Child-Centered Spaces Help Children Recover

"ChildFund continues to provide emergency relief aid to 2,000 children and families in the hard-hit province of Cagayan de Oro, in the wake of flashfloods and landslides brought about by Typhoon Washi [known locally as Sendong], on Dec. 16.

The relief packs ChildFund is distributing contain food supplies (rice, dried fish, bottled water, canned sardines and noodles), as well as essential non-food items including cookware, laundry detergent, hygiene kits and intimates. All of these items are much needed by families who’ve lost all their belongings, if not their homes as well."

Click here to read more.

Make yourself exercise in the winter, says AARP

"AARP guest blogger,  Annie Lynsen, writes that combating the blahs of winter can lull exercise into hibernating until spring. Wake it up by making your exercise mandatory by helping others, Lynsen says."

Start your winter exercise program by clicking here.

Shrimp Farming in the Vegas Desert

"Nearly a decade ago, I drove northeast out of the Davis Mountains of west Texas into the barren plain of the Permian Basin on the advice of a gourmand I trust. His directions: detour 25 miles off of IH-10 to a tiny town called Imperial and ask for a lean, weathered marine biologist named Bart. There, in the most landlocked place imaginable, Bart the biologist would provide me the most delicious shrimp I had ever eaten, grown in his backyard."

To read more, click here.

United Nations downgrades some famine zones in Somalia

"The United Nations has officially downgraded the famine situation parts of Somalia: in Bakaool, lower Shabelle and Bay. At the peak of the crisis, malnutrition was affecting 53 percent of the population in some areas of Somalia, now, that figure has fallen below the famine threshold of 30 percent. But although conditions have begun to improve in the Horn of Africa for some, challenges remain great for the families who live there and the aid workers trying to respond."

Click here to read more.

Unborn son's struggle inspires Christian singer

"Told that his unborn son had only half a heart and little chance to survive, the lead singer of the Christian rock band Sanctus Real began pouring his fears and doubts into music.

The songs were meant to comfort his family while they searched for answers and sought to understand God's role during the months before and after the baby's birth that were filled with surgeries and life-threatening complications.

It didn't take long for him to realize that his words needed to be shared so that others struggling with life would know they're not alone."

Read more here.

Justin Bieber Backs 'Social Good' Facebook Game, WeTopia, Benefiting Children

"Justin Bieber, global pop/R&B phenomenon, will be spreading the joy of reading to U.S. and Haitian school children. Bieber announced earlier this week that he will provide entertainment marketing support to Sojo Studios new slate of 'social good' games, beginning with WeTopia. WeTopia benefits charitable projects in the United States and abroad, including Save the Children's summer literacy program in Appalachian Kentucky and textbooks for children in Haiti."

Read more about Bieber's participation here.

5 tips for choosing a charity for your year-end giving

"We've all heard the advice: Get your charitable donations in before the clock strikes midnight on December 31--or say goodbye to potential tax breaks. But how to make sure you're choosing the best charity in the first place? Here are 5 tips for making the most of your charitable dollars before we ring in the new year."

Click here for more on making good charitable choices. 

New Orleans puppeteer Karen Konnerth wins young audiences at home and abroad

"For some, the coming week is the quiet time between national holidays. For parents, it means, 'What will we do with the kids?'

Puppeteer Karen Konnerth has a few ideas, even if you can’t make it to her puppet-making workshop on Thursday (Dec. 29) or the Dec. 30 performance at her Algiers Point studio."

Read more about this talented woman here.

Donors save Christmas for Toys for Tots Chicagoland

"A generous donor stepped forward Tuesday, helping save Christmas for a local charity and doing it all in the name of a legendary Chicago Bear."

Click here  to read about this tribute to the late Sid Luckman.

Chuck Colson and John Stonestreet interview T. M. Moore about the theology of Christmas Carols

"On this special, weekend edition of BreakPoint, Chuck Colson and John Stonestreet discuss the deeper significance behind the lyrics of our most popular Christmas tunes."

Listen here for more on the theology of Christmas carols.

The Big Top is a big part of New Orleans' International School

"In a raucous common space known as the cafetorium, students laugh as they tumble, flip and unicycle through a sea of props and primary-colored mats. Plates spin, stilt-walkers shuffle past, and all nimble-fingered children juggle. This is a classroom at the International School of Louisiana, 1400 Camp St., where all students learn circus arts as part of the school day."

Click here to learn more about this unusual school.

Signposts to God: Socrates in the City

"What do universal human experiences tell us about humans? More importantly, what do they point to?"

Click here for Chuck Colson's answers.

Advent Meditation: Pausing to Ponder the Appearance of Christ

"The Advent season is upon us. Although I have observed Christmas my entire life, I think this is the first year I am truly, deliberately celebrating Advent -- Christ’s appearing.

Growing up, I loved the Christmas season. I’m a romantic idealist at heart, and twinkling trees, soft carols, and candlelight services never ceased to be enchanting. I also loved baked goods. But then, somewhere around age 25, everything about it grew rather lackluster. The traditions felt rote, and the significance of the season seemed completely lost, buried underneath endless evergreen lots, store sales, and busy holiday itineraries."

Read more of Annie Provencher's meditation here. 

Save the Children Partners with Discovery Kids to Help Children Affected by Floods in Central America

"Save the Children is pleased to announce a new partnership with Discovery Kids, the leading network in children's programming from the portfolio of Discovery Networks Latin America/U.S. Hispanic, to support families struggling through severe floods in Central America. Through online marketing tools, included at the parent section of its website, www.tudiscoverykids.com, the channel is raising awareness of children affected by flooding in El Salvador, Honduras and Nicaragua."

Read more here.

Holiday retail sales stall as some charities see big jump in donations online

"In the wake of record Black Friday shopping numbers, retail sales for the first week of December appear to be stalled as holiday shoppers went online to donate to charities. World Vision, the Christian relief and development organization, saw online donations to its popular Gift Catalog jump ten percent compared to this time last year. In 2010, the Gift Catalog raised more than $32 million in total. This year’s goal is $34 million."

Click here to read more.

New 'gold standard' for aid worker training aims to improve humanitarian support for disaster-hit communities

"Communities affected by major disasters will receive higher quality support from aid workers thanks to a groundbreaking new tool which aims to improve the standard of training humanitarian workers receive.

