For Tuesday, March 8th, 2011

If you can't see the bright side of life, polish the dull side

It's TUESDAY!

INTERNATIONAL WOMAN'S DAY

International Women’s Day is annually held on March 8 to celebrate women’s achievements throughout history and across nations. It is also known as the United Nations (UN) Day for Women’s Rights and International Peace.

Much progress has been made to protect and promote women’s rights in recent times. However, nowhere in the world can women claim to have all the same rights and opportunities as men, according to the UN. The majority of the world's 1.3 billion absolute poor are women. On average, women receive between 30 and 40 percent less pay than men earn for the same work

The International Women’s Day logo is in purple and white and features the symbol of Venus, which is also the symbol of being female.

THINKING

I fear one day I’ll meet God, he’ll sneeze and I won’t know what to say

Ronnie Shakes

Today: Say your version of BLESS YOU if you hear someone sneeze, even if it is a stranger.

NEW IN THE KITCHEN

Today is Shrove Tuesday, Fat Tuesday, Pancake Day, Bursting Day, Paczki Day, Fasching or Mardi Gras, depending on where you are and how much your church lets you celebrate. In any case, tomorrow Lent begins

Pancakes

On Pancake Day, pancakes are traditionally eaten sprinkled with sugar and a squeeze of lemon. However, serve as you like with jam, Golden Syrup, honey, choclate spread; whatever takes your fancy

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

3 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon white sugar

1 1/4 cups milk

1 egg

3 tablespoons butter, melted

In a large bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, salt and sugar. Make a well in the center and pour in the milk, egg and melted butter; mix until smooth.

Heat a lightly oiled griddle or frying pan over medium high heat. Pour or scoop the batter onto the griddle, using approximately 1/4 cup for each pancake. Brown on both sides and serve hot.

Makes 8 servings

PRAYERS

God, help us to encourage one another to follow your guidance so that we may grow spiritually stronger every day. May your glory shine in and all around us today, and may the glory be all yours

Amen

Please pray for God's protection of

our troops and HIS wisdom for their

commanders.

Lord, hold our troops in

your loving hands.

Protect them as they protect us.

Bless them and their families for the

selfless acts they perform for us

in our time of need. I ask this in the

name of Jesus, our Lord and Savior.

AND bless our Police Officers, Firefighters

and Paramedics and EMT's

GOD BLESS YOU!

AROUND HOME

Age is something that doesn’t matter – unless you’re a bottle of wine.

You are only as old as you think you are. If you embrace new opportunities, seek new learning and stay motivated and lively at heart, you can still do anything.

Nurture and exercise your mind with new experiences, new information, new friends, interests and challenges. Stay in touch with the world and no matter what your age, the world will stay in touch with you

This evening I'm going out to dinner with the part of my family that lives here in our hometown. This has become a tradition over the past few years for them to take me to my favorite restaurant. Red Lobster! It's my special day to celebrate another wonderful year!

COUNTING THE DAYS

May you have the joy that's due you,
May the years be gracious to you,
May a blue sky smile above you,
And through all your days, God love you!

Irish blessing

12 DAYS UNTIL SPRING

41 DAYS UNTIL CAMPING SEASON BEGINS

Keep looking ON THE BRIGHT SIDE of things.

A little smile, a word of cheer,
A bit of love from someone near…

Love,

ma