Friday's Feast

No FFT this week. I'm sorry I've just been too exhausted to look for one. I've been averaging coming home between 8 and midnight from work these past two weeks, dealing with my insomnia that has me falling asleep around 1, waking about 3 or 4 times minimum and still getting up between 5:30 and 6:00 in the morning for the next day.

I'm taking off tomorrow to play on a 400 acre ranch of some friends outside of New Braunfels, TX for the weekend. Some very dear friends are traveling the country and are in Texas right now and since they do travel the country these are people who we rarely get to see. I organized a gathering in Branson in June and I had 5 months to prepare for that one. This one, I have had 2 weeks to prepare for it. And this one has about 16-20 families coming to it. I can't wait! But after this I will need a break from the past few weekends! I'll post pictures after I get back.

Until then here is the Friday's Feast:

Appetizer
What is your favorite herb or spice?
Basil - hand's down! I make the best cream tomato basil soup with it. YUM! I love the smell of rosemary but more for an aromatherapy use. I grow both in my little herb garden in the back yard along with different kinds of mint and lavender. Smells wonderful when they're watered!

Soup
Name a song you like but haven't heard in a long time.
Hmmmmmm, Bring On The Rain by JoDee Messina, Fields Of Gold (the Sting version) or I Drove All Night by Roy Orbison - that one I haven't heard in over a year.

Salad
If you were to take just one minute to write down as many things as you can think of that you need (not want) to do, approximately how many things would there be?
Seriously? At least 15 or 20.

Main Course
Tell something interesting about one of your family members (nothing scandalous, please, just something unique).
I have an aunt, by marriage, who is the niece of the Reverend Robert Schuler of the Crystal Cathedral. She's not too enthusiastic about him.

Dessert
What's the latest you've ever stayed awake?
Well, I've stayed awake before for about 48 hours with only about 3-4 hours of sleep in between them. Does that count?

Thankful Thursday

~1 Thessalonians 5:18~ Give thanks to God in all circumstances (no matter what they may be), for this is God's will for you (who are) in Christ Jesus.

Thankful Thursday: What Nic is thankful for this week Sleep - you never know how much you need it until it is in short supply. A job in this economy that pays pretty good with people I enjoy working with. 3 day weekends with old friends of like minds and faith. Stars that twinkle so brightly in the sky. Emily - the biggest miracle in my life. Family and friends who have ears to listen, shoulders to lean on and advice to give. Peace that passes all understanding. Links to other Thankful Thursdays: Unicorn Child (new "home" of ThT and code) A Child of God A Revision Anna's Place As My World Turns Friday's Child Imagine Bliss Journaling Through the Valley LadyBug Crossing Momma's Life Mommy Does It All Mommy Needs To Vent Nightingale no_average_girl Show Them Through Me Sting My Heart Uzi's Musings Yellow Rose's Garden (If you participate, leave your link in the comments and I'll post it below; or, you can post in the comments)

Click here for the Thankful Thursday code

Click here for Chrixean's blog

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View More Thankful Thursday Participants

Happy Birthday Honey Bunny

5 years ago today, the most precious girl in my world was born at 2:23 in the afternoon.

Happy 5th Birthday Emily!

May all your dreams come true,
May God watch over you and keep
you safe by His side,
May you always remember
WHOSE
you are.

In "Other" Words - Tuesdays at CWO

"It takes a lot of courage to show your dreams to someone else."
~ Erma Bombeck ~

Ambrose Redmoon once said, "Courage is not the absence of fear, rather it is the judgment that something else is more important than fear."

C.S. Lewis stated that "Courage is not simply one of the virtues, but the form of every virtue at the testing point."

John Wayne opined that "Courage is being scared to death... and saddling up anyway."

The Bible says in Deuteronomy 31:6 "Be strong and of good courage…for it is the LORD your God who goes with you; He will not fail you or forsake you."

There are many quotes about courage. The dictionary defines courage as

1. the quality of mind or spirit that enables a person to face difficulty, danger, pain, etc., without fear; bravery.
2. the heart as the source of emotion.
3. have the courage of one's convictions, to act in accordance with one's beliefs, esp. in spite of criticism.

Pain, fear, danger, criticism…those words all speak to our innermost self. Deep down inside everyone experiences the fear of rejection, the fear of baring your heart and soul to someone and having them not care or laugh or be indifferent to your innermost sharing of self.

Dreams are aspirations, goals, "things" that drive us, that calm us, that excite us, that often are the very things that keep us going when we just want to quit. Dreams are with us for years, often from childhood.

To open our very hearts to someone, to show them the deepest, often times most intensely held parts of us is fear inducing in itself. How do we share such an intimate part of ourselves with someone else? The fear of rejection, of sharing something that you have held on to and strive for with someone who may or may not understand…that's scary. That's nerve wracking. That is part of uncertainty at its greatest and nobody is comfortable with uncertainty. It takes a great deal of knee-knocking courage to share the most fragile parts of ourselves with someone else and some people are so afraid of getting rejected that they never even try so they keep the beauty of their dreams hidden away from the world.

But what if…what if you found someone with whom you could bare your soul to and share your secrets and your dreams with? How priceless is that? What if you could find someone who you could open yourself up to without fear of rejection, reprisal or reproof? What if you shared your innermost dreams with someone and they not only listened but encouraged you and helped you to reach your dreams?

I think that we all yearn for someone to be able to turn to and feel the absolute comfort of knowing that we are accepted as we are, that we are appreciated and that we are loved…that none of our dreams are thought of as flawed or faulty or unreachable. If we find that in real life with someone, be it a close friend or a significant other, then we are blessed indeed.

But, even if we never find someone with whom we are completely able to let go with and share with; even if we can never quite muster up enough courage to speak our dreams out loud to someone else, we still have a heavenly cheering section behind us all the way. With our Risen Savior, we never have to be scared that we will be rejected, we never have to experience the nerve wracking, knee-knocking courage of putting ourselves out on that limb, worried that it might break off beneath us, leaving us in a free-fall with nobody below to catch us.

Jesus will always be there to listen, always be there to care, always be there to encourage our dreams – provided they are in line with His will – and always be there to catch us. We never need fear Him. He will never reject us.

1John 4:18 says "There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love."

If we are in line with God's will, if we abide in that perfect love, then we have no reason to fear anything ever. God will give us all the courage and strength that we need in life to live it to the fullest and share with others the beauty of our dreams that are inside each and every one of us.