The new Trainer Competency Framework is being billed as a future ‘gold standard’ quality mark for capacity building in the aid and development sector. It will ensure that aid workers receive appropriate training content via proven teaching and learning methods from skilled, professional trainers. It has been developed by disaster relief charity RedR UK and French humanitarian agency Bioforce."

Learn more here.

Books to buy your kids for Christmas

"Does your teen or preteen enjoy finding books under the Christmas tree? We've got just the thing! Our reviewers have come up with a list of great books to buy for your kids this Christmas. Click below to see the list, and happy shopping!"

Click here.

A Home for David: Fostering a Love for Orphans

"We hear a lot about orphans these days. Pictures of Angelina Jolie jostling an African child on her hip jump out on the pages of People magazine. We learn about the tens of thousands of abandoned Chinese orphans waiting for someone to adopt them.

Many Christians respond by writing a check to support organizations that care for orphans. That is essential and vitally important, and God bless you if you contribute. But there’s even more that you and I can do."

Read more here.

Poll: What's the worst Christmas song ever?

It's easy to forget how much bad Christmas music there is out there until radio stations, malls and family and friends start playing it 24/7. Everybody seems to have a holiday song that he or she hates.

Watch the videos of our five least favorites,  then cast your vote for the Worst Christmas Song of All in our reader poll at the bottom of this post."

Watch, listen and vote here.

Rare albino dolphin is found in Brazil

"Brazilian biologists have found an extremely rare example of an albino dolphin among an endangered species that lives off the southern coast of South America.

The research group, based at Univille university in Santa Catarina, said Thursday that it was the first recorded instance of an albino in the pontoporia blainvillei species, a very shy type of dolphin that rarely jumps out of the water. It's known in Brazil as Toninha and in Argentina and Uruguay as the La Plata or Franciscana dolphin."

Want to read more? Click here!

Facing bankruptcy, Postal Service pushes forward with big cuts to first-class mail next spring

"Facing bankruptcy, the U.S. Postal Service is pushing ahead with unprecedented cuts to first-class mail next spring that will slow delivery and, for the first time in 40 years, eliminate the chance for stamped letters to arrive the next day.

The estimated $3 billion in reductions, to be announced in broader detail on Monday, are part of a wide-ranging effort by the cash-strapped Postal Service to quickly trim costs, seeing no immediate help from Congress."

Click here for more on the potential changes.

Dual Commissions: Evangelizing and Engaging Culture

"It’s not an either-or situation. It’s a both-and. I’m talking about fulfilling the Great Commission and the Cultural Commission."

Click here to read more of Chuck Colson's thoughts.

Bill and Kerry Brett's 'Inspirational Women'

"Father-and-daughter photographers Bill Brett and Kerry Brett compiled more than 125 black-and-white portraits of women with Boston ties for their book 'Boston, Inspirational Women.'

With words by Carol Beggy and a foreword by Karen Kaplan, the book documents women who are influential and inspirational in their city and beyond."

Read more here.

Running economy may not decline with age, a study finds

"Older runners may not have the speed of their younger counterparts, but they do have the same running economy, a study finds.

Running economy is a gauge of how efficiently the body uses oxygen at a given pace. Researchers used various tests to see how age affects factors of running economy in competitive distance runners."

Click here to learn more.

From Klingon to Na'vi: Delving into made-up languages

"Stephen Rogers calls himself 'a sucker for a good story.' Even if it's told in Solresol.

Rogers is the author of the newly released 'A Dictionary of Made-Up Languages: From Adunaic to Elvish, Zaum to Klingon — The Anwa (Real) Origins of Invented Lexicons' (Adams Media)."

Click here to read more.

Wiping out stomach bugs offers indigestion relief

"Getting rid of bacteria linked to stomach ulcers may provide some relief for people with indigestion even if they don't have detectable ulcers, a new study suggests.

Indigestion, also called non-ulcer stomach pain, is a common complaint, but it is not clear exactly what causes it."

Click here to read more.

New Facebook Game, WeTopia, Spreads 'Joy' of Giving to Appalachian, Haitian Children

"Facebook fans and online game lovers can spread the 'joy' of giving and develop a better world for children — both on Facebook and in the real world — through Sojo Studios' new Facebook game, WeTopia, launched today. This novel way to Play for Good™ will help underprivileged kids, including Appalachian children benefitting from Save the Children's literacy programs."

Read more about this new game and how it can change lives  here.

Mediterranean-ish diet tied to better heart health

"Once again, eating a diet based on fish, legumes, vegetables and moderate amounts of alcohol is linked to lower chances of dying from a heart attack, stroke or other vascular 'events,' according to a new study of New York City residents."

Check out the findings here.

The Individual and the Internet: The Quest for Community

"Man was made to live in community. In Genesis 2, we're told it's not good for man to be alone. And in a classical world the worst punishment was to be banished from society, because you had no meaning once you were."

Read more here.

The Ballad of Befana

"Befana put off seeking the Christ Child until her work was done. She has become a cautionary tale and giver of gifts in Italian lore. American poet Phyllis McGinley shared her story in verse.

In the middle of the holiday rush, Befana's story bears remembering."

Read McGinley's poem here.

Don't Make Soft Mistakes! Worldview and You

"I was a music major at Michigan State University, where for four years I played trombone under the direction of Kenneth Bloomquist, MSU’s director of bands. He was a demanding musician and a very capable leader. He was also famous for 'Bloomquistisms.' One of his classics was 'How could you get out of bed in the morning, knowing you were going to make a mistake like that today?' Band members laughed over that (not until after rehearsal!), and I still do. Still he was a fine leader, as I said, and under his direction I learned lifelong lessons that extend far beyond music. One of the most important was another Bloomquistism: 'Don’t make soft mistakes!'”

Click here to read more.

For What Shall We Give Thanks? A Prayer of Praise in the Midst of Want

"So, for what shall we give thanks? When life is unforgiving and our hearts grow hard? When all the verses filled with all the things we have to be grateful for -- should be thankful for -- crumble to dust in our mouths? When God seems missing and we have nothing at night to warm us except the questions we never dared ask before?"

Read more here.

A Cast-Aside Child Comes Home

"As the first rays of morning creep across my walls, I am already awake, listening for any sound, any movement coming from the room next to mine. Nothing. Wait... No, nothing, just a house sound, or a cat.

