"The Biggest Loser" is off and running!

...and other stuff to tell you...

One of my favorite TV shows--in fact, one of the few TV shows that I even watch!--is back! The Biggest Loser kicked off last night with eight teams of two family members each--four parent-child combinations, and four husband-wife combinations.

It's impossible not to get personally invested in the lives of these contestants. From the first show, when you see them struggling to get up a hill, stay on a treadmill for a few minutes or lift a weight--till the end of the season, when they emerge slim, fit and healthy--it's a fascinating metamorphosis.

I already have my favorites, but that sometimes shifts a bit during the course of the season.

For someone who is own their own fitness journey, the show can't help but be extremely motivating. However, there are a couple of things that do concern me. Is it really healthy for these hugely obese people to lose weight so quickly? And how long will most of them keep it off? It will be interesting to see if there are any long-term studies on that.

For now, though, it's obvious that job number one for most of them IS to get the weight off as quickly as possible--not just to win the big bucks, but because their very lives are at stake.

Other stuff to tell you:

--Barb at A Chelsea Morning is giving away a Chris Tomlin CD.

--Joe Carter morphed his Evangelical Outpost into a team blog not long ago, but he says his popular "33 Things" posts are now a regular feature at Culture 11. I don't think I've ever read a 33 Things post that hasn't contained a lot of fascinating stuff.

--A sad but heartwarming story about a man who literally gave his life for his son. He sounds like a truly remarkable man. (Hat tip to Amy's Humble Musings.)

--I'm a calligraphy buff, so I was interested in checking out this calligraphy site (hat tip to Jen at Unmerited.)

--Can't wait to try this: an apparently foolproof way to peel an egg. (from Linda at 2nd Cup of Coffee.)

It's Wednesday, folks!

A strange anniversary to celebrate

...I mark a year of knowing I'm diabetic


BEFORE


AFTER

So, a year ago on this date I got the shocking, dismaying, disheartening news that I have Type 2 diabetes.

Actually, it wasn't official yet at that point. As I blogged shortly afterward:

My late father was diabetic (although that's not what claimed his life), my brother is, and a host of relatives and ancestors. For years, I knew I was at risk, and I had great intentions of being proactive and preventing it. Unfortunately, my efforts were sporadic and inadequate.

A couple of weeks ago, my friend Teri was here for the weekend. Teri had just found out a few months earlier that she is diabetic. She kept bugging me to take my blood sugar, and I kept resisting. I guess a part of me thought that what I didn't know wouldn't hurt me.

Now I'm thanking God that Teri insisted. My blood sugar was very high. I made a doctor's appointment, and I'm now taking medication for Type 2 diabetes.

So why am I celebrating?

Don't get me wrong. I would much rather NOT have diabetes, given a choice. However, I'm firmly convinced that if it hadn't been for my diagnosis, I would probably have still been eating horribly...not exercising...making occasional, short-lived attempts to lose weight...putting my health on the back burner, and my life at risk.

Since my diagnosis, I've lost 30 pounds. That may not be a lot for an entire year, but I believe that the entire story could be told in inches, not just pounds...since I've exercised, both cardio and weight-training, faithfully for this entire year.

I've revolutionized my eating...and yet, believe it or not, I enjoy food more than I ever did when I was busily stuffing it into my face. I focus on having fewer carbs, but having the right kind of carbs--whole grains, good fiber, healthy fruit and vegetables. And yes, the occasional treat.

So yes...I'm celebrating. Celebrating something I don't think I've ever accomplished in my entire adult life: an entire year of consistent healthy eating and regular exercise. Something I don't think I would have ever achieved if it hadn't been for that fateful day when my friend insisted I take a blood sugar test.

YOU may be able to avoid that diagnosis. Start being proactive now about eating the right kinds of foods and getting fit. Believe me, it's worth it!

This book was a huge help to me, and I highly recommend it.

Monday Melange

Odds-n-ends to pass along...

--Heartwarming and amazing: a man's German shepherd dog called 911 and saved its owner's life.

--Family-friendly online bookstore Abunga.com is announcing the winners of its Kids' Choice Book Awards.

