Married 47+ years, mostly good. The bad times or circumstances during those bad times were out of our control. How we handled those trying times was with God's grace, prayer and our abiding love for each other.

Now I'm gonna cook some soup so I can have left overs in the fridge to eat. Ought to burn a few calories chopping the vegetables and making the roux before adding the broth and cooked chicken. Rice or noodles?. Oh shoot! It'll have to be rice, so I won't gain weight while I try to get in shape.

Happy New Year! May you always have enough in the coming year. Not all you want maybe,but enough. Enough love, laughter, visiting with friends and family, money to pay the bills, enough activities to keep you active and engaged, enough time on your hands to visit each other on the internet...just sayin'.

If anyone here in America is offended by Merry Christmas then that person has a serious mental affliction that should have been addressed by loving parents behind the wood shed.
Seriously, I'm offended by all these folks who are offended by Absolutely Nothing worth being offended by. I have a constitutional right to say Merry Christmas to anyone. You don't like it don't return the salutations.

I'm offended by the lyrics on the radio and cd's, I turn off the channel and don't buy the cd's.

I'm offended by the language my customers speak in front of me as they check out where I work; however, I hold my tongue and wish them a good day, weekend wh**ever.

We can be offended by anything; however, as my mom used to say, "if you can't say something good, say nothing at all!"

There's a quote somewhere along the following lines, maybe you folks can find it and give proper credit, "it is better to be thought a fool, than open your mouth and remove all doubt."

That's "bless your poor little heart" here in the South.

I don't know much about the end of time and Biblical prophesy; however, all the ministers I've listened to over the years have pretty much said to live each day as if it were your last. That being said, I think God gives us each a time span here on earth. We as His children are to praise Him and live for Him each and every day. We know not when we may take our last breath. So I pretty much don't worry about what's to come in the end of days. I'm a child of the King, secure in His promise of eternal life. Yes, we'll have trials and tribulations, however, we have a home in Heaven to look forward to when our life on earth is done. God's rule is eternal, man's rule is only temporary.

Some of the ideas are good, however, knife safety wasn't a particular issue. There are quite a few videos on cutting food available on the internet for free. I paid for a class in basic "knife sk**ls" years ago at our local community college. Wanted to learn how to use a chefs knife. Learned basic sk**ls for the kitchen. Ummm....can do quite a bit with just 4 basic knives. Chef, serrated, straight, & paring.

Merry Christmas and may you always have enough in the New Year.

"This is going to hurt me more than you." You know I never did believe that before mom gave me a switching, until I became a parent.
And how about "hold still or this is going to hurt" just before someone takes out a splinter or ingrown toe nail or takes gravel out of a scraped knee or palm.

Some allergy pills will make you sleepy, sudafed keeps me UP, Up, Up. Check out adverse effects of meds. Just sayin'.

Registered Independent also, have been for decades. I'm with you on the topics you mentioned. God gave me a brain He expects me to use for His purpose. Been trying to v**e out some of the incumbents for years now. Brother-in-law said God's taking care of cleaning house (in Congress and government). Hope He's not done yet!

Both Parents take care of their children, blended families (and extended family members) treat all children as natural children, loving them, being good role models for them and having structure in the family's daily expectations of each member of the family. Children are taught responsibility and respect for all individuals by the example parents set. Children are taught life sk**ls such as cooking, cleaning, home & clothing maintenance--learning by doing these activities With their parents. Parents don't expect children to be a 'parent', maid, housekeeper, child minder, grounds keeper, etc. That's part of parenting; however, children need to be taught these things by example and inclusion with parental joint efforts. Children mimic what they see and hear, so parents must set good examples such as attending church, giving to charities (time, work effort, money), being honest in word and deed (in private and in public), helping individuals whenever possible (doesn't have to cost money), working to provide necessities, providing positive role models for the children, setting doable goals for daily, weekly, monthly living.

Yes, I'm a Christian, I strongly believe that attending church strengthens faith and helps one to grow in Christian values such as "do unto others as you would have them do unto you,"
"even as you have done this to the least of my children, you have done it unto me," "he that knows to do good and does it not hath sinned," and we must never deny God the Father, Son, and the Holy Spirit. These values are part of my family and religious values and have me looking for the good in others and actively looking to serve Him in my daily life by being a positive role model. A preacher once said something along the lines of "our lives might be the closest that someone gets to reading the word of God. So ...what are they reading about Him in your life? That being said, God is the potter, I am the clay...He's not done with me yet!

I celebrate Christmas all year long. The tree, the nativity, the giving of one's self and talents to help others, the sharing of the Good News of Christ's gift to Us, the willingness to look for the good in others and ourselves, the rejoicing of our blessings from Him. Life is precious, our clocks are ticking, the minutes never to be reclaimed as they are spent. So I enjoy my time, my friends, my loved ones, today!

Sorry, for all that don't believe in family values. Family values are linked to Christian values and are not a respecter of political leanings. Family values are still alive and well in the USA. The silent v**ers finally took a stand just as Christians must in today's world. We cannot sit by and Not v**e as Congress degenerates Christian rights for liberal policies.

Mayors etc who support breaking federal law should go to jail for aiding and abetting lawbreakers such as the driver of the get away car in a bank or other holdup is subject for penalties. Guilty by association with perp. Also isn't there a law in place already that says you cannot harbor a felon or someone with an open arrest warrant; and you'll be subject for arrest also?