Actually, I have been in a semi-awake state all night, maternal radar on, just in case.  I did not know that I had a maternal radar.  This is the first of many new things I will discover about myself from now on. This is only the beginning."

Click here to read more.

Shades of Praise choir raises voices of hope, joy, peace

"Ten years ago, Shades of Praise gave its first performance on the day after the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks on the World Trade Center towers. Its mission — to create gospel music through an interracial choir — immediately expanded to embrace world peace."

Click here to learn more about this amazing choir.

10 Things You Might Not Know About Turkey

"You may think you know all you need to know about turkey. Don't be too proud to check out this list of interesting facts about the star of Thanksgiving dinner."

Click here for the juicy facts.

The case of the lost wedding bands comes full circle: Woman's 2 rings returned, thanks to 2 finders' honesty

"It was several days before Lori Daniels realized her two Tiffany wedding bands were missing. An injury required her to temporarily wear the rings on her right hand, and, unaccustomed to the feel, Daniels didn't notice when they disappeared.

They could have been anywhere. So the stay-at-home mother of three didn't just tear apart her home looking for the rings."

Read more here.

The Book of Man: Readings on the Path to Manhood

"Boys need inspiration and role models to become real men. And one new book seeks to provide them."

Click here for more on this inspiring book.

Alien Environmentalism: Proposing a Christian Alternative

"In the not-too-distant future, a highly advanced alien civilization discovers the planet Earth and its inhabitants. Shocked at the environmental devastation they see, and afraid that it might spread to other planets, the aliens use their advanced technology to wipe out the human race and save the Earth from destruction."

Read more of Chuck Colson's insights here.

Brokedown in Bakersfield has twang in the tank

"Brokedown in Bakersfield doesn't describe someone's car trouble--it's a band that uses a pedal steel guitar as the foundation for a sound that brings back visions of country music's roots."

Click here for more on the special sound of Brokedown in Bakersfield.

To Be an Anointed Nation

"One of my favorite word games consists of finding words within a set of letters. Anagrams play a big part in helping to find the maximum number of words. I recently came across an interesting anagram pair: nation and anoint.


I was struck by the relationship between the two. For a nation to prosper, it must operate under the anointing of God."

Read more here.

Predators at Large: Setting the Financial Captives Free

"From the street, they appear harmless, even enticing. Promising fast cash to cover everything from school expenses to doctor bills, payday lending stores — also known as check cashers — offer quick loans to be paid back in full in two weeks."

Click here to read how one church is offering an alternative.

Save the Children Study in Lancet Offers New Hope on Battling Pneumonia, the #1 Cause of Child Death

"Children treated at home for severe pneumonia by Pakistan’s 'Lady Health Workers' were more likely to recover than children referred to health facilities, Save the Children found in a USAID-funded, WHO-coordinated study published in The Lancet medical journal today."

Read more about these hope-filled findings here.

Cracking the pigeonpea genetic code to help poor farmers

"The pigeonpea genome mapping published this month in Nature Biotechnology marks the first subsistence and non-industrial crop to have its genome code cracked.

The breakthrough will lead to more varieties that are resistant to drought and diseases in coming years. This could boost harvests of the crop and have a major impact on the lives of millions of smallholder farmers in Asia and Africa."

Learn more about this exciting event here.

Vaccine against breast cancer, ovarian cancer promising in trial

"Monthly shots of a cancer vaccine produced encouraging results in a small, very early trial of 26 women with metastatic breast or ovarian cancer (cancer that has spread to other sites around the body), most of whom already had had three or more rounds of chemotherapy."

Read more here.

World Vision declares November ‘Month of Prayer’ for Horn of Africa

"As World Vision continues to provide assistance to children and families in the Horn of Africa, the Christian aid organization is calling on churches and individual Christians across America to raise awareness of the drought and famine in the region, and to pray daily for the critical needs of children throughout the month of November."


Click here to learn more.

Shoot a Few Hoops!

"Calling all basketball lovers and those with autistic loved ones in their lives. You've got to witness this amazing video from SuccessNation!"

View the video here.

Commercial diet schemes better than doctors' help

"Commercial weight-loss programs such as Weight Watchers and Slimming World are more effective and cheaper than family doctor-based services led by specially trained staff, according to the findings of a study published on Friday."
Click here for details.

The Emperor's New Clothes: Breaking the Spiral of Silence

"Inspired by Hans Christian Andersen’s 'The Emperor’s New Clothes,' researchers Rob Willer, Ko Kuwabara and Michael Macy devised a set of ingenious experiments that showed how distressingly easy it is to make people go against what they believe to be true."

Read more about this experiment here.

World Vision Issues Report Card at the close of 2011 G20 Cannes Summit

"As the 2011 G20 Cannes Summit draws to a close, World Vision provides a report card assessing how the G20 did on food security and nutrition, critical issues for the health of children in the global south."

Click here to read World Vision's assessment of the Summit.

World Vision statement at G20 on Greek referendum and Eurozone crisis

"If you were a woman like Kadidja born in Niger, you would never have a chance to talk to the G20 leaders or vote in a referendum about the measures they are discussing, but you’d have to live with their decisions. Kadidja lives in a hot, dry, dusty nation in west central Africa — her children are among the 15 per cent suffering from acute malnutrition. She is struggling to keep her family alive on meals that consist of little more than millet porridge. According to the United Nations’ Human Development Index, only two countries of 172 are worse off than Niger, and the people are still reeling from a massive food and nutrition crisis in 2010."

Read more of World Vision's statement here.

The IKEA ‘Mr. Broccoli’ Soft Toy Heads Home for the Holidays and Visits School Children Along the Way

"Don’t head for the hills of Whoville just yet, the Grinch won’t be the only guy in green this holiday season.


Come November 1, Mr. Broccoli, an IKEA soft toy personality and a lead character in the IKEA Soft Toy campaign, will venture away from the broccoli patch and show the world his willingness to travel by boat, plane, rickshaw or railroad to make it home in time for the holidays. With a camera slung around his stalk, Mr. Broccoli plans to capture the heartbeat behind Save the Children’s IKEA-funded education programs in Bangladesh, China and Vietnam, while checking off some favorite U.S. and European hotspots from his travel list."

Catch up with Mr. Broccoli here.

Tom Brokaw's new book urges people to make a difference

"Just in time for the 2012 general election, Tom Brokaw has written a book that begins with the sentence: 'What happened to the America I thought I knew?' It's easy to imagine Republicans and Democrats flipping through it for ideas on how to avoid another debt ceiling debate, improve educational opportunities for all, or pursue green energy initiatives."

