Mane Highlights for Friday November 29, 2013

Hear Me Roar!: A very Happy Thanksgiving to all!  I hope that you enjoyed/are still enjoying the company of dear loved ones surrounding you.  We are truly blessed with great wealth in this country.  In preparing for the holiday feast I was contemplating on how accessible all of this hearty food is to us each year.  Our tables are no longer the product of our harvest outcome and we take for granted that we will have a turkey, stuffing, potatoes, cranberry sauce, and a pumpkin pie each November.  No longer dependant on the weather, the hunt, the soil, the laborers, etc, etc.  What a gift to find an abundance of everything our hearts and stomachs could desire on every street corner.  Remembering those who are not gathered around such a bountiful feast; comestible or spiritual, let us give great thanks to God.

The reflection this week was born of contemplation on my love of literature after watching the second movie in The Hunger Games Trilogy.  Don't worry, there are no spoilers on the movie in my reflection as I simply used the inspiration to express the power of written text.

        Reflection of the Week: Free Your Mind

I cannot recall an instance when someone said to me that they legitimately enjoyed the movie version of a novel more than the literature itself. There are certainly adaptations that are very well done and adequately capture the storyline, but never fully the heart of the text. This stands even after reconciling with the fact that a 1 1/2 hour movie cannot possibly depict all that is captured in the many pages of the novel. Still, there is something more.  Continue

For more reflections: http://lionofdesign.blogspot.com/p/about.html

Project of the Week: Refurbished Serving Tray and Basket

Our living room is very short on space for setting down drinks out of the reach of little hands.  I wanted to find a tray that had a nice presentation for serving and could also be set down in a number of tall places to keep beverages elevated.  I found two separate pieces that worked well together and got to work on refurbishing them to match our home decor.  
To learn how: http://lionofdesign.blogspot.com/2013/11/refurbished-serving-tray-and-basket.html
       

You May be Pregnant If: 7 Weeks till D-Day

As we count down to the big due date I must confess this weeks misty-eyed moment.  I would have never guessed it myself, but it happened watching a CNN special on "Weed."  I kid you not.  

The special sucked me in as it followed the parents of a 5-year-old little girl who suffered from a severe form of epilepsy called Dravet Syndrome.  The 300 seizures a week were taking such a toll on the little girl that they wanted to medically induce a coma as a last resort.  The parents who had always been opposed to marijuana, finally broke down and tried a medical liquid form that would not get their daughter high.  Surprisingly the seizures have reduced to one a week and their daughter Charlotte is progressing in all areas!

Lesson: Don't watch anything involving severely ill children...EVEN under the guise of a CNN special called "Weed."

I leave you with this until next week: A Thanksgiving Prayer

FOR APPRECIATION OF EACH OTHER

We thank you, Father, for the gift of Jesus your Son who came to our earth and lived in a simple home. We have a greater appreciation of the value and dignity of the human family because he loved and was loved within its shelter. Bless us this day; may we grow in love for each other in our family and so give thanks to you who are the maker of all human families and our abiding peace.

 From The Catholic Prayer Book, compiled by Msgr. Michael Buckley