This is a good day. The sun is sort of out – it’s doing battle with the clouds, and who knows? It might come out on top of things today! It sure would be nice to be able to open up the windows and let some fresh spring air in. I could do that now, but seriously I’m sitting here with a blanket over me, sort of cold. I’ve already been to town and back to pick up an order of hamburger, put it away, threw in a load of laundry and am now sitting here on the computer alternately doing some things, browsing social media and catching up on a couple of shows that I’d recorded. It’s a bit of “Me” time that allows me to just breathe and rid myself of some of the stress that has been going on at work, and I’m not going to kid you, I can deal with a lot of things, but things have been unpleasant for awhile now and are getting more so by the day. I may do some baking therapy after awhile, that always makes me feel pretty good.

Verse of the Day

April 18, 2018

If you confess with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved.

—Romans 10:9-10

Thoughts on the Verse of the Day

Imagine Jesus being proud of you! He said if we confess him before others here on earth, he will speak up for us in heaven. Confessing Jesus as our Lord is simply acknowledging the truth. But for believers, it is more than that, since at the close of time every knee will bow and every tongue confess his name. For us, confessing Jesus is anticipating his triumph in which we will share.

www.verseoftheday.com

Holy Humor Month / National Humor Month

Actual quotes from an interchange in court:

Q: Did you see my client flee the scene?
A: No, sir, I didn’t. But subsequently I observed someone running several blocks away who matched the description of the offender.
Q: Who provided you with the description?
A: The officer who responded to the scene.
Q: A fellow officer of yours provided the description of this so-called offender. Do you trust this fellow officer?
A: Yes, sir, with my life.
Q: With your life? Let me then ask you this, officer. Do you have a room were you change your clothes in preparation for the day’s duties?
A: Yes, sir, we do.
Q: And do you have a locker in that room?
A: Yes, sir, I do.
Q: And do you have a lock on your locker?
A: Yes, sir.
Q: Why is it, officer, that if you trust your fellow officers with your life, that you find it necessary to lock your locker in a room you share with those some officers?
A: You see, sir, we share the building with the court complex. And sometimes lawyers have been known to walk through that room.

Food for Thought

The nation lost one of our First Ladies the other day. She always carried herself with decorum, showing respect to our nation, her family and the citizens of this country. The rabid left is attacking her, making horrible jokes and being the mud dobbing amoeba that they are, and for what? Is it too much to just be respectful for a few moments out of their lives? A family lost it’s wife, mother, grandmother and this nation lost a First Lady that served her nation with class and honor. What ever happened to people being decent to each other? Is that time truly dead? I fear that it is, which makes me truly sad for the state of our nation and the world. Rest in peace Mrs. Bush.

Adult Autism Day – As most of us know, April is National Autism Awareness Month. Today we specifically take some time to think about Adult Autism. Most of us who don’t deal with autism every day with our own children, don’t give it a great deal of thought, and when we do it is most often in connection with children on the autism spectrum. I honestly don’t think I’ve given any thought to the difficulties facing adults with autism, and the people who care for them. Some adults on the Autism Spectrum Disorder, especially those with either high-functioning autism or Asperger Syndrome are able to work successfully in mainstream jobs. They can often have problems with communication or social situations and need encouragement and moral support as they work at living an independent life. Other adults with Autism Spectrum Disorder are able to have jobs in sheltered workshops with the supervision of managers who are trained to work with people with disabilities. With a nurturing environment at home, at school and later at job training and work, people with ASD can continue to learn and develop throughout their lives. Once an adult with ASD ages out of the public school system the family is faced with the challenge of finding living arrangements, employment and if necessary supervision while they go about their own lives. Each person with ASD will have their own level of need that different programs, facilities and support services may be able to help provide and assist in reaching their goals. The statistics from a survey done by the National Autistic Society show that of over 450 children and adults with autism, an astonishing 70% of adults with autism are not able to live independently. Of that 70%, 40% live with their family members, which can create a financial burden on aging parents. The remaining individuals typically live in residential care facilities, which have little privacy, autonomy or stimulation. It was found that only 3% of adults with autism live fully independent lives. In terms of jobs, only 6% of adults hold full time, paid jobs. Over half of adults with ASD have been diagnosed with depression at some point in their adult lives, while 11% say they have suffered a “nervous breakdown”. I think the part of this survey that I found to be the saddest was that 65% of the surveyed adults said they continue to have difficulty making friends, the teens surveyed showed that 74% have difficulty making friends, and of the children under 13 years old, 31% of them participated in no social activities at all. This is heart breaking! The data clearly shows the burden on quality of life for adults with autism, with issues like independence, self-determination, employment, mental health, social support and meaningful relationships are pretty much ignored when planning treatments, assessing treatment outcomes or when evaluating a program’s overall effectiveness. Adults with autism are in need of programs that focus on improving family life, with self-perception, self-esteem, confidence, ability to compete in employment opportunities, the ability to live in the least restrictive environment possible and the ability to decrease depression, anxiety and other mental health concerns. I have friends who have children with ASD, one of them is an adult, and the others are quickly entering their teen years. I see their Facebook posts filled with wonderful activities, love and support and I know that though the road has not been an easy one by any means, the special talents and abilities, the challenges and the needs of their children have enhanced their lives as much as they have enhanced their children’s lives. Being a support system to these parents, who have to be so strong for their kids, is just as important as supporting those on the Autism Spectrum.

International Juggler’s Day – always April 18th World Juggler’s Day – Saturday Closest to June 17^th. Both International Jugglers Day and World Juggler’s Day celebrate the skill of juggling. The talented folks who can juggle many objects at a time have always impressed me. How many of us have tried it just to drop everything on the floor? I know I have! Common things to juggle include balls, clubs, swords, plates, rings, and flaming sticks. Some of the best jugglers can juggle up to ten balls at a time! The skill of juggling has been a form of entertainment that has been around for thousands of years. Some of the earlier recorded history supplies proof that juggling was around in the early days of civilized man, with most documentation coming from medieval times in Europe. It remains popular now and is most frequently seen when the circus comes to town.

This Day in History –

1775 – Paul Revere makes his famous ride from Charlestown to Lexington, MA shouting “the Red Coats are coming” as the American Revolutionary War begins.

1906 – The Great San Francisco earthquake hits, killing 700 people.

Food Celebration of the Day –

Animal Crackers Birthday / National Animal Cracker Day – These went on sale as “Barnum’s Animals” in 1902. They came in a circus train-themed box with a string, so you could hang them on the Christmas tree. They cost 5 cents a box. They still come in the cute train-themed box with the string, but this was the 1st I’ve heard of putting them on the tree – great idea! Children everywhere should always get the chance to snack on these delicious little cracker/cookies. I hope they don’t ever stop making them. Enjoy!

I’m off to the kitchen to engage in treat therapy. Sounds like a great plan, doesn’t it? Yep, it does to me too. God bless you and I’ll see you tomorrow.

www.brownielocks.com / www.holidayinsights.com / www.foodimentary.com / www.thenibble.com / www.verseoftheday.com/ www.jokesclean.com

Animal Crackers – They Bring Back Fun Memories, Don’t They?