Science...As Seen By Kids
Answers from kids to science test questions:
Q: What is one horsepower?
A: One horsepower is the amount of energy it takes to drag a horse 500 feet in one second.


Q: How can one determine how close to them a lightening strike was?
A: You can listen to thunder after lightening and tell how close you came to getting hit. If you don't hear it you got hit, so never mind.


Q: What makes up molecules?
A: When they broke open molecules, they found they were only stuffed with atoms. But when they broke open atoms, they found them stuffed with explosions.


Q: What is an orbit?
A: When people run around and around in circles we say they are crazy. When planets do it we say they are orbiting.


Q: Is the sun a star?
A: Most books now say our sun is a star. But it still knows how to change back into a sun in the daytime.


Q: What is a vibration?
A: A vibration is a motion that cannot make up its mind which way it wants to go.


Q: What is a fossil?
A: Many dead animals of the past changed to fossils, others preferred to be oil.


Q: Define a vacuum.
A: Vacuums are nothings. We only mention them to let them know we know they're there.


Q: What is exaporation?
A: We say the cause of perfume disappearing is evaporation. Evaporation gets blamed for a lot of things people forget to put the top on.


Q: How are clouds formed?
A: I am not sure how clouds get formed. But the clouds know how to do it, and that is the important thing.


Q: What makes it rain?
A: Rain is saved up in cloud banks.


Q: What is the average temperature in the tropics?
A: It is so hot in some parts of the world that the people there have to live other places.

Why Did God Make Dogs?



An elderly woman was trying to recover from a stroke. Her brain was damaged, and her arm was weak, so her therapist brought, of all things, a dog to help out. Instead of completing monotonous drills, the elderly patient threw a bright red Frisbee across the room, and the dog bounced over, picked it up, and brought it back, his eyes begging, "Throw it again, please!" And she did, over and over and over, forgetting that she was actually working quite hard.

What possessed God to make dogs anyway? Certainly there are exceptions, and certainly people can breed dogs to bring out the worst in them, but in general, there is nothing more selfless, loving or patient than a dog. Mistreat it and it comes back to you anyway. Ignore it and it never gives up hope that you will be its friend again. Make it wait days to go play, and it will still be ready. It offers you friendship and companionship and in return asks only for food, water and an occasional scratch behind the ears. Why would God bother to make such a creature?

I suppose that if dogs were like people they would eventually give up on us ... but they never do. A dog’s love is almost impossible to destroy, because it’s not a love you earn; it’s simply a love you are given. In other words, dogs love unconditionally.

Unconditional love; unending patience; faithfulness to the very end. Do you suppose, just perhaps, that God made dogs to show us a little something about Himself? Do you think maybe "man's best friend" is really pointing us to the One who is truly our very Best Friend?

You could learn a lot about God from a dog.

Thursday 9/10/09

Tonight is the kickoff for the NFL season....so ponder this...

Are you ready for some football? This is about football - but it's about life too.

Quotes from past gridiron legends

1. 'After you retire, there's only one big event left... and I ain't ready for that.' Bobby Bowden / Florida State

2. 'Motivation is simple. You eliminate those who are not motivated.' Lou Holtz / Arkansas

3. 'I make my practices real hard because if a player is a quitter, I want him to quit in practice, not in a game.' Bear Bryant / Alabama

4. 'Football is not a contact sport - it is a collision sport. Dancing is a contact sport.' Vince Lombardi, Green Bay Packers

5. 'If lessons are learned in defeat, our team is getting a great education.' Murray Warmath / Minnesota

6. 'Always remember... Goliath was a 40 point favorite over David.' Shug Jordan / Auburn

WOW! What a picture.....so I'm pondering how anyone is going to try and convince us that this happend by some random chance explosion, or 2 stars collided and this just happened? I know how this happened.....it was created by God Almighty for us to appreciate his creativity. And you know what?.....I DO!!!!!

Darren

Roger Troy is the author of "Let's Do Lunch" get deals when you buy the book for his website at www.letsdolunch.com and he is keeping NONE of the money from the sell of the books. It goes to Heart & Diabetes research.