Friday's Feast and the FFT

Appetizer
Measured in minutes or hours, how much exercise have you had in the last week?
Sadly, maybe 10 minutes. I've been working extremely late hours this week so I've been mostly sitting on my rear, compsing and editing master documents.

Soup
If you had to change your blog title to something else, what would it be?
My brain really isn't working this morning and thinking of one is a bit of a strain on it. (And no that isn't the name of the blog)

Salad
Name one television show you watched when you were 9-12 years old.
Dukes of Hazzard baby - all the way! The originals not the re-runs.

Main Course
If someone gave you $50 to spend with the one condition that it had to be educational, what would you purchase?
I'd take Emily to the children's museum here in town and pay the entrance on that as well as get some educational activities from their store in the museum.

Dessert
Do you tend to prefer dark colors, neutral shades, or lighter/pastel hues?
Since I can wear pretty much any shade I don't have a preference really. It depends on my mood and the situation. Formal...dark colors - black or gray. Casual...anything.
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This Friday's FFT is brought to you by my office. Ok, well, not actually by my office, but by a co-worker at my office. I am sure you will get a huge kick out of it! I sure did. :-)

So, I'm sure you all have seen the motivational posters that hang around offices and such right? You have such pictures and "definitions" for things such as TEAMWORK or COURAGE and on and on. They're supposed to be MOTIVATIONAL and, frankly, I find them slightly annoying – though there are a couple that I do like.

Well, if you are like me and like a good laugh – why not take a look at the DEMOTIVATORS from :-( Despair, Inc.? I guarantee you will get a belly laugh or ten from these outrageously funny parodies of the motivational posters.

And, for an extra added bonus, they have a DIY section. Yes, you read me correctly. You can make your own DEMOTIVATOR picture to send to a friend. Try your hand at it HERE.

You can also make your own 16 month calendar with your favorite DEMOTIVATORS on it and then buy it. If that is more your style, you can create one HERE.

Have a blast with this favorite site!

Ask Nic Answers

What a beautiful day! After a lovely rain last night the temperatures stayed in the mid-60's for half the day, then slowly rose to the mid-80's with crystal clear blue skies and a lovely cool breeze! Life is good today. Dan is doing really well, Emily's party is coming up and things are coming along like "buttah" (although how do you get parents to RSVP as requested and not just show up?), I'm planning a huge gathering on short notice – 11 days from today – of people from all over Texas, work is great (I really enjoy the people I work with). Today is just a great day!

I really love my readers – especially my regular readers. They are a bunch of fun and come up with varied, interesting and introspective questions for my AskNic sessions!

So, let's just jump right in, shall we?

The ever interesting, always fun Uisce had the first question. I can honestly say that I have not had a question like this one before, but I really like the difference!

What brand of peanut butter do you like best?

Well, I have two brands that I like the best. I like the creamy Jiff – yum, yum…'cause you know "choosy mothers choose Jiff". I also like Peter Pan Honey Peanut Butter. If I don't have any around I will mix honey with the Jiff peanut butter, but I really like the sweet taste of the honey in this peanut butter! I'm not a crunchy peanut butter fan.
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My very dear blogfriend CMHL AKA Crouching Mommy Hidden Laundry (isn't that the cutest name?!) had this thought provoking question to ask.

What challenges/joys/likes/dislikes do you find when you are getting to know someone (i.e.-- Dan) in an "online" relationship? Do you think this venue really allows you to get to know someone much better and sets a firm foundation for the future?

Well, that is a great question. I've never had an "online" relationship before so this is a first for me.

Challenges: not being able to spend time together; different schedules (though granted that is from the time difference); sometimes just wanting to be held after a tough day or just in general and not being able to be held by that person; wishing to share normal day to day things and not being able to other than online or over the phone.

Joys: getting to connect with him! Being over in Iraq, or at least having someone over there can be nerve wracking for the ones left behind here so any time I can talk to Dan lets me know that he is doing ok and that he's still coming back home safe and healthy. I really enjoy the being able to be silly online with him that translates well on chat that might not translate so well in real life. LOL!

Likes: I like that we have been able to share so much online that we might not have shared yet in person. I think that being online kind of gives that bit of protection when you're talking about something serious, not being able to see the other person's reaction and giving them time to process what was discussed first. Does that make any sense? We listen to streaming country radio from time to time and can listen to the same songs together. We listen to radio broadcasts of people like Charles Swindoll and James Dobson and it has really brought us closer being able to listen to those together and comment on them as we're listening without interrupting the broadcast to "talk" our comments. We also pray at the end of our online chats and that is something very special as well that has helped to draw us closer, being able to pray for each other and with each other.

Dislikes: Same as the challenges…not being able to spend time in the same proximity together, not being able to hold hands or go to a movie or go out dancing, etc.

Do I think this venue allows me to get to know someone much better and set a firm foundation for the future? Yes. Let me explain. It is easier to get to know Dan by online emails and chat and on the phone without the physical getting in the way. My mom mentioned one time that just walking down the street, Dan isn't someone I would have chosen for myself. And admittedly she is right. But because I have gotten to know Dan online – I have gotten to know his heart first without the physical being a factor and that makes him all the more special to me and the BEST part is coming to know that, in person, he is the same as he is online. Though I do very strongly believe that proximity is what ultimately makes or breaks a relationship – meaning that you get to know who they are all the time when they can't hide behind a computer. You get to see how they handle certain situations, rather than read about how they say they handle them. You get to see the not so lovely parts about their personality and you get to make that decision as to whether or not you want to spend the rest of your life with them based upon what you see – not what you read. However, that being said, there is something to be said for knowing the heart of a person first before letting all the physical factors get in the way. The physical factors can blind some to faults and flaws not readily apparent at first.
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And lastly, my dear intergalactic friend Captain Picard, a true encourager and supporter, asked:

I remember you saying you met Dan through EHarmony; why did you choose this one?

Now, I'm going to assume that he meant why did I choose eHarmony and not why did I choose Dan. LOL! Though I will tell you that too.