Click here for more about Brokaw's new book.

No Need to Keep Jumping

"There's a proverb that says if you love something, let it go. If it returns, it's yours. If not, well, it never belonged to you in the first place. But had my son Braden written that proverb it would go more like this: 'If you love something and it won't cooperate, stomp the guts out of it.'"

Check out Braden's story here.

They're playing our poem

"If you want to make Stephen Sondheim mad enough to swat you over the head with a rolled-up musical score, try this:

Call him a poet."

Get into the debate here.

World Vision invites Parisians to take a chance at life: Will you be left hungry?

"On the eve of the G20 Summit in Cannes, France, World Vision invites Parisians to learn more about the
'geographic lottery' of life by participating in a game of chance. Chance dictates where each of us is born – and whether or not we will have enough to eat, be able to attend school, or live to see past our fifth birthday. As global leaders meet to discuss critical issues for our world today, including many that impact food security and nutrition, this interactive, thought-provoking experience encourages each participant to take action and urge G20 leaders to remember those children born on the wrong side of chance."

Read more on this event here.

Watching Leaves Change before Your Eyes

"If you can't make it to a "Fall Color" tour this year, don't despair. A Weather.com viewer has shared the changing colors of Endicott, New York from August through October. Enjoy!"

View this delightful video here.

Celebrity chef Aaron Sanchez gives to New Orleans students

"About 20 culinary students at the New Orleans Center for Creative Arts stepped Tuesday into the world of celebrity chef Aaron Sanchez, who showed them how to make his flavor-filled version of shrimp and grits. He interspersed his demonstration with cooking tips and encouragement to stay in school, find a mentor and develop a signature cooking style."

Click here for more on Sanchez, one of the judges on 'Chopped.'

Selling Evolution: All Things Examined

"After 150 years of scientific 'evidence,' decades of inculcation in public education, and a raft of books, like The Dragons of Eden, The Selfish Gene, and The Blind Watchmaker, only 16 percent of Americans believe that humans developed from an unsupervised process of variation and natural selection. Belief that God had some part in the process has held steady over the last 30 years, at around 80 percent."

Read more about how people view evolution here.

A Studio in the Woods in Algiers inspires filmmaker

"Artists often look to nature for inspiration. In Lower Coast Algiers last month, acclaimed documentary filmmaker Rebecca Snedeker met her muse at A Studio in the Woods, an artists' retreat hidden within a forest preserve at the far end of River Road."

Learn more about this off-the-beaten-track retreat here.

Miniburgers can create a taste for healthy salmon

"For a smart baby, eat more fish.

Although fatty fish, such as salmon and tuna, are rich in heart-healthy omega-3 fatty acids, in recent years the government has warned pregnant women to restrict their intake to avoid exposure to high levels of mercury.

But researchers at the Harvard School of Medicine have found a diet high in omega-3 may outweigh the risks posed by environmental pollution."

Get more information and the recipe here.

Sweet tips for stocking a candy buffet

"Candy and dessert buffets at weddings, showers, and other gatherings are just one of the ways to show your guests gratitude in one of the sweetest way possible. However with all the costs and efforts involved -- color-coded candy, tongs and scoops, and apothecary jars of all sizes, oh my! -- attempting a DIY version of a table can be intimidating. But never fear -- we asked area party and event planners for their tips on how to make a cost-effective candy buffet that doesn't skimp on WOW factor!"

Click here for some expert advice on a sweet subject.

New Orleanian cycles in Pablove Across America to raise money for childhood cancer research

"On Saturday, Wes McWhorter will leave Nashville and head for New Orleans -- on his bicycle. For a week, McWhorter and other determined cyclists will pedal an average of 75 miles a day. They will also take photos, make videos, write blogs, tweet, raise money and visit children’s hospitals along the way. He can hardly wait."

Click here to read more.

Fighting for Family Dinners: It's Good for Your Kids!

"Would you do anything -- anything -- to protect your children from harm? Then get cooking.

I believe there is something moms and dads, aunts and uncles, grandmothers and grandfathers can do and start doing it tonight — that’s right — tonight — to make a real difference in the lives of our young people. It’s time to reclaim the family dinner."

Read more on this important family event here.

World's first malaria vaccine works in major trial

"An experimental vaccine from GlaxoSmithKline halved the risk of African children getting malaria in a major clinical trial, making it likely to become the world's first shot against the deadly disease.


Final-stage trial data released on Tuesday showed it gave protection against clinical and severe malaria in five- to 17-month-olds in Africa, where the mosquito-borne disease kills hundreds of thousands of children a year."

For more on the report, click here.

Sunovion Pharmaceuticals Inc. Announces Partnership with CARE to Help Improve the Health and Lives of Those in Need

"Sunovion Pharmaceuticals Inc. announced today, on the United Nations' International Day for the Eradication of Poverty, a partnership with CARE, a leading global humanitarian organization, to help the international agency in its mission to reduce global poverty and provide emergency aid-related services. More than 900 million people throughout the world live on less than one dollar a day. As part of Sunovion's Follow the Wings^TM campaign, Sunovion will contribute $1 to CARE, up to a total of $100,000, each time the interactive game is played or shared. People are encouraged to visit www.FollowtheWings.com to play and share the game."

Click here to learn more about this campaign. 

Presidential Religion: Enough, Already!

"A few days ago I was on the air with Los Angeles’s outstanding drive-time host, Frank Pastore — a keen worldview thinker. Frank told me his phone lines have been burning up over the comments made by a prominent evangelical pastor who said that presidential candidate Mitt Romney belongs to a cult.

Should Christians vote for a Mormon? Is Mormonism a cult? Let me say right off: These questions are an enormous distraction in an important presidential campaign."

Read more of Chuck Colson's commentary here.

Training the Next Generation-Devotions from the Road of Life

"I know that Father's Day is a few months past, but lately I've found myself dwelling on the subject of fatherhood and parenting in general. A couple of things have honed my focus.

The first is the latest movie from Sherwood Productions, 'Courageous.'"

Click here to read more.

Safer Foundation puts ex-cons to work

"Tim Mellerke emerged from prison in the middle of the recession. With a drug conviction and no work history, his chances of getting employed seemed remote.