--More than 100 Southern Baptist relief units have responded to the devastation caused by Hurricane Ike.

--I just interviewed the wonderful Thelma Wells, who will be one of the speakers at the Extraordinary Women conference coming to Rockford October 10-11. Speaking of extraordinary women, she certainly fits that description!

--A whole lot of people are apparently saying hello to Christian singer Chris Tomlin's CD, Hello Love. It's the highest charting debut for any album in the Christian industry.

--An independent movie about Methodism founder John Wesley will be released to theaters this fall.

--Christian uber-blogger La Shawn Barber tells who'll she'll be voting for on November 4th, and why.

--Woo hoo! One of my favorite shows, The Biggest Loser, returns TV tomorrow night. Host Allison Sweeney blogs about the new season.

Trying on a new meme for size: Friday Fill-Ins

1. I enjoy __a delicious Cappucino from Road Ranger gas stations________.

2. _Who will be the next president?_________ is something I wonder about often lately.

3. In your heart, you knew __I would love being a grandmother________.

4. Take _powdered sugar_________, add a little _butter_________ and you end up with __frosting________.

5. Life has gifted me with _a wonderful family_________.

6. __A hot bubble bath________ is an instant vacation.

7. And as for the weekend, tonight I’m looking forward to _spending time with my husband____, tomorrow my plans include _cleaning my house and doing laundry____ and Sunday, I want to go to church_____!

Go here to participate.

My 9/11 Tribute to Joan Hoadley Peterson

The following was originally posted in 2006 on the 5th anniversary of 9/11, as part of Project 2,996:


I Remember Jean Hoadley Peterson

When I signed up recently to commemorate a 9/11 victim as part of the 2,996 project, I had no idea that the woman whose name was randomly given to me would have been a Christian--a woman who, just weeks before her death on Flight 93, said, "I don't know why, but I feel so ready to meet the Lord!"

Here I was thinking that I could somehow be a blessing by memorializing Jean Hoadley Peterson, but just reading about her has ended up blessing me.

Today I commemorate Jean Hoadley Peterson, who died along with her husband Don Peterson in the crash of Flight 93, the only terrorist-infiltrated flight on 9/11/2001 that didn't reach its intended target.

Her husband's Bible found

Several days ago I posted about the fact that I had been assigned Jean's name as part of the 2,996 project. I was amazed to get this response from Donna-Jean, a fellow blogger from New Jersey:

"Cindy, I know about Jean Hoadley Peterson. She and her husband Don were believers in Jesus Christ. They supported my uncle's evangelistic ministry here in New Jersey, that's how I first heard about them. They were very generous and supportive.

"Don and Jean were a retired couple, involved with Community Bible Study in their Jersey shore home; Don was a Teaching Director. They were the only married couple on Flight 93; they left behind six grown children and one grandchild.

"Don's dog-eared NIV Bible was one of two Bibles found at the crash site in Shanksville, Pennsylvania. In the Bible was his Community Bible Study lesson from Luke, with his answers written in."

She then referred me to this article about the Petersons, which includes a picture of Don's Bible. I encourage you to follow that link as well and learn more about Jean and her husband.

I was amazed. Out of all the names I could have been assigned, I was given the name of a fellow believer...a woman who, like me, believed in a hope beyond the grave. A woman who was a follower of Christ and a believer and lover of His Word.

So who was Jean Hoadley Peterson?

Jean was 55 years old when she died in the crash of Flight 93. She was a wife, a mom, a grandmother, a registered nurse.

According to the Wall of Americans website: "Mrs. Peterson was born in Evanston, Ill., and grew up in Lancaster, Pa. She received a nursing degree from the University of Rochester, and a master's degree in education from Columbia University. She, too, was deeply involved in church ministries and was a member of Community Bible Study in Spring Lake [New Jersey].

"'She did everything in a very quiet way, never expecting anything in return,' said her daughter, Jennifer Price. 'She was a devoted mother, and after we grew up she devoted her life to helping other people's children.'"

"The couple married in 1984 and are survived by six children. David, Hamilton and Royster Peterson, and Jennifer, Grace and Catherine Price.