I chose eHarmony because all the other sites don't seem to screen very well for their matches. There are married people on most other sites who are looking for a fling or affair and I refuse to do business with anyone who would not screen for that. EHarmony allows you to do an extremely in-depth analysis of yourself – well over 400 questions to answer – and based on your response they match you with who they think you are compatible with (based on their answers) and you can choose to accept or decline that match. For some people it takes months to find that one match that really lights their fire and they get discouraged, some people – like Dan and me – it takes weeks or even days to find that match. Dan was online for 2 weeks. I had been online for 2 days. I actually was the one to initiate the contact with Dan – GASP! Yes, I admit it. Before I looked at Dan's picture, I read his profile and I really, REALLY liked what I read. It gave me a really good idea of what he was about. (Some of the other profiles I'd read gave me good ideas of what they were about too – money, narcisstic, immature – though not all were like that). I like that Dan KNEW who James Dobson was and counted him as an influence in his life. That's the kind of person I want to end up with. When I saw Dan's picture it was literally like something in my chest went THUMP! Seriously. I don't know what it was about his picture, but it just drew me to him. There were other guys who were almost beautiful b/c they were so good looking, but their pictures did nothing for me, but Dan's picture? Dan's just made my heart pitter-patter.

EHarmony allows you to choose the limits of what you are looking for and will not give you matches that fall outside of your parameters. Does it cost more than the other sites – yes, but I figure that someone who wasn't serious about finding a partner, someone to commit to, won't spend the money to join.

Thank you guys for participating. I really enjoy answering your questions! I will have another AskNic up this week! :)

The return of the HDQ and Ask Nic

I've gotten some emails from my blogfriends wanting to know how Dan is, how I'm doing, etc. so here is the latest update in my life.

I have Emily's 5th birthday in less than two weeks to plan. SIGH! Time flies as life happens. Who told kids they could grow up so fast? She has 17 kids in her kindergarten class and there are 5 more that we are going to invite. EEEEP! That's a lot of kids in a very small house with a large back yard. Good thing for the backyard since we're going to rent a moonwalk to keep the kiddos occupied. There's no way that 22 kids with parents will fit into this extremely small (1100 sq ft) house. Not even half that will fit into the house. I'm hoping that at best 1/2 that number will show up. It's not only the kids and parents but our/the x's family and our family friends.

I'm a little concerned about Emily. Her daddy is taking her to the doctor today so that she can get her back looked at. She's been doing a lot of headstands on the trampoline lately b/c she can balance her legs on the safety net. A couple of weeks ago she started complaining of a sore back. I thought she could have maybe pulled a muscle or something but it's been going on daily and now it is hurting her when she walks "long" distances but not in her muscles but on her spine. Not around the spine but directly on the boney area. Anyway, she has her appointment this morning at 10:20 and they might have to do x-rays of her back to see if there is a serious problem that happened in the past two weeks. Actually it's more than a little concern that I'm feeling. It worries me and I sit here and think all these things like maybe I should have taken her to the doctor earlier, but then she would only talk about it hurting when she jumped on the trampoline so I didn't think about it too much and told her to stop jumping on the trampoline. I didn't think that it could be anything more than that and it makes me feel like a second-rate mother for wondering if I should have known better.

I chatted with Dan online for a couple of hours Saturday afternoon and also got an email from him Friday, Saturday and earlier Sunday. He's doing really good. The guys are thrilled to have him back and it has been a great morale booster for the unit. Two accidents in as many weeks. 7 soldiers, 6 injuries, 4 serious and out of those serious injuries 2 deaths. That's close to 30% death rate on those two accidents. They had Spc. Germaine Debro's memorial service Friday - he was in Dan's unit and killed by a roadside bomb last weekend. Dan said that it was pretty rough and that he shed some tears over it. He said that he also kind of felt like a celebrity because he got to meet two generals and his general gave him a hug and let him know that he was in her prayers. Dan said the guys gave him lots of hugs. Apparently they weren't expecting him to come back and had packed up all of his stuff to send to him stateside as soon as they knew he was there. He was good naturedly complaining that now he had to unpack everything and try and find everything that he needed.

Dan told me that he had found out that the canal was not 7 feet deep as he first thought but 10 feet deep. He also said he had some more details of the rescue but would save those for a mass email that he would send to everyone later. One of the positives from his accident is that they are now requiring oxygen bottles to be carried in all humvees in case this happens again. That way there (hopefully) won't be anymore drownings due to not being able to hold their breath any longer. He said that the driver is doing better mentally but has removed himself from driving duty for good. He really has the heebees over driving on patrol again. I'm concerned for him because that can carry over into civilian life once he gets back. Hopefully it won't though.

Dan also said that there were two patrols Saturday but he didn't go on any of them but a couple of the guys came in and were complaining about the leadership on the patrols and one of the drivers. He said they were talking about this one driver not having enough experience driving the humvee and that he was driving a little too close to the edge of the canal and it put everyone on edge. Dan thinks that his accident has everyone a little spooked and super vigilant about things like that now. His schedule is still the 12 hour shift, which he doesn't like working - none of the guys like working it and they will be switching weeks working the entry control point one week and patrolling the next week and then back to entry control point, etc.

One of his highlights is that one of the soldiers got a second TV so Dan is "inheriting" his first TV. It's the small things that we take for granted here that mean the most over there. He watches his DVD's on his computer, but they have TV shows over there on military channels, which he can now watch b/c of the TV. Dan said that the bag that was in the humvee at the time of the accident was still wet and that all of his papers got really wet. He said that the mail he was carrying on him (the letters I'd written him) was still wet but that he was trying to dry them out and that his passport was a bit messed up. He was wondering if the Army was going to get him another one but then thought it would take a long time for them to even process it and get it to him if they did so he isn't really pushing for that one.

Of course, the last time I heard from Dan was on Sunday, letting me know that he had an appointment to get his shoulder looked at. It's the shoulder of the arm that they pulled him out of the Humvee with. He's about 230, with 50+ pounds of armor and then ammo on top of that. That's a lot of weight to put on one shoulder. Dead weight at that (no pun intended there). He also had to take a class on the upcoming holiday of Ramadan that was supposed to be a couple of hours. SIGH. The last time I didn't hear from Dan in three days he ended up calling me from the hospital in Landstuhl, Germany. It feels like deja vu this morning.

Anyway. That's what's going on right now in my life, which leads me to the rather normal HDQ for this week (HDQ=Humpy Day Question - being that Wednesday is the hump day of the week).

HDQ:What is the most interesting thing going on in your life right now?

You can leave your answers in the comments.

