FYI

I call it a lifestyle blog because this blog is a reflection of my life and my day to day thoughts and activities  that contribute to my fab lifestyle I like to share with like minds. Even if I may be the only reader at least I have recorded my thoughts and writings for me to look back at later in life to be reminded of the many things I found interest in once upon a time.

 


Love you!

Year in Photographs 2012.

The White House Photographer Pete Souza recently released his official White House photos from 2012. There were so many to chose from but because I couldn't and wouldn't get them all please visit them here http://www.flickr.com/photos/whitehouse. I have posted a few of my favorite pictures below.

  

I am sleepy otherwise I would take the time to write the captions under all the pics. lol So in short, the last pic is POTUS sitting on the same bus Rosa Parks sat on the historic day she refused to move to the back of the bus. Another pic is of POTUS practicing with Sen Kerry for his upcoming presidential debate against Romney. Another pic captions read "The President pretends to be caught in Spider-Man's web as he greets Nicholas... ".  Another caption found on picture above stated, "We had just watched the movie 'Lincoln' in the White House theatre with the director, screenwriter and many of the actors attending. Later, the President invited Daniel Day-Lewis upstairs to see the Lincoln Bedroom in the private residence. Here is Day-Lewis, who had just come to life as Abraham Lincoln, viewing the Gettysburg Address." (Official White House Photo by Pete Souza)

How about we make a game of it and you figure out which picture the captions belong to and for extra credit you can even go to the website I posted above to find and add the captions. 

Good Night!!!!!! as always Love ya!!!!!!!!!!! 

" Thank You Jesus!!! Thank You Jesus!!!!! " ...

 

Is what I chanted as I watched the masterfully created Lincoln movie. It was astonishing watching how the 13th amendment was passed and knowing today we have an African American president along with the fact I have many freedoms and liberties my ancestors were denied.  I thoroughly enjoyed the movie although I have to watch it again because some things went over my head. The movie was very "deep" and I feel I missed some important things especially as my mind drifted to how grateful I am to those who fought and died in the civil war fighting for the Union that ultimately changed the trajectory of my destiny. As well as my ancestors who were enslaved.

The thirteenth amendment passed 121 years BC(Before Chriss, lol) and because Abraham Lincoln and the 38th Congress were able to change the constitution to declare slavery shall not exist in the
United States I am able to live life more abundantly. Special acknowledgment goes to abolitionist Congressman James Mitchell Ashley, Congressman Thaddeus Stevens, and many other Republican congressman who were strong advocates for the 13th amendment. To be fair, a few democrats voted Yay, I, or Yes for the passing of the 13th amendment as well according to the movie Lincoln. lol  (Although, real change in racial relations didn't occur to years later thanks to the civil rights movement, that's another story for another time.)

Abolitionist, Congressman James Ashley

 

 

 

Congressman Thaddeus Stevens

 

 

 

Amendment XIII

Section 1.

Neither slavery nor involuntary servitude, except as a punishment for crime whereof the party shall have been duly convicted, shall exist within the United States, or any place subject to their jurisdiction.

Section 2.

Congress shall have power to enforce this article by appropriate legislation.

Picking a Bible Plan.

I like a daily dose of wisdom books so naturally I would want a plan that would include that. My friends and I  first agreed on the Life Journal plan because that was the only one I was successful at ha ha ha but because of technical difficulties or user difficulties orrrrrr App maker difficulties I cant seem to restart the Life journal plan without erasing the evidence of my 2010 accomplishment lol. So I went back to YouVersion and I have narrowed down 4 Bible Plan options,

The Look Out Bible Plan

 Six readings per week provide the ""big biblical picture" as you read through the entire Bible in 12 months. Each day you'll read from the Gospels, another New Testament book, the Wisdom books (Job-Ecclesiastes), and another Old Testament book. As a bonus, you can begin your week with insightful commentary on your weekly readings by popular writer and speaker David Faust at www.lookoutmag.com/ (free membership required).

That sounds promising and I like the "Big biblical picture" and "insightful commentary" parts. Sample of Plan

Next we have the, ESV Study Bible Plan  
 

Includes readings from four sections of the Bible each day: the Psalms and Wisdom Literature, Pentateuch and History of Israel, Chronicles and Prophets, and Gospels and Epistles.

Some parts of The Bible really cant be applied to us Americans in 2013 so days when the reading is from Numbers and Leviticus we still have something interesting to look forward to such as "Wisdom Literature" or "Gospels"  Sample Reading

Up Next, Ownit365

The OWNit365.com plan takes you through the entire Bible in one year, with two readings per day, six days per week. The acronym "OWN" represents one daily reading from the Old Testament, along with one from the Wisdom Books or New Testament. Each day's reading is designed to balance both the amount you read as well as provide a section which is easier to understand and apply to your life.

That sounds good and all "easier to understand and apply to your life" plus "Wisdom Books"  BUT WAIT?!?! TWICE a day. Sample Reading

Last, The Bible In a Year

We set goals for ourselves each and every day. Some realistic, some not so much; some we actually reach, others we fall short of... Many people just like you desire to read through the entire Bible. Maybe you've tried and have concluded that its just too long. Remember, the Bible is God's love letter to each one of us. Why should you miss out on any of the things God wants to say to you? Start today! You can uncover God's unique love for you in the course of just one year.

I like how the Sample reading shows it starts off with Genesis and it also gives you a daily psalm and IN ORDER!!! lol one thing I didn't like about the Life Journal was I couldn't figure out the logic behind the order of the readings.  

Happy New Year

 

Happy New Year everyone!!!! By now everyone across the globe should be in 2013. As I reflected on my life I realized I was the most ambitious and the most successful at my endeavors when I was on my Life Journal Bible plan, the plan is a read  the Bible in one year plan. I was only successful in 2010 and tried and failed in 2011 & 2012 lol. So naturally, I'm trying again this year and like we all say, THIS IS MY YEAR lol. In 2010 I was very organized and I spent less time on social media. I had prioritizing down pat and once I did it enough to get in the flow of reading daily, I needed those readings like I would need my daily hot tea in the morning.



The key to completing your daily reading is to maintain a schedule and read around the same time every day. Because I'm a night owl its very hard for me to wake up early enough to do more than rush and get dressed for work lol. So I did my readings as soon as I got home from work or a social gathering. I wouldn't touch the TV or computer without getting my daily devotion on first lol.





 Another key to completing your daily reading is to do it with a friend or a group of friends, although my group of friends and I TRIED together in 2011 and 2012 I'm sure this method still works. LOL

Last and final key, put the time and energy into picking a plan that is right for you, over at YouVersion there are many plans to choose from that will help track your daily progress and keep you on schedule if you miss a day or two or twenty LOL.