barnacles? Barnacles are parasites without a conscience. Sounds more like politicians to us.

Enough, we want to say. The Lions stink. We know they stink. You don't have to tell us. Enough. The car business is in trouble. We know it's in trouble. We drive past the deserted parking lots of empty auto plants every day.

Enough. We don't need more lofty national newspaper laments on the decay of a Rust Belt city. Or the obligatory network news piece, "Can Detroit Be Saved?" For too long we have been the Place to Go to Chronicle the Ugly. Example: For years, we had a rash of fires the night before Halloween -- Devil's Night. And like clockwork, you could count on TV crews to fly in from out of town in hopes of catching Detroit burning. Whoomf. There we were in flames, on network TV. But when we got the problem under control, when city-sponsored neighborhood programs helped douse it, you never heard about that. The TV crews just shrugged and left.

Same goes for the favorite Detroit cliché of so many pundits: the image of a burning police car in 1984, after the Tigers won the World Series. Yes, some folks went stupid that night, and an eighth-grade dropout nicknamed Bubba held up a Tigers pennant in front of that burning vehicle, and -- snap-snap -- that was the only photo anyone seemed to need.

Never mind that in the years since, many cities have done as badly or worse after championships -- Boston and Chicago come to mind -- and weren't labeled for it. Never mind that through three NBA titles, four Stanley Cups, Michigan's national championships in college basketball and football, and even another World Series, nothing of that nature has occurred again in Detroit. Never mind. You still hear people, when we play for a title, uncork the old "Let's hope they don't burn the city down when it's over."

Look, we're the first to say we've got problems. But there's something disturbing when American reporters keep deliciously recording our demise but nobody wants to do anything about it. We're not your pity party. You want to chronicle us? We've been chronicled enough. As they say when a basketball rolls away at the playground, "Yo, little help?"

This is why our recent beatdown in Congress was so painfully felt. To watch our Detroit Three execs humiliated as if they never did a right thing in their lives, to watch U.S. senators from Southern states -- where billions in tax breaks were handed out to foreign car companies -- tear apart the U.S. auto industry as undeserving of aid, well, that was the last straw.

Enough. We're not gum on the bottom of America's shoe. We're not grime to be wiped off with a towel. Detroit and Michigan are part of the backbone of this country, the manufacturing spine, the heart of the middle class -- heck, we invented the middle class, we invented the idea that a factory worker can put in 40 hours a week and actually buy a house and send a kid to college. What? You have a problem with that? You think only lawyers and hedge-fund kings deserve to live decently?

To watch these lawmakers hand out, with barely a whisper, hundreds of billions to the financial firms that helped cause this current disaster, then make the Detroit Three beg like dogs and slap them with nothing? Honestly. There are times out here we feel like orphans.

We actually like living in Michigan

And yet ...

And yet we go on. The Tigers were supposed to win big last season; they finished last in their division. Michigan got a new football coach with a spread offense and an eye on a national championship; the Wolverines had their first losing season since 1967.

But we will be back for the Tigers and back for Michigan and -- might as well admit it -- we will be back for the Lions come September, as red-faced as they make us, as pathetic as 0-16 is.

And maybe you ask why? Maybe you ask, as I get asked all the time, "Why do you stay there? Why don't you leave?"

Maybe because we like it here. Maybe because this is what we know: snow and concrete underfoot, hard hats, soul music, lakes, hockey sticks. Maybe because we don't see just the burned-out houses; we also see the Fox Theatre, the Detroit Institute of Arts, the Whitney restaurant, the riverfront that looks out to Canada. Maybe because we still have seniors who call the auto giant "Ford's," like a shop that's owned by a real human being. Maybe because some of us subscribe to Pastor Covington's words, "We are somebody because God loves us, no matter how cold the night or hard the mattress."

Maybe because when our kids finish college and take that first job in some sexy, faraway city and a year later we see them back home and we ask what happened, they say, "I missed my friends and family." And we nod and say we understand.

Or maybe because we're smarter than you think. Every country flogs a corner of itself on the whipping post. English Canada rips French Canada, and vice versa. Swedes make lame jokes about Laplanders.

But it's time to untie Detroit. Because we may be a few steps behind the rest of the country, but we're a few steps ahead of it, too. And what's happening to us may happen to you.

Do you think if your main industry sails away to foreign countries, if the tax base of your city dries up, you won't have crumbling houses and men sleeping on church floors, too? Do you think if we become a country that makes nothing, that builds nothing, that only services and outsources, that we will hold our place on the economic totem pole? Detroit may be suffering the worst from this semi-Depression, but we sure didn't invent it. And we can't stop it from spreading. We can only do what we do. Survive.

And yet, we're better at that than most places.

We will have a good year

Here is the end of the story. This was back on Christmas night. After the visit to the church, I drove to a suburb with an old friend and we saw a movie. "Gran Torino." It starred and was directed by Clint Eastwood, and it was filmed in metro Detroit, which was a big deal. Last year, the state passed tax incentives to lure the movie business, an effort to climb out of our one-industry stranglehold, and Eastwood was the first big name to take advantage of it.

He shot in our neighborhoods. He used a bar and a hardware store. He reportedly fit in well, he liked the people, and no one hassled him with scripts or résumés.

The film was good, I thought, and familiar. The story of a craggy old man who loves his old car and stubbornly clings to the way he feels the world should behave. He defends his home. He defends his neighbors' honor. He goes out on his own terms.

When the film finished, the audience stayed in its seats waiting, through the closing music, through the credits, until the very last scroll, where, above a camera shot of automobiles rolling down Jefferson Avenue along the banks of Lake St. Clair, three words appeared.

MADE IN MICHIGAN.

And the whole place clapped. Just stood up and clapped.

To hell with Depression. We're gonna have a good year.

Article found at: http://www.freep.com/article/20090110/COL01/301100004/1082/Detroiters+carry+on+amid+all+the+hardships

24 Things About Me (since I am 24)

2009-01-11T13:42:00.002-05:00

1. I love GOD!

2. I love my family and I would be nothing without God and them!

3. I expect to graduate in Fall 2009

4. I love to study history, which is why I am a History major.

5. I enjoy reading.

6. A dream of mine is to one day have an entire room full of books in my own house.

7. I want to go to Alaska.

8. I want to work in a museum.

9. I like to bake and cook.

10. I care what other people think of me (maybe a little to much).

11. I admire the following women: My mother, My sister, My Grandmother, Maya Angelou, Eleanor Roosevelt and many other women. Too many to list here.

12. I work at a florist. My two favorite jobs there are to deliver and design. Though I don't design very much. I love when I get the chance.

13. Cary Grant is my favorite actor. I've seen him in: The Awful Truth, Bringing up Baby, Holiday, His Girl Friday, The Howards of Virginia, The Philadelphia Story, Arsenic and Old Lace, The Bishops Wife, To Catch a Thief, An Affair to Remember, North by Northwest, Operation Petticoat, Charade and Father Goose.

14. My favorite actress is Audrey Hepburn. I've seen her in: Roman Holiday, Sabrina, War and Peace, Funny Face, The Nun's Story, Breakfast at Tiffany's, Charade, My Fair Lady, Two for the Road, Wait until Dark and Always.

15. I learned to shoot a bow last year. It was so much fun.

16. 16 used to be my favorite number.

17. I am learning to design web pages. : )

18. Orange and Green are my favorite colors.

19. My favorite animals are frogs and snow owls.

20. I LOVE SNOW!!! (yes, I know I am weird)

21. My favorite item of clothing are pajamas. lol

22. I have good friends that I thank God for.

23. I don't blog as often as I should, but I love to blog.

24. I turned 24 today! lol I'm not quite sure how I feel about this yet. lol

Happy New Year!

2008-12-31T18:23:00.001-05:00

I pray that everyone has a safe and happy new year!!

See you in 2009!

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

2008-12-29T10:38:00.001-05:00

I meant to post before Christmas, but i was on a sewing marathon lol. I hope that everyone had a good and safe Christmas. Someone at church said this and it was so cute:

"I hope you get what you want, and want what you get!" lol

My project this year was to make blankets. I made some for my little cousins, my sister, my mom and dad, my grandma and my uncle. So 8 in total.

So there are the pictures of four of them.

I hope that everyone has a happy and safe new year!

Eric Wade Berkseth

2008-12-22T06:23:00.003-05:00

December 22, 1984- November 21, 2008

Mr. Eric W. Berkseth, age 23 of Casco Township, passed away unexpectedly on Friday in his home.
He was born on December 22, 1984 in Detroit, Michigan, a son of the late Robert B. and Shirley A. (Stewart) Berkseth. Eric lived in New Baltimore and at his present address for the past two years.
Eric enjoyed body building and had competed for Worlds Strongest Man Contest. He attended Anchor Bay High School and served in the United States Army. Eric was employed as a personal trainer at Power House Gym and worked security at Mount Clemens area night clubs.
Mr. Berkseth is survived by his sister, Stacy, nephew Owen of Sterling Heights and best friend Mary. Eric was predeceased by his brother, Clifford Berkseth.

(this is the Obituary, I have omitted some things for safety of the family and the service times, which have already occurred)

You are loved and will be missed!