Next is Ask Nic:

This is the place where you can ask me anything that is on your mind about me, something you have wanted to know or were just curious about in general. You can ask about my experiences in life and love and parenting, my beliefs, etc... Be creative, be fun, be introspective, but please be clean! You can post the questions in the comments section or email me your question directly to asknic@gmail.com.

I will be posting the questions and their responses soon so check back within the next week for them.

**UPDATE**
I heard from Dan earlier this afternoon. He's doing well. His computer fizzled on him and his roommate helped him get it back up, but they work different shifts so it took a while for them to get it up and running again. He said that due to Ramadan that attacks outside the wire have increased quite a bit, of course that's where he patrols when he's not working Entry Control Point (ECP). They've told the soldiers to be super careful and vigilant during Ramadan b/c they always step up the attacks then.

He got his shoulder checked out and they have him on restrictive duty for the next 30 days. No lifting over 50 pounds, which means that he can still go on missions and work the ECP but not the tower in the ECP, which is his job - to be one of two tower gunners at the tower they assign him to. I think they have 4 towers at each ECP. The climbing of the ladder steps to get into the tower hatch could further damage his shoulder so that's why they nixed tower duty for the next 30 days.

All in all he's in really good spirits and he HATES working the 12 hours shifts. He'd rather go back to the 8 hour - as would everyone else - but they are short people to do all the jobs of security, patrol, convoy escort and ECP so they extended everyone's shift to cover. I miss the 8 hour shift he had b/c we were on the same schedule, so to speak. He would get off of work right after I would put Emily to bed. We'd hop online and chat until at least midnight every single night. It really was a wonderful time to connect and for that I am thankful b/c I think that if we didn't have that time before he came on leave that we probably wouldn't be "dating" b/c of the time factor and the distance factor. That time together allowed me to get to know his heart and it really was the deciding factor in whether or not to pursue this. I had to think "Did I really want to get involved with someone who was half a world away and not going to be back for 8 months?" After getting to "know" him during those two months before he came stateside on leave the only answer I had to give was ABSOLUTELY! He is truly amazing. :) He makes me smile effortlessly and it's been a long, long, looooong dang time since I've had someone be able to make me smile from my heart.

I'm a lucky girl!

On the Emily front: Emily did have to have x-rays on her back. Standing straight the doctor pressed on her spine and it didn't hurt but when he made her bend over and touch her toes and he pressed on her spine it did hurt her. I'm praying that there is nothing seriously wrong with it but we won't find out until tomorrow or Friday. Hopefully it is nothing, just a pulled muscle or something like that.

My 9/11 Tribute

The 5 year anniversary of the attack on OUR HOME TURF by Muslim terrorists is upon us. Say what you want - that these men "hijacked" a so-called "peaceful" religion, fact is every single one of them was Muslim. Every single one. On September 11, 2001 they didnt hijack their religion, they hijacked 4 planes, here, in America, our home. They murdered over 3,000 people, not just Americans but of all nationalities and all religions - all in the name of their "religion of peace". We are not at war with a few select people, we are are war with a religion. Fact is, Islam calls upon it's "true" followers to kill by the sword those who do not convert to their religion. How is that "peaceful"?

Let me clarify, I do NOT hate Muslims, but I believe that they follow a completely misguided religion. It is true that the majority of Muslims are not associated with extremists, however, where is their outrage at these atrocities that their fellow Muslims have perpitrated against others - including those of their own faith that they deem as "too moderate" or "too Western thinking"? If extremist or fundamentalist Islamists account for only 10% of the Islamic faith, 10% of 2 Billion is still 200 million extremists who want to kill in the name of their "God". Why do not the other 1.8 BILLION Muslims do something about their extremist Muslims if they find what they do reprehensible? Or do they find it to be so? If their "God" is one of love and peace like they proclaim, then why does he command in their "holy" book to kill those who do not believe as Muslim's believe? Is that what a loving and peaceful God does? No.

Today's terrorists and extremists are not truly "God fearing", or "God loving", or even "God following" but rather evil, sick, twisted and narrow minded men that think that they can overcome and subjugate everyone that is not like themselves with their murderous ways.

No true God or Prophet tells his followers to KILL those that don't believe in him or stand in their faith's way... And if if there is a God or Prophet that says to kill all those that don't believe in him, or follow him... Then I say they are not THE true God or a true Prophet of God, but rather just another of history's many past false gods, prophets and twisted leaders that can only be found when you search through some of the most painful past of human history.

When searching for these tributes to post on my blog, I came across a website that stated the following:

I've tried to keep religion and religious beliefs out of much of the content on this page, however when I received the following link I felt it should be shared. This tribute still has a 9/11 theme to it, however its main theme is much more religious in its message. It is still a powerful message for anyone. This is a Religious/Christian themed Tribute to 9/11...

When I first posted this tribute - I offered an opportunity for visitors to vote if this tribute was appropriate for this 9/11 tribute page, of the first 500 votes I received in the first 2 weeks, I received only 10 that thought this tribute was inappropriate. I have suspended the voting and will keep it on my page.

Also, after considering the message of this tribute, I would like to know if anyone has found or can offer me an Islamic/Muslim faith based Tribute that has a similar message for the innocent victims of 9/11 (which did include many innocent Muslims and others of different faiths).

Specifically if there is an Islamic/Muslim based 9/11 Tribute that has a message of LOVE and Compassion, and not one of Jihad and death to Infidels... let me know and I'll gladly add it right next to this Christian based tribute on my 9/11 tribute page. NOTE: It's been 6 months now and still no one has sent me an Islamic/Muslim faith based tribute to the victims of 9/11... I'll keep waiting...

It makes one wonder why not? If Islam is the religion of peace and love, then why are there no Islamic tributes to those who died on 9/11? Could it be because what it is about at the heart of it is Jihad and the murder of those who do not subscribe to their beliefs? Why is it that the only people in the world who were celebrating with unfettered glee this horrific tragedy were of the Islamic faith? So I ask the same thing of you. Find me a Muslim/Islamic site that has a tribute to the victims of 9/11. If you can find one, please let me know. I doubt you will, even if you search for a year.

It is time to revisit those events of 9/11. Tragic, horrific and a waste of life. 9/11 WAS and IS the beginning of the war of Islam against America, Christianity and Judaism. The god of Islam IS NOT the same as the God of Christianity. The god of Islam sends your sons to die for him whereas the God of Christianity sent His Son to die for YOU.

