Alpha 150

Friday, December 29, 2006

Happy New Year --- Happy 2007


Auld Lang Syne

Should auld acquaintance be forgot and never brought to mind?
Should auld acquaintance be forgot and days of auld lang syne?
For auld lang syne, my dear, for auld lang syne,
we'll take a cup of kindness yet, for auld lang syne.
Should auld acquaintance be forgot and never brought to mind?
Should auld acquaintance be forgot and days of auld lang syne?
And here's a hand, my trusty friend And gie's a hand o' thine
We'll tak' a cup o' kindness yet For auld lang syne

The song, "Auld Lang Syne" is sung at the stroke of midnight in almost every English-speaking country in the world to bring in the new year. At least partially written by Robert Burns in the 1700's, it was first published in 1796 after Burns' death. Early variations of the song were sung prior to 1700 and inspired Burns to produce the modern rendition. An old Scotch tune, "Auld Lang Syne" literally means "old long ago," or simply, "the good old days."

Harry: What does this song mean? For my whole life I don't know what this song means. I mean, "Should old acquaintance be forgot". Does that mean we should forget old acquaintances, or does it mean if we happen to forget them we should remember them, which is not possible because we already forgot them?
Sally: Well, maybe it just means that we should remember that we forgot them or something. Anyway, it's about old friends.

Monday, December 25, 2006

Today We Light The Christ Candle


O Come Let Us Adore Him Christ The LORD!!!!!!

Wednesday, December 20, 2006

Grown Up Christmas List

Do you remember me?
I sat upon your knee;
I wrote to you
With childhood fantasies.
Well, I'm all grown-up now,
And still need help somehow.
I'm not a child,
But my heart still can dream.
So here's my life-long wish,
My grown-up Christmas list.
Not for myself,
But for a world in need.
No more lives torn apart,
That wars would never start,
And time would heal all hearts.
And everyone would have a friend,
And right would always win,
And love would never end.
This is my grown-up Christmas list.
As children we believed
The grandest sight to see
Was something lovely
Wrapped beneath our tree.
Well Heaven surely knows
That packages and bows
Can never heal
A hurting human soul.
No more lives torn apart,
That wars would never start,
And time would heal all hearts.
And everyone would have a friend,
And right would always win,
And love would never end.
This is my grown-up Christmas list.
What is this illusion called the innocence of youth?
Maybe only in our blind belief can we ever find the truth.
No more lives torn apart,
That wars would never start,
And time would heal all hearts.
And everyone would have a friend,
And right would always win,
And love would never end, oh.
This is my grown-up Christmas list.
This is my only life-long wish.
This is my grown-up Christmas list.

Sunday, December 17, 2006

And Now We Light The Fourth Candle Of Advent


The Angel's Candle

"For all people" Luke 2:10

Dare we join the Angels? Can Advent be bidding us to do even this? To shine with God's glory? To proclaim the Divine Message? No! Advent does not bid us.... GOD does! Not just this season. Everyday ---- in who we are.... in what we say....in everything we ever do!

Wednesday, December 13, 2006

Have you seen him??????


We are looking for our Gingerbread man he ran away from our school today and we can not find him anywhere! If you see him please contact us in the comments section and let us know where and when you saw him and what he was doing... We appreciate your help! We hope to have our search completed by Friday 12/15/06 Thank you for your help but keep it clean this is to be shown to kindergarteners!

"Run Run Just As Fast As You Can... You Can't Catch Me I'm The Ginger Bread Man!"

The River City Mourns Tonight

Vicksburg Marine killed in Iraq
The Clarion-Ledger

A Vicksburg resident was killed Monday in Iraq, the Department of Defense announced today.Marine Master Sgt. Brian P. McAnulty, 39, of Vicksburg was killed when the CH-53 helicopter in which he was riding crashed just after takeoff in Al Anbar province, Iraq. He was assigned to 3rd Battalion, 4th Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division, I Marine Expeditionary Force, Twentynine Palms, Calif.The cause of the crash is under investigation, officials said.At least 48 soldiers with Mississippi ties have died since operations began in Iraq and Afghanistan.

this one was too close to home for me too close! We will hold his family close in heart and up in prayer!

Monday, December 11, 2006

Let's Light The Third Candle Of Advent


The Shepherd's Candle

Let Us Go

Luke 2:15

Advent bids us spend the night in the fields with a group of shepherds. There, discomfort will be interrupted by terror....which will yield at last to anxious JOY, "let us go!" the shepherds cry. And we do.... First to see ... then to SHARE!

