Dan Cruver

My friend, Dan Cruver, a former pastor and college professor of Bible and Theology, has just been hired by this cool adoption agency for orphans. The reason this is particularly redemptive and wonderful news is the tragedy that lies behind it.

Dan and his wife, Melissa, lost their little son Daniel Jr at the age of 3 due to a serious brain disorder caused by a genetic defect. They began to actively pursue adoption after his diagnosis. Their story is powerfully moving and you can read more on his blog.

Seen in the picture their daughter, Hannah (10), and their two adopted African-American boys, Isaiah (5) and Noah (3).

I love Dan's heart and his passion. And by the way his daughter is an excellent writer (seen below with her brother, Isaiah) and what's more, a Master of the cliff hanger (my favorite). You can check out her blog to see for yourself.


Dan was the guy who did the really cool thing of starting a photo challenge for The Jesus Storybook Bible and the interview.

i think i can, i think i can

Henry Ford (1863-1947) said,
“If you think you can,
or if you think you can’t,
you’re right.”

He also said other great things like...

"Any customer can have a car (Model T) painted any colour that he wants so long as it is black."

and

"If I'd asked consumers what they wanted, they would have asked for faster horses."

no good reason not to take that risk, then, and go ahead and do that thing you think you cannot do. speaking of which I better go and write.

if songs could be held

p.s. to buy Rosie's CD
(so you, too, can play it on endless repeat)
click here!

Pretty Dress - Rosie Thomas

this is my new latest favorite song that I'm totally addicted to and i'm playing it on endless repeat. i love what she is doing with this song. it's beautiful and poignant and something about it goes straight to my heart. definitely the thing I aspire to in writing.

wasting time and wasted time

(photo: Madrid, 1933--Cartier Bresson)

"The time you enjoy wasting is not wasted time" Bertrand Russell

What a great thought for the day. The w/e. Life.

Lyre Bird - David Attenborough

can you believe this creature? voted the best of the best... watch the clip to see how clever he is

Maltesers

(CAUTION: Maltesers are NOT malted milk balls. They are Maltesers plain and simple. The one bears NO RESEMBLENCE to the other. Whatsoever. At all. EVER. Ask any Brit.)

Malteser: a cross-section.


Here are herds of delicious Maltesers arriving at the factory to be put into their Family Pack Gift Trays.


Here is an individual malteser package (empty, needless to say). Multiply this by about 15 and you'd probably have the Family Size Maltesers Gift Tray I have been known to gobble up in one sitting:


The recipe is a big secret. And people in England have all kinds of intricate theories about how a malteser is made. For instance, here's a few of them from The Guardian, London.

If you don't want to be addicted to them, DO NOT TRY THEM. Or, if you can't help yourself, there may be nothing for it but to do what I did: flee the country. Just leave the Land of Crunchies (more about them later) and Maltesers and go some place else entirely, some place far, far away where they've never heard of a malteser before and don't know what on earth you're talking about and think you must just mean malted milk balls (which of course you don't--or shouldn't).

This concludes part 2 of our Chocolate Series. In part 3 we will explore the Land of Crunchies. But before we go... a word to the wise.

Do NOT let Malted Milk Balls fool you. They are not as nice as they may appear--and certainly not nearly as nice as they ought to be. Do not let yourself be deceived by them for one instant. Do not let yourself be hoodwinked, bamboozled, duped, swindled, double-crossed, or led up the garden path by them, the naughty interlopers. Why settle for second best? When you could have The Real Thing--an actual, real life, true malteser? No. It's really all quite simple.

Just say no.

fine ENGLISH chocolate

ATTENTION: these are NOT M&Ms. They are SMARTIES. It's a crucial distinction.

(Apologies to any Brits reading. You, of course, already know this full well, having grown up on Smarties and don't need anyone to tell you, least of all me.)

It's not really possible here to explain just what makes Smarties so different (some might even go so far as to say "better") than M&Ms. I recommend you just get hold of a packet (or box or tube) of Smarties instantly without further ado. And sample these Fine British Smarties for yourself (CAUTION: accept no imitations--make sure they're really Smarties and really British) and I think you'll see what I mean. (The best place to find them in the States are either in British shops or in Blighty herself--smuggling them back in your suitcase by the bunch-fulls apparently, as some people I know do, so I'm told, I gather, as far as I can tell)

Here's a very sensible article all about this very thing (it's what I've been telling my friends for years to no avail)--all about how Fine British Chocolate really is (from the New York Times no less, so it must be true): click here

Before you go, though, here's some other Fine Lovely British Chocolates.

This concludes Part 1 in my "Chocolate Series." Stay tuned for Part 2 where I will dedicate an entire blog to Maltesers (not pictured above and my own personal favorite) because they merit it, so much mystery surrounds them, and such terrible confusion exists in the States about exactly what they are. All you need to hold on to right now, and most important of all, is this: they are NOT, under any circumstances come what may EVER, Malted Milk Balls (anymore than Smarties are M&Ms). It would be wise not to forget this.