It's ok to get angry when you see these images and remember what happened, it's ok to cry, the time for political correctness is over. They still want to kill us and they will not change their minds through "talking", "sanctions" or "negotiations".

Remember what happened and who did it. Take back America from those who would destroy Her in the name of appeasement and political correctness. Stand for what you believe in. Loving your country, supporting your troops and being unashamedly patriotic IS NOT A CRIME!!!

WARNING: Some of these videos include very disturbing images of the planes hitting the Towers as it was broadcast on the TV channels. There is also some mild profanity due to home videos that captured the first plane slamming into the North Tower at 8:46 AM EST.

Please, God, may we NEVER FORGET and may these images remind us just what is at stake. Our faith, our freedom, our sovereignty and our very lives.

This tribute is the Christian one that was the subject of the above quote. It is a stirring and beautiful tribute. Click here for the flash presentation that ran on my blog on 9/11.

This next tribute had me crying uncontrollably the first few times I listened to it and it still makes the tears flow every time I listen to it. It is a new rendition of the song "Heaven" but it also has a little boy talking to his daddy on September 11, 2002, a year after his daddy died in the WTC attack. He doesn't understand the true concept of death and what happened to his daddy and it is just heartbreaking to hear him talk to his daddy.


FreeVideoCoding.com

Click here to download this 9/11 Remix of "Heaven"


Some of the best tributes via YouTube...


My Immortal Tribute


Only Time/President Bush's Speech Tribute


What A Wonderful World Tribute

For some other tributes, please click the following links to open up the tribute in a new browser to watch separately.

Excellent Flash tribute with the music of Sarah McLaughlin's "Angels"
"Tears"

The following Macromedia Flash Tribute uses the Enya song "Only Time" as the background for its presentation, this tribute is longer and follows timelines past the day of the attack. It does include some images of WTC jumpers, which can be disturbing for some.
"Only Time Tribute"

Extremely touching tribute set to the music "Can't Cry Hard Enough" by Victoria Williams
"Can't Cry Hard Enough"

A lovely tribute for the Heroes of Flight 93
"Little Did She Know...She'd Kissed A Hero"

FIREMEN'S PRAYER

When I am called to duty, God,
Where’re the flames may rage,
Give me strength to save some life
Whatever be its age.
Help me embrace a little child
Before it is too late,
Or save some older person from
The horror of that fate.
Enable me to be alert,
And hear the weakest shout
And quickly and effectively
To put the fire out.
I want to fill my calling
And give the best in me.
To guard my every neighbor
And protect his property;
And if according to Your will,
I have to lose my life
Please bless with Your protecting hand
My children and my wife.
Amen.

POLICE OFFICER'S PRAYER

Lord I ask for courage
Courage to face and
Conquer my own fears...
Courage to take me
Where others will not go...

I ask for strength
Strength of body to protect others
And strength of spirit to lead others...

I ask for dedication
Dedication to my job, to do it well
Dedication to my community
To keep it safe...

Give me Lord, concern
For others who trust me
And compassion for those who need me...

And please Lord
Through it all
Be at my side...

Three different versions of A Soldier's Prayer

Soldier's Psalm 91 Prayer
By Harriet Yoder
O Lord Most High, help me to dwell in your secret place and abide under Your shadow.

Help me to believe and say out loud for everyone to hear that You are my refuge and my fortress; that You are my God; and that in You I put my trust.

O Lord God Almighty, please deliver me from hidden traps and diseases.

Father God, cover me with Your camouflage; hide me under Your wings; and let Your truth be my shield and buckler against the fiery darts—the lies—of the enemy.

Lord Jesus, help me not to be afraid of terrorists' attacks in the night; or weapons that fly by day; or sicknesses that walk in darkness; or destruction that wastes at noonday.

O Holy God, though a thousand fall at my side, and ten thousand fall at my right hand; please let it not come close to me and my companions.

O Lord Most High, let me live to see the reward of the wicked, because You are my refuge and my home. Let no evil conquer me and let no plague come into my house or near my family.

O Lord, my Strength and my Redeemer, please set angels over me to keep me in all Your ways, to bear me up in their hands and to keep my feet from stumbling.

Father God, help me to tread upon the lion and adder and trample the young lion and the dragon under my feet.

Lord Jesus, I love you with all my heart and I know Your name. Deliver me and lift me on high to soar with the eagles. I call upon you to be with me in times of trouble to deliver and honor me because I know Your name. Please show me Your salvation and satisfy me with a long life.

I ask this prayer in the name of Jesus Christ

Amen.

A Soldier's Prayer
God our Father,
Help me to remain true to my ideals
during my service to my country.
Help me be what is in America,
the land of the free.
May I realize that I represent
what our country stands for.
My uniform is a symbol of duty and valor both in peace and in war.
I take up arms to defend what all Americans hold dear:
life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.
Grant me the strength to live according to these ideals,
the courage of my convictions,
and the resolve to endure whatever dangers threaten.
With you at our side I fear no evil
and resist every enemy,
secure in the knowledge
that you hold me in the palm of your hand.
Amen.

The Soldier's Prayer
By Jeremy R. Gipson
Now I lay me down to sleep
Another day I did survive.

Tomorrow when the morning breaks
I pray the Lord my soul revive.

Give me courage. Give me strength.
Help me fight for what is right.

Bless my wife and children, Lord,
Give them rest and peace tonight.

Please protect my fellow soldiers
As we trek across the sand.

And when the battle rages
Help us boldly take our stand.

And when protesters back in my homeland
Wave their banners high -

Help them know they could never enjoy freedom
Had not a soldier died.














If you have a 9/11 tribute on your site or blog, please enter your information below so that others can visit your tribute.

Friday's Feast and The FFT - the Lazy Edition

First up is today's Friday's Feast. Easy way to have a post and let you know a little more about me. If you'd like to participate, you can sign up HERE.

Appetizer
Name 3 things that you are wearing today.
Red shirt for RED FRIDAY'S, jeans, shoes

Soup
Who was the last person you hugged?
Em - when I put her to bed last night.

Salad
What do you like to order from your favorite fast food place?
Which fast food place? McD's: quarter pounder with cheese, no onions with fries. Taco Bell: either a bean burrito with beans, cheese and sour cream only or a mexican pizza with no green onions and no beef. Schlotzsky's: regular turkey bacon club on sourdough, no lettuce, add mushrooms and extra mayo, sour cream and onion chiops and an oatmeal raisin cookie.

