Aurora Borealis video

http://video.search.yahoo.com/video/play?p=aurora%20borealis&tnr=21&vid=281205277306&l=193&turl=http%3A%2F%2Fts1.mm.bing.net%2Fvideos%2Fthumbnail.aspx%3Fq%3D281205277306%26id%3D3f6d918d7f4ee2bb0ea965b0e9aa0163%26bid%3DnmIyivS1pH0h%252fg%26bn%3DThumb%26url%3Dhttp%253a%252f%252fwww.youtube.com%252fwatch%253fv%253d7GThxWmmvvk&rurl=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fwatch%3Fv%3D7GThxWmmvvk&sigr=11at9t0co&newfp=1&tit=Aurora+Borealis+%28The+Northern+Lights%29

Otherwise known as the Northern Lights, I was priveleged about 20 years ago to see first-hand this amazing spectacle, though without the accompanying music. . .don't know if there's a southern-hemisphere variation of this.  All I know is that it's something everyone should see if given a chance.  sort of "Fire in the Sky"!

"Hallelujah": kd lang at the Winter Olympics 2010 Opening Ceremony

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e26D3w5Glqk&feature=related

Leonard Cohen did the original version of this beautiful song and a wonderful job he did, but I am such a fan of kd lang that I want to share this version.  I regret that a close-up isn't possible, there were too many people there.  I also regret that I wasn't there but I did watch it on television!

Space Station photos

http://www.canadiangeographic.ca/magazine/dec10/international_space_station.asp

Canadian astronaut Chris Hadfield on the International Space Station leads a tour on the Space Station.  Six-picture slide-show.

Canadian Geographic magazine: photographs of animals from a contest

http://photoclub.canadiangeographic.ca/photos/wildlife_contest/category84308.aspx

I love Canadian Geographic magazine.  Many of the animal pictures in it are done by professional photographers but some are apparently by amateurs; excellent nevertheless.  Many wonderful shots here, too many for me to pick and choose.  You can decide for yourself what you like or don't like.

Taize Song--Wait for the Lord

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0mLfr2vfbZk

My brother posted this to-day on Facebook, it's apparently for the First Sunday of Advent which is to-day.  I've not heard it before but think it's so beautiful as to be sublime and I want to share it here.

The Alpha Course

http://www.facebook.com/ukalphacourse#!/ukalphacourse

My wife and I recently attended the Alpha course at our church, Grace Community church and enjoyed it tremendously.  It looks at Christianity in a whole different light.  Example:  many people think that there is a very wide gulf between God and us.  There isn't though.  Really.  God, we believe, came to Earth in the person of Jesus, and lived and died for us, that we might be redeemed and given new life, a better direction for our lives.  And this is the gift that we are given through the Holy Spirit, that we might not only represent Christ, but have our God living in us.  Forever.  We send our prayers up (whichever direction that really is) and God's grace is sent to us. 

(The food is great too!)

Calvin and Hobbes discuss Heaven

This has always been a favourite comic of mine and miss it a lot.  I do get it sent to my e-mail every day.  Calvin is the boy and Hobbes is the tiger, real to no-one except Calvin.  To everyone else he's a stuffed animal.

Food Court Flash Mob: The Hallelujah Chorus

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SXh7JR9oKVE&feature=player_embedded

When something brings tears to my eyes, emotional wreck that I am at times, I want to share it.  This is good enough, definitely, to share.

Yea though I walk through the valley

Sometimes I feel like that cat.  I wonder who never feels like that at times.  Cheers everyone.  I hope your day is wonderful, or at least passable!  Just never forget that you who believe in a loving God are always protected.

More (yet more) on the Science-Religion debate

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/karl-giberson-phd/why-is-middle-ground-so-p_b_779161.html

Trying to find the middle ground, if there is one.  Mr. Giberson wonders as I do whether one side is right and the other side is wrong.  That this should be is itself up for debate.  And if there is a middle ground, which "team" would those who stand there be on?

Christ the King

http://www.theworkofthepeople.com/index.php?ct=store.details&pid=V00151

Just an awesome video, to celebrate the reign of Christ.

