Deurty

This Sunday we are checking the "Word on the Street" regarding money as well as looking at Proverbs dealing with riches. So, let me ask you... how much money would it take to make you feel happy/secure? I think people tend to throw out numbers like: $1,000,000, but I am curious what everyone thinks. Have you ever hoped to win the lotto and then realized you haven't ever played it? What? sd

Today i realized that I like New York City, but I despise New York City sport teams. I like Chicago and really enjoy spending time there, but I can't stand Chicago teams. I have great dislike for the city of Detroit, but love the sport teams. Go Tigers! sd

The days of kick the can in the front yard, of Saturday morning cartoons being cool, of Donkey Kong, of running around the neighborhood without a care in the world and no fear of predators. I had a great childhood and for that I am thankful. As you can see from this photo - I also had a great fashion role model in my father. He is showing big time! sd

I have been reading a great book by the title above. It is the story of a woman who tries to help as many orphaned kids as possible in the wave of HIV/AIDS in Ethiopia. The book is inspiring because it deals with self sacrifice as well as providing compelling information about HIV/AIDS and Ethiopia. One quote from the book that addressed the lack of help given to Africa in the midst of the HIV/AIDS pandemic was challenging: Stephen Lewis calls the voluble hobnobbing of experts on the subject of global health and orphans "speakathons"; they "give credence," he writes, "to the proposition that if you talk about something for long enough, the illusion will be created that progress in the world of reports, analyses, figures, tables, diagrams, and at least a thousand PowerPoint presentations, not to overlook throbbing intellectual rumination, but very little progress that's discernible in the lives of orphaned and vulnerable children on the ground." So her...

When Vicki and I lived in Australia (1995-1997) we had the joy of leading a group of young people. We called our group, "Xtreme." Now, this was right before everything was called "xtreme" and it was the mid-nineties so cut me some slack. :) Anyways, Vicki and I often reflect on our time in Australia. It was truly the most influential shaping experience in our lives besides getting married and having kids. We rolled into Sydney with five months of marriage under our belt. I was twenty-three and Vicki was twenty-one. We learned how to do life together in Australia. We experienced "life together" in Metric. Well - the little Xtreme group we gathered was born out of nothing. When we started we had one youth contact. I hung around in local schools and met some young people who agreed to hang out. We then gathered more students through a youth contact in another area. Over time this group grew and Vicki and I were able to build some great relationshi...

Some things: I have been putting together a website with past messages and articles for those interested. I will try to do it differently in the future, but it is a start. If you want to read some go to: DEURTY.COM I can't wait for baseball season!!!!!!!!!! Go Tigers! AHHHHHH - I can't wait! Diet Coke tastes better than regular Coke after a year. Cadbury chocolate is better than Hershey's. Facebook is better than MySpace. My dad can beat up your dad. I am hoping Johnny Love can make an appearance at my daughters Valentine party. My boat. sd