Well, the woodpecker is back!

After finding the “gift” of a woodpecker on our back porch earlier this week, Shane disposed of it. I didn’t ask what he did with it, but the cats figured it out and brought it back!

Now that’s just disgusting. It was bad enough when it was “fresh.” Poor Shane has the job of getting rid of it AGAIN. Hopefully, that’s the last we’ll see of it.

Beth

  This is a follow-up to my post “Getting in Shape.”

  I had my assessments done yesterday with my “personal trainer.”

  To check my VO2 max (the volume of oxygen you can consume while exercising at your maximum capacity): four weeks ago, I walked one mile, in just under 18 minutes, heart rate was 138. Yesterday, I walked one mile in 15 minutes, heart rate was 148.

Flexibility test (using a tool to measure how far I can reach while sitting with feet flexed): four weeks ago I reached about 2 inches. Yesterday, I reached 7 1/4 inches.

Wow! It is so encouraging to see some measurable results. I feel stronger and healthier after just 4 weeks. Now, I need to stay motivated and continue the journey.

Beth

For those of you who are cat owners, this will come as no surprise. One of my cats (Max or Oreo) left us a gift on the back porch on Monday. Can you guess what it was? A woodpecker!

We are assuming Oreo was the one who caught the bird and deposited it on the porch (our main entrance to the house). Aw, and I thought he didn’t care. Oreo has always been the bigger and stronger of the two brothers. He is also the least affectionate. Although he and Max darted into the house whenever given the opportunity during the colder months to cuddle with the kids (the cats live outside and in the garage).

We got the cats last summer and they really didn’t have a change to do much hunting before the birds flew south and everything else hibernated. At the end of the Fall last year, Oreo had caught and eaten several grasshoppers and moths. And, to our delight, killed a mouse and brought it to the porch. Max, on the other hand, had only played with the mouse his brother caught and chased a few moths.

I happened to be the one to find the bird; however, I left it on the porch so the kids would get to see it. For show and tell today, Nicole (3rd Grade) is bringing some feathers she found on the porch after we disposed of the bird! I told her not to touch them so she is bring a rubber glove too! We looked up the bird in our bird book so she can tell her class the kind of woodpecker it was.

The funniest thing was that when I told Shane about it, he said, “I was just complaining about that woodpecker during lunch today!” I guess the cat gave us a gift after all!

Beth

I did a very brave thing about 4 weeks ago. I volunteered to be a “client” for a personal trainer student at BSU. I was hesitant at first, wondering what I would be getting myself into. Once I was assured it would only be 2 hours a week for 4 weeks, and that I could request a female trainer, I said “OK.”

It has been a great experience! The trainer I have is very good and very encouraging. The time has gone by really fast and we only have one more meeting left. Here’s a recap of the experience…

Day 1: paperwork, begin fitness assessment. Height, weight, flexibility

Day 2: checked VO2 Max by walking a mile and taking heart rate, strength test (25 sit ups at a rhythmic beat).

Day 3: Walked 1/2 mile. Did some squats in the weight room using the weight bar ( I could hardly walk when I left the Rec Ctr). Biceps and Triceps curls. Then walked another 1/4 mile. Sore for 3 days!

Day 4: Elliptical machine 1/2 hour, lots of stretching, wall push-ups

Day 5: Different Elliptical 15 minutes, weight room- bicep curls, skull crushers, ab work using exercise ball

Day 6: Yet another Elliptical 20 minutes, triceps work, wall push ups, stretching

Day 7: 1/4 mile walk, Elliptical 25 minutes, stretching, wall push-ups, triceps work, ab work with exercise ball

Last day is on Thursday. She will be giving me some final assessments and will also give me a program to follow so I can continue getting in shape. It’s been great. I’m glad I signed up!

Beth

One of my first posts was related to a snow day. Here we are in April with another snowday. Schools were closed today due to the 12-24 inches of snow we received over the weekend. Our neighbor to the east, Cass Lake, was the top spot with 27 inches of snow.

The snow plow went by on the main road so I just got back in from shoveling a path through the end of our road so we can get out. I think I worked about 10 minutes and felt like I just ran a mile. That snow is heavy!

I’m planning to go to my parent’s house for lunch. Hopefully I can get down their road. I know it won’t be plowed yet. We’ll have to pack up the boots and gloves just in case we get stuck somewhere. Oh, yeah-a shovel too.

Happy Spring!

Beth

I was able to catch up on one of the sessions that I missed several weeks ago. This one was “Who is Man?”

The common worldview is that man is generally good. But does that align with what is happening in the world?

Man and woman were created in the image of God. God said, it is good. However, when man and woman disobeyed God and chose to eat the forbidden fruit, they moved into a different state (mode). Sin entered the picture. In our ”fallen” state, we are not good. We have a sinful nature. There are two directions man can go from the fallen mode. We can accept Christ as Savior, and receive redemption (eternity in Heaven). Or, we can reject Christ and choose death (eternity in Hell).

I just came back inside after going on a walk around campus. It is absolutely glorious outside. The sun is shining, the temperature is pushing 50, and it smells like Spring! I saw probably half a dozen people wearing shorts, the remaining majority were wearing t-shirts (or at least no jacket).

I think it is so interesting that in April, 50 degrees feels like a heat wave. As we head into September, 50 degrees feels like the deep freeze. It’s all relative.

Try this experiment…you will need 3 bowls. Fill one with HOT water, one with ICE water and one with lukewarm water. Place a hand in each of the HOT and COLD bowls. After five minutes, place both hands in the lukewarm bowl.

Like I said…it’s all relative. Anyway, I love it and am planning to enjoy being outside today. In Minnesota you take each day as it comes–Seize the Day!

Beth

I’m trying out an experiment to see if I can get a cool icon on my blog that directs people to it.

 Lets see…

Lesson 5 was presented in two parts. The lesson was about science. I found these two lesson very interesting.

Dr. Tackett gave us several quotes from Darwin, and showed us how Darwinian theory falls apart given the evidence that we now have. The two areas that he looked at were biology (cell structure) and fossil records. Looking at these two things it is clear that Darwin’s theory is incorrect. By examining life, even in the simplest, smallest cell, we can clearly see there is intelligent design involved. Every cell contains a complicated structure of DNA that could not have just happened by “chance” or through an evolutionary process.

His example…imagine yourself walking in the woods. Your foot kicks a small round object, so you pick it up. You examine the object and see that it has a plate on it that opens, there are tiny hands that go around pointing to numbers and there are tiny mechanisms inside that make the thing “work.” You would not say to yourself, “Look what the leaves, pine-cones and tree sap have done.” You would know that the pocket-watch was designed by an intelligent creator (It is plain to you-see Romans 1:18-20 below). The same is true of the earth–”the heavens declare the glory of God” (Psalm 19:1). Look at the peacock feather (above) –could that possibly happen by chance?

The fossil records do not provide evidence for evolution. If life did evolve from one species to another, there would be thousands of in-between species, there are not. Some species do adapt and change slightly over time…but, a dog is always a dog, a chimp is always a chimp. They don’t change into a different species.

Romans 1: 18-20 The wrath of God is being revealed from heaven against all the godlessness and wickedness of men who suppress the truth by their wickedness, since what may be known about God is plain to them, because God has made it plain to them. For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse.

I added my wiki project to this website…

http://universitywikinodewiki.wikia.com/wiki/University-wikis

 Helpful websites…

http://www.elearnspace.org/enabling/wiki.htm 

http://www.wikiineducation.com/display/ikiw/Ways+to+use+wiki+in+education