Medieval History Paper

2008-12-14T12:36:00.003-05:00

A Review of:
Mystics, Demoniacs, and the Physiology of Spirit Possession in Medieval Europe
Nancy Caciola
(Please see citation at the end of the review)

In medieval Europe an important debate of Christianity was the significance and meaning of spiritual possession. Spiritual possession could be viewed as divine from the Holy Spirit or demonic. In the article “Mystics, Demoniacs and the Physiology of Spirit Possession in Medieval Europe” author Nancy Caciola applies a different approach to examine the religious women of the middle ages. The approach that Caciola utilizes is different in the respect that she examines the way that the issue has been dealt with previously, and asserts her own conclusions. Her approach includes what she refers to as an internal and external approach. The internal includes the internal devotions and the mystics’ self-representations, and the external includes the communities and church representatives’ evaluations of the women. The ultimate aim of the article is to explore the process in which to determine if a woman is possessed divinely or demonically.
In the introduction of the essay Nancy Caciola starts with an illustrative example from the middle ages about a woman, Ida of Louvain. The woman was from a wealthy family, however she refused marriage and became a recluse. Ida saw a vision, in which a pauper entered her heart and lived there. This affects her demeanor, she began to dress in rags and covered with a mat and then goes out in the community that she lived, and paraded the town. Caciola uses this story because it exemplifies the issue that she is to deal with in the essay: was Ida divinely or demonically possessed? Caciola explains to the readers that the issue is internal/external dichotomy that is how the external behaviors, seen by others reflects the internal spirit that possesses the individual. This story also introduces Caciola’s purpose of the paper, dealing with the fact that there was an issue of confusion in the middle ages as how to interpret the increasing amount of women in the religious vocation.
Nancy Caciola endeavors to achieve the answer to this question in four parts of examination, which she outlines clearly in the beginning of the article. The first part of the article, under the heading of “A Protracted Disputation” deals with the issues of women who aspired to mystics were not always considered divine and that there was an increasing view that these women were considered increasingly to be demonically possessed. The second part of the article addresses the views of those living and writing in the Middle Ages and how they dealt with the issue of possession, named in the article “The Physiology of Possession”. The third part of the article “A Theoretical Excursus: Spirit Possession as Identity Formation” examines how social dynamics affect the discernment of spirits and describes the identity of a possessed person. The forth part of the article titled “Constructing Social and Religious Categories in the Middle Ages” addresses how the discretion of the mystics was actually used in their careers.
In the first section of the article titled “A Protracted Disputation”, Nancy Caciola lays out examples of women in the Middle Ages who claimed divine inspiration and super natural powers. She first qualifies her approach to examining these examples with three guidelines that she uses to interpret them. The first guideline of examination deals with how to read the hagiographical resources. The hagiographies address the accusations against the women, and emphasized the tendency of the meekness of their subject. The significance here is that there are clear examples of people questioning if the women are divinely or demonically possessed. The second guideline states that there are other sources that are important to look at such as preaching handbooks, encyclopedias and treatises that give alternate views. The third guideline given is to abandon the categorizing given to the women, and look to that only for evaluation of the source and not the individual being examined. This is why Caciola states that she will refer to the women as “inspired women” instead of “mystics” or “demoniacs”.
In this part of the article Caciola examines the women by using several examples, dividing geographically between the Low Countries or Northern Europe and the women of Italy and France, particularly from the Mediterranean. The first example of the women of Northern Europe is the Life of Christina Mirailis. The significance of this example is she did not have local reverence, and the fact that she was captured and bound shows that they did not believe that she was divinely possessed. In the examples given there are other signs that an individual was perceived to be demonically possessed such as fasting, insanity, exorcism and claims of being inhabited by a fetus. Caciola gives a pointed example of a woman named Sibylla was inspired and even generated a following after her. However, she was claimed to be a fraud, after being examined because of her fasting, and died in prison.
Caciola also gives examples of women from Italy and France such as Clare of Montefalco. Clare was accused of demonic possession because she associated with heretics and that the evidence of her heart bearing the passion of Christ was falsified by the nuns who examined her heart. Another example given, Catherine of Siena, who although showed charity to others, was accused by those she tried to help. Another example given is Angela of Foligno which shows the level of the accusations on the women, to the point that Angela began to believe and repeat the accusations. The intention of these examples is to show that the hagiographers of the women were themselves trying to discern the possession of the women.
The point of this section of the article is described by Caciola is to show that although it is perceived that these women were generally accepted by the people of their day and inspired followings and cults that actually these women were scrutinized. They led controversial lives and incited feelings of contempt and distrust among the people. The reason for this is that these women were living in urban centers and because they lived among the public they were scrutinized. These were women who did not live in convents, and the same characteristics that made them mystics also made the people suspect them.
The second part of the article titled “The Physiology of Possession” Caciola addresses questions about the discernment of spirits by medieval scholars and writers. It is an attempt of these scholars to distinguish divinely and demonically possessed. The first issue addressed concerns how possession occurred. The Medieval belief was that spirit possession occurred with entry into the body that was literal. From the point of literal entry, the spirit would then affect internal physiology and senses and eventually the spirit of the individual. Caciola then explains the common view of medicine and the different spirits. There is the “vital spirit” which maintained the functions of the heart. The “natural spirit” which based in the liver controlled the involuntary actions. The last of the spirits was the “animal spirit” which was the soul and resided in the brain.
Caciola points to the exorcism to understand the medieval concepts of possession. They believed that during the exorcism the demon leapt out of the individual being possessed through the mouth. This is similar to the belief of when an individual dies that their spirit leaves through the mouth also. Caciola points to a wrong assumption from these two beliefs which was demonic possession meant that the human spirit was replaced by the demonic spirit. This is proven wrong by the fact that entrance through the mouth had two destinations the heart or the digestive system. It was believed that only the Holy Spirit could enter the heart.
Caciola then describes the theories of different scholars of the medieval times. The first is Hildegard of Bingen who stated that the soul was off limits to demons but that they could confuse the soul. Rupert of Deutz stated that demons could enter the cavities of the body but only the Holy Spirit could enter the soul. Guillaume d’Auvergne asserted that although demons could not enter the soul they could control the senses and disconnect the soul from the body. All of these ideas were summarized by Thomas Aquinas who stated that the Holy Spirit worked from the inside, while demons worked from the outside of the soul, but could inhabit a person. Caciola also summarizes the beliefs by stating that the Holy Spirit enters the heart of an individual and joins with or replaces the human spirit, while the demons that possessed could only disrupt the spiritual system. This section of the article is ended by stating that although these theories seem systematic and an answer to the problems that the last two sections of the article will address why they were only partially successful.
The third section of the article titled “A Theoretical Excursus: Spirit Possession as Identity Formation” Caciola steps aside from the historical texts and patterns that they establish to look at the cultural dynamics of possession. First addressing the question of why women are predominantly the ones strongly possessed. Caciola first presents three different theories given by other scholars and then asserts her own opinion. The first two theories that she identifies are similar. The theories are offered by I.M. Lewis and Michel de Certeau views the predominance of women possession as a form of transgression or resistance because women are subordinate in society. Where the two men differ in their theories, Caciola asserts is that Lewis focuses on the elevated status of the possessed women, while de Certeau states that spirit possession was a way for women to establish themselves, especially concentrating on the voice of possessed spirit to speak through the woman. Mary Douglas asserts another theory which stated that the explanation of spirit possession is an issue of body control which in turn is a function of social control.
Caciola states that although these are good theories they do not address all the issues or fully explain the problem. Caciola then asserts her own theory to solve the problem which she calls the performative view. She explains that spirit possession can be explained as a form of identity formation that is dependent on three factors. The first is how the construction of the culture in which an individual exists forms identity and roles. The second factor is the self-representations of an individual and how they perform in the roles. The third factor is how the individual is observed by people, their “audience”. These three factors lead Caciola to a fourth element which concerns the surface of the body which identifies a person and affects their relationship with other people. As evidence of this, Caciola points to the fact that women were perceived as being more porous and easier to possess then men.
The fourth part of the article titled “Constructing Social and Religious Categories in the Middle Ages” is where Caciola looks at the careers of the spiritually possessed women and attempts to answer some questions. The first of these questions addressed how women, desiring to have an important role in the church, and as suggested to become a mystic, perceived the possession. Caciola believes that women fully understood that the possession was divine possession. The second question deals with the issue of medieval conceptions of differences between divine and demonic possession. The answer to this question evaluates the response of a woman to possession in order to determine the source of the possession. There are certain signs that effects of divine possession such as greater emotionalism, visionary focus, prophesy and somatic change.
The third question addresses the intellectual effect of the discerning of possession which in answer looks to the many theories given by medieval thinkers. However the practical use of the theories has little use in the actual cases. That is because there is not a clear system of discernment. There is not a clear way to internally discern and therefore being forced to evaluate externally led to problems. In the conclusion of the article Caciola addresses the fact that her final statement is a failed initiative, that although theories and methods were formulated to discover the source of an individual’s possession that they were not effective. She explains that the importance of this point is the debate and discussion of it, and not so much trying to come to a definite conclusion.
There are a few weaknesses in the article however they do not weaken the argument. The first of the weaknesses is her tendency to repeat herself in the article. Although this helps the reader to know what each section will be about, however excessive repetition could be avoided. While the outlining included in the article was helpful, there are some parts in which a point could be established then explained, without the need to summarize first. Caciola instead addresses all factor or questions, summarizes them, and then continues by explaining them in greater detail.
Another weakness, as previously mentioned, is contained in the last paragraph before her conclusion of the article explains that although there are theories that address the methods for the discretion of spirits, they are ineffective. Caciola then explains in the beginning of her conclusion the importance of the discussion. This could be better achieved if the explanation of the failed theories and the reason for their inclusion was contained in one section of the article. She would then be able the focus her conclusion on summarizing her argument and evidence presented in the article.
Caciola begins the article strongly with an example of a woman in the middle ages, possessed and bring the readers to the focus of the article. She then explains that most women who claimed to be possessed divinely in the middle ages were suspected to be demonically possessed. The use of the detailed example grabs the reader’s attention. In the introduction Caciola clearly lays out the purpose of the article and how she will address it in the article. The purpose of the article is to examine how to determine if a woman claiming supernatural powers is divinely or demonically possessed. Each of the sections of the article also in the beginning explains their issue to address and outline how Caciola will address the issue. The direct statement of purpose and the outlining help organize the article for the reader and provide a better understanding.
Caciola use of direct and specific examples strongly provides proof for her argument. One way that she achieves this is by using the hagiography of the women claiming supernatural powers in the middle ages. Beginning with Ida of Louvain, where she tells how the woman claimed to possessed and the reaction of the people around her. She uses the Life of Christina Mirabilis as an example of low local reverence for her, and signs that the people surrounding her thought that she was possessed because they bound her. Caciola explains how Christina first attracts attention by being resurrected at her funeral. Christina was obviously changed by this experience and exhibits strange behavior. Not only is this behavior observed by those immediately near her, but she wanders through the town, and eventually is hunted down and bound by her sisters.
Caciola uses other examples such as the example of Alpais of Cudot as an example of the perception of fasting as a sign of demonic possession. Other examples of women who were considered to be demonically possessed because of their fasting are Lidwina of Schidam and Catherine of Siena. To further establish this she quotes a writer of the fifteenth century Jean Gerson, who believed that these women were deluded by the Devil. This is the approach taken in the first section of the article, with many examples of women with claims of possession listed, and description of their lives as strength to her argument. The hagiographies intentions were to examine the women and give justification to their inclusion as a saint.
Caciola uses other sources besides hagiographies in the article. She also uses encyclopedia and treatises as well as preaching manuals. An example of this a passage from the encyclopediest Vincent of Beauvais which explains that there are three spirits contending for the soul of a person, angel, Holy Spirit and demons. This passage also asserts the point of the article that states that only the Holy Spirit can enter the soul. Caciola quotes an anonymous preaching manual states that the Holy Spirit lives in the heart while demons live in the intestines. She supports this quote with another source from Caesarius of Heisterbach called Dialogue on Miracles which also states that demon can enter the body. Caciola quotes further passages to prove this point. The use of these sources provides examples of who the issue of possession and discernment of spirits was a debate involving not only those petitioning for the women in the hagiographies, but also for secular Christian teachings.
Another source used by Caciola in the article is theological treatises in which she reveals theories of possession. Hildegard of Bingen maintained that the soul was always off limits to demons. While Rupert of Deutz theorized that demons could possess the caverns of the body and maintained the fact that only the Holy Spirit could enter the soul. Guillaume d’Aauvergne expands the theories of the previous mentioned by explaining why it appeared that a demon could control the soul of the possessed. He stated that a demon could take control of the individual’s senses and the connection between the soul and the body. Furthering this explanation is the example in the Summa by Alexander of Hales that demons tempt the soul of a person by relaying false information. The discussions of these treatises are important to Caciola’s argument in the following way. By discussing the theories for explaining spiritual possession, it is shown that this was an urgent matter in the Middle Ages. Also important is that though many were writing and discussing the issues they could not come to an definite or absolute answer.
In the conclusion of the paper Caciola uses the inability of answering the question of possession in the view of the Middle Ages by revealing that writers of the later Middle Ages will make a further attempt to further outline the discernment of the spirits. Writers Henry of Freimer, Henry of Langenstein , Pierre d’Ailley and John Gerson were able to make the connection between the external and internal manifestations of possession. These later writers of the Middle Ages theorized that one who was divinely possessed would behave and act in a certain manner, and this was the outward evidence. They claimed that one who was divinely possessed would demonstrate calm behavior and there would be openness to their heart and free access to the soul. Caciola asserts that these theories ushered in the appearance of manuals of exorcisms because they had a systematic way of discerning spirits. She continues in explaining that the exorcisms again focused on woman and that demonic possession was more closely associated with the female body. This ties the later theorist to the earlier theorists of the Middle Ages and the focus of women in spiritual possession.
In examination of the debate of spiritual possession and discerning the spirits of the possession, the article explains that there is not a complete answer to the problem. The inability to answer was experience by the writers and thinkers of the Middle Ages as well as contemporaries. Caciola examines the issue with the use of many different types of sources. She emphasizes that there is great importance in the debate of the problem, even if an answer could not be found. In the article Caciola attempts to look at the issue with a different approach, realizing that there are two methods of examination, an external and internal.