The Rainbow Bridge

http://www.indigo.org/rainbowbridge_ver2.html

We lost our little dog Sparky last night.  His soul left his body at about midnight and he's now free of whatever demons caused him pain and suffering in his last days.  He was only two and a half years old by the calendar and was a joy to have in our family.  He was very affectionate towards everyone and regularly tried to clean my toe-jam, my ears, what have you.  If he was left alone in the house for even 30 minutes while we went to do grocery shopping, he told us off loudly on our return.  BARK BARK BARK BARK at Karen, at me, until we were sufficiently chastised.  When the kids got home from school, big greetings.  When friends came by, big greetings.  He loved to play and would chase whatever toy we would throw for him, and if we threw another while he was coming back with the first one, he would drop toy 1 and go after toy 2.  He loved everyone and tolerated the Cats as they tolerated him.  Until they got too close to his toys.  Then BARK BARK BARK BARK!  We don't know why he got sick and died but at least he's out of pain now.  And we will forever remember him.

the Resurrection of Jesus

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/11/18/believing-the-impossible-_n_785626.html

Believing the so-called "impossible".  This is what faith is all about.

a Rethink of the Divide between Religion and Science

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/steve-paulson/science-religion-divide_b_756309.html

The debate continues.  Perhaps it is like a Moibus strip, one can follow it indefinitely and never ever come to the end of it. 

random. . .

Comments

I think I have finally been able to enable comments to posts.  So, hopefully my bad day is over! 

Biggest dang bubbles ever!

http://video.ca.msn.com/watch/video/energy-bubbles-discovered-at-galaxys-heart/17yixlgj3?from=en-ca-hpquad

Space nut that I am, this strikes a chord with my curious heart.

Nature's Phenomena

http://webecoist.com/2009/01/18/nature-phenomena-wonders-natural-world/

some things found in nature that scientists are hard-pressed to explain. . .

GENEralities: From the Sublime to…: a Musical Interlude

GENEralities: From the Sublime to…: a Musical Interlude: "H/T—Above: Anglican Samizdat. Below: White Horse Inn Blog"

Rememberance Day

http://www.arlingtoncemetery.net/flanders.htm

In Flanders Fields is a wonderful way for us to remember those who died so that we can live in freedom.

This is a video called "A Pittance of Time", and it is to remind us to take a couple of minutes out of our busy lives to remember and honour the dead who went bravely into battle and never came back.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8poZshcDj8g

Grand Canyon Suite by Ferde Grofe "Cloudburst"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R-7fHOXPln4

This is without a doubt my favourite movement in the Suite.  The video matches the movement:  the lightning strikes, the deluge of water, the clouds scudding accross the sky.

Grand Canyon Suite by Ferde Grofe "Sunset"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qQCBEkY5Yuk&feature=related

Continuing the Grand Canyon Suite music.  This is 'Sunset', performed by Tomita.

Ordination of first woman rabbi in Germany since the Holocaust

http://www.boston.com/news/world/europe/articles/2010/11/05/synagogue_ordains_first_woman_rabbi_in_germany_since_holocaust/?p1=Well_MostPop_Emailed2

Germany has come a long way since the days of Hitler's Nazis.

The believe-it-or-not rescue of Ripley the dog

http://blog.seattlepi.com/filmhound/archives/226890.asp

This is what love and tender loving care can do for a dog.  The before and after pictures are amazing.

confirmation of water on Mars

What more needs to be said?

Keeping track of just about everything!

http://www.poodwaddle.com/clocks/worldclock/

Don't know how accurate this is but it's interesting, or I thought so anyway.  Lots of data being processed here.

A Piece of Their Mind: Tatiana and Krista

http://www2.macleans.ca/2010/11/02/a-piece-of-their-mind/

Thesr four-year-old twins are forever joined at the top of their heads; they share a brain and though they have different fields of view, see what each other can see, they share thoughts and desires, problems and issues.  They lean towards each other when they walk, they wrestle with other kids and almost anything they want.  Their parents view each new day as a new miracle and a new challenge, and because they love their children they find a way to do what needs to be done.  It's truly amazing.