But even while incarcerated Mellerke had been working with the Safer Foundation, a Chicago-based nonprofit that aims to help ex-offenders find a place in the job market. He took several training classes with the group, and soon he landed an entry-level position at a suburban Five Guys restaurant."

 Read more about the Safer Foundation's work here.

World Vision Horn of Africa Response to Drought Overview

"World Vision has been working in the Horn of Africa for years. The current drought is only the latest crisis the organization has addressed there. This video provides an overview of how they are responding to the crisis and making a difference in the lives of Africa's hard hit communities."

Watch the video here.

Tererai Trent Inspires Schoolchildren at Matau Primary School on Visit Home

"'Education is the pathway to progress and the gateway out of poverty,' said Oprah’s all-time favorite guest, Tererai Trent, to schoolchildren, teachers and the community at the Matau Primary School in Zimbabwe this past week. Tererai returned on October 11 to the school, which she attended as a little girl, to deliver words of hope and encouragement on her visit home.

The Matau Primary School is part of a Save the Children project funded through The Oprah Winfrey Foundation to honor Tererai, whose story of tenacity, courage and spirit inspired Oprah and millions of fans around the world."

For more about this project, click here.

World TB cases decline for first time ever-WHO

"The number of people getting sick with tuberculosis declined last year for the first time, while the death toll reached its lowest level in a decade, the World Health Organization said on Tuesday.


In 2010, 8.8 million people fell ill with TB and 1.4 million died, both marking a notable decline compared to years prior, the United Nations health agency said in releasing its 2011 Global Tuberculosis Control Report."

Read more on this hopeful report here.

'God Bless You': Offended by God - Devotions from the Road of Life

"A recent news story related the uproar caused by a teacher banning the phrase 'God bless you' following a sneeze. He lowered students’ grades and generally seems to feel that a sneeze is a bad enough disturbance without the addition of a phrase following it. Later reports indicated that the class in question was using the blessing to deliberately cause a disruption, a sad indictment of the faith level of those students."

Claim or Shame? Which Best Describes Your Attitude Toward God? Read More Here. 

Breast Cancer Awareness Month: Chemo with a Side of Bananas

"Her mouth burning and her sense of smell acute, swallowing medications was a trial for Shari Ichelson Silverman. To ease the discomfort Silverman was advised to tuck the pills inside banana chunks, which are slippery and go down easily."

Learn more here.

Progress in Hepatitis C research

"Hepatitis C has long been a problem with a low rate of cure. But new drug therapies are in use and others are on the horizon, according to Dr. Paul J. Thuluvath, chief of gastroenterology at Mercy Medical Center and the medical director of the Institute for Digestive Health & Liver Disease at Mercy. That has meant better liver health for millions in this country and around the globe."

Click here for the latest information.

Calling Out the Pledge: Standing up to Special Interests

"I have known Congressman Frank Wolf for a long time. His commitment to principle, dedication to the public good, and his courage are beyond question.

This is, after all, a man who, rather than take Beijing’s word on the matter, snuck into Tibet posing as a tourist to learn first-hand about China’s human rights record. Well, today my friend adds to this legacy, only this time, his display of courage is at lot closer to home."

Click here to read more of Chuck Colson's commentary.

Louisiana seafood safety testing results go online

"Louisiana officials seeking to erase the stereotype of tainted shrimp, crab and fish dirtied by the Gulf of Mexico oil spill unveiled a new website Friday that contains test results they say prove to restaurants and consumers that the state's seafood is safe to eat. The website www.gulfsource.org shows data collected by the Louisiana departments of wildlife and fisheries, environmental quality, health and hospitals, and agriculture and forestry."

Dive into more information here.

Jobs authorized biography so his kids can know him

"Steve Jobs, in pain and too weak to climb stairs a few weeks before his death, wanted his children to understand why he wasn't always there for them, according to the author of his highly anticipated biography."

 Read more here.

Fifteen women have won Nobel Peace Prize

"Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf, Leymah Gbowee and Tawakul Karman won the Nobel Peace Prize on Friday. Only 15 women have won the peace award. There are 43 women laureates in total for all the Nobel prizes.


Marie Curie was honoured twice with the 1903 Nobel Prize in Physics and the 1911 Nobel Prize in Chemistry. "

Check out the list of women Nobel Peace Prize winners here.

Living forgiveness: Lessons on the fifth anniversary of the Amish schoolhouse shootings

"Five years ago today, Charles Carl Roberts IV entered an Amish school in Nickel Mines, Pa., and shot 10 girls — mortally wounding five — before killing himself. This quiet, rural community in Lancaster County suddenly became a place of unprecedented contrasts: violence amid peaceful people, hordes of satellite trucks in a place that favors simplicity."

Click here to read how forgiveness can help healing.

Move Review: 'Courageous' from Sherwood Pictures

"Join the officers protecting the town of Albany, GA as they work to keep the streets safe. It's a tough job, but they do it willingly. Now if they can just preserve their own families as well..."

Read more here.

Trying to grow the 'Great (est) Pumpkin'

"A Minnesota grower is vying to break the state record with his jumbo-sized jack-o-lantern.

To anyone who's found an overlooked zucchini in the garden and, while chucking the lunker into the compost bin, wondered how hard it could be to grow a giant pumpkin: You have no idea."


Get the inside story here.

Going the Extra Mile: Angel Tree Needs You

"Prison Fellowship’s Angel Tree program is one of the most powerful and moving ministries I’ve ever been involved in. Get out your hankie."

Click here to learn how you can help.

Discourse: Chuck Colson and Mark Steyn

"The Western World is in trouble, and the only way to save it is from the ground up.

Read the text or listen to the podcast of the discussion between Chuck Colson and Mark Steyn, author of 'After America: Get Ready for Armageddon.'"

Join the discussion here.

Save the Children Partners With Discovery Latin America Partners to Raise Awareness of Child Hunger Crisis in East Africa

"Save the Children and Discovery Networks Latin America/US Hispanic, (DLA/USH), a division of the leading global nonfiction media company Discovery Communications, announced a partnership to support Save the Children’s 'I’m Gonna Be Your Friend' campaign through online marketing tools on Discovery’s major regional websites."

Learn more about this partnership here.

Alabama Autumns: Of Football, Friendship, and Faith

"Millions of people look forward to September as the harbinger of autumn. Labor Day offers a last hurrah for outdoor summer celebrations, and before long sweaters will come out of storage as the leaves turn brilliant hues and the first frosts settle.