Article Citation
Mystics, Demoniacs, and the Physiology of Spirit Possession in Medieval Europe Nancy Caciola Comparative Studies in Society and History, Vol. 42, No. 2 (Apr., 2000), pp. 268-306 Published by: Cambridge University Press Stable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/2696607

A Break

2008-12-11T23:01:00.002-05:00

I am done with school for the semester. I am so excited!

I had a good semester and I learned a lot. However, I was happy to see it end. This was a tough semester, well at least the last half of it. It just seemed like every other week something was happening.

I lost the sweetest woman that I knew and a mentor, Jean Foran. She will be missed. I think about her a lot, it is amazing the knowledge and wisdom that she possessed. The other day I found a little book that she got me for my birthday. She was an inspiration to me and my family. Her faith in God never wavered, which is so inspiring.

I also lost Eric, my cousin, in November. I am glad for the conversations that I had with him the last few weeks before his death. He was a strong and wonderful person, though he didn't want to believe me about that. He will be missed, though he probably wouldn't believe me about that either.

My last final was today, I hope that I did alright. I did meet with my adviser this semester and I should graduate in Fall of 2009. I am praying for a turn around in my life. It's hard to explain. But I am learning to trust more in God for the outcome. I'm trying.

Quote

2008-12-10T11:23:00.000-05:00

A woman is like a tea bag- you never know how strong she is until she gets in hot water. -- Eleanor Roosevelt

I love this quote!

In Loving Memory

2008-12-07T21:53:00.003-05:00

God hath not promised

Skies always blue,

Flower strewn pathways

All our lives through;

God hath not promised

Sun without rain,

Joy without sorrow,

Peace without pain.

But God hath promised

Strength for the day,

Rest for the labor,

Light for the way.

Grace for the trials,

Help from above,

Unfailing sympathy

Undying love...

So Proud!

2008-11-20T22:19:00.003-05:00

I just wanted to tell everyone that I feel very privileged to have such an amazing woman as Jessica as my friend. She has just published her first book and it is amazing. I just received a copy yesterday and I couldn't wait to share the news.

Jessica,
CONGRATS!!! You truly are inspiring! Can't wait to read the next one!!

An Update of Sorts

2008-10-21T22:11:00.003-04:00

Coming Soon...
I am going to try to post a copy of my paper that I just finished soon. I just need to find the final draft of the thing, lol.

Classes have been going well. I enjoy each of them, and I am learning lots of interesting facts.

Other than that I have been sick since last Wednesday. That cold that has been going around finally got me. It always seems that right before I get sick I always thing to myself It's been a while since I have gotten sick, lol. So I am doing the DayQuil, NyQuil, cough drops and antibiotic. Can anyone think of anything else lol?

I have tried a few homeopathic methods also. Orange juice, Echinacea tea and the netti pot. Google it I will spare you the details lol.

Well here's hoping that everyone is doing well, and staying healthy (I'm trying).

The Office

2008-10-01T01:10:00.001-04:00

Now I am like Pam, lol. (It's an Office Thing)

My View

2008-09-18T21:17:00.003-04:00

This is the view from my favorite spot to sit at school. I get a lot of studying done here. And such an awesome view.

Midterm for Irish History

2008-09-17T22:48:00.001-04:00

I am just posting this because it was something that I was proud of, and an example of my writing. Enjoy, lol.