"Mrs. Peterson is also survived by her parents, Walter and Virginia Hoadley; her brother, Richard Hoadley; and granddaughter, Charlotte."

Along with leading Bible studies, Don and Jean traveled with church friends to help a mission in Santa Lucia, and Jean volunteered at the Helping Hands Pregnancy Center in Shrewsbury, New Jersey.

According to this article, "On Sept. 11, they'd planned to take a later flight to a family reunion at Yosemite National Park, but at the airport seized a chance to switch to less-crowded Flight 93. Their memorial service drew nearly 1,000 people they'd worked with, helped or counseled and had to be moved to a larger sanctuary nearby."

I regret deeply that the earthly lives of Jean Hoadley Peterson and her husband were cut short by the tragedy of 9/11. But I celebrate the 55 years that she lived on this planet, and how she blessed and influenced those around her.

And I rejoice that I will meet her someday in heaven.


*******

The 2,996 tribute to Don Peterson can be found here.

More on Don and Jean Peterson

Listen to my radio piece about 9/11--This was recorded a few months after 9/11. There are a couple of small glitches in the audio, but it has a sense of immediacy about it that I think brings back the emotions we were all experiencing at that time. Includes sound bites from that day.

Many thanks to Donna-Jean Breckenridge for her invaluable direction in this tribute

Penelope--a whimsical movie with a good message

James McAvoy

My daughter and I watched a charming movie the other day that must have completely escaped my notice when it first came out. It was Penelope...a whimsical, funny tale that I think has a good underlying message about self-esteem for young girls.

Penelope is a young woman born into a rich family that has been cursed. The first daughter born to the family will be born with a pig's snout...and will remain that way until she is loved by "one of her own kind."

Christina Ricci does a good job as Penelope, bringing just the right touches of humor and longing. Although it's obvious she wants to be released from the curse, she's able to laugh at herself and create a rich world in the privacy of her own room, to which she's pretty much been exiled.

Catherine O'Hara is hilarious as Penelope's mother, who is frantically bent on getting her daughter married off to a blue-blood so the curse can be lifted. Her character should give pause to moms who unreasonably try to change their daughters.

But the real charmer in the movie, for me anyway, is James McAvoy (you'll remember him as the faun in The Lion, the Witch and The Wardrobe) as the guy who falls for Penelope without seeing her...and whose love proves true even when he does get a load of the snout.

Although hiding his beautiful Scottish accent with an American one (why? there are lots of other British accents in the film), it's easy to fall for his character. Who wouldn't love a guy who sees past a horrible defect to the beauty of the girl inside? McAvoy is not conventionally handsome, but he was quite attractive in this movie.

Although modern, the movie has a fairy tale feel. The creators of the film said they tried to portray it as taking place "any time, anywhere," and they pretty much succeeded.

Best of all, besides being fun and entertaining, the movie says good things to young girls in an age where eating disorders and teen-age plastic surgery are all too common.

I enjoyed it very much.

I talk with Karen Kingsbury

I was delighted to interview author Karen Kingsbury the other day. While I've read many of Karen's books, and enjoyed them thoroughly, this interview wasn't in support of one particular book. Karen is one of the featured speakers for the Extraordinary Women conferences, one of which is coming to Rockford October 10th and 11th.

Karen was a lot of fun to talk with. Her books have been amazingly successful, with nine of them hitting the number-one spot on the USA Today or New York Times bestselling list.

Her ministry has moved beyond writing to true activism, with her Red Gloves books sparking community projects across the country.

Click the link below to hear a condensed version of our radio interview (about 3 minutes.)

Karen Kingsbury Mini-interview


So many books, so little time...




I've been reading some really good books lately.

--I just interviewed Patti Lacy about her riveting An Irishwoman's Tale, and I'll be blogging about that interview shortly. (I've got to say, Patti's description of her visit to Ireland to do research for the book only made me want to go there more.)

--I took another trip to a parallel world with Sharon Hinck's The Restorer's Journey. Once again I marveled at Sharon's beautiful writing and captivating way of weaving a story. If you haven't read this series yet--even if you think you aren't into the fantasy genre--do. It's that simple.