Those people don’t live in Alabama."

Click here to read more.

Honey pitched as the next big thing

"At the 2011 Natural Products Expo in Baltimore this week, a large trade show for store and food service buyers and distributors, there were many pitches being made about what foods contained, or didn't contain.

But around the room, one theme seemed to be honey -- in chocolate, shampoo, cough drops and jars. It came raw, flavored, and of course, organic."

Click here for the sweet facts.

A special love for inscribed books

"In a recent de-cluttering frenzy, I whipped several dozen books off my shelves, dumped them into bags and drove them to Open Books, my favorite Chicago used-book store.

I was tossing pounds of pages into a vat at the store's front door — Out bad mystery novel! Out political thumbsucker! — when a musty hardback splayed open to reveal its inside cover."

Follow the inscription here.

World Vision announces $200 million Clinton Global Initiative commitment focusing on girls, women, and water

"Global relief and development leader World Vision announced today a six-year, $200 million effort in its 2011 Clinton Global Initiative (CGI), focused on expanding the life-changing impact of safe water on women, girls, and their communities. Building on its two decades of experience in water, sanitation and hygiene, as well as its recently completed five-year West Africa Water Initiative (WAWI) in Ghana, Mali and Niger, the Christian humanitarian organization seeks to directly impact some 6.6 million people across 10 African countries."

Read more here.

Satellite's imminent fall to Earth stirs anxiety

"Debris from NASA's Upper Atmosphere Research Satellite, or UARS, is due to land Friday, most likely harmlessly, officials say. But they can't say exactly where, which makes many people uneasy."

Put your fears to rest here.

Twin Killings: Haggling over Price

"I know there are plenty of bioethicists who believe in the sanctity of life. Tragically, as one disturbing trend shows, there are also plenty who don’t."

Read Chuck Colson's commentary here.

Seniors need to take steps to prevent falls

"Seniors end up in the emergency room for falls more than any other type of injury, so to raise awareness, Maryland has designated this week Fall Prevention Awareness Week."

Learn more here.

Old Ketchup Packet Heads for Trash

"Some people rip off the corner of the packet with their teeth. Others, while driving, squirt the ketchup directly into their mouth, then add fries. Some forgo fries at the drive-through all together to keep from creating a mess in the car."

Check out the new packets here.

World Vision joins the Million Moms Challenge with ABC News & UN Foundation

"World Vision is joining ABC News and the United Nations Foundation in the recently-launched Million Moms Challenge. This first-of-its kind initiative will connect millions of Americans with millions of moms in developing countries around the world to engage on the critical issues of pregnancy, childbirth and children's health — moms here helping moms worldwide."


Read more here...

Keeping records is a helpful gardening tool

"Looking back on our long summer growing season, there's a lot of gardening activity from May to September. We've grown beds of beautiful flowers, planted and harvested a wide variety of vegetables and herbs, dealt with our lawns and encountered a variety of insect, disease and weed pests."


Learn more about garden record keeping here.

Good News in Gotham: The Growth of the Church

"Officials tried to exclude God from the 9/11 memorial service in New York last week, but they failed. God never left Gotham!"

Click here to read more.

First lady announces restaurant chain's plan to cut calories, sodium

"First Lady Michelle Obama applauded the parent company of Olive Garden and Red Lobster Thursday for pledging to cut calories and sodium at its restaurants over the next 10 years."

Read more about this announcement here.

Great blogs dig deep into Louisiana music

"Louisiana has no shortage of professional media outlets devoted to the full range of the state’s music, from hot jazz to punk rock. Surfing the depthless seas of the Internet, though, the Gulf Coast music fan can discover a seemingly infinite wealth of information."

Learn more here.

10 Tips to Lower Blood Sugar Naturally: 10 Lifestyle Changes to Help Control Diabetes

"It’s the Holy Grail for people with diabetes – checking your blood sugar and seeing the numbers right in line. Can lifestyle changes help? Yes, says Jill Weisenberger, Lifescript’s nutrition expert, and other top diabetes doctors. Check out these 10 tips to learn how to lower your blood sugar naturally..."

Click here to learn more.

Mutant genes found for asthma, point to possible therapy

"A drug used to treat rheumatoid arthritis could help asthma patients, scientists said on Friday, as they identified two mutant genes that may predispose a person to asthma.

Over 235 million people worldwide suffer from asthma and it is the most common chronic disease among children, according to the World Health Organization."



Get more information here.

Malawian Children's Artwork Picturing Love at Westport Arts Center

"Thirteen-year-old Justin is a boy in love. When asked to illustrate love on canvas, he painted himself with a few strokes of indigo blue and emerald green giving a flower to a girl he cares about. Justin's watercolor painting is one in a series of artworks on display at the 'Malawi with Love' exhibit at The Westport Arts Center studio gallery and art studio from Sept. 16 through Nov. 4, 2011."

Read more here.

How to protect your luggage from being pilfered

"It's an awful feeling when you open your suitcase after a long flight and notice that something's missing. But it doesn't have to happen to you."

Learn tips to help you protect your belongings here.

Memory of Woman Who Died in Pentagon on Sept. 11, 2001, Lives On Through Child Sponsorship

"When American Airlines Flight 77 crashed into the western side of the Pentagon on September 11, 2001, Stacey Baugh, close friend of Pentagon employee Angie Houtz, shifted between moments of panic and hope.  It wasn’t until the next morning Baugh learned that her friend had, just a week before, been relocated to the newly refurbished part of the Pentagon on the west side and had perished in the attack."

Read more on this touching story here.

NBC's New Orleans Saints-Green Bay Packers promo steps to the beat of real NOLA brass band musicians

"The Green Bay Packers have already met the New Orleans Saints this season. The final score was a tie, though the kind of tie after which both sides can claim victory.

 I’m referring to the clever NBC Sports promo that’s been running for several weeks in which a Packers tailgate party outside Lambeau Field is crashed by second-lining Who Dats complete with brass band..."

Join the party here.

Don't squander the chance to build a better South Sudan

"A coalition of 38 aid agencies called on donors not to squander the opportunity to make a difference in the lives of the people of South Sudan, the world’s newest nation. The call came as new violence in Jonglei state increased emergency needs."

Read more here.