The history of Ireland and Britain are closely entwined, making it essential to examine the relationship between the two countries to understand the history of each. In the eighteenth century, Britain controlled Ireland through political and economical means, to the extent that Ireland could be regarded as a colony. Britain asserted its influence over Ireland through the issuance of penal laws, which were laws that assured protestant ascendency and oppressed the Catholic majority. Although there were inadequacies with the penal laws, Britain demonstrated, in the eighteenth century, effective control of Ireland through further expansion in strength of the British Parliament.
The penal laws were also known as “Laws in Ireland for the Suppression of Popery”.[1] They addressed many aspects of Irish Catholic life such as: religion, marriage, voting, education, land and others.[2] The first penal law was enacted in 1558 during the reign of Elizabeth I and the last in 1759 during the reign of George II. [3] The first of the laws enacted addressed law professions, who were expected to take an oath to the monarch in order to practice in that profession[4] and that oath included an oath against transubstantiation, which was the belief that the bread and the wine become the body and blood of Christ, which is a Catholic belief. This would be against Catholics belief to take such an oath. An example of one such law, issued in 1691 stated,
“I, A.B., do solemnly and sincerely, in the presence of God, profess, testify, and declare, that I do believe that in the sacrament of the Lord's Supper there is not any transubstantiation of the elements of bread and wine into the body and blood of Christ at or after the consecration thereof by any person whatsoever.”[5]
The laws expanded to require that people in Ireland take the oath to do such things as to be in the military, sit or vote in Parliament, or be a guardian to a child.[6]
Britain enacted penal laws that affected other aspects of life for most of the Irish Catholics. One law excluded the education of any child in a Catholic school or university, and also prohibited education in Catholic educational systems in other countries.[7] The penal laws were used to disarm the Catholics. They were forced to surrender their arms or were subjected to a search and the weapons were seized by justices, mayors, sheriffs or officers.[8] Penal laws were issued that demanded that all officials of the papacy leave Ireland. According to the penal laws this included “all popish archbishops, bishops, vicars-general, deans, jesuits, monks, friars, and all other regular popish clergy.”[9]
The penal laws that were most efficient in suppressing the rights of Irish Catholics regarded land. Britain excluded Catholics from owning property, and ensured land would get in the hands of the Protestants. A penal law enacted in 1702 is an excellent example of what Britain intended. The penal law stated,
“To the end that none of the aforesaid purchased forfeited estates may ever descend to any Papist but shall remain to be held and enjoyed by Protestants for the strengthening of the English interest and Protestant religion.”[10]
Another example of Britain’s control of land is seen in the penal laws concerning inheritance of land. One of these laws clearly stated that “No papist shall inherit or take any other interests in land owned by a Protestant.”[11]
In his book, The Making of Ireland, historian James Lydon reports the following statistics concerning land ownership. In 1688, Catholics owned twenty-two percent of Irish land.[12] By 1702 that percentage had dropped to fourteen percent and in 1776 Catholics owned just five percent of Irish land.[13] The penal laws not only forced Catholics to forfeit previously owned land, but prevented landlords from leasing property to Catholics.
The penal laws were effective as a form of British control to some extent. The penal laws succeeded in withholding Catholics from legal professions. The penal laws prohibited Catholics from voting or sitting in Parliament. The penal laws with the Catholic restrictions made it difficult for Catholics to participate in politics. The second factor that made the penal laws efficient was the exclusion of land from Catholics. This is important because landlords, who did lease their holdings to Catholics, were in a position to influence the Catholics who could vote. There were not any secret ballots, therefore the vote could be controlled through coercion and other methods used by landlords and officials. In, The Making of Ireland, Lydon suggests that freeholders would not allow Protestant landlords to give leases to those whose vote they could not control.
The penal laws though effective in these important ways, were also ineffective in some ways, mainly because of the failure of the British to enforce these laws. Lydon shows the failure of this enforcement through statistics. In 1704 there were 1,089 priests and three bishops registered, and in 1731, there were 254 and 1,445 clergy, and by 1750 there were eight hundred clergy.[14] Lydon states that with a Catholic population of about 1,750,000 in 1731, there was one priest for every thousand Catholics.[15] These statistics come from a penal law forcing all clergy to register. Those who did register were expected to leave the country and those who did not register would be prosecuted. This means that the results would not be a true reflection of the amount, in fear of having to leave Ireland or fear of prosecution. However this showed that Irish Catholics were able to monetarily support their clergy and bishops, providing them places to stay in Ireland.
Another in inefficiency of the penal laws was that despite the efforts to exclude Catholics from most forms of political power, Catholics were still able to assert some influence. Lydon provides an example of this in The Making of Ireland. In 1731, a mayor had sheriffs search a place called “Black Street” which was known to be a friary, the mayor reported “‘could not find or discover any of the said friars’”.[16] Lydon adds: “But an entry for November 1731 in the Augustinian ledger tells us why ‘November 9… a bottle of wine for ye sheriffs’”.[17] This shows that local clergy bribed the sheriffs, so that they would not report them to the mayor and higher officials.
Another way that Britain controlled Ireland was economically. This was initiated by the war of succession between James II and William of Orange for the British crown. James II, who was Catholic, became king in1685 and passed laws ending the discrimination of Catholics and dissenters to gain support.[18] His actions caused him to lose most support in England, as the some of the British supported William of Orange, who was a protestant to become king. James II went to Ireland while William of Orange stayed in England with the support of Parliament. This war between the two came at a great cost to Britain and Ireland. William of Orange’s cost to Britain for the war was estimated at six million pounds.[19] James II caused detriment to the Irish economy because in order to pay for the war, he introduced brass money to Ireland. This in turn caused a financial crisis because it inflated the monetary system of Ireland.[20]
The result at the end of the war was that Britain needed to raise revenue. This caused laws to be initiated that raised the taxes in Ireland. Taxation was an important way for Britain to control Ireland. The penal laws addressed the issue of taxation, and tied the raised taxes to those who refused to take the oath of allegiance and against transubstantiation. The following penal law is an example:
“All persons, except women, children under 18, and persons paying no more than 2 shillings tax, who fail to take the oaths of allegiance, abhorrence, and the declaration against transubstantiation shall pay double the tax that they otherwise would be charged with.”[21]
The economy of Ireland was also controlled by British parliament. One example of their legislative action was the introduction of a bill in 1697 that suppressed the wool industry of Ireland and encouraged the linen industry.[22] The reason for this bill was that the Irish wool industry was threatening the English wool industry. In 1699, legislation against the export of Irish wool was approved.[23] This bill was not approved however without opposition that came from Ireland. Opposition came from William Molyneux, who was a parliament representative of Dublin University, came out in opposition of this bill. [24] He voiced his opinion in a publication called The Case of Ireland’s being Bound by Acts of Parliament in England, Stated (1770).[25] Molyneux stated in the publication “nothing should give a Superiority to one People over another in Trade, but superior Honesty, Industry and Skill; no Treaty can bind to the utter Ruin of either Party.”[26] Molyneux also opposed the taxation of Ireland from Britain, and maintained that taxation without consent or representation was unnatural.[27]
Another example of British control of the economy by parliamentary action over Ireland was the Copper Patent, which was granted to William Wood in 1722.[28] The copper patent was introduced as a solution to a problem with the shortage of silver coins in Ireland.[29] The Irish response, even of the Protestant ascendency, to this patent was not at all expected by the British parliament. Irish officials opposed the patents and a series of publications were issued to sway public opinion and the Irish revenue commissioners questioned the right of the London treasury. These reactions caused great concern for the British, because of the fear of revolution at the time. One of the publications opposing the Copper Patent came from Jonathan Swift, the Dean of St. Patrick’s in Ireland. These were called the Drapier’s Letters, and were written under the name of M.B. Drapier.[30] In these publications Swift appealed directly to the shopkeepers and urged them not to accept the newly minted money.[31] Swift explained the poor quality and worth of the new coins, and the damage that they would do especially since they be easily and cheaply counterfeited.[32]
British control in Ireland was effective and precise. There were exceptions to the penal laws, in the fact that the laws were not enforced thoroughly. The penal laws were sometimes not enforced thoroughly; however despite this inadequacy and the grievances voiced by some in the protestant ascendency, such as Molyneux and Swift, Britain still gained effective control of Ireland. Britain successfully used the penal laws and other parliamentary action as a powerful means of political and economic control.
[1] Schaffer, M. Patricia. LAWS IN IRELAND FOR THE SUPPRESSION OF POPERY commonly known as the PENAL LAWS. 26 March 2008. Regents of the University of Minnesota. 26 March 2008. http://local.law.umn.edu/irishlaw/intro.html.
[2] Schaffer, Penal Laws.
[3] Schaffer, Penal Laws.
[4] Schaffer, Penal Laws.
[5] Schaffer, Penal Laws. English Statute 3 Will & Mary, c.2 1691.
[6] Schaffer, Penal Laws.
[7] Schaffer, Penal Laws.
[8] Schaffer, Penal Laws.
[9] Schaffer, Penal Laws. 9 Will III c.1 (1697).
[10] Schaffer, Penal Laws. English Statute 1 Ann c.26 (1702).
[11] Schaffer, Penal Laws. 2 Ann c.6 (1703).
[12] Lydon, James. The Making of Ireland. (New York: Routledge, 1998) page 217.
[13] Lydon, Ireland. Page 223.
[14] Lydon, Ireland. Page 222.
[15] Lydon, Ireland. Page 223.
[16] Lydon, Ireland. Page 225.
[17] Lydon, Ireland. Page 225.
[18] Lydon, Ireland. Page 207.
[19] Lydon, Ireland. Page 219.
[20] Lydon, Ireland. Page 215.
[21] Schaffer, Penal Laws. 9 Will III c.8 (1697).
[22] Lydon, Ireland. Page 229.
[23] Lydon, Ireland. Page 230.
[24] Lydon, Ireland. Page 229.
[25] William Molyneux, The Case of Ireland being bound by Acts of Parliament in England, Stated, with a new Preface (London: J. Almon, 1770). Accessed from http://oll.libertyfund.org/title/1769 on 2008-03-29.

[26] Molyneux. The Case.
[27] Lydon, Ireland. Page 229.
[28] Lydon, Ireland. Page 231.
[29] Lydon, Ireland. Page 231.
[30] Swift, Jonathan. A Modest Proposal and Other Satires. (New York:Amherst,1995) Page 220.
[31] Swift. Modest Proposal. Page 221.
[32] Swift. Modest Proposal. Page 228.

Me and Jackie

2008-09-08T00:01:00.002-04:00

This was taken on our youth camping trip this summer.

School Starting

2008-08-31T19:36:00.002-04:00

Thursday school starts. I am excited, mostly because I have been waiting all summer for school to start again. I think that maybe next summer I will try to take a class in the summer.

Preparing for this semester has been much easier than other semesters. I have almost all of my books purchased, and I have my notebooks. I will be ready for class.

This time I bought my books online. I don't know why I didn't do this before. Having them sent to my house, also made everything easier. And cheaper!

I am taking:
History of the Middle Ages
History of the Civil War
and Art History (the second part of the class I took last semester)

Looking forward to posting about my first day of classes.

Good Luck to all those who have started and are starting school again!

Freaking out about the little things

2008-08-19T16:39:00.002-04:00

There are some events in life that are a big deal. Things that change our lives in dramatic ways. Or things that affect us in ways that we cannot completely comprehend.

Then there are the little events. These will blow over in a few days. Or at first they seem to have a huge impact in our lives, but turn out to be nothing.

My problem is that I often freak out about the little things. I blow things way out of proportion.

The result is that when the big event in life come my way, I have already stressed out about all the little things, that I can't handle the big ones.

So I am trying to give all things to God, He helps with everything

School countdown

2008-08-07T18:54:00.001-04:00

Summer Update

2008-07-17T22:52:00.003-04:00

For one thing I am so ready for summer to be over. I miss school, and cannot wait to be back in the classroom again. I have taken this summer to evaluate where I am as far as schooling. I calculated that I have only 9 more classes until I graduate. I am so excited to see the light at the end of the tunnel. Yet, I am also nervous. I don't know exactly where I will be going from graduation. I do know that I would like to get my masters. So I suppose that is the next step.

I have found some interesting things to do this summer though. The archery class is awesome. I am having such a great time. My third class was Monday, which means that I have two more classes. We practiced shooting from a longer distance this Monday, which meant that the instructor had to increase the weight that we were pulling. We got up to 20 lbs. My arms were hurting by the end of the night, but I had fun.

I am really glad that I took this class. It has helped me to realize something. That is that you can't loose anything by trying. Archery was something that interested me, and something that I wanted to try. However, there was this voice in my head that told me that it wasn't for me. I am so glad that I did try, and I am loving this opportunity.

I also joined an online book club. It is through one of the local libraries. Each day they send you a 5 minute reading selection. I thought that this would be an interesting way to read something new. When I look for books to read, I tend to fall into a comfortable selection. Reading generally the same type of book all the time. However, this will give me the opportunity to read some different types of books.

I hope that everyone is having a good summer.
I am, although I am looking forward to school starting again.

Have a Great Day!

Summer Adventure

2008-06-23T20:17:00.003-04:00

My summer adventure for 2008 is ..... Archery.

Today was my first class, in a 5 week series. I really like it. It was so much fun. I learned so much. I am looking forward to our next class.

We started off by just learning the proper stance, and position. There was a lot of things to learn, but I think I remembered everything he told me.

We actually got to shoot our first class, and I hit the bale each time. Not always the target. But at least I stayed on the bale. I did hit the target a few times. The only time that I did something wrong, is when the arrow bounced off of something, and came back to about 2 feet in front of me.

Overall, it was a great time. I enjoyed the class, and got over my nervousness pretty quickly. I am so glad that I have the opportunity.

Hope that everyone else finds their own summer adventure.

Some New Pictures

2008-02-10T22:34:00.000-05:00

Quotes

2008-02-09T20:53:00.000-05:00

Here are some quotes that I found and wanted to share:

If you don't like something, change it. If you can't change it, change your attitude. Maya Angelou

My great hope is to laugh as much as I cry; to get my work done and try to love somebody and have the courage to accept the love in return. Maya Angelou

One isn't necessarily born with courage, but one is born with potential. Without courage, we cannot practice any other virtue with consistency. We can't be kind, true, merciful, generous, or honest. Maya Angelou

While I know myself as a creation of God, I am also obligated to realize and remember that everyone else and everything else are also God's creation. Maya Angelou

Flowers from Work

2008-01-11T13:34:00.001-05:00

Stars of Bethleham and Red Roses

Christmas gift

2008-01-08T16:36:00.001-05:00

Next Week

2008-01-05T16:56:00.000-05:00

Next week classes begin once again. I am looking forward to my classes this semester. Looking forward to a new semester, new experiences, and new knowledge.