If you want to order by phone call 239-390-3900.

August 29, 2009

pick of the week

FOR PARENTS THE FIRST DAY THEIR GIRLS GO TO SCHOOL:
I TRUST YOU’LL TREAT HER WELL

DEAR WORLD,

I BEQUEATH TO YOU TODAY ONE LITTLE GIRL IN A CRISPY DRESS WITH TWO BLUE EYES AND A HAPPY LAUGH THAT RIPPLES ALL DAY LONG AND A FLASH OF LIGHT BLOND HAIR THAT BOUNCES IN THE SUN WHEN SHE RUNS. I TRUST YOU'LL TREAT HER WELL.

SHE'S SLIPPING OUT OF THE BACKYARD OF MY HEART THIS MORNING AND SKIPPING OFF DOWN THE STREET TO HER FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL. AND NEVER AGAIN WILL SHE BE COMPLETELY MINE. PRIM AND PROUD SHE'LL WAVE HER YOUNG AND INDEPENDENT HAND THIS MORNING AND SAY "GOODBYE" AND WALK WITH LITTLE LADY STEPS TO THE SCHOOLHOUSE.

NOW SHE'LL LEARN TO STAND IN LINES AND WAIT BY THE ALPHABET FOR HER NAME TO BE CALLED. SHE'LL LEARN TO TUNE HER EARS FOR THE SOUNDS OF SCHOOL-BELLS AND DEADLINES AND SHE'LL LEARN TO GIGGLE AND GOSSIP AND LOOK AT THE CEILING IN A DISINTERESTED WAY WHEN THE LITTLE BOY 'CROSS THE AISLE STICKS OUT HIS TONGUE AT HER. AND, NOW SHE'LL LEARN TO BE JEALOUS. AND NOW SHE'LL LEARN HOW IT IS TO FEEL HURT INSIDE.

AND NOW SHE'LL LEARN HOW NOT TO CRY.

NO LONGER WILL SHE HAVE TIME TO SIT ON THE FRONT PORCH STEPS ON A SUMMER DAY AND WATCH AN ANT SCURRY ACROSS THE CRACK IN THE SIDEWALK. NOR WILL SHE HAVE TIME TO POP OUT OF BED WITH THE DAWN AND KISS LILAC BLOOMS IN THE MORNING DEW. NO, NOW SHE'LL WORRY ABOUT THOSE IMPORTANT THINGS LIKE GRADES AND WHICH DRESS TO WEAR AND WHOSE BEST FRIEND IS WHOSE. AND THE MAGIC OF BOOKS AND LEARNING WILL REPLACE THE MAGIC OF HER BLOCKS AND DOLLS.

AND NOW SHE'LL FIND NEW HEROES.

FOR FIVE FULL YEARS NOW I'VE BEEN HER SAGE AND SANTA CLAUS AND PAL AND PLAYMATE AND FATHER AND FRIEND. NOW SHE'LL LEARN TO SHARE HER WORSHIP WITH HER TEACHERS WHICH IS ONLY RIGHT.

BUT, NO LONGER WILL I BE THE SMARTEST, GREATEST MAN IN THE WHOLE WORLD. TODAY WHEN THAT SCHOOL BELL RINGS FOR THE FIRST TIME SHE'LL LEARN WHAT IT MEANS TO BE A MEMBER OF THE GROUP WITH ALL ITS PRIVILEGES AND ITS DISADVANTAGES TOO.

SHE'LL LEARN IN TIME THAT PROPER YOUNG LADIES DO NOT LAUGH OUT LOUD OR KISS DOGS OR KEEP FROGS IN PICKLE JARS IN BEDROOMS OR EVEN WATCH ANTS SCURRY ACROSS CRACKS IN SIDEWALKS IN THE SUMMER.

TODAY SHE'LL LEARN FOR THE FIRST TIME THAT ALL WHO SMILE AT HER ARE NOT HER FRIENDS. AND I'LL STAND ON THE FRONT PORCH AND WATCH HER START OUT ON THE LONG, LONELY JOURNEY TO BECOMING A WOMAN.