Main Course
What time of day do you usually feel most energized?
OBVIOUSLY it's not morning. Probably between 11 and 4 in the morning/afternoon.

Dessert
Using the letters in your first name, write a sentence. (Example: Sweet unusual spaniels are nice.)
I'll have to get back to you on this one. Why don't YOU leave your answer on your name in the comments?
===================================
And next, today's FFT is a reapeat of one of my most popular FFT's. It's always good for a laugh and it's actually a "go nowhere" field trip - one you can sit back and enjoy in the safety and comfort of Nic's Place.

"Are you tired of rhythm?"

Yes, my friends, it is the ever popular How To Dance Like A White Guy promotional video. A must have for every redneck home. It doesn't matter if you're from the North or South, rednecks are found everywhere.

So kick your feet up, pop the top to a cold one (soda that is) and get ready to have fun while learning the secrets of How to Dance Like A White Guy! Maybe you can pick up a few pointers before hand if you're going out this weekend!

Just press the start button and you're on your way to a learning whole new kind of dance to impress the other people on the dance floor.

Via con Dios SSgt Hansen

May SSgt. Jeff Hansen rest in peace. God bless his sacrifice and his family. Below is one of the articles about his funeral today.

I give hearty thanks to the 83 members of the Patriot Guard Riders that were able to be there to shield the family from the FILTH that are the protesters from Westboro Baptist Church in Topeka, Kansas. It's one thing to protest the war, but QUITE ANOTHER to go to these funerals of our soldiers spewing hate that these brave men and women deserved to die because they serve a country where the homosexual lifestyle is becoming more accepted and that God is angry at that and the deaths of these amazing soldiers are God's "judgements". Those kinds of protesters are sick and disgusting. Thank you, the men and women of the Patriot Guard Riders, for being there around the country for these grieving families.

Also, please pray for the family of Spc. Germaine Debro of Omaha. This very same unit lost another brave soldier this weekend to an insurgent-planted bomb that hit his Humvee. The unit needs your continued prayers as well.

Thank you all for your prayers for my Dan. Dan is going back to Iraq today (Wednesday). His results came back completely healthy (he said the doctor told him he was "too healthy") so his wake up call was at 0430 (2130 CST) to get flown back to Iraq. I wish he could have come back stateside for a week or two but I would rather have him "too healthy" than the alternative. So I am patiently impatient and wait for next year. God go with you wherever you walk, sunshine, and keep you safe. Come home soon. I miss you.

Soldier eulogized with respect, grief

BY C. DAVID KOTOK

WORLD-HERALD STAFF WRITER

MINDEN, Neb. - Soldiers set their jaws and their wives cried Tuesday as Staff Sgt. Jeff Hansen was eulogized as a soldier's soldier.


The casket is carried out of St. Paul Lutheran Church in Minden.

The soldiers knew Hansen as one of the Nebraska Army National Guard's best. Their wives saw Hansen's grieving widow, Jennifer, and put themselves in her place.

"I put myself in that scenario the whole time Chris was over in Iraq," said Tami Marcello, wife of Sgt. Chris Marcello. "This was a very tearful day."

The tears were compounded as word spread among the soldiers of the 1st Squadron, 167th Cavalry, that another soldier from their unit had been killed over the weekend in a roadside bombing near Tikrit, Iraq.

Spc. Germaine Debro, 33, of Omaha died when an insurgent-planted bomb hit his Humvee. Two other soldiers were injured, but not severely enough to be flown out of the country for treatment.

Debro, like Hansen, was an experienced soldier. Both had been deployed to Bosnia-Herzegovina in 2002. Debro also had served in Kuwait in 2001.

Hansen was the fifth Nebraska National Guard soldier deployed in Iraq to die; Debro is the sixth.

Capt. Jeffrey Searcey of Kearney said he was at a loss to explain the two deaths.

Searcey led Troop A of the 167th Cavalry through a year of dangerous missions in the insurgent stronghold of Ramadi without losing a soldier before the unit returned home in late June.

There is no rhyme or reason, Searcey said, adding that Hansen "was a guy who took care of business. He's a guy you respected as a soldier and a man."

Hansen wasn't a "cowboy" looking for danger, Marcello said. Marcello, who visited Hansen at his base, said his friend was content with the squadron's mission providing base security at Camp Anaconda, about 30 miles north of Baghdad.

Some of the younger guys in Bravo Troop stationed at Camp Anaconda were envious of the combat that Searcey, Marcello and the rest of Troop A experienced in Ramadi. But not Hansen, Marcello said.

The respect that Hansen, a squad leader, commanded made the circumstances of his death that much harder to take.

Hansen was on a routine patrol near the base. The Humvee he commanded was moving along the bank of a ditch. As it passed through a few inches of water, the occupants' biggest fear was getting stuck.

The Humvee began to slide to the left in the slick muck. Suddenly, the vehicle went over a murky ledge, flipped on its side and plunged into a 10-foot-deep canal. Rescuers couldn't bring Hansen to the surface for about eight minutes.

Two other soldiers in the vehicle are nearing a complete recovery, said Sgt. Maj. Lawrence Hall of Omaha, who is home on leave from Iraq. The third soldier in the vehicle, Pvt. Cory Walcott, is making progress at Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Washington, D.C., Hall said.

The Nebraska National Guard and the Army flew Hansen's family - wife Jennifer, father Bob and brother Jeremy - to his bedside in Landstuhl, Germany, when his condition deteriorated.

They had a chance to say goodbye, just as Hansen himself had a chance to return home and see his ill mother, Deborah, before her death in June.

On a brilliant September day Tuesday, Hansen was laid to rest just beyond his mother's right shoulder in the Minden Cemetery.

The dog tags he wore to war hung as a pendant around his widow's neck. Maj. Gen. Roger Lempke, the Nebraska Guard's adjutant general, knelt before her and presented her with the flag that had draped Hansen's coffin - "on behalf of a grateful nation."

More than 500 people attended the funeral, filling the St. Paul Lutheran Church chapel and the social hall and spilling outside.

As an honor guard carried the casket from the church, the 215 students of the adjacent Minden East Elementary School came out onto the playground and lined the fence.

Motorcycle police officers from Kearney, Hastings and Grand Island led the solemn procession, followed by about 85 members of the Patriot Guard Riders motorcycle group.