Amazon reworks website before offering new tablet

"Amazon.com Inc is rolling out a major redesign of its familiar website as it prepares to offer a new $250 tablet device to rival Apple Inc's iPad."\

Click here for more.

In Celebration of Labor: The Value of a Good Day's Work

"What does Labor Day mean? For most of us, it's nothing more than a welcome break from what we tend to see as 'the daily grind.' Work to so many people is simply a necessary evil. The goal in life is putting in enough time to retire and relax."

Click here to read the rest of Chuck Colson's commentary.

So valuable, they're giving it away

"As evidence has mounted that breast milk is healthier than formula, so, too, has the popularity of selling and donating human milk, said Summer Cassidy, a nurse and lactation educator at Advocate Lutheran General Hospital in Park Ridge, IL. While professional milk banks have established their own standards to help ensure that their supplies are safe, online breast milk networks and advertising have also emerged virtually without regulation, though the Food and Drug Administration warns against using milk procured online."

Read more about the ALGH program here.

Entrepreneur Aaron Snyder Shines the Light of Knowledge on the World of Information Technology

"By day, Aaron Snyder works full-time for an El Dorado County electronics manufacturing company. After hours, though, he becomes an entrepreneurial hero, riding to the rescue of computer users with problems."

Meet Aaron Snyder here.

World Vision supporters launch global online campaign to make #FamineNoMore

"Supporters and donors of Christian humanitarian organization World Vision today helped launch a social media campaign across the United States and a dozen other nations to increase awareness and raise more funds for the devastating drought in the Horn of Africa."
Learn more about the movement here.

Hurricane Katrina memorial at Shell Beach honors St. Bernard Parish residents who died

"Two St. Bernard Parish councilmen took eight minutes to read the names of Hurricane Katrina’s dead. Other onlookers, mainly St. Bernard officials and television news crews, stood on the sidelines, quiet and still as a strong wind ruffled the plants in front of the stone memorial."

Read more about the memorial here.

Parents who know of preemies' pain more confident

"Parents who are taught to recognize and respond to signs of pain in their prematurely born babies are more confident in caring for their children once they leave the hospital, a new study shows."

Read more about these findings here.

Micro-irrigation – with Bollywood backup – points to new way to beat hunger

"Tonight almost one billion people will go to bed hungry. Frequent drought spells, pressures on land and water resources and sharply rising food prices make it harder to change that.

One priority target to boost world food security should be the millions of smallholder farmers in developing countries who live on less than two hectares – some of the poorest people on the globe."

Learn more here.

In Seeds We Trust

"Nestled along a narrow winding road off of Iowa’s Rt. 52, near the small town of Decorah and nearly swallowed by the surrounding endless acres of corn and wheat that typify modern industrial farming, sits a tiny respite from the ravages of today’s genetically-refined, fast-growing, fertilizer-and-pesticide-stoked crops. It is a place named, appropriately enough, Heritage Farm, home of the Seed Saver’s Exchange, the largest non-government owned seed bank in the nation."

Read more about Heritage Farm here.

Jaw-droppingly gorgeous video captures the Milky Way as Earth spins

"'Tempest Milky Way' presents 3 minutes of incredible, jaw-dropping scenery as the Earth spins, the stars revolving through the night sky as if riding a conveyer belt. The clarity and detail presented is absolutely astounding, giving you the chance to watch the sky in breathtaking color."

And the heavens declare His handiwork here.

Therapeutic hypothermia: Keeping cool in emergencies

 "The technique, which lowers a patient's body temperature to stave off brain damage, is gaining in popularity, but some doctors are slow to adopt it."

Get the cool facts here.

African Union must show leadership before it's too late, says World Vision

"As the African Union (AU) meets in Ethiopia for a pledging conference to tackle the drought and famine in the Horn of Africa, aid agency World Vision stresses that time is running out for hundreds of thousands of children across the region."
Click here to read more.

5 ways to cut 500 calories from your diet

"Empty calories, bigger portions, and fats and sugars can also creep into your diet when you're not paying attention. Even if you're eating healthy foods, there are some bad habits which may lead to ingesting more calories than you should."

Click here for these tips.

Birth date equals room rate? Sure, at Starwood hotels

"Here's a deal where the older you are, the more you save. Starwood hotels and resorts offers a second and third night for a price tied to the year you were born. So if you were born in 1960, you pay full price for the first night and $60 for extra nights."

Read more about this great deal here.

'Big Easy Brides' brings the French Quarter Wedding Chapel to the world

"Statistically speaking, marriage may be about as sound a bet as a coin flip, so why not have a little fun with the entry ritual?

That’s been the business plan for the French Quarter Wedding Chapel on Burgundy Street for a decade-plus, and business has been very good. "

Check out the chapel here.

Volunteer goes the extra mile to end domestic violence

"As the application deadline loomed for vendors who want to participate in a fundraising event in Bel Air next month, Hazel U. Hopkins fretted that a favorite caterer might have forgotten to sign up.

So she drove an application to the business in Kingsville, waited for the owner to fill it out and then returned it to the offices of SARC, a nonprofit organization dedicated to ending domestic violence, in Bel Air."

Read more about Hazel here.

World's largest refugee camp expands today; tens of thousands expected in coming months

"The first of 30,000 Somali refugees are expected to move into a new area of the world's largest refugee camp Thursday thanks in part to a donation of 5,000 tents by international aid agency World Vision. The new tents are going up just as the region faces the possibility of heavy rains – and the risk of flash floods – despite months of dry weather. The tents will also help protect the vulnerable from malaria, a potentially deadly disease for children and those weakened by malnourishment."

Read more about this enormous undertaking here.

How should you talk to a person in crisis?

"When people are in the midst of a crisis, it's not just shelter, food, water and medical care that they need.

They are worried, stressed, even traumatised. As an aid worker, coming across disaster-hit men, women and children on a regular basis, how do you talk to them in a way that eases the mental anxiety they're going through?"

Read more here.

Beekeepers abuzz in McHenry County

"Art Freier began keeping honeybee hives at his property on Oak Ridge Road in unincorporated Crystal Lake in 1988.

He would offer up free advice to curious passersby about how to start a hive or take care of the bees, and, after a few years of watching, his son-in-law John Reinert joined in the family hobby."

More on this honey of a story is here.

How to avoid the 'Freshman 15'

"Are you headed off to college and worried about the dreaded weight gain known as the 'Freshman 15?' While we can't help you write your first term paper, we can offer up some tips on how to make healthy food choices."