SO, WORLD, I BEQUEATH TO YOU TODAY ONE LITTLE GIRL IN A CRISPY DRESS WITH TWO BLUE EYES AND A HAPPY LAUGH THAT RIPPLES ALL DAY LONG…AND A FLASH OF LIGHT BLOND HAIR THAT BOUNCES IN THE SUN WHEN SHE RUNS.

I TRUST YOU'LL TREAT HER WELL.

Friday July 24, 09

Bronze Rat

A tourist walks into a curio shop in San Francisco. Looking around at the exotica, he notices a very lifelike, life-sized bronze statue of a rat. It has no price tag, but is so striking he decides he must have it.

He took it to the owner: "How much for the bronze rat?" "Twelve dollars for the rat, one hundred dollars for the story," said the owner.

The tourist gave the man twelve dollars. "I'll just take the rat, you can keep the story."

As he walked down the street carrying his bronze rat, he noticed that a few real rats had crawled out of the alleys and sewers and began following him down the street. This was disconcerting; he began walking faster. But within a couple blocks, the herd of rats behind him had grown to hundreds, and they began squealing.

He began to trot toward the Bay, looking around to see that the rats now numbered in the MILLIONS, and were squealing and coming toward him faster and faster.

Concerned, even scared, he ran to the edge of the Bay and threw the bronze rat as far out into the Bay as he could. Amazingly, the millions of rats all jumped into the Bay after it, and were all drowned.

The man walked back to the curio shop. "Ah ha," said the owner, "You have come back for the story?"

"No," said the man, "I came back to see if you have a bronze politician?"

Monday July 13, 2009

What are you Stuffed with?

Last week, my family and saw the new Ice age movie and afterwards went to the Pizza Hut in Asheboro for a late lunch. We got there after the lunch buffet had ended so we had to order the pizzas. My children were very hungry and 2 of them asked if they could get a salad while they waited. When the bill came and it was time to go I noticed the bill didn't match what i thought it would be, and after checking I realized that the waitress didn't add 1 of their salads to the bill. When I said this to my family, one of my children said yeah, they messed up and you don't have to pay for it.

After a brief pause, i said we can't do that. We have to tell her of the mistake and pay for it. I know that we all make mistakes, but what we need to strive for is always doing the right thing, even if there is a cost. I pray that my children saw that Daddy did the right thing and there is never a time to ignore doing the right thing because it was someone elses mistake. I've realized that my children are constantly watching me and I pray that God will help me always set an example that is honorable to him.

So.....What are you stuffed with?

July 7, 2009

A Glass Of Milk

One day, a poor boy who was selling goods from door to door to pay his way through school, found he had only one thin dime left, and he was hungry. He decided he would ask for a meal at the next house. However, he lost his nerve when a lovely young woman opened the door. Instead of a meal he asked for a drink of water. She thought he looked hungry so brought him a large glass of milk. He drank it slowly, and then asked, "How much do I owe you?"

"You don't owe me anything," she replied. "Mother has taught us never to accept pay for a kindness."

He said, "Then I thank you from my heart."

As Howard Kelly left that house, he not only felt stronger physically, but his faith in God and man was strong also. He had been ready to give up and quit.

Year's later that young woman became critically ill. The local doctors were baffled. They finally sent her to the big city, where they called in specialists to study her rare disease. Dr. Howard Kelly was called in for the consultation.

When he heard the name of the town she came from, a strange light filled his eyes. Immediately he rose and went down the hall of the hospital to her room. Dressed in his doctor's gown he went in to see her. He recognized her at once. He went back to the consultation room determined to do his best to save her life. From that day he gave special attention to the case.

After a long struggle, the battle was won. Dr. Kelly requested the business office to pass the final bill to him for approval. He looked at it, then wrote something on the edge and the bill was sent to her room. She feared to open it, for she was sure it would take the rest of her life to pay for it all. Finally she looked, and something caught her attention on the side of the bill. She read these words:

PAID IN FULL WITH ONE GLASS OF MILK.