Monday Melange

Stuff to tell you...


No, this is not Sarah Palin

--Zondervan is announcing a new biography of Sarah Palin.

--Speaking of Palin...Mark of Miscellaneous Creativity is not the only one that thinks she looks like a certain comedienne.

--Former American Idol Jordin Sparks defended abstinence rings on MTV's Video Music Awards. (Side note: is there a trashier event on television?)

--Could DVR save your relationship? (Hat tip to Christ and Pop Culture.)

--I just finished An Irishwoman's Tale by Patti Lacy...excellent! I'm interviewing Patti tomorrow, and I'm really looking forward to it.

--Some--er, insteresting--retro album artwork in Purgatorio's latest edition of Divine Vinyl.

--The Gospel Music Channel is launching a new show focusing on southern gospel music.

--Is this the future Tiger Woods? 5-year-old makes hole-in-one

That's all I have time for, folks! Have a great Monday!

Blogging about blogging....

...a new meme on the subject of blogging

I made up the following meme to learn a little more about my fellow bloggers. I tried not to duplicate the questions from other blogging memes I’ve seen. This one seems to focus more on the social aspect of blogging, though I hadn’t originally intended it to have that emphasis — but “Why do you blog?” and “How did you get started?” went around often ages ago. But if you have never answered those question, feel free to do so!--Barbara at Stray Thoughts

Thanks, Barbara! Here I go:

How do you feel about being tagged for memes?

I really don't mind at all...but sometimes I'm so busy, it takes me a while to get around to doing them. Be patient with me! :)

Do you participate in any regular weekly memes? Which ones?

I used to do quite a few, but lately I try to hit "Thursday Thirteen" on a regular basis. Like Barbara, I see such memes as a way of reaching out to others who might not normally read my blog.

Have you found any bloggers that you began to read regularly after participating in a meme with them?

Definitely. Of course I can't think of them right now, but there are several that I've added to my Bloglines and blogroll because I so enjoyed their Thursday Thirteen posts.

Do you know of any readers who found you through a meme and became regular readers?

I'm not sure! If you found me through a meme and you're now a regular reader, will you let me know? Thanks!

Did you find any favorite blogs through comments or blogrolls on others’ blogs?

Again, definitely...quite a few, in fact.

Did you find any favorite blogs from someone else’s recommendation?

Wow...I'm sorry I'm not being more specific, but I know I've found favorite blogs that way.

If you comment on someone’s blog, do you expect a response? If so, do you prefer that response to come through an e-mail, a comment from them on the same post, or a a comment on your blog?

I don't expect a response, unless I'm asking a specific question.

Do you ever struggle with your blogging “voice”?

Not really. I decided quite some time ago that "Notes in the Key of Life" is my blog, and I'll write about anything that strikes my fancy. I can't worry too much about niche-marketing here! I'm a person of many interests and facets, and I think all of them are represented on this blog.

Are there certain types of blogs that attract you?

My favorite are those that combine really good writing with humor and spirituality, although I read many blogs that are one or the other. A great sense of humor goes a looong way with me...as long as it's clean and family-friendly.

Are there certain types of blogs that repel you?

Definitely. I avoid blogs that feature obscenity, profanity, or pretty much any blog that doesn't pass my Phillipians 4:8 test. Also, if you're a constant downer, you're going to lose me.

What time of day do you usually blog?

It varies.

Do your family and friends know about your blog? Do they read it? Do they mind if you mention them? Do they suggest posts for it?

Yes, my friends and family know about my blog, and they all read it occasionally if not regularly. My hubby reads my blog pretty regularly. Hi, honey! (waving and blowing a kiss) (By the way, he's going to think that last line is corny :))

I can't remember if a friend or family member has suggested a post, but I think my husband likes it when I blog about our grandson, and he loves it when people comment about the baby.

13 Things to Tell You About

More link love and interesting tidbits! If you're busy cruising Thursday Thirteens, bookmark this page to come back and peruse at your leisure...

