The Lyerla Home Extreme Makeover

The Lyerla House Makeover

Merry Christmas

One of my favorite Christmas songs, courtesy of Alan Jackson and the late Keith Whitley. Enjoy.

Skewed View?

Those wacky folks at "The View" continue to amaze. Joy Behar, probably feeling like Rosie is stealing her thunder, chimed in on Time's person of the year and suggested that Montana senator Tim Johnson's stroke was caused by the Republican party in order to gain control of the Senate.
At what point does Barbara Walters begin to feel a tinge of responsibility for this insanity?

Fun with Picasa

 

Our oldest daughter Madison had her Christmas program at Bells Elementary today. Here is a picture of the grand event. The gym was packed to capacity, and it's great to see a community come out in force to support their local school's programs. 

Rosie's Apology

Rosie O'Donnell apologized for earlier remarks that were seen by many to be insulting to the Chinese. But does this really sound like an apology, or more of a "don't be a crybaby"?

"You know it was never (my) intent to mock," O'Donnell said on Thursday's show, "and I'm sorry for those people who felt hurt or were teased on the playground."

"But I'm also gonna give you a fair warning that there's a good chance I'll do something like that again, probably in the next week -- not on purpose. Only 'cause it's how my brain works."

It's how her brain works? Could the same be said about comments from Mel Gibson or Michael Richards? Rosie's apology is a glaring example of the "I'm sorry I got caught" mindset. She takes no responsibility for her actions, there is no remorse, and in fact says she'll most likely be doing it again. What an arrogant thing to say!

For future reference Rosie baby, just copy and paste this on your next press release.

"I'm sorry. What I said or did was wrong, and I apologize for the hurt it caused. I accept full responsibility for my actions and ask for forgiveness from those who were hurt by what I did."

Picking up from last night...

Leonard Pitts, while I don't always agree with his politics, wrote a piece a few years back concerning the opening of a dance club that opened a little over a mile from the gates of Auschwitz-Birkenau. The strength of his words and the images they create make the piece one of my favorites even to this day. I'll post the link below and recommend you give it a few minutes of your time.

"What we saw there left us chastened, sobered, stopped . . . and determined that humanity must be more than this, better than this. The words came, unbidden. Never again, we said. Never again."

My wife's grandpa saw. As a soldier in the 103th Infantry Division he helped to liberate the concentration camps at Landsberg. Tell him that the images that still wake him over 60 years later were contrived propaganda. The liberation is well documented here.

But the old people have lived to see how impotent is our resolve, how flimsy our memory, how weak our words. They've lived to see Holocaust deniers and ethnic cleansing, the rise of neo-Nazis in Germany, white supremacists drilling with guns in the American woods. - Pitts

The cliche says, and truthfully so, that those who forget their history are destined to repeat it. But to remember only for fear of repeating it is not acceptable. There are some things that need to be remembered simply because it would be a sin to forget. Soon the witnesses will be gone, and the story that would die with them is too unbelievable, too atrocious to allow to be passed off as myth, legend or apocryphal tale. Children must learn about it in school. Parents who've heard their grandparents tell of it must not fear passing it on, generation after generation. The David Dukes of the nation and the world must be opposed by a million voices shouting "No! Not ever will you and your kind be allowed to spread such hateful venom." To forget or grow apathetic and allow the seeds of doubt to take root would be shameful.

"Fifty-five years ago, a shocked and reverent world made a promise to the survivors of the Holocaust . . . a promise that was implicit, but no less real for that. We would remember, forever. We would not allow this suffering to be in vain." - Pitts

LookSmart's FindArticles - `Never again' becomes `maybe never again'

Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, The, Oct 12, 2000, by LEONARD PITTS

We Cannot Forget. We Must Not Forget.

This story caught my eye as I was looking over FoxNews' website this evening. My first thought was "Is this the freedom that I signed up to protect?". The David Dukes and Fred Phelps' of the world?

As I read further I learned that this "meeting of the minds" occurred in Tehran, not on American soil. I realize however that Holocaust deniers, however absurd and reprehensible teach in our classrooms, sit in positions of authority and speak, perhaps not in the public arena, but among others who share their vile and twisted ideas. Whether driven by hatred, fear or a false sense of superiority, they all seem to view the Holocaust as a conspiracy, a fabrication or an exaggeration.