This semester I am taking Introduction to Western Art. This class will be the first class in my work for my minor which is art history. I have taken a class which was called Introduction to the Arts. I really enjoyed this class, it was interesting and fun. I liked learning about different types of art work, whether it was paint, sculpture or architecture. I especially like learning about the history behind an art piece.

I am also taking History of Ireland, this class qualifies a requirement for my major work. I have to have a 300 level class in a European History. I chose Ireland because I have always had a interest in the country.

The last class that I am taking this semester is a history class about China and Inner Asia. This class also qualifies a requirement for my major work.

So onto another semester, this year equipped with a laptop that I got for Christmas.

THANK YOU SO MUCH MOM AND DAD, I LOVE YOU!

I hope that everyone had a good Christmas and a good New Year.

Wishing you a Blessed New Year!

New Year

2007-12-31T18:13:00.001-05:00

Comment Graphics at pYzam.com

Merry Christmas

2007-12-25T13:38:00.001-05:00

More Free Graphics at pYzam.com

My first Snow Angel of Winter 2007

2007-12-01T22:24:00.000-05:00

The Breast Cancer Site

2007-12-01T17:04:00.000-05:00

I dont know how many people know about this site. It is called the Breast Cancer Site. I provided the link above. Everytime someone clicks on the site, the advertisers of the site will pay for a mammogram. I encourage everyone to visit. You can even sign up for a daily reminder to click, through your e-mail.

Hope everyone has a great day!

Small Moments

2007-11-29T12:24:00.000-05:00

I thank God for the small moments in my life. For example finding a quote on the bottom of a box of tea that completely describes my feelings toward my favorite season.. winter!

"There are winter mornings when the cold without only adds to the warmth within, and the more it snows and the harder it blows, brighter the fires blaze."

-Emily Dickinson.

Neglected

2007-11-06T23:48:00.000-05:00

I suppose that would be the one word, to describe how this blog feels.

I am sorry, things have just been so busy lately, and school is definately more difficult. More difficult and much more involved. I am really enjoying it though.

I will try to blog some more, maybe post some projects that I have worked on.

I hope that everyone is doing well!

God Bless,
Nicole

Historical Archaeology

2007-10-04T16:56:00.000-04:00

This is one of the classes that I am taking this semester, and I really like the class. I especially like being able to go on the field trips. So far we have had two field trips.

The most recent one was to the Governor Wisner Mansion. Built by Moses Wisner who was the governor from 1859 to 1861.

This is the dining room. We learned that most of the pieces were collected from outside sources. However the cabinet in the back with the ceramics in it, is an actual Wisner piece. The mansion had two bedrooms, a parlor, family room, and office. One thing that the home had the was unusual to Michigan was a summer kitchen.

The first field trip that we took was to the Troy Historical Villiage.

This was neat because it wasn't just one building to visit but several. The first was a log cabin. Then a vernacular Greek Revival Home, which means it was built in the style of Greek revival but by a local craftsmen. Then there was a one-room school house. Which is the red brick building that you can see in the corner of the picture above. The white building next to that was the General Store. Then there was a print shop and a wagon repair shop. Then a parsonage and a Methodist church. It was fascinating.

Thought I would share a Frog

2007-09-15T21:25:00.001-04:00

A Butterfly

2007-09-14T23:12:00.000-04:00

I know that its the end of the summer. And perhaps this happens all the time. But today I had a "stop to smell the roses experience"

I was driving, delivering flowers. I look out the window and I see a butterfly flutter across the street. I thought how beautiful.

If that wasnt enough. A minute later, driving further down the road, I saw another butterfly

In Memory Of

2007-09-11T12:52:00.001-04:00

Back to School

2007-09-11T12:04:00.000-04:00

I have officially started all of my classes, as of last night. All of my presumptions were wrong as usual, and my fears dissipated.

I don't know, I had this vision of walking into an auditorium, filled with desks, and starting classes. However I found myself in classes, that were typically smaller than my classes at the community college, and things went pretty well.

I am stepping out of my comfort zone too. Which happens to be a big step in my life. Normally, i look for a seat on a wall, and toward the back. This way i have less people sitting around me. Then I sit there waiting for the class to start, wondering if I am even in the right place. This semester I chose seats more in the middle of the classroom. I found that asking if i was in the right class, was a great conversation starter too. I met some new people. I guess that I didn't jump out of my comfort zone, but I am definitely crawling. Baby steps, right?

I have enjoyed all of my classes. I really missed school. As I have said in previous blogs, I missed the expansion of my mind. I do find that the classes are definitely stretching the mind, more quickly then previous semesters. More is required in the university, but I am enjoying the challenge.

My American History course, explores the end of the 19th century, which to me is an interesting time in our history. A nation struggling to reunify, after a brutal war, and the industries who took advantage of that. The expansion of American ideals, and possibilities. Yet through all of that, people who are struggling to make ends meet. It is completely fascinating to me.

The Historical Archaeology is also interesting. So far we have watched two movies, one about the vikings discovering America, and one about the Jamestown settlement. We have also had lectures. To me it is incredible to be able to look at the smallest artifact and be able to tell so much from a single item.

The Women's Studies class is interesting also. That met for the first time last night. So it is basically an introduction to the Professor and the course. She shared her life story with us which I found very interesting. I think that it takes a lot to stand before 35 students and tell your life story. She then had us take three things, from our purse or backpacks, and describe them. This was hard for me, since I had just switched purses and had cleaned out much of my stuff. My three items were, a notepad that I bought, that has my name and its meaning written on it, a picture of my friends baby, because I love children, and a bottle of tea that I was drinking. In a way these three things tell a lot about myself, so the exercise was very affective. It was neat to see the different things that people shared.

Oh!

I wanted to share a quote with everyone. It is something, that I don't know, it kinda makes you think.

"God is not who you think He is, He's who He said He is."

I hope that everyone is having a good day. Good Luck to all of those who have started school. Made God Bless each of you through your day!

God Bless,
Nicole

May the Mind of Christ, My Savior

2007-09-05T22:39:00.000-04:00

May the Mind of Christ,
My Savior,
Live in me from day to day,
By His love and pow'r
controlling
All I do and say.

May the word of God
dwell richly
In my heart from hour to hour,
So that all may see I triumph
Only through His pow'r.

May the peace of God my Father
Rule my life in ev'rything,
That I may be calm to comfort
Sick and sorrowing.

May the love of Jesus fill me
As the waters fill the sea;
Him exalting, self abasing-
This is victory.

May I run the race before me,
Strong and brave to face the foe,
Looking only to Jesus
As I onward go.

May His beauty rest upon me
As I seek the lost to win,
And may they forget
the channel,
Seeing only Him.

Kate B. Wilkinson (1859-1928)

Fun in Sunday School

2007-09-04T23:34:00.000-04:00

School is starting

2007-08-23T12:22:00.000-04:00

Well in just just a few short weeks i will be starting school again. And how can i really explain how I feel.

I am nervous. This is a bigger step in my life. Going to a larger college, with more people. But i guess the thing that makes me nervous is that I don't know what to expect. I know this may seem silly, to those who are already in college and already made this step in your life.

I just want to make sure that i am prepared. So that is what i will be trying to do. Make sure everything is taken care of, and that i can start with out any problems.

Other than school starting, cant say that there is too many other new things in my life. There are a few. But why bore everyone, lol.

Alright i hope that everyone has a Blessed Day!

Some pictures

2007-08-20T14:26:00.001-04:00

I love white flowers, and i did not influence the test!

2007-08-14T21:59:00.000-04:00

You Are a White Flower

A white flower tends to represent purity, simple beauty, and modesty.
At times, you are dignified like a magnolia.
And more than you wish, you're a little boastful, like a white hydrangea.

What Color Flower Are You?

Going, Going Gone

2007-08-07T15:28:00.000-04:00

Well in a half hour. I will be leaving. So not that my posts are that consistent, but i will not be posting again till i get back.

Hope that everyone has a great week!

God Bless

SCARS OF LIFE

2007-08-05T13:00:00.001-04:00

Some years ago, on a hot summer day in South Florida , a little boy
decided to go for a swim in the old swimming hole behind his house. In a
hurry to dive into the cool water, he ran out the back door, leaving
behind shoes, socks, and shirt as he went. He flew into the water, not
realizing that as he swam toward the middle of the lake, an alligator
was swimming toward the shore.

His father, working in the yard, saw the two as they got closer and
closer together. In utter fear, he ran toward the water, yelling to his
son as loudly as he could.

Hearing his voice, the little boy became alarmed and made a U-turn to
swim to his father. It was too late. Just as he reached his father, the
alligator reached him.

From the dock, the father grabbed his little boy by the arms just as
the alligator snatched his legs. That began an incredible tug-of-war
between the two. The alligator was much stronger than the father, but
the father was much too passionate to let go.

A farmer happened to drive by, heard his screams, raced from his truck,
took aim and shot the alligator.

Remarkably, after weeks and weeks in the hospital, the little boy
survived. His legs were extremely scarred by the vicious attack of the
animal. And, on his arms, were deep scratches where his father's
fingernails dug into his flesh in his effort to hang on to the son he
loved.

The newspaper reporter who interviewed the boy after the trauma, asked
if he would show him his scars. The boy lifted his pant legs. And then,
with obvious pride, he said to the reporter, "But look at my arms. I
have great scars on my arms, too. I have them because my Dad wouldn't
let go."

You and I can identify with that little boy. We have scars, too. No, not
from an alligator, but the scars of a painful past. Some of those scars
are unsightly and have caused us deep regret. But, some wounds, my
friend, are because God has refused to let go. In the midst of your
struggle, He's been there holding on to you.

The Scripture teaches that God loves you. You are a child of God. He
wants to protect you and provide for you in every way But sometimes we
foolishly wade into dangerous situations, not knowing what lies ahead.
The swimming hole of life is filled with peril - and we forget that the
enemy is waiting to attack. That's when the tug-of-war begins - and if
you have the scars of His love on your arms, be very, very grateful. He
did not and will not ever let you go.

a hero

2007-07-28T18:35:00.000-04:00

Your Superpower Should Be Manipulating Electricity

You're highly reactive, energetic, and super charged.If the occasion calls for it, you can go from 0 to 60 in a split second.But you don't harness your energy unless you truly need to.And because of this, people are often surprised by what you are capable of.
Why you would be a good superhero: You have the stamina to fight enemies for days
Your biggest problem as a superhero: As with your normal life, people would continue to underestimate you

http://www.blogthings.com/whatshouldyoursuperpowerbequiz/">What Should Your Superpower Be?