--Being a voice-over artist, I was sad to hear that the king of voice-over artists, Don LaFontaine, passed away. If you've ever heard a movie trailer, you've heard him. Just think of phrase, "In a world where..." uttered in a deep, gravelly, awesome voice. Here's a video about him.

--The name of the upcoming new "24" movie has been changed.

--Yet another obit: The animator who gave movement to Charlie Brown, Snoopy, Lucy and the other Peanuts characters has died. Bill Melendez was 91.

--Do you aspire to write Christian fiction? Here's a contest that might interest you.

--Speaking of Christian fiction, I had the privilege today of interviewing the wonderful Karen Kingsbury. I'll blog about it soon.

--The Xbox 360 is slashing its price.

--A Christian version of Guitar Hero will feature music from the likes of dcTalk, Flyleaf, David Crowder, 12 Stones and Casting Crowns.

--An interesting article about Sarah Palin.

--Apparently a lot of U2 fans like Obama, and vice versa.

--A New York woman has grown a six-foot-long zucchini!

--Well, I would never wear them, but someone has actually written an article in praise of ugly shoes.

--Barbara at Stray Thoughts features a great new meme about blogging. I plan to answer the questions soon.

--It's cool in Northern Illinois today! The high is expected to only be around 63.

Where has "Newsies" been all my life?

...and some pics from my Labor Day weekend



Well, my kids left yesterday. (Imagine me with a very sad face.) I had the most wonderful time with my son, my daughter-in-law and my adorable 19-month-old grandson.

However, my daughter-in-law had encouraged my daughter Elizabeth and me to watch Newsies. Liz is a big Christian Bale fan, and I have to admit he's a pretty appealing actor.

I thoroughly enjoyed Newsies! Christian Bale, at the age of around 17 or 18, does a great job in a singing, dancing, tough-talking role. He plays the leader of a group of newsboys who decide to go on strike in turn-of-the-century Manhattan. It's fun and engaging. (As far as family-friendliness: I was a little surprised that despite being a Disney movie, it contains a few curse-words.)

Wonderful Labor Day weekend...

My long Labor Day Weekend (I took Friday and Tuesday off in addition to Labor Day) was wonderful! It was just so awesome to spend quality time with Jonathan, Daylyn and Payton. Here are a few pictures from our weekend.

13 of My Favorite Recipes

Nine of these are ones I've featured here on this blog...the other five are ones that I plan to try because they look delicious!

Here we go:

1. A delicious chicken skillet recipe

2. The easiest, best banana pudding recipe ever

3. Incredibly delicious fiesta chicken recipe

4. Yummy taco soup recipe

5. French toast casserole

6. The very best spinach salad recipe

7. One of my all-time favorites: The Weight Watchers graham cracker dessert

8. My sister Beverly's incredibly delicious, easy-to-make lasagna (you'll have to scroll down a bit)

9. My beef stew recipe (again, scroll down)

And here are a few I've tried or want to try

10. Sauerkraut salad--I know, sauerkraut...but I had this at a restaurant in Texas and it was fantastic! My sister Lisa made this recipe using Splenda instead of Equal, with great results.

11. Orange Beef Stir-Fry with Broccoli and Red Pepper--I've made this one, and my family loved it

12. As a diabetic, I really miss carrot cake--so I want to try this Carrot Ginger Muffin Recipe I saw in the current Women's Health magazine.

13. This Chipotle Chicken Alfredo Pizza , currently being featured at Ashley's Cafe, the recipe blog of Ashley, who happens to be a Pampered Chef rep. It looks mouth-watering! In fact, scrolling down the page on this blog is enough to make me gain five pounds. Everything looks so delicious.

Get the Thursday Thirteen code here!


The purpose of the meme is to get to know everyone who participates a little bit better every Thursday. Visiting fellow Thirteeners is encouraged! If you participate, leave the link to your Thirteen in others' comments. It’s easy, and fun! Trackbacks, pings, comment links accepted!

View More Thursday Thirteen Participants

Link Love Galore...

New AI judge Kara DioGuardi

...and interesting stuff to tell you...

