Missional Monday

Today's Missional Monday is a topic near and dear to my heart. Food allergies! Although I am not currently involved with this organization I am dedicated to making food allergies more widely known, as well as supporting those that already do.

KIDS WITH FOOD ALLERGIES

Mission

Kids With Food Allergies is a national nonprofit food allergy organization dedicated to fostering optimal health, nutrition, and well-being of children with food allergies by providing education and a caring support community for their families and caregivers.


Programs

KFA helps children with food allergies and their families cope with dietary restrictions, lifestyle adjustments, fear and isolation through education, peer support, food/cooking assistance and outreach programs.

• Education Program
  KFA's Educational program is focused on providing reliable and accurate health information to parents and caregivers which, in turn, benefit the health and well-being of children with food allergies.
  
• Peer Support Program
  Parents of Food Allergic Kids (POFAK™) online support groups offer peer-to-peer emotional and social support as well as food and cooking assistance. The support groups are staffed by parent volunteers who know first-hand the day-to-day challenges of raising a child with food allergies.
  
• Food and Cooking Assistance Program
  In a society that revolves around food, finding safe recipes and preparing safe foods for a child with food allergies is of primary concern. KFA offers food and cooking-focused educational materials, a searchable Safe Eats™ Recipe Database, an Allergy Buyer's Guide and other offerings to address the critical concern of families: "what can I feed my child?"
  
• Outreach
  KFA’s outreach efforts focus on providing quality education about food allergies, and raising awareness of KFA’s programs for families nationwide.

Goals

1. To foster optimal health, nutrition, and well-being of children
   
2. To address the social and emotional needs of families upon diagnosis and as they adapt to a food allergy lifestyle
   
3. To provide a caring support community for families, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week
   
4. To empower families with trustworthy information, news and resources
   
5. To encourage families to acquire knowledge to manage their children's food allergies while building effective communication between themselves and their children's doctors
   
6. To include those dealing with single or multiple food allergies as well as other conditions resulting in adverse reactions to foods
   
7. To provide interactive and creative approaches for finding safe foods and recipes
   
8. To build confidence for families and children to accomplish anything in life despite their food restrictions
   
9. To reach out to physicians to raise awareness of the social and emotional needs of families upon diagnosis and as they adapt to a food allergy lifestyle
   
10. To innovate with a creative team of professionals, medical advisors, volunteers and staff
    
11. To build and sustain a broad base of support from those who believe in our organization’s mission and will contribute funds needed to succeed.

Please take some time and check out this wonderful organization on their website! See if their mission can help you match your passion with your purpose.

Do Liberals REALLY Want to Know Who Ted Kennedy Was?

I'm getting a bit sick and tired of hearing about how WONDERFUL Ted Kennedy was. The man who left a girl to die after driving drunk and crashing. A man who had many issues that are only being brought to light by a handful of VERY conservative bloggers and almost no journalists.

What fascinated me today, though, was a revelation reported on my brother's blog that Kennedy attempted to get the leader of the USSR, Yuri Andropov, to help him beat Reagan in the 1984 presidential election.

(As reported in Forbes Magazine) A reporter for the London Times came across a memorandum that outlined Kennedy's plan.

On 9-10 May of this year," the May 14 memorandum explained, "Sen. Edward Kennedy's close friend and trusted confidant [John] Tunney was in Moscow." (Tunney was Kennedy's law school roommate and a former Democratic senator from California.) "The senator charged Tunney to convey the following message, through confidential contacts, to the General Secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union, Y. Andropov.

Kennedy's message was simple. He proposed an unabashed quid pro quo. Kennedy would lend Andropov a hand in dealing with President Reagan. In return, the Soviet leader would lend the Democratic Party a hand in challenging Reagan in the 1984 presidential election. "The only real potential threats to Reagan are problems of war and peace and Soviet-American relations," the memorandum stated. "These issues, according to the senator, will without a doubt become the most important of the election campaign."

Kennedy made Andropov a couple of specific offers.

First he offered to visit Moscow. "The main purpose of the meeting, according to the senator, would be to arm Soviet officials with explanations regarding problems of nuclear disarmament so they may be better prepared and more convincing during appearances in the USA." Kennedy would help the Soviets deal with Reagan by telling them how to brush up their propaganda.

Then he offered to make it possible for Andropov to sit down for a few interviews on American television. "A direct appeal ... to the American people will, without a doubt, attract a great deal of attention and interest in the country. ... If the proposal is recognized as worthy, then Kennedy and his friends will bring about suitable steps to have representatives of the largest television companies in the USA contact Y.V. Andropov for an invitation to Moscow for the interviews. ... The senator underlined the importance that this initiative should be seen as coming from the American side.

Kennedy would make certain the networks gave Andropov air time--and that they rigged the arrangement to look like honest journalism.

Go read the full article...it'll amaze you how the media is SO biased that even something of this magnitude is ignored. Or maybe it won't if you're already completely jaded by the media in general.

Biting my Tongue!

So many of my friends are liberally oriented that it can make having daily conversations or even friendly Facebook updates "sticky". I'm not used to having to censor my words as much as I have since the presidential elections took place.

And now that Obamacare is getting so much media attention, I am having to bite my tongue as friends "talk" about government run healthcare as the next best thing to sliced bread.

AAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!

Where do they think the money will come from? The GOVERNMENT?

How much debt are they willing to let the US get into? And they complained about BUSH putting us in debt? REALLY?!?

I'm not a jerk. I DO think people deserve basic healthcare. But we are heading down a slippery slope and I WILL NOT be one of the lemmings who just run off the edge bleating while following our dear "leader". No way. No how. Uh uh.

(The one with the life-preserver is ME!)

Just add me to the list of unAmerican conservative homegrown terrorists. We're growing in numbers by leaps and bounds!

Prisoner of Summer '09...about to be RELEASED!

School starts next Tuesday! Wahoo! 3 days a week of a few hours of freedom...um, I mean time to use for...cleaning the house? Working on my business? Working out? Updating my blog! Did I say freedom? ;o)

Hopefully we can "see" more of each other now that school is starting. Sound good? See you here!

Missional Monday

One of my most devoted readers mentioned that they were helped recently by a wonderful organization in their area. I would love to focus this Missional Monday on that particular group...


Salkehatchie Summer Service is a pioneering servant ministry at selected sites in South Carolina involving high school and college age youth, adult community leaders and persons of different cultures in upgrading housing, motivating community cooperative efforts by helping persons to help themselves, and providing all participants with opportunities for personal growth and service.



How Can I Help?

* Volunteer - Youth willing to work and adults with skills to share are needed.
* Donate Supplies - Lumber, paint, caulking, plywood, linoleum, paneling, nails, etc. may be brought to individual camps.
* Financial Support - Cash contributions are needed and appreciated. Registration fees and conference benevolences do not cover all of their costs.

Please take some time and check out this wonderful organization on their website! See if their mission can help you match your passion with your purpose.

US Debt held by the Public

I don't feel this needs a lot of discussion by me. The table speaks for itself. Now, talk amongst yourselves!

(Congressional Budget Office data; Thanks goes to American Thinker)

This one is for Baloney!

My friend Baloney is addicted to quizzes. The following is for her.

THE USELESS, POINTLESS, SENSELESS TEST

I won't tell you MY results...it might make you feel bad. Go take it for yourself!

CHEERS!