These groups pose an obvious danger. They thrive on bigotry, ignorance and hatred and use these things to spread their cause. In the world today they are held in check by the fact that no matter what they claim, too many witnesses to the atrocities are still alive to refute the lies and propaganda. But what happens in five, ten, twenty years?

I'll have more to add tomorrow...

Can it really be that simple?

My Palm PDA has been giving me fits lately. I came across the link for a revolutionary PDA design a while ago and bookmarked the page to explore further. The PDA is versatile, compatible with everything and expandable modules allow you to store all kinds of information. Best of all, it's free!!! Check it out here, PocketMod and let me know what you think of it!

Hollywood morality strikes again...

Girls just wanna have fun, I suppose. Our society takes marriage so lightly today that it borders on and often crosses into, mockery of a God-ordained design.

Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows. ~ Gal. 6:7 (NIV)

A double standard?

So how long will people at "The View" let Rosie's mouth and attitude run out of control? Each time she says something stupid she is allowed to hide behind her defenses; being a lesbian, activist or a comic (or any mixing of the three). If someone of more conservative ilk, her co-panelist Elizabeth Hasselbeck, for instance, said something of that nature, she would have been painted as a bigot by the others on the show. Confronted by her critics, Rosie blew off her comments via her spokesperson.

"She's a comedian in addition to being a talk show co-host," Cindi Berger, O'Donnell's spokeswoman, said in a statement. "I certainly hope that one day they will be able to grasp her humor."

Ah, Babs, why don't you just close up "The View"?

Better to Burn Out...

Last night I bought Petra's Ultimate Collection. Petra led the way for the artists that form the backbone of Christian music today, and the 2 CD set following their retirement is a fitting testament to what made them great. The 31 songs on the CD's are a good mix of classic Petra and their more recent hits. There are some others that I would have included from their older albums; "Back to the Streets", "Fools Gold" and "Road to Zion" come immediately to mind.
I was introduced to Petra in 1990 when I saw the video for "Beyond Belief" on Real Videos. My next payday I bought the cassette, and Petra had their newest fan.

Many would say that Petra outstayed their welcome, releasing countless "Best of" compilations. When they did release new albums, it seemed to lack the 'zing' of their older hits. As much as I would like to see them do what they have done for over 30 years for 30 more, it's best to know when to let it go. I'm sure they're still capable of rocking, but what more is there to prove?

Now if only #4 were listening....

Scary Stuff

This hits a little close to home. A whackjob with a few grenades is just as big a threat as big terror cells. Thankfully he was caught before his little "jihad" got underway.

Oh no. No, no, no, no......

They wouldn't, would they? Barry Bonds...a Cardinal.

Remembering Infamy

For those who have forgotten.

The end of an era.

Good news!

The past few weeks our oldest daughter Madison has been showing signs of suffering from celiac sprue. In fact, we were nearly certain that was the case. My mother suffers from it, and it typically skips a generation, so doing the math, it was all but a done deal.

We took Madison to the pediatrician today to begin a formal diagnosis. I imagine he cringed when we told him that we'd been doing some research on the disease, knowing how I am when people try to tell me what they think the problem is with the equipment in their classroom. Anyway, he looked her over, did all the typical "doctor stuff" and told us that he really didn't think that was the problem, but didn't rule it out completely.

The explanation of his reasons make us optimistic that there is a simpler and less drastic problem to be addressed. Up to that point Nancy and I had resigned ourselves to the idea that we would have one daughter who couldn't have eggs, milk, or nuts and another who would have to avoid pastas and breads for the rest of her life. That would make for some challenging dinner menus for the Lyerla family...

Getting My Foot in the Door

I have messed with blogs on and off for a few years now with little success in keeping one alive. Most of the time I try too hard to be witty, deep, insightful or interesting, and never think what I put to print is good enough, so I eventually give up the idea. I've heard that it takes a person 28 days to make something a habit, so I am going to give this a shot again for a month. As busy as December is, if I can manage to post something, anything each day for the next 28, I should be able to continue it.
As time goes on, I hope my ramblings will become more interesting, and with that, perhaps people will actually begin to read what is on my mind.