It’s a given. This time of year, almost every American thinks about one topic. Freedom. In the United States, many lives were sacrificed to give us the freedom and liberty we so often take for granted.
It’s a small analogy, but a truthful one. Kinda like my sister’s water well breaking the other day. She didn’t miss the water in her home until she didn’t have it anymore. She, like the rest of us, took it for granted that when she walked to the sink and turned the knob, water would run out of the faucet.
When she discovered the pump was broken, Jindra missed her water then. And after two days of having to take showers at my house and carry water to their house for necessary activities, I can guarantee no one in the Mullins family takes it for granted any more. At least not for now. I’m a lot like them. We all are. We take things and people for granted. Even comfort.
One very sobering moment in my life was a time when I was reading a letter from my friend, Sata, who lives in Lithuania. I was cozy, sitting on my couch in front of my TV while she was huddled under quilts and blankets, sleeping in the kitchen in front of her stove trying to keep warm because her country didn’t have enough natural gas to heat with. Freedom has a lot of other definitions besides the right to live and choose as we wish. I thought about freedom as I watched a man take his wife’s hand as they walked across a busy U.S. 72 Thursday afternoon. For her, freedom includes protection.
I thought about freedom a bit Thursday night as my friends, Deidre and Kerri, and I chatted online with a woman from Jasper, Texas. This is the town that had drawn international attention after two white men tied a black man to the back of their vehicle and drug him to his death. I’m almost certain the citizens of Jasper, Texas, are rethinking their definitions of freedom today.
The woman we talked to thanked us for our concern, our kind words of encouragement and asked us sincerely to "continue to pray for us." For a family in Missouri, freedom means relief this Fourth of July for in a sense their son has finally come home.
This week, the remains that were exhumed from the Tomb of the Unknowns in Washington, D.C., were identified by DNA testing as U.S. Air Force flyer Michael Blassie. Ask Blassie’s mama this weekend is she doesn’t feel peace and freedom finally knowing what happened to her son. "We have waited a long time to hear this formally," his sister, Pat, said at a news conference outside her mother’s home in north St. Louis County. "This is a significant day in our family’s search for the truth. We are finally going to bring Michael home."
Freedom sometimes means financial security. Call Karen Ann Laskey of Warren, Mich., and ask her how free she feels. She’ll probably tell you $3.24 million worth. The woman struck gold at Gold Strike Casino in Tunica this week after placing about $100 in a "Wheel of Fortune" dollar slot machine. With money like that, Laskey can more than likely buy all sorts of freedom.
But there is some freedom that even money can’t buy. There are people who look out barred doors and windows daily -- some physically imprisoned, some mentally imprisoned and some are both. Many people are turning to drugs, alcohol, the streets and various other things and places to find psychological freedom. Most continue to be bound.
Yet there are those who find complete freedom by turning loose of their will and learning to do God’s will. Freedom.
No matter how you define it, or how you search for it, I truly hope we all obtain it. Or finally realize it’s been there all along.
(Kim Jobe is news editor of The Daily Corinthian. Her columns appear on Fridays.)
Stephenville, Texas is home to two champions this weekend. Cheyenne Wimberly defeated World Champion, Kristie Peterson, to win the $50,000 grand prize with an exceptional final ride in the Barrel Racing event. And, not to be outdone, Ty Murray, coming back from injury, was the $50,000 winner in the Bull Riding spectacular on 'Blackjack'. Murray, who specializes in three rodeo events, said the break from rodeo competition while he was recovering from injury helped give him a new perspective -- and he was looking forward to continuing with his rodeo career. Having $50,000 in his pocket should help keep the dream alive!
Cody Ohl, a native of Orchard, Texas, takes home the $50,000 in the Calf Roping event, after a couple of Alberta cowboys with better roping times were penalized for breaking the barrier. Cody was last to ride and said he knew that if he got through the barrier clean and didn't let the calf get away, he would have a good shot at the title.
Two other Texas cowboys came within seconds of the grand prize money. Chris Harris missed out in the Bareback competition finishing a disappointing second, as did Butch Myer's of Athen's, Texas, losing by a heartbeat in the Steer Wrestling event. It's all or nothing on the final day -- and great efforts can sometimes fall short, but the day money they've won during the 10 day event should help ease the pain.
Win or lose, though, the cowboys and cowgirls from Texas are without question the most likable, gracious, polite, and seriously talented rodeo professionals to ever grace the Calgary Exhibition and Stampede. Congratulations to the winners and to the State of Texas for an outstanding showing!
Heather L. Long - Calgary is a Poet and writer and is covering the Calgary Exhibition and Stampede.
People will look at you VERY strangely when they see this on your table. It looks gross, but you can't beat it for taste and novelty.Someone made it, left it on her kitchen table and her hubby threw it out and yelled at her for leaving the cat's box on the table, that's how real looking it is.
All I can say is this: Make sure your friends/family have a sense of
KITTY LITTER CAKE
1 spice or German chocolate cake mix
1 white cake mix
1 large pkg vanilla instant pudding mix
1 pkg vanilla sandwich cookies
Green food coloring
12 small Tootsie Rolls
1 new (and definitely unused) kitty litter pan
1 new plastic kitty litter pan liner
1 new Pooper Scooper
1.Prepare cake mixes and bake according to directions (any size pans).
2.Prepare pudding mix and chill until ready to assemble.
3.Crumble white sandwich cookies in small batches in food processor, scraping often. Set aside all but about 1/4 cup.
4.To the 1/4 cup cookie crumbs, add a few drops green food coloring and mix using a fork or shake in a jar.
5.When cakes are cooled to room temperature, crumble into a large bowl. Toss with half the remaining white cookie crumbs and the chilled pudding. (Mix in just enough of the pudding to moisten it. You don't want it soggy. Combine gently).
6.Line new, clean kitty litter box.
7.Put mixture into litter box.
8.Put three unwrapped Tootsie rolls in a microwave safe dish and heat until soft and pliable.
9.Shape ends so they are no longer blunt, curving slightly. Repeat with 3 more Tootsie rolls and bury in mixture.
10.Sprinkle the other half of cookie crumbs over top.
11.Scatter the green cookie crumbs lightly over the top. (This is supposed to look like the chlorophyll in kitty litter.)
12.Heat 3 Tootsie Rolls in the microwave until almost melted.
13.Scrape them on top of the cake; sprinkle with cookie crumbs.
14.Spread remaining Tootsie Rolls over the top; take one and heat until pliable, hang it over the side of the kitty litter box, sprinkling it lightly with cookie crumbs.
15.Place the box on a newspaper and sprinkle a few of the cookie crumbs around.
16.Serve with a new pooper scooper.
Connie--i have to give you a few additions to it--use a few more tootsie rolls hidden inside the cake (I hid about 8) and on the top, they only call for 3 of them--i used about 6. it takes about 10 secs in the micro to melt three tootsies on a plate. Don't cover all of them in the crumb mixture--sort of just roll the sides in the crumbs and sprinkle a bit on the top of each--and the tootsie draped over the side of the box is the biggest hoot of all. There, that's all i will ever say about that cake!
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