--There'll be another lady (along with Paula) at the judges table on American Idol next season.

--Pastor Joe Thorn is giving you a chance to give some feedback about sermons (i.e., "When is a sermon too long?"). (Hat tip to A Brick in the Valley.)

--The guy who wrote "Basic Instinct" is now writing about faith and his Damascus Road experience.

--Did you enjoy watching the Olympics this year? Check out Time's photo gallery. (Hat tip to Angela Hunt.)

--"Lost" fans: Michelle Rodriguez will be back this season, at least for one episode. (Probably in someone else's flasback?)

--Thinking about getting an iPhone? After a week of owning one, John Mark Reynolds gives us five things about the iPhone.

--From Stuff Christians Like: Always sitting in the same seat at church. (And yes, I confess...I usually sit in the very same spot.)

--Now Face North: Apparently cows...and deer...tend to align themselves in north-south directions.

--An Italian priest has backed out of his online beauty pageant for nuns.



--Linda at 2nd Cup of Coffee wants you to video blog on September 30th. I'm going to try!

Thirteen Things to Tell You About

Cheryl Hines and Luke Wilson in "Henry Poole Is Here"

A plethora of links for you...as always, if you're busily surfing other Thursday Thirteens, bookmark this and come back at your leisure!

--Christian film critics are praising the movie Henry Poole Is Here for its strong faith message. From Plugged In Online: "Henry Poole Is Here may be the official name of the movie, but it contains an unwritten subtitle: Jesus Is Here, Too."

--Come on, you know you've always wanted to look like former American Idol contestant Sanjaya! Here's a website where you can actually Sanjaya-ize yourself. (Mmm...I'll pass.) That boy is reaaalllllyyyy stretching out his 15 minutes of fame...

--Remember those foods you loved when you were a kid, but now you think they taste terrible? Apparently they're called pixifoods.

--Beliefnet's Idol Chatter blog is giving away five copies of Rebecca St James new book, Purity: a 90-Day Devotional for the Mind, the Body and The Spirit.

--Speaking of Aussies...apparently a good luck call from Nicole Kidman helped the Australian sailing team win a gold medal in the Olympics.

--What? There's not enough liberty in China to allow free Bibles to be handed out? More here.

--So Jessica Simpson is hawking beer now.

--I don't know about you, but I think it's truly kind of Donald Trump to give the downtrodden Ed McMahon a helping hand. Although reportedly a second buyer is now interested in buying McMahon's home.

--An avid surfer makes a case for Christian environmentalism (hat tip to Thunderstruck.org.

--I just finished The Brontes: Charlotte Bronte and Her Family by Rebecca Fraser, and thoroughly enjoyed it. I thought I knew pretty much everything about the Brontes, but Fraser provided a fresh take on the subject...fascinating for a Bronte-phile like myself.

--A happy moment for Steven Curtis Chapman's little girls: a Jonas Brothers concert.

--With her "Always Sisters" conferences, gospel singer CeCe Winans is focused on empowering youth.

--Interesting: Rachel Motte's take, at The Evangelical Outpost, on the Saddleback candidates forum.

Could you be the next celebrity chef?

...and other stuff to tell you

Do you have what it takes to be the next Rachael Ray, Martha Stewart or Emeril Lagasse? Well, here's your chance!

Better Homes and Gardens' website is holding an online video contest to pick a new cooking celebrity. To enter, you just upload your online cooking videos. A group of judges will narrow it down to two...those two will do a cook-off, and the winner gets his or her own cookbook published. How cool is that?

Other stuff to tell you...

--The vigilante in me LOVES news stories like this one, about an 85 year old woman who foiled a burglary attempt in her home. You go, Granny!

--Lee Strobel's The Case for Faith comes to DVD September 2nd.

From Christian Entertainment Review:

Strobel, best known for The Case for Christ, uses The Case for Faith to investigate what he says are the two most emotional objections to Christianity: Why is Jesus the only way to God? And how can a loving God exist if there is evil and suffering in the world?

“I think there are good answers to these questions,” Strobel said. “Not just historical evidence, but answers that really do satisfy my heart and soul.”