Thursday, December 07, 2006

Fat At 40 Can Take Years Off Your Life Expectancy!


Smoking adds to the decrease in life expectancy...

(CNN) --

Two out of three Americans have an ongoing battle of the bulge, and most know all that extra weight can contribute to life-threatening ailments such as stroke, diabetes and heart disease. But just how many years will the fat take from you?

A new study shows for the first time how much life expectancy is shortened for those who are overweight or obese at 40. For smokers, the statistics are even worse.
"If you're overweight, you basically live three years less ... and if you're obese, you live approximately six to seven years less," says Dr. Robert Eckel with the American Heart Association.
Scientists have long known that overweight people have shorter life expectancies, but few large-scale studies have been able to pinpoint how many years they lose.
The study by Dutch researchers appears in Tuesday's edition of the Annals of Internal Medicine. It looks at data collected from 3,457 adults age 28 to 62 in Framingham, Massachusetts, between 1948 and 1990.
So what's the difference between overweight and obese? Doctors use body mass index -- BMI -- to measure the ratio of weight to height.
A person with a BMI of 25 or over is classified overweight, and a BMI of 30 or over means one is obese.
For example, a 40-year-old woman who is 5 feet 5 inches tall and weighs 150 pounds is considered overweight, with a BMI of 25. She can expect three years cut from her life expectancy, according to the study. If that same woman weighed 180 pounds, her BMI would be 30, she would be considered obese and would lose seven years.
Men are hit almost as hard. A 6-feet-tall man who weighs more than 184 pounds is considered overweight. If he weighed 221 pounds, he would be obese and could expect to lose six years.
Smokers who have the middle-aged spread are hit with a double-whammy
Obese smokers can subtract seven more years from their life expectancy. According to the study's figures, that means obese, smoking women will live 14 years less and men 13 years less than their nonsmoking, lower-weight neighbors.
About two-thirds of U.S. adults are overweight or obese, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Studies have also shown that people are getting fatter, younger.
So what's a person to do?
"The important message from this study is, let's work on prevention. Let's work with young people to prevent that increase in body fat," Eckel said.
Eckel recommends losing approximately a pound a week until you reach your ideal weight, by cutting out 500 calories a day, which is a realistic goal to set and could result in a 5 to 10 percent loss in body fat.

Walk To Fitness


ATLANTA, Georgia (CNN) --
CNN House Call's Walking Workout is a way to get fit fast, says Atlanta, Georgia, fitness expert Gin Miller, who developed the program.

All you need is a pair of walking shoes, a wristwatch and permission from your doctor to get started.
Later, you'll add strength training to your routine.
Before you begin this workout, you should be able to walk comfortably for 30 minutes without stopping. Good walking technique includes standing tall, rolling from your heel through your toe, pushing off your forefoot, and pumping your arms close to your sides at about 10 and 2 o'clock.
Take a bottle of water and a hand towel in case you perspire.
If you are not able to walk 30 minutes continually, build your base -- start today with a 10-minute walk and then gradually increase the duration two to five minutes each time you walk. Continue to increase your walking time -- over about one to four weeks -- until you can walk the entire 30 minutes without stopping.
Now you're ready to start our interval-walking program.
Faster (interval) walking
Each interval workout starts with a 10-minute warm-up that includes strolling and stretching, making sure that the first three to five minutes of walking are slower than your steady walking pace.
To test yourself, after a 10-minute warm-up, pick up the pace for at least 10 to 30 seconds. If you don't have a watch, choose a point 100 yards away and walk toward it.
How do you feel? Can you manage four or five more 30-second segments?
To increase your walking speed, bend your arms so the elbows form a 90-degree angle then pump them at a faster pace than your usual walking motion. Take a shorter stride, and your legs will keep pace with your arms.
Interval walking involves faster walking periods followed by recovery or resting walks. Interval walking can be quite a bit faster than your normal pace.
If you really want to push it, walk as fast as you can manage for the duration of the interval.
Every faster interval you do benefits your body more than ordinary walking. As you walk faster, your body responds immediately. For instance, your heart beats faster, indicating a higher demand for oxygen. That strengthens your heart and increases your blood flow. You work your muscles harder and develop new muscle fiber. You burn calories faster. You boost your fitness by teaching your body to hold a faster pace.
After 30 seconds of fast walking, relax and walk at a steady stroll for a full minute. This is called your "recovery interval." Walk slowly, allowing your breathing to return to normal, and then speed up for another 30 seconds. Repeat this pattern as often as you like.
A reminder: The recovery interval should be about twice as long as your walking interval.
After you have completed your interval walking workout, remember to cool down for about 10 minutes and stretch your calves, shin muscles, hamstrings, quadriceps and lower back.
Strength training
Strength training is a great way to boost your metabolism and firm your muscles -- and there are a multitude of other benefits such as increased bone density, higher levels of daily energy, and better health and appearance.
Strength training can also increase general health by reducing risk factors associated with high blood pressure and elevated cholesterol.
Check with your doctor before you begin to make sure these or any other strength training exercises are OK for you to do.
Perform these exercises twice a week. If you are feeling really energetic, you can supplement them on Sunday. Each exercise should be performed for up to 24 repetitions.
At first, some of the exercises may seem too difficult to complete in one set, so you can take a quick rest after the first six or eight and then continue until you finish the entire set.
You'll need a pair of dumbbells, (optional broomstick or dowel) and a sturdy step or bench. Your step platform should be at least 8 inches high so you'll have clearance for some of the exercises such as dips and pushups. Use a towel or mat for cushioning and have a bottle of water handy as well.
CNN producer Juliette Merchant contributed to this report.