(Signed) Dr. Howard Kelly

Tears of joy flooded her eyes as her happy heart prayed: Thank You, God, that Your love is shed abroad through human hearts and hands.


"He which soweth sparingly shall reap also sparingly; and he which soweth bountifully shall reap also bountifully." (2 Corinthians 9:6)

Monday July 6, 2009

Creek Jumping
One day a boy came walking home from school. On the way home he saw a creek. He quickly jumped in, clothes and all. When he arrived home completely soaked his dad asked, "Son what happened?"

"I jumped in that creek down the road."

"Why did you do that?"

"I dunno."

His dad was very angry and said, "If you jump in that creek again, just because, I'm gonna tan your hide - just because! Is that clear?"

"Yes dad," the boy replies.

The next day, the boy came home walking from school, and sure enough when he saw that creek, he jumped right on in.

When he went home, his dad knew what had happened and asked, "Didn't I tell you not to jump in that creek again?"

"Yes dad, but Satan told me to do it!"

His dad, being a religious man, decided to give his son the benefit of the doubt and tells him - "Next time Satan tells you to do something like that, say 'Satan get thee behind me in the name of Jesus'."

"Ok dad," replied the son.

Well the next day after school, the boy was walking across the bridge, and... well you know the rest. He came home again soaked.

His dad said, "I thought I told you what to say when you came to that creek!"

"I said what you told me dad, and when I did, Satan pushed me in!"


While this is a cute story and may have made you chuckle.....what is it that you are being convicted to do...or Stop doing, that you continue to make excuses in order to avoid doing it?

Great summertime recipe by Chef Jeff (Triad Community Kitchens)
Second Harvest Food bank: www.hungernwnc.org

Panzanella
Serving Size : 10 Preparation Time: 30 minutes
Amount Measure Ingredients
-------- ------------ --------------------------------
8 ounces bread cubes -- toasted
1 1/2 pounds fresh tomatoes -- Diced
2 teaspoons Garlic -- minced
3 ounces celery -- hearts diced
8 ounces cucumber -- seeded and diced
6 ounces bell pepper -- diced
6 ounces yellow bell pepper -- diced
2 tablespoons capers -- drained
3 tablespoons fresh basil -- chopped
10 fluid ounces Red Wine Vinaigrette
(see recipe below)

Combine all chopped ingredients. Toss with vinaigrette dressing.


Red Wine Vinaigrette
Amount Measure Ingredient
-------- ------------ --------------------------------
8 ounces red wine vinegar
2 teaspoons dijon mustard -- diagonally sliced
2 each shallot -- minced
24 ounces olive oil
2 teaspoons sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
3 tablespoons parsley -- minced

Combine vinegar, shallot and mustard in processor. Add oil slowly while spinning. Adjust seasoning with salt sugar and pepper. Add parsley. Makes one quart…

June 26, 2009 Something to Ponder

As the world tries to take in the loss of 2 big celebrities yesterday, I’m pondering what their life could have been like. One was titled the “Sex Symbol of the 70’s” and the other was “The King of Pop”…..but do you think their life was really that glamorous? While Farrah Fawcett was admired for her beauty, the final days of her life were spent battling the ugliness of cancer……and Michael Jackson spent 41 of his 50 years in the public spotlight as a musical superstar. I think at one time or another we all have wondered what it would be like to be a wealthy celebrity who could do whatever they wanted. But, take a look around you right now….are the photographers and paparazzi waiting to take pictures of you or your children? at your home, business, or the grocery store. Do you enjoy playing with your kids in the backyard? Going to the movies? Having friends who like you for you and aren’t asking for something?

Ponder this…….if you had the opportunity for only 1 day to walk in the shoes of your favorite celebrity and experience EVERYTHING that they would in the course of the day, would you? I don’t think I would. You see, I’ve come to appreciate the life that God has given me, both the good times and the struggles. You see, beauty will fade away, and money can’t buy and fix everything. Whether you’re wealthy, getting by, or struggling, we all have things we have to face. But we don’t have to face them alone. I imagine you could go anywhere in the world and people would know who the King of pop was……but do you know the King of Kings?