Many of the schoolchildren - kindergartners through third-graders - have parents in the military, said Principal Mary Lieske. As soldiers have been deployed to Afghanistan and Iraq, the children have sent letters and packages.

"This is another way to show respect," Lieske said.
==========================
In honor of the memory of SSgt. Hansen and his family.

Taps, with a double trumpet solo.



The words to "Taps":
(Note: there are no "official" words to Taps, below are the most popular.)

Day is done,
gone the sun,
From the hills,
from the lake,
From the skies.
All is well,
safely rest,
God is nigh.

Go to sleep,
peaceful sleep,
May the soldier
or sailor,
God keep.
On the land
or the deep,
Safe in sleep.

Love, good night,
Must thou go,
When the day,
And the night
Need thee so?
All is well.
Speedeth all
To their rest.

Fades the light;
And afar
Goeth day,
And the stars
Shineth bright,
Fare thee well;
Day has gone,
Night is on.

Thanks and praise,
For our days,
'Neath the sun,
Neath the stars,
'Neath the sky,
As we go,
This we know,
God is nigh.

FFT - Support the Soldiers Version *UPDATED AT END*

The above video is a song from Marine Mike Corrado called "My Watch". The words are beautiful and the music poignant. Enjoy the song and the pictures of life in Iraq for the soldiers.
* * * * * * * * * * *
So, I've been absent from posting any FFT's over the past couple of months. For those of you who do not know what an FFT is – it is a Friday Field Trip. A post where I send you places that are interesting, funny, thoughtful or that I think y'all might enjoy. I have hosted a couple FFT's on my site before though.

Well, today I am sending you to some places where you can show your support for our brave men and women in uniform. Over this extended, 3-day weekend take a moment to show your support and your thanks for the sacrifices these men and women are making in order to do something they believe in – give freedom to others and protect our own.

As many of you know, I am extremely pro-military. I always have been, but that is even moreso now that I have a loved one in Iraq. Dan is doing much better, so I thank all of you who have prayed for him and for the other soldiers who were injured in the near drowning accident last week. I also appreciate your continued prayers for SSgt. Hansen's family after his death on Sunday. For those of you who might live in the Nebraska area, there is a memorial parade in Jeff's honor to not only show support and honor to him in the magnitude of his ultimate sacrifice but to also be there to support his family.

I have learned that the Patriot Guard Riders will be there as well to provide support along the way in both Cairo, NE and Minden, NE. Jeff's father contacted them and requested their presence. They perform a very valuable service at these military funerals so any support you show them is wonderful!


The information for the parades and visitations are as follows as taken from the Kearny newspaper:

The village of Cairo is encouraging residents to line its streets to honor Staff Sgt. Jeffrey Hansen of the Nebraska National Guard during a procession at 2 p.m. Sunday. Visitation will be at Christ Lutheran Church in Cairo from 3 to 6 p.m. that afternoon.

Hansen, 31, was injured in Iraq on Aug. 21 along with three other Guardsmen when the Humvee they were riding in turned over, fell into a canal and trapped them inside. He died of his injuries last Sunday.

Hansen joined the National Guard in 2000 and served in Bosnia for six months in 2002 and 2003. He worked as an officer in the Kearney Police Department from 2001 to 2002 and had been employed as a federal police officer at the Veterans Affairs Medical Center in Grand Island since 2004.

Hansen's body will be moved to Minden for additional visitation from 3 to 5 p.m. and 7 to 8 p.m. Monday. Funeral services will be at 11 a.m. Tuesday at St. Paul's Lutheran Church in Minden.

If any of you can be there to show your support for his family, it would be greatly appreciated and welcome. A concern of theirs is that protesters might be there so the more people who show up in support, obviously, the better.

Ok, so here are the FFT's for today:


"America Supports You," a nationwide program launched by the Department of Defense, recognizes citizens' support for our military men and women and communicates that support to members of our Armed Forces at home and abroad. They have a TON of information on their site including many organizations you can get involved in to support our men and women in uniform.

You can learn how to get involved and show your support by clicking HERE.


When I went to pick Dan up in Dallas on his leave, the USO was there at the airport, supporting the family members and loved ones who had come to pick their soldiers up as well as show support to the soldiers as they came out of the doors into the terminal. Many of the soldiers were flying elsewhere and didn't have anyone at the airport to welcome them home. It was loud and boisterous and patriotic and just WONDERFUL! I strongly urge you to get in contact with your local USO and see about becoming a regular part of the airport welcoming group in your area. Not all areas have it, but for those areas that do, it is worthwhile and uplifting for all involved. They also have free parking for those who participate, regardless of how long you are there at the airport. Some information about the USO...

The USO reaches out through:

Airport centers, welcoming weary military travelers with a place to rest and the ability to familiarize themselves with their new surroundings

Family and community centers, promoting intercultural understanding and orientation to unfamiliar locations

Mobile USOs, reaching out to troops in remote and sometimes unstable locations
USO celebrity entertainment tours bring volunteer celebrities to entertain, lift morale, and express the gratitude and support of the American people.

For 65 years, the USO's mission has remained the same. The USO will support U.S. troops and their families wherever they serve. Across the United States and around the world, the American military knows that the USO is there for them. By supporting the USO, Americans show their appreciation and express their gratitude to the men and women who defend us.

To learn more about the USO and how you can get involved locally click HERE.


Soldier's Angels was founded by Patti Patton-Bader, mother of Sgt. Brandon Varn, who has recently returned from a year's deployment to Iraq. Soldiers' Angels is an all volunteer run organization, incorporated in the state of Nevada. Soldiers' Angels started in June of 2003. The Soldiers' Angels mission is to provide aide and comfort to any of the armed forces and their families.

More importantly, the slogan describes the motivation behind Soldiers' Angels. By working together and sharing a common vision of service, the volunteers of Soldiers' Angels send care to deployed soldier's and their loved ones at home.

To date they have accomplished to send thousands of care packages to deployed soldiers, helped the wounded at most military hospitals and aided military families in need.

From its very inception, the focus of Soldiers' Angels has been:
Helping to bring home healthy soldiers.

To find out more about this worthy cause, please click HERE.


Jacob's Light Foundation's Mission is to send our military overseas necessities and comforts from home. They focus on military without family or support from home. They want to give them the support they need and to be a lifeline from America. I found out about this one from the Glenn Beck program on CNN. I can not stand CNN – I call them the Communist News Network b/c of their liberal anti-American, anti-administration reporting and antics, however, they DO have Glenn Beck who is just one heck of a great conservative media personality and I try and never miss his nightly broadcast.

