Here are a few things that have inspired me recently:
*A QUOTE - "Real charity is not something you give away; it is something that you acquire and make a part of yourself. And when the virtue of charity becomes implanted in your heart, you are never the same again.
Perhaps the greatest charity comes when we are kind to each other, when we don’t judge or categorize someone else, when we simply give each other the benefit of the doubt or remain quiet. Charity is accepting someone’s differences, weaknesses, and shortcomings; having patience with someone who has let us down; or resisting the impulse to become offended when someone doesn’t handle something the way we might have hoped. Charity is refusing to take advantage of another’s weakness and being willing to forgive someone who has hurt us. Charity is expecting the best of each other" (Marvin J. Ashton, “The Tongue Can Be a Sharp Sword,” Ensign, May 1992, 18).
*FIRST - For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology is a non-profit organization founded by inventor and entrepreneur Dean Kamen to make science and technology fun for kids. I heard an interview of him on NPR today and got online to learn more about FIRST. They have programs for kids from K - 12 that are geared towards giving them experiences in problem solving and team work. I wish I had been involved in something like this when I was a kid! It's awesome! There's a documentary produced by PBS called "Gearing Up" on one of their programs, the FIRST Robotics Challenge, where kids have to build these robots and take them to compete against other robots. Having been an engineer, I think it's neat that FIRST provides hands-on experiences for kids and helps them see that engineering is fun. We need bright minds to go into science and technology and create better solutions to today's problems. Given today's economy, it's even more important to encourage our children to pursue higher skills that can't be outsourced to other countries.
*JILLIAN MICHAELS - If anybody out there is looking to get better results from their fitness routines try working out with one of her videos. I've been using her video, "No More Trouble Zones", and I'm definitely seeing results. It makes you sweat but it's worth it!