June 11, 2009

Did you hear about the lady in Jerusalem who hid her life savings in her mattress? Her family decided to surprise her with a new mattress to replace her old one and threw out the old one with the trash not knowing the fortune inside. Can you imagine how horrible they felt when they found out?



This morning we spoke with an incredible speaker who will be in town this weekend……David Ring. One of the things he said is incredible. God never says “oops.” While our children may have their accidents around the house, and we may fall short of our expectations or forget something important, or have something terrible happen to us….there is nothing that will ever happen that God isn’t a part of. After all….God never says “oops.”

Wednesday June 10, 2009

Johnny Strange is a senior in high school in Malibu, Calif., has become the youngest person to scale the tallest peaks on each of the world's seven continents. He completed his final summit climb on June 8 when he scaled Australia's 7,310-foot Mount Kosciuszko. He broke the record of Samantha Larson of Long Beach, Calif., who was 18 when she finished the seven summits challenge in 2007. Johnny has been climbing mountains since he was 12. Here is a 17 year old who has accomplished what to most would be an impossible task not once….but 7 times!

So, what is it that you keep telling yourself is impossible? Going back to school? Getting another job? Losing some weight? Stop smoking? Forgiving someone or even being forgiven yourself???

Matthew 19:26 and Mark 10:27 ...says…

Jesus looked at them and said, "With man this is impossible, but not with God; all things are possible with God."
When I hear of a 17 year old climbing the tallest mountains on 7 different continents, I believe that with God, all things are possible.

What will you let go of and put in His hands today?

Monday June 8th, 2009

The Finish Line

Have you ever seen a runner get to the end of a Marathon, and quit? Of course not……no matter how tired, hurting or ready to give up they may feel, once they see that finish line they get that last charge to see them through.



The same can be said for all our Graduates this week, their year may have dragged along for 35 weeks, today they can finally see the finish line and I’d imagine that this will be one of their best weeks of the year!



How about you? What is it that you are getting caught up in the middle of today? What is it that has you ready to give up and say I Quit! Ponder this…..I remember a certain garden…….where Jesus was able to see His finish line and he cried out…”Father, isn’t there some other way? Yet not my will, but Thine be done.” Jesus crossed his finish line and overcame death and the grave….and because he did, we can share in the Celebration!



Keep your head looking up, and keep your eyes on the Finish line…….and may the celebration you enjoy be Awesome!

FREE Chocolate Fridays!!!!!!

I am very excited about Real Chocolate Relief & Free Chocolate Fridays....What is Real Chocolate Relief? Times are tough and we at Mars want to help. How, you ask? Every Friday through September, Mars will give away FREE* real chocolate to 250,000 people. To sign up visit ..... https://secure.realchocolate.com/default.aspx

Monday June 1st 2009

Why do we procrastinate? Is it just human nature?



My daughter Hannah is going to be heading to middle school next year and she already knows that there are some shots she’ll have to get before going next year. This weekend I heard her say can I wait and get them right before school starts? I told her she should go ahead and get them over with and enjoy her summer.



Then we went to the pool and she jumped right in even though the water was cold and started having fun…while I slowly waded into the pool trying to not get fully wet as long as possible, when Hannah looked at me and said, why don’t you just go under and get it over with so you can play with us?



Funny isn’t it when our words are thrown back at us……..do you know what I did? I counted down from 5 to 1 and went under and screamed my head off.



Then I had fun with my kids for 4 hours…….



So what are you putting off? A mission trip? Volunteering for VBS this summer, losing weight? To use a line from my favorite artist Steven Curtis Chapman, why don’t you just “Dive” in. Once you get that first step over with, I’m sure you’ll enjoy it.

All I ever needed to know, I learned in Kindergarten

from "All I Really Need to Know I Learned in Kindergarten : Uncommon Thoughts on Common Things" by Robert Fulghum

Most of what I really need to know about how to live, and what to do, and how to be, I learned in kindergarten. Wisdom was not at the top the graduate school mountain, but there in the sand box at nursery school.

These are the things I learned. Share everything. Play fair. Don't hit people. Put things back where you found them. Clean up your own mess. Don't take things that aren't yours. Say you are sorry when you hurt somebody. Wash your hands before you eat. Flush. Warm cookies and cold milk are food for you. Live a balanced life. Learn some and think some and draw some and paint and sing and dance and play and work everyday.

Take a nap every afternoon. When you go out in the world, watch for traffic, hold hands, and stick together. Be aware of wonder. Remember the little seed in the plastic cup? The roots go down and the plant goes up and nobody really knows how or why. We are like that.

And then remember that book about Dick and Jane and the first word you learned, the biggest word of all: LOOK! Everything you need to know is there somewhere. The Golden Rule and love and basic sanitation, ecology, and politics and the sane living.

Think of what a better world it would be if we all, the whole world, had cookies and milk about 3 o'clock every afternoon and then lay down with our blankets for a nap. Or we had a basic policy in our nation and other nations to always put thing back where we found them and clean up our own messes. And it is still true, no matter how old you are, when you go out in the world, it is best to hold hands and stick together.

Pick of the week April 25, 2009

Hooked On Giving
Dr. Mar Aprem of the ancient Chaldean Orthodox Church of the East in India tells a funny story about when a member of the church won a lottery worth 100,000 rupees. His wife went to the bishop and told him that she was afraid to tell this glad news to her husband because he had a heart problem and any sudden excitement could cause a heart attack.

The bishop offered to break the news gently to her husband. He visited the house and asked the man, "Wouldn't it be a good thing if you won 1,000 rupees in the lottery?" The man replied that he still would have to work to support his family.

"What about 10,000 rupees?" the bishop asked. The man still showed no excitement, so the bishop carefully raised the amount to 50,000 and finally to 100,000 rupees.

"If I got 100,000 rupees, I would give half of it to you, your Excellency," the man replied.

The bishop had a heart attack, and the man called an ambulance.

We can get excited about winning and getting. But have you learned how fun it is to give -- and not only money? Engineering and machinery genius R. G. LeTourneau (1888 - 1969) discovered the great joy that can come of generosity. Besides establishing a private school (today's LeTourneau University), that remarkable man reportedly gave 90 percent of his income to worthwhile causes, while living on the remaining 10 percent. He became hooked on giving!

And like I said, money is not the only commodity that is fun to give. We can give time, we can give our expertise, we can give our love or simply give a smile. What does that cost? The point is, none of us can ever run out of something worthwhile to give.

Giving is fun. And addictive.

RESURRECTION ROLLS



INGREDIENTS..... CRESCENT DINNER ROLLS

MELTED BUTTER / SOFT MARGARINE

CINNAMON / SUGAR MIXTURE

LARGE MARSHMALLOWS

PREHEAT OVEN ACCORDING TO DINNER ROLLS.

TAKE INDIVIDUAL DINNER ROLLS (THEY REPRESENT JESUS’ TOMB)

THEN SPREAD THE MELTED BUTTER / MARGARINE (REPRESENTING THE ANOINTING OIL) ON ROLLS.

NEXT, PLACE MARSHMALLOW (REPRESENTING JESUS) IN THE ROLL.

SPRINKLE WITH THE CINNAMON / SUGAR MIXTURE. (REPRESENTING THE ANOINTING SPICES USED IN BURIAL)

WRAP MARSHMALLOW TIGHTLY IN THE ROLL. (REPRESENTING WRAPPING JESUS IN THE TOMB)

MAKE SURE TO LEAVE NO CRACKS OPEN.....SO HE CAN’T ESCAPE!

BAKE ACCORDING TO CRESCENT ROLL DIRECTIONS.

THE TOMBS WILL BE OPEN AND EMPTY AS THE MARSHMALLOW MELTS, CREATING A DELICIOUS TREAT!

THIS REALLY WORKS! WE MADE THEM AS A FAMILY RECENTLY AND THE CHILDREN ENJOYED MAKING THEM!

GOOD LUCK AND WE HOPE YOU ENJOY THIS WONDERFUL VISUAL STORY AS MUCH AS WE DID.



SINCERELY,

THE STEVENS FAMILY