What kind of pet am i?

2007-07-26T11:05:00.001-04:00

You Would Be a Pet Cat

Independent and aloof, you don't like to be dependent on anyone.
And as for other people, you can take them or leave them. You often don't care.
You live your life by your own rules. And you have deep motivations that no one truly understands.

Why you would make a great pet: You're not needy or greedy... unlike other four legged friends.

Why you would make a bad pet: You're not exactly running down to greet people at the door

What you would love about being a cat: Agility and freedom

What you would hate about being a cat: Being treated like a dog by clueless humans

What Kind of Pet Would You Be?

Written in Red

2007-07-25T22:13:00.000-04:00

In letters of crimson God wrote His love

on a hillside so long long ago.

For you and for me Jesus died.

Love's greatest story was told.

I love you.

That's what Calvary said.

I love you.

I love you written in red.

Down through the ages God wrote His love

With the same hands that suffered and bled.

Giving all that He had to give

The message so easily read:

I love you.

That's what Calvary said.

I love you.

Oh precious is the flow

That makes me white as snow.

No other fount I know.

Nothing but the blood the blood of Jesus.

I love you.

That's what Calvary said.

I love you.

I love you written in red.

The More I seek You

2007-07-24T01:44:00.000-04:00

The more I seek you
The more I find you
The more I find you
The more I love you

I want to sit at your feet, drink from the cup in your hand
Lay back against you and breathe
Feel your heartbeat
This love is so deep its more than I can stand
I melt in your peace
Its overwhelming

i luv frogs, lol

2007-07-22T22:55:00.000-04:00

I need a Sign!

2007-07-20T00:28:00.000-04:00

Whom shall I fear?

2007-07-19T18:00:00.000-04:00

“So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.” (Isaiah 41:10)

Zucchinni Gratin

2007-07-17T15:41:00.000-04:00

More Pictures at bottom

6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) unsalted butter, plus extra for topping

1 pound yellow onions, cut in 1/2 and sliced (3 large)

2 pounds zucchini, sliced 1/4-inch thick (4 zucchini)

2 teaspoons kosher salt

1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

1 cup hot milk

3/4 cup fresh bread crumbs

3/4 cup grated Gruyere

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

Melt the butter in a very large (12-inch) saute pan and cook the onions over low heat for 20 minutes, or until tender but not browned. Add the zucchini and cook, covered, for 10 minutes, or until tender. Add the salt, pepper, and nutmeg and cook uncovered for 5 more minutes. Stir in the flour. Add the hot milk and cook over low heat for a few minutes, until it makes a sauce. Pour the mixture into an 8 by 10-inch baking dish.
Combine the bread crumbs and Gruyere and sprinkle on top of the zucchini mixture. Dot with 1 tablespoon of butter cut into small bits and bake for 20 minutes, or until bubbly and browned.

Zucchini and onions sauted

with flour and milk added

with crumbs and cheese on top

Ever Just Wondered?

2007-07-16T20:13:00.000-04:00

Have you ever just wondered about songs, and movies and books. I mean they are suppose to be a reflection of real life. But I think that the reflection is like one of those fun mirrors. Everything is distorted.

Stories and songs about love, always show the perfect example. People who are madly and deeply in love. And they stand the test of time and circumstances. Their love for each other is so deep. And there are never any petty arguements. Well maybe the ones that I see and here.

In most movies and stories the good guys always win and bad guys always loose. But is that how things are in real life. We all hope so.

And if things are bad, they are really bad. But there doesn't seem to be an in between.

Maybe it is because we see enough of the normal life, and if someone made a movie, wrote a story or a song about normalness (is that a word) maybe we wouldn't even be interested.

has the bar been set too high? Or too low?

How do we who are looking in the fun mirror, find real life, and not desire the deep emotions set before us?

Just a Blog

2007-07-15T22:45:00.000-04:00

Thursday my sister and I, went to the zoo with my cousin and her three children (the twins and the baby that I have talked about in previous posts) and my aunt. We had so much fun! We went in the Amphibian House, which is my favorite. Of Course. We went in the Bird and Butterfly exhibit. We went in the penguin house and got to see them eat. Then we saw the tigers and lions. We had to leave then cause Jackie had a doctor's appointment, but we also got to ride on the train. It was a lot of fun. And there aren't many excuses to get to go to the zoo. So that was really fun.

Saturday we watched the twins and the baby, because my cousin had a wedding reception to go to. Jackie and I took the twins to the library (and yes I got more books YAY). Anyways, we got some books for the kids to read, like 8 books I think. But we had fun that afternoon, getting to sit and read the books together.

We took them to Sunday school this morning, and I think that they enjoyed it. It was different teaching them, because it was just weird to take care of them all day, then have to step back and treat them objectively. If that makes any sense.

Tonight, we had an awesome service. The Holy Spirit really moved. This is the second service this month, where God just took over. I really enjoyed it.

Right now I am bunny sitting for my boss. She is soo cute.

Well I hope that everyone has a Blessed Day!

One Crazy Night

2007-07-14T00:57:00.000-04:00

Tonight was evntful to say the least.

First of all on my way home from youth service, we are driving down a road and all of the sudden all of these cars are stopping.
"Why is everyone stopping" I said to my sister. We look and there is a man standing in the middle of the road, staring down a car. We pass the man, and I called the police. They were already on their way.

Then we get to our house and settle in for the night. We had just started a movie, when all of the sudden we here this huge crash. We get out of our house and look down the street and there was a two-car crash. I call the police again, and they sent someone.

It was just kinda weird. Well I work tomorrow so I should go to bed.

Good Night.

By the way, no one seemed badly injured in either accident. Just the people in the crash seemed pretty shook up. I prayed for all of them.

Reading...

2007-07-11T22:44:00.001-04:00

My absolute favorite hobby. I thought I would list the books that are in my room right now. Some are read and ready to be returned to the library. I think I have one book left to go.

A Covenant of Love- Gilbert Morris (read)
Gate of His Enemies- Gilbert Morris (finished last night)
New Mexico Sunset- Tracie Peterson (read)
Highland Mercies- Gary E Parker (read)
Highland Grace- Gary E Parker (on Chapter 2)

As soon as I am done with the last book I get to go to the library and get a whole new set of books, I am so excited.

Have a Blessed Day!

Ps There is an update on the Pictures post to help everyone see the pictures better.

For a Season

2007-07-10T23:44:00.000-04:00

Something that I heard a while ago on a movie I was watching is that some people are in our lives for a season. And some people are in our lives for a lifetime. We run in to trouble when we try to make the seasonal people last for a lifetime.

I think that this is so true. There are some people who enter our lives like a consuming force. They surround us with their love and life. And these people can last our lifetime, because even when they are gone we think about them. We recall the memories of the person.

There are other people, who just don't seem to last as long as others. Who are great for a time. But distances are put between you and the other person. It is great to have them around for a time, but you just don't seem to think much about the person after they have gone. Maybe this is a sad thought, but I guess I am being brutally honest tonight.

Where do we categorize God?

God has taken my life, and transformed it. Before I began my relationship with God, I was headed down a path of destruction. I made mistakes, and I payed some consequences. And then I met God. He took me off the path that I was on, and showed me a new road.

He forgave me of all of the mistakes, and He turned me around. I don't know where I would be today, if it hadn't been for God's love. And maybe life hasn't been perfect, since I started serving God. I have had lows in my life. But the good times, and the blessings of God far out way the bad.

For all that God had done in my life, I can not let Him become a seasonal character in my life. I thank Him everyday, for what He has done in my life and in the life of my family. And I will serve Him for a lifetime.

Pictures

2007-07-09T00:15:00.000-04:00

Please read the previous post

Cool Slideshows!

If you click on the picture, you can pause the slideshow. Click again to restart the slideshow

Vacation

2007-07-08T23:36:00.000-04:00

We had a great vacation! It was nice to spend time together as a family and see some new stuff, and visit some new places.

We left Thursday afternoon and stopped at Frankenmuth. We ate their famous chicken dinner, but the hotel we stayed at gave us an upgrade, so instead of just chicken we had four other meats. You know that you are eating a big meal, when even the waitress comments about it. lol. Well, we saved room for dad's favorite treat icecream. I will put a picture of the cute little Bavarian people in our ice cream. The next day we went to the Riverview shopping place, and took a ride on the Bavarian Belle, which is a steamboat.

Then we went to Bronners.

Oh My Goodness, I have never seen so much Christmas stuff in my life. There was every type of ornament that you could image. Well except for one thing. I wanted to start collecting keys. You know like old skeleton keys, and I couldn't find a key ornament. But it is very possible that I could have missed it. I now have an ornanment with my name on it, it is a stocking. Our whole family has matching ornaments.

Let's see then we drove to Cadillac, MI. And stayed in a hotel for the night. Ate at Cullivers, which is quickly becoming a family favorite. We even had it for dinner tonight, lol.

Then the next day we got up and drove into Traverse City. And went to the CHERRY FESTIVAL!!

As I have said this is my favorite festival, don't know if I have been to that many others. But I love cherries!! And they have cherry everything there, cherry jam, cherry soda, cherry cream soda, cherry rootbeer, cherry salsa, cherry tea, cherry pie, cherry sundaes, cherry honey mustard. I mean everything!!

We bought: Cherry Jam, Cherry BBQ sauce, Cherry Chocolate Sauce, cherries (duh, lol) and chocolate covered dried cherries.

WE also got to see an airshow while we were there, and I don't think I had ever seen one so that was really neat.

That afternoon we went to this really good BBQ place. It was Memphis style and really good. But I guess I said that already. I got pulled pork. But Jackie got this HUGE baked potatoe, with sour cream, butter, cheese, bacon and topped with pulled pork. She couldn't even finish it, I mean that thing was huge.

We took a break and went back to the festival and looked around some more. Then when we had had enough we went back to the hotel.

It was a long ride back home. We stopped in this little restaurant in Grayling, and there were so many people there. The waitress said it had never been that busy before. It was good food.

I did get to finish a book on the trip home and I also am now 1/2 way through a book I started on the way home.

It feels good to be home. But it was a great vacation.