Read more here.

'The Help': Seeing Sin through Cinema

"Sometimes, we can look at sin right in the mirror and not recognize it. But when we see it through a camera’s lens, it’s easier to spot."

Read more of Chuck Colson's commentary here.

Three top chefs prove that lighter food can be tasty

"Asking leading chefs to cook low-fat versions of their renowned food is asking them to take a big leap of faith. But that's what we did while working on the story 'Chef, Can You Help?' in Monday's Health section."

Read the results here.

Tents airlifted in as world’s largest refugee camp continues to swell

"Thousands of tents are enroute to the world’s largest refugee camp in Dadaab, Kenya to meet the needs of the latest exodus of refugees to have fled starvation in Somalia. World Vision and ShelterBox have partnered together to bring nearly 5,000 tents to the camp."

Click here for more about this relief effort.

Big Milestone in the Big Easy's Schools

"In 2005 when Hurricane Katrina devastated much of the Gulf Coast, it swept away much of New Orleans. Along with roads, bridges, homes and businesses, it washed away most of the city’s schools—and in a way the entire school system."


Learn more about the changes here.

Sticker shock: 'Made in China' ranks only 2.7% of U.S. spending

"Convinced that everything you buy these days has a Made-in-China label?

Then you aren't paying attention. Things made in the U.S.A. still dominate the American marketplace, according to a new study by economists at the San Francisco Federal Reserve."

Click here for more on this surprising study.

K-LOVE, AIR1 Listeners Give Nearly $2 Million for Compassion Safe Water Systems in Africa

"Amidst fears of an economic crisis, listeners of national Christian radio stations, K-Love and Air1 donated nearly $2 million in a day long campaign to provide Compassion’s Water of Life safe water systems to those living in extreme poverty in Rwanda."

Click here to read more.

'Amazing' gene therapy wipes out leukemia in study

"Scientists are reporting the first clear success with a new approach for treating leukemia: turning the patients' own blood cells into assassins that hunt and destroy their cancer cells.

They've only done it in three patients so far, but the results were striking: Two appear cancer-free up to a year after treatment, and the third patient is improved but still has some cancer. Scientists are already preparing to try the same gene therapy technique for other kinds of cancer."

Read more on this amazing finding here.

'Star Wars' group on active duty for charity

"The Midwest Garrison of the 501st Legion — known throughout the galaxy as 'Vader's Fist,' 'The Fighting 501st' or, more mundanely, the Illinois chapter of the largest 'Star Wars' costuming club in the world — has never seen combat.

Its members have never fired their guns, captured a stronghold or lost a member to the Rebel insurgency. Their guns don't actually fire."

Follow the Force by clicking here.

World Vision steps up relief efforts in drought-stricken Somalia

"World Vision announced that it is expanding its relief efforts to feed children and their families in the Horn of Africa. The international humanitarian aid agency will be establishing a response center in the growing settlements for internally displaced people (IDP) in Dolo Town, which is located within southern Somalia along the border with Ethiopia."


Read more about the efforts here.

Entertainment Industry Launches Bob Marley Campaign to Reach Nearly 600 Million Facebook and Twitter Fans to Support Save the Children's East Africa Appeal

"Today sees the launch of a ground-breaking social media campaign, ‘I’m Gonna Be Your Friend’ supported by many of the world’s most famous names in entertainment and their fans. A global audience close to 600 million* Facebook and Twitter fans will be able to view a short film of the crisis in East Africa created by award-winning director Kevin MacDonald from footage of East Africa. The film is set to the 1973 Bob Marley & The Wailers song ‘High Tide or Low Tide’ and will reach over a billion people."

Read more about the campaign here.

World Vision warns school supply donations can’t keep up with increasing demand

"As the economy continues to falter and children prepare to go back to school, World Vision teams across the country warn that the need for basic supplies will greatly outstrip donations. This year, approximately 25,000 children will receive backpacks filled with school supplies from the Christian humanitarian organization; still donations cannot keep up with the increasing demand."

Learn more about the need here. 

Incorporating omega 3 from nuts, seeds

"If you're not a fan of seafood but want to include omega 3 fatty acids in your diet, there are alternatives. In Michael van Straten's book 'The Omega 3 cookbook,' he gives suggestions for healthy nut snack items that include the essential fatty acid. According to CDC, omega-3 polyunsaturated fats provide an essential fatty acid that our bodies need but can't make."

Click here to learn more.

Barnabas Learns to Give

"When Barnabas helps his friend Missy clean out a closet, he learns about giving."

Click here to join Barnabas on his newest adventure!

Elmhurst College recycles fallen tree to teach history

"A 160-year-old American elm — once the oldest tree on the Elmhurst College campus — was so damaged in a storm a year ago that it had to be taken down. Now, the remains of the once majestic tree, will be used to teach the history of the college."
Read more about this historic tree here.

Plants draw bats by harnessing sound

"Some flowering plants draw helpful pollinating bats to their blooms by harnessing sound, scientists have found. A peculiar leaf on a Cuban rain forest vine produces an echo signature easily identified by the bats, according to a paper in the journal Science."

Read more here.

Reaching Out to the 'Least' -Devotions from the Road of Life

"And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me." Matthew 25: 40, King James Version

In these days of economic problems, the words of Jesus ring ever more true. No matter where we look, there are "the least of these my brethren" needing our help. For one California school teacher, this premise shines as a guiding light.
Learn how one person reaches out here.

Nashville flooding survivors aided by World Vision’s collaborative long-term disaster response

"Nearly 15 months after severe thunderstorms flooded much of Tennessee, World Vision continues to pledge its long-term support to area survivors. This week, World Vision is partnering with volunteers from Renton Christian Center in Washington to host the organization’s first domestic disaster ‘service project trip.’ Nearly two dozen volunteers will participate in the organization’s latest long-term response effort in collaboration with World Vision’s domestic disaster response team, local partners, donors and corporations."

Learn more here.

Working to Make a Dream Come True

"Virginia Weiseth-Miller teaches elementary school in northern California. She’s experienced her share of trials over the years, including the loss of nearly everything she owned. As she rebuilt her life, she became aware of others in similar circumstances and wanted to do something to help. With the assistance of her son, Jamison Miller, she has come up with a website to help people with something to give connect with those who need it. That website is Egiva.com."

Read more about her dream here.