Another Mississippian Dies In Iraq

Soldier from Meridian killed in Iraq
The Associated Press

An Army sergeant from Meridian, Miss., was killed in Iraq by a roadside bomb, the Department of Defense reported Thursday.Staff Sgt. Robert L. Love Jr., 28, was killed last Friday in Ar Ramadi, Iraq, when the bomb exploded near his vehicle during combat operations, the Defense Department said.Efforts to contact members of Love's family on Thursday were not immediately successful.Love was assigned to the 16th Engineer Battalion, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 1st Armored Division, Giessen, Germany.Love is the 47th soldier with strong Mississippi ties to die in the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, according to an unofficial Associated Press count.Air Force Capt. Kermit Evans, a native of Hollandale and a graduate of Mississippi State University, died Monday when a helicopter transporting soldiers went down in a lake in Iraq.

A Day That Will Live In Infamy

Never Forget

Honor The Veterans

Remember Those Who Perished


Wednesday, December 06, 2006

Mississippi Soldier To Be Laid To Rest


A memorial service for Air Force Capt. Kermit Evans of Hollandale, who was killed in a helicopter crash in Iraq Sunday, is scheduled for 1 p.m.Saturday at Simmons High School in Hollandale. The memorial service is one of four scheduled for the 31-year-oldMississippi State University graduate, who was killed in his second stint inIraq. Evans will be laid to rest in Arlington National Cemetery at 9 a.m. Tuesday.Memorials can be made to: Wachovia Bank. Evans Family Memorial Fund. Formore information, call 1-800-922-4684

Monday, December 04, 2006

Let Us Light The Second Candle Of Advent


The Bethlehem Candle

"To Judea, to teh city of David called Bethlehem..." Luke 2:4

Look what the sparks of hope have brought to life! A lamp burns in the window of a stable. A humble place is being make ready to welcome God's wonderful surprise. Advent bids us enter that tiny town... to fetch straw for the manger... to PREPARE!

Saturday, December 02, 2006

Exercise And The Cold And Flu Season



"Should I exercise while sick?"

The rules for when to hit the gym and when to stay home

Chris Freytag
www.prevention.com

If you're exercising consistently--and I hope you are--you'll run into this problem from time to time. According to the American Council on Exercise, the average adult has two to three respiratory infections every year.The rule I like to use is called the "neck check." If your symptoms are all above the neck, like a runny nose or a sore throat, then you're okay to exercise. Of course you should always listen to your body and take the intensity of your workout down a bit if your regular pace feels too strenuous.If you're suffering from congestion or low energy, exercise often helps you feel better. A brisk walk can unclog your sinuses better than an afternoon on the couch. And gentle exercise will rev up your circulation, to counteract that sluggish, rundown feeling. But this is definitely a personal decision. You're the best judge of how you feel and what your body can handle.However, if you have any symptoms below the neck, such as body aches, chills, stomach problems or diarrhea, then I advise you to take it easy until you're feeling better. And if you're running a fever, no matter where your symptoms are, put off exercising until your temperature returns to normal.As we head into the hectic holiday season, remember that maintaining healthy habits may keep you from getting sick in the first place. So wash your hands frequently, eat a balanced diet, drink plenty of water and get adequate sleep. If you can find some room on your calendar, be sure to schedule a little "me time" to relax. One more thing: If you exercise in a public setting, like a gym, please consider your fellow exercisers and think about how contagious you might be. If you can't get through a single set on a weight machine without coughing or sneezing, you have my permission to stay home with a box of tissues and some hot tea!