Dorine Kenney sent packages to her son in Iraq and soon she started sending supplies to soldiers in his platoon that never received mail. Her efforts were a huge hit and the soldiers really enjoyed getting a piece of home while they were there overseas. Her son sadly was killed in Iraq in 2003 after the transport he was on was hit by an IED. After Jacob's death, it would have been easy for Dorine to stop sending packages and try to move past losing her son and somehow go on. Dorine Kenney did just the opposite. To date she's sent over 61,000 pounds of supplies to soldiers. Honoring her son, her efforts have been named the Jacob's Light Foundation.

Right now, what is really needed over there are blood coagulants and that is currently NOT provided for the soldiers over there right now and it is lifesaving treatment for them. An amendment to the defense authorization bill has been placed on the floor of the Senate in order to provide more money for this necessary need. To date, Jacob's Light Foundation has been able to send about 650 units of blood coagulant over there. In order to provide more of this until the military gets the money to provide it they need donations and if anybody wants to help then with donations, they can send it to:

Jacob's Light Foundation
116 Nadia Court
Port Jefferson, New York 11777

If you would like to know more about Jacob's Light Foundation, please click HERE.



I have this one already linked on my sidebar, but this is another worthy cause for those military men and women who get no mail and so I am highlighting them here on this FFT.

Any Soldier Inc. started as a simple family effort to help their son, Army Sergeant Brian Horn. They knew his unit, the 173rd Airborne Brigade was living under very rough conditions, and they were sending Brian care packages as often as they could.

Brian started the idea of Any Soldier to help care for his soldiers. He agreed to distribute packages, that came to him with "Attn: Any Soldier" in the address, to the soldiers who were not getting mail. Any Soldier Inc. started in August 2003 to help the soldiers in one Army unit, thus their name. However, due to overwhelming requests, on 1 January 2004 the Any Soldier effort was expanded to include any member, of any of the Armed Services, in harms way. As of this date they have 2,529 soldiers they have supported!! Soldiers can be signed up to receive these care packages and there is a place on the Any Soldier.com website that will allow them to do so.

If you would like to help donate to this worthy cause to send care packages to ANY military man or woman in all of the 5 branches of the military who are not receiving any mail you can click HERE.


Copier giant XEROX has gotten in on the act too! This one takes only a couple minutes to do. I've done it before and it's easy, quick and it does make a difference!

The mission of Let's Say Thanks is to provide a way for individuals across the country to recognize U.S. troops stationed overseas. By submitting a message through this site you have the opportunity to send a free personalized postcard greeting to deployed servicemen and women.

The postcards, depicting patriotic scenes and hometown images, were selected from a pool of entries from children across the country.

All you have to do is click on your favorite design and either select the message that best expresses your sentiment or draft a personal note. The postcards are then printed on the Xerox iGen3® Digital Production Press and mailed in care packages by military support organization Give2TheTroops®.

Xerox is committed to helping people across the nation express their gratitude to our troops overseas. The launch of this program is aimed at reminding them how much Americans appreciate their service.

To participate in this FREE program to send cards to soldiers that are serving in foreign countries please click HERE.


Since December 2002, GIVE2THETROOPS has supported HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS of deployed U.S. troops with loving care packages and letters from all over the nation. This was made possible only with the help of tens of thousands of generous and patriotic friends in the U.S. and abroad. This is the least we can do to show our troops how much we care about them. Our troops need to know that we support and appreciate the sacrifices they make for us, our families, and our future. This is about giving back to those who give all.

GIVE2THETROOPS Mission Statement: To support the physical, moral, and spiritual health of America's armed forces in combat zones around the world through the letters and packages prepared and shipped by caring volunteers.

GIVE2THETROOPS is a NONPARTISAN, NON-POLITICAL, PATRIOTIC organization aimed at supporting U.S. deployed and wounded troops in harm's way. We are managed by patriotic volunteers who ensure that deployed U.S. military members in all branches of service are supported with letters and care packages.
To find out more and support GIVE2THETROOPS please click HERE.

A BIG thanks to my friend Michael Manning for alerting me to this organization...


The music icon Cher is a HUGE supporter of Operation Helmet. Cher has teamed up with Dr. Bob Meaders, founder and president of Operation-Helmet.org, and she has put 6 figures of her own money in and testified before a Congress subcommittee. Basically, our troops have Vietnam era helmet that can deflect a bullet. But with the new helmet webbing and center pad insert, a blast need not mean brain injury. Cher visited an Army Hospital unannounced one night, and while she opposes the war in Iraq, she is 100% for our troops. She was asked by a soldier for her autograph on his cast. She said "Sure, what's your name?" The soldier had to look at his name badge. He suffered a severe concussion from a roadside bomb and that's when Cher got involved and is a very outspoken supporter of this program.

OPERATION HELMET is a nonpartisan, charitable grassroots effort that provides helmet upgrade kits free of charge to U.S. troops in Iraq and Afghanistan as well as those ordered to deploy in the near future. These helmet upgrade kits consist of shock-absorbing pads and a new strap system. Operation Helmet depends on tax-deductible donations. For $75-$100, depending on the manufacturer, added safety and comfort can be provided for a trooper. But donations of any amount are welcome. The donation can be designated for a specific branch of the military, a particular unit or an individual trooper. 100% of donations go toward helmet kits. There are no administrative costs deducted and the Operation’s books are available for inspection by anyone who wants to see them. To date, Operation Helmet has sent upgrade kits to over 24,000 troops.

These helmet upgrades do three primary things:

Protection - Shock-absorbing pads keep the helmet from slapping the skull when hit with blast forces, fragments, or being tumbled along the ground or inside a vehicle. This decreases the chance of brain injury from bombs, RPG's, vehicle accidents, falls, etc.

Comfort - If it is more comfortable, it will stay on troop's head longer and more often.

Stability - Keeps the helmet firmly on the head and out of the eyes.

The life you save might save another!

They currently have a 3,717 (and growing) backlog for these kits so you can see just how very necessary these kits are.

For more information and to help support this much needed cause please click HERE

If you would like to add other links to organizations that support our men and women in uniform that you know of, please leave your suggestion in the comments and I will add them to this post. I will be turning this post into a page of it's own once it goes into the archives that others can find easily so your links will be easily accessable to others.