--Lost's Matthew Fox just got a nice raise. Dare I say "worth every penny"?

--Do you like mustaches on men? Apparently they're enjoying a surge of popularity...and USA Today's Pop Candy has an entire post today devoted to mustache-related links.

My 30th wedding anniversary today.

30 years....I can't believe it!

Was it really 30 years ago today that I walked down the aisle at Baptist Temple in Springfield, Missouri? Amazing.

All my dearest and warmestlove to my wonderful husband, Doug. Below is a song I'd like to dedicate to him today.

My Olympic Crush

No, it's not Michael Phelps



Watching my daughter's enthusiasm over Olympic super-swimmer Michael Phelps, I couldn't help but hark back to my own Olympic crush, circa 1972.

It was Mark Spitz.

As a young teen-ager, I was madly in love with the darkly handsome swimmer who earned seven gold medals in the 1972 Munich Olympics. Never one to moon over pop stars and the like, I was always attracted to athletic guys, and Spitz filled the bill.

Corny as it seems now, I even kept a scrapbook filled with photos and articles about him. Watching him zoom through the waters of the Olympic pools, sleek and muscular, was just as much of a thrill back then as watching the amazing Phelps is now.

So what does Mark Spitz think of Phelps? According to this August 16th article, he couldn't be more admiring and gracious of his successor:

Mark Spitz had one word for the performance that gave Michael Phelps his seventh gold medal of the Beijing Games and equaled his own Olympic record that had stood for 36 years.

"Epic," Spitz said Saturday morning when reached by The Associated Press in Detroit, where his youngest son was playing in a basketball tournament.

Moments earlier, Phelps came from behind to win the 100-meter butterfly, edging Croatia's Milorad Cavic by a hundredth of a second.

"It goes to show you that not only is this guy the greatest swimmer of all time and the greatest Olympian of all time, he's maybe the greatest athlete of all time," Spitz said. "He's the greatest racer who ever walked the planet."

By the way, I love the features today's Olympics TV viewers enjoy now that we didn't back in 1972...like the fascinating under-water shots and the helpful graphics.

And when did wetsuits and swimcaps become de rigeur for Olympics swimmers? For a while, it was all shaven heads and tiny Speedos for the guys, really short haircuts and regular one-pieces for the girls.

At any rate, I've been enjoying what I've gotten to see of the summer Olympics, and cheering Team USA all the way!

Back from Texas!

I've got some serious catching up to do in the blogging department, since I've been in Texas for the past week! Back home now, though...here's some pics I hope you'll enjoy. Click for captions. (And if you don't know, Payton is my precious, adorable, wonderful 18-month-old grandson!)

Steven Curtis Chapman and family on GMA

"we're a family with a lot of questions...But that's what faith is. It's living with the questions. That doesn't mean you have the answers. That's exactly what faith is."

Steven Curtis Chapman and his family were on Good Morning America this morning, talking about how the family has dealt with the death in May of 5 year old Maria Sue Chapman. It was a beautiful, faith-affirming, hope-filled story.

You can see it here.

You can also read and comment on the story here (you have to take a moment to sign up, but it's a short process).

The Chapmans are slated to appear on Larry King Live tomorrow, August 7th, at 8 PM Central.

Coming out of blog laziness

Due to a mixture of laziness and genuine busy-ness, I've been neglecting this blog for the past few days. However, I have to tell you about this wedding I went to Saturday.

The wedding was that of Jared, the son of our long-time friends John and Vickie, to a lovely young lady named Jessica. The really cool thing about it? The entire wedding--ceremony, reception and all--took place on a yacht off Navy Pier in Chicago.

We cruised around Lake Michigan while Jared and Jess tied the knot and celebrated afterwards. It was absolutely beautiful, with the skyline of Chicago a perfect backdrop to the beauty of nature, the sparkling blue water and the loveliness of the wedding itself. Doug and I had to admit it was one of the coolest things we've experienced.

The picture above is of Doug with Navy Pier in the background. Here are a few more:

The kiss

Newly proclaimed husband and wife

Me and Doug at the reception