Vacation

2007-07-05T11:58:00.000-04:00

Click on the picture above to visit the link. This is my favorite festival. I was looking around the site and it was actually on the Food Network, as the top celebration. There is a video of it here:

http://www.cherryfestival.org/aboutus/foodnetwork_vid.php

This is one place that we will visit on vacation. I am so excited!

july 4th

2007-07-04T11:00:00.000-04:00

I just want to wish everyone a safe and Happy 4th of July.

The Summer

2007-06-04T22:14:00.000-04:00

Well here it is about the 3rd week of my summer off. I decidied through the transition of going from community college and the university I would take the summer off of school. Yet for some reason, I miss school. I miss the expansion of my brain, lol. I do have some goals for this summer. So I will proclaim the goal here, for everyone to read, in the hopes that I can truely accomplish them

1. (and probably the most important) I want to work on loosing weight. And I know this is a personal thing, to splatter on the web. But my hopes are that it can give me a sense of commitment to this goal.

2. Finish cleaning my room. lol I am almost done. I am just trying to decide what to put into boxes for storage and what to throw away. Ihate throwing things away, and hold onto things way to long.

3. Read, Read, Read. And I love to read so this should not be a problem for me lol.

I hope that I can acheive these goal. So say a little prayer for me if you could. Thanks!

A moment

2007-04-17T21:53:00.000-04:00

I would just like to take a moment to offer my condolences to all of those who lost a family member or a friend in the Virginia Tech massacre.

My thoughts and prayers are with all of those who lost someone. I pray that you all feel God's presence and strength during this time!

God Bless,
Nicole

2007-04-16T15:46:00.000-04:00

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.

A long time!

2007-04-16T00:55:00.000-04:00

Well I know that it has been a long time. So I will blog more later, but here are a few pics from our trip to Florida!
My sister and I at the beach

My Family!

My sister and I at a fountain

I made this!

2007-03-13T21:16:00.000-04:00

Isn't it cute?

2007-02-28T08:13:00.000-05:00

A little blurry... This is us standing in line waiting to sign the condolence book for Gerald R Ford.

Thank You!

2007-02-22T00:41:00.001-05:00

I just want to thank everyone for all the e-mails and comments! It means so much!

Have a wonderfully Blessed Day!

Nicole

GREAT NEWS!!

2007-02-15T10:19:00.000-05:00

After only about a week of waiting, the letter came yesterday in the mail. I am ACCEPTED!!! So starting next fall I will be going to a four-year university. I am excited. I realise that this isn't earth shattering news, but I have such a feeling of accomplishment.

In high school, my grades were not that good. Yet, when I reached college, I began to really like the classes that I was taking, and before I knew it I was on the Dean's list. So to me this, just seems like such an accomplishment.

I have been having a hard time finding stuff to blog about lately. I don't really know why. Its not that there isn't anything happening. I think that it is, I have found myself in a routine, and so the stuff to blog about seems monotonous. My week's consist of going to school Monday thru Thursday. Working all day Friday and a few other days after school, and going to church. To tell you the truth, I wouldn't want to do anything else. I really enjoy those three things.

So I apologize about the lack of posts, and I will try to post more often, I just need to get some inspiration.

Well, I hope everyone has a Great DAY!

Anticipation!

2007-02-08T23:59:00.000-05:00

Waiting .....

Waiting.....

Waiting.....

And yet they say the best things in life are worth waiting for.

It seems like this is my motto so far for the year of 2007, pretty sad considering that we are just partially into February. The month of January was spent waiting for my degree to come in the mail. Or waiting for the textbooks that I order online to come.

Well now what do I wait for? Well, besides Prince Charming (lol). I am waiting for a reply from the 4-year University that I applied too. I think that I have a good chance of being accepted. And I have been checking the website, and I know that they have received my application, and I know that they have received my transcript. So now I get to play the waiting game again. And wait for the acceptance letter in the mail.

in other news....

My classes this semester are going quite well. I am really enjoying them. And this may be my last semester at this college, so I am trying to soak it all in. I can't believe it is already time to transfer, looking back, it seems like the time has flown by.

Well I hope that you have a Blessed Day!!

Almost a Month

2007-01-27T15:34:00.000-05:00

It has been quite some time since my last post. So I thought that I would update everyone on what has been happening in my life.

I am another year older! I am not at the point of my life where I am dreading each birthday. But I do realise, that those years are coming. I thought about it and in a few short years I will be a Quarter of a Century. lol

Other than that the most exciting thing that has happened is another semester at college. I think that this will be the last full semester at the local community college, and in the fall I will be transferring to a University. This is porbably a good thing, because this semester I am taking the highest History class that I can at the college. So I fear I am running out of options. Well, this semester I have a full load, as usual. I am taking Spanish, Geology, Latin American History, and the History of American Movies. All the classes are going pretty well. Of course the history classes are awesome. Geology, is alright. And Spanish is my challenge. I really would like to become fluent, so that I can use that on a resume. However, with my brief experience with French, it is some what of a challenge.

Other exciting news, I should be getting my Associates Degree, any day now. Now to those of you, who already have degrees, this may not seem like such a big deal. But to me, I have a sense of accomplishment. It means that I didn't completely waste time. that I actually did something! Now the degree is just General Studies, but the program that I am taking is a major in history, and I am so excited.

The one problem, that I am seeming to have is picking a subject of interest in History. I mean there is so much to like. That I don't really know what to pick. I like the Ancient History, but I like the American History too. And there are so many other things to decide on. What time period, what region? I guess that all will come in time.

Everything else is going good too. Church is awesome (as always). And the youth group is really changing. Its all very exciting. Well hopefully I can blog more consistently, and then I won't have to try to sum up a whole month in one post.

It's a New Year!

2007-01-01T21:08:00.000-05:00

Well I trust that everyone had a wonderful Christmas and a Happy New Year! I hope that everyone enjoyed the week in between!

I had a great Christmas. Spent with my family, just hangin around the house. I got a MP3 player for Christmas and I really like it. I also got a new alarm clock, and clothes. So I got some pretty nice stuff. But my favorite part of this Christmas, was spending it with my family. Yeah, I know it sounds a little corny. But we spent the morning reading scriptures and praying together, which I thought was really nice.

Two days after Christmas, we left for Holiday Youth Convention. And the trip went really well. It was held in Grand Rapids, which happen to be where the Gerald Ford museum and memorial was. Our group went and signed the condolence book, for President Ford.

For New Years, we spent that at my Grandmothers house. We ate alot, played Disney Scene It (which is soo much fun), and we watched the movie "One Night With The King", Which was such a great movie.

So my expectations for the new year?
My most pressing issue, is finding a new car, which I hope to try to find this week. So please pray for me, that I find something dependable, and in my price range.

Have a wonderful day!

Merry Christmas to Everyone

2006-12-23T23:31:00.001-05:00

I hope that everyone has a wonderful Christmas, and a Happy New Year. This will be the last post of 2006!

Have a great New Year too!

A Poll

2006-12-19T23:15:00.000-05:00

So here is a quick online poll:

How many of you are done Christmas Shopping?

Christmas for Christ

2006-12-17T22:05:00.000-05:00

Well, today was our Christmas for Christ service. And for the first one that we have had, I thought that it went very well.

A big thank you to everyone who helped out!

The service went well. We had a special choir get up and sing. They sang, What Child is This, Away in a Manger, The First Noel, Jingle Bells, and Joy to the World. Then the children sand a few songs, and did such a good job. It was a nice time!

We also had an awesome service tonight. The Spirit of God moved, and it was wonderful.

And update on my Pastor, his wife, and their son. They are all home, and adjusting to be home. I am so thankful for what God did! Thank you for all of you who, through this blog prayed!

Here's my Sonnet

2006-12-12T23:09:00.000-05:00

Hurt wanes through the passage of the seasons,
And seasons of these lives will ever change.
Passing time that ticks beyond my reason.
Winter, a silent growth, which eye view strange,
Dormant, cold, covered with heavy white.
Arrival of spring echoes through the songs,
The resting creatures wake from a long night.
Love and joyous tunes, drive away the wrongs.
Perils of winter are soon forgotten.
Just a bitter memory--- A cool breeze
Rushing through the spring, now will minds rotten?
Yet warmth surrounds and we forget with ease.

When the time passes with out me knowing,
Winter is over, now spring is growing.

Reach for the Stars

2006-12-09T23:35:00.000-05:00

What does this phrase mean to you?

I think that it means, to go for the best, to expect the best. However, I was thinking about this lately. Now I do not think that there is anything wrong with having high expectations. But, I was just thinking, when we do this, do those around us suffer? Do we?

If we always have the ideal in our mind, then are we truely looking at the bigger picture. Are we missing the other things in life, because we have our eyes on the prize. In childhood, we did not have a problem, reaching for the stars, in fact everything around us, encouraged that. So what happens when we become adults? I think that we are encouraged that dreams, aren't realistic.

When did the mentality change? When did dreams, need to become realistic goals? Why are we encouraged to dream in the first place?

We change our minds so much in life. I don't think that it is a bad thing. Change is good. I need to focus on embracing change a little more often

Well that is my thought for the day, hope you enjoy!

Few and Far Between

2006-12-06T22:10:00.000-05:00

Sometimes I dream of a day when I was a better blogger. When subjects came naturally and easily. And I had the time. But life began to get busier, and I became more tired. So here it is. One, while most could blog serveral in half the time. lol

and here it goes...

So I thought it would be fitting to put in a little update of my life. For one thing I am very happy, and very blessed. I continuely thank God everyday, for the wonderful miracles that He has performed in my life.

I am doing pretty well in class. And I am almost done with the semester. Thankfully. But it hasn't been all bad. In fact classes have went quite well.

So I have some good news.... At the end of this semester, and a final audit of my grades, I will get my Associates Degree of General Studies. I am kinda proud of myself, because I thought it would take forever to get where I am now.

I am also glad, that I will be transferring to a local four year university, in the near future. Probably fall of next year. I will be majoring in History. I LOVE HISTORY!!

I am thinking about posting the paper that I wrote for my history class, that I got an A on. I don't even know if anyone would be interested in reading it. But I really liked the paper.

So my challenge for the end of this sememster, is to write a sonnet. Now I have dabbled in writing poetry before. I love poetry, but I am not very good at symbolism. So I am working hard on this. And if I do well I might post it.

Other news....

Christmas is coming soon, and I hope that everyone has a Blessed Holiday!

I have been working on getting all the Christmas gifts together, I have one bought, and I think I know what I am going to buy for everyone, now it is just a matter of buying it.

Alright, well hopefully I will be able to post again soon.

Have a Blessed Day!

Changes

2006-11-29T09:43:00.000-05:00

Well as you may notice, for those who check my blogs. I have deleted my second blog. I really couldn't keep up with it.

I just want to take a moment to say, GOD IS SO GOOD!

Yes I know it is very profound. lol. I just am so thankful for everything that God has done in my life this year. And I mean everything. I am so thankful for the place that God has put me in. For the changes that He has made. I feel a new focus in my life, and I feel that this focus, is what God truly wants.

I have been thinking lately, about distorted reality. Do we realise how prevalent this concept is in our lives? How often do we distort the things around us? How often do we distort the plans of God? There are some things that God does in my life, and I say, what is the purpose of this. I know that God loves me. I think that I distort the intentions. What God meant to make me stronger, may feel like it is tearing us apart. But isn't that what body builders do? Rip the muscles, so that they will be rebuilt and repaired, stronger than before?

Just something I have been thinking about.

Thanksgiving

2006-11-27T09:05:00.000-05:00

I hope that everyone had a good thanksgiving and a good Thanksgiving Weekend!

Thank you to all who participated in the Thankful post!

Have a great day!

I am Thankful

2006-11-21T22:19:00.000-05:00

I am Thankful for so much this year.

I am thankful for God's Love!

I am thankful for the opportunity to worship God!

I am thankful for the opportunity to serve Him!

I am thankful for a loving family!

I am thankful for wonderful friends!

I am thankful for all the men and women in the service!

I am thankful for blessings in disguise!

I am thankful for the opportunity for schooling!

I am thankful for a job!

Those are just a few things that I am thankful for. To be truthful if I could list everything this blog probably couldn't contain it. God has been so good to me, and there is not one thing more that I could ask of Him. I pray that I am where God wants me to be, and I feel I am.

I pray that God Blesses you too! Through this holiday time I pray that you feel God's presence near.

Now I have a request please comment, about something that you are thankful for! I would love to read it!

I love the 90's

2006-11-21T10:42:00.000-05:00

Remember the Y2K scare?

My word, that keeps going through my mind. We are doing a project for my History Class, and my group has the 90's.

Remember when everyone stocked up on water and bought gas generators?

I remember watching the New Years Eve Celebrations around the world, and thinking. Well France is alright, maybe we will make it. England is alright.

Sometimes we do this in life as well. We prepare for the worst and think, well I will be prepared. Maybe it is in those times, that instead of turning to our own devices, and our own measures for security, we should lean on God.

God is saying "What about me?" During the times where we feel our world crumbling around us. God just wants us to find comfort and security in His eternal loving arms.

I know that I have had times where I have turned to my own devices. My own way of solving problems. I also know that God has a plan, and I should follow that plan. God knows what He is doing, and situations will turn out much better.

Are we really doing all that God requires?

2006-11-20T07:59:00.000-05:00

I have been thinking about this a lot lately. What does God really want for our lives? What does He really want from our lives?

I can't help but think of those in the Bible who were required something.

I think of Ester. Really the book of Ester is my favorite. Ester, essentially had it all. She was queen, married to the king, and had her uncles blessing. Then disaster strikes, and the comfort that she had become accustom to is threatened. I spoke about this Friday Night, at youth service. A choice was put in front of Ester, and she had to do something. She could have been inactive. She could have continued to live in the comfort of the palace, but God warns her what would happen if she did. Her and her fathers house would be destroyed.

She chooses to confront the king in his realm of influence. To come before him, jeopardizing her life in the process.

There are others in the Bible asked to sacrifice. Hannah sacrifices her miracle child. After praying for so many years for a child of her own. After receiving that child, she gives Samuel to God.

There were those who could not sacrifice, though. The obvious example, being the young, rich ruler. Who refused to give his earthly possessions, in order to receive eternal life.

So what is required of me?

What is required of each of us?

God has given us so much. Every breath that we take is a gift from God. Last night in the sermon, Brother David said, if God did not answer one more prayer, would you still love Him. And I have heard the phrase before. But the thing that is so wonderful, is that He always answers prayers, even though we are undeserving.

So my prayer is, whatever that God requires of me, I want to be a joyful giver.

Hello Bloggers

2006-11-13T08:31:00.000-05:00

It seems as though it has become harder and harder to blog consistently. But I have a chance now, so I thought I would take some time to share what has been going on in my life lately.

Well, why the extra time to blog? Because after showing up for my 8 am class, and waiting for about 25 minutes the professor never showed up. So that was interesting. It was actually the first time that I have left because a professor did not come. I wasn't angry or anything, I just have about an hour and a half to waste now.

Today I am going to lunch with my cousin. I am looking forward to going, because it has been a while since I saw her. Last year she took me to this restaurant called, Thai Orchid, and I have not been there since. So I am looking forward to be able to eat there again.

Holiday Youth Convention is coming up pretty soon. And I think it is going to be soo much fun.

hmm... What else? Oh today after I hang out with my cousin, then I am going to pick up my three cousins, and take them home. They are going to stay at our house for a night or two. I can't wait!

Last Saturday we had a thanksgiving dinner, at the community center by our church. We had a pretty good turnout. And lots of food. It was all very good.

Next week is Thanksgiving and my sisters birthday, so we have a busy week coming up.

Well hope that everyone has a Blessed day!

Election Day

2006-11-07T21:06:00.000-05:00

Well today was the day!

I am proud of myself, because I voted. And I also helped to beat the stereotype of people my age. Who are generalized that they do not vote.

For shame to all those my age who have voted for American Idol, and never on election day!

Kids Church

2006-10-29T18:44:00.000-05:00

Well I won't even apologize for the lack of posts, because I just have not had that much time.

Today we had Kids Day at church. It was awesome, and went very well. I think that Jackie took pictures so maybe I can get some up in the near future.

Our theme was Super Heros. And it went so good. I led worship, which was fun. We did this song called, Whose Side are you Leaning on?, which the kids liked. After the service we had a bunch of games set up for the kids to play. They got a lot of candy.

Have a Blessed Day!

living room

2006-10-16T12:18:00.000-04:00

So we have had the furniture for a few weeks now and are really enjoying it. The room looks a little lived in now. The furniture is soo comfortable. We still have to hang a few pictures, so once evrything is done I will post some more pictures.

Have a great day!

Hey!

2006-10-14T23:14:00.000-04:00

Well sadly to say I couldn't find any pictures for the PhotoHunt. The theme was lost. But I don't know I could find anything. But I will post some pictures anyway.

lol that was me being a dork. That rose was soo pretty though. Its a beautiful fall color. I love fall, and winter. lol

I have been on the biggest kick of hot chocolate lately. I don't know why. I normally don't really like it, because I want it to be rich. But lately I have been drinking the stuff a lot.

hmm... something else that I have been eating alot, is soup. But it is that kind of year isn't it?

I hope that everyone has a Blessed Day!

A Busy Weekend Ahead

2006-10-13T01:24:00.000-04:00

I am finally finding a bit of a schedule to my life. Everything seems to be straightening out. Well, I am adjusting.

School has been a little crazy lately. Not to mention, I had a sinus infection last week, which seemed to kinda knock me out.

Well this weekend is looking to be a little full. which is fine. I have to work. Then Friday night there is a Youth Rally. And Saturday I have a meeting. But I am glad that I have stuff to do.

Currently I am doing some major laundry. Oh my goodness, I have never had so much clothes to do at one time. But I am working at it. And it is getting better. Kinda. I probably have about two more loads. And I have already done three. By the way, there are consequences to having to big of a load.

An interesting thing, about not doing laundry for a while. You tend to find clothes to where that you haven't worn for a while.

Well I hope that everyone has a GREAT weekend.

Go Tigers! lol

Saturday Photo Hunt

2006-10-07T22:41:00.000-04:00

Sleeping

Sorry...

2006-10-03T22:12:00.000-04:00

Well I apologized for the lack of posts. I haven't been feeling well. Well my allergies have been getting the best of me.

I really like my new job. It is a lot of fun.

Alright. Sorry so short, but I have a headache.

So I will post again soon.

Almost done

2006-09-26T10:12:00.000-04:00

The furniture was delivered today, so we are almost done, YAY! Here are some pictures:

Saturday hunt

2006-09-23T22:15:00.000-04:00

eyes

update

2006-09-22T17:11:00.000-04:00

Wow... where to begin...

Well first of all, I am sorry that it took me a week to post, my goodness. I was posting every day, for a strech, and then it was like I didn't post anything. And now it is Friday.

So I have some great news... I have a job. I really enjoy it, I am working at a florist, and so far it has been great. I am still in training, and there is a lot to learn, but as I said I am enjoying it.

Well I will post the Friday Five later.

So until then, have a great day!

Friday Five

2006-09-15T10:11:00.000-04:00

1. Do you drink enough water?
definatly not, I really need to work in that.

2. Where’s the nearest swimmable body of water?
umm, about 10 miles from me

3. When did you learn to swim?
I took classes when I was little. I could never do the floating thing.

4. How do you feel about rain?
I love rain, and storms, I love storms. Just not at night when they wake you up. Howvere when you forget to roll your windows up in your car, then I do not like hem as much.

5. What are your thoughts on bottled water?
I dont know. Sometimes I wonder if it is really all its suppose to be. Who says its really from a spring, or something like hat. I do like flavored water though.

In need of an Opinion

2006-09-13T13:40:00.000-04:00

The other day, I had a quiz in my anthropology class. Here was one of the essay questions:

Why is there a conflict between religion and evolution? Is there a conflict for you?

The first part of the question I understood. We covered the material in class. I felt it was a fair question. However, I see no reason for the second part of the question. I do not really see what it had to do with my comprehension of the course material.

I didn't know what to do. So instead of answering that question, I left it blank. I did answer the rest of the questions to the best of my ability.

So my question is, what do you think about the question? Do you think it was fair?

9/11

2006-09-11T12:24:00.000-04:00

Proverbs 3

25Be not afraid of sudden fear, neither of the desolation of the wicked, when it cometh.
26For the LORD shall be thy confidence, and shall keep thy foot from being taken

Update...

2006-09-09T23:38:00.000-04:00

Here are some updated pictures of the remodeling effort:

Saturday

2006-09-09T03:14:00.000-04:00

Cooking Potatoes!