Want a baby over 30? Fat Chance!

I read a new study that suggests you better think twice about when you have children.
   When I was young I was taught by my wonderful but ultra conservative father that the time to have kids was when I could afford them the finer things in life and when I had had a good 6 years of my career under the belt.  I have always felt the same way, so I had always planned my baby- making -time a little before my 30th Birthday. But then I read today that a new study from a university in Scotland shows that women over 30 years old have lost 90% of their eggs-


   This study has been making some women think twice about their career choices and others think the percentage is rubbish. 
Women start off with over 300,000 eggs and each decade gets fewer and fewer, making having a baby at the age of 40 more than difficult with a measly 3% of her overian eggs left.
   Although you can't reverse the biological clock, there are certain factors within your control that have an impact upon your fertility. For example, stopping smoking, keeping your weight down and controlling stress can all slow the loss of fertility- which makes me           feel a bit better, and that my time line might work after-all.  
Dr. Marie Savard, "Good Morning America" medical contributor says that "That biological clock does tick," and adding that her advice to women who want kids is, "the sooner the better."
    
Ugh. These studies always get me- let me know what you think! 

State of the Union Breakdown

Last nights State of the Unions address given to the joint session of Congress has many analysts talking about what Mr. President did and did not do-


After months of sharp criticism and heated conversations about The Healthcare Bill and his promise of job creation- his address last night was to get Americans to "regroup" and to think about core issues.  At times during the speech, it almost seemed as if President Obama was begging us to please try and get along while insuring us that we are "getting through the storm."  




If you missed it last night, these following items were mentioned by the President as potential policy changes, legislative initiatives, or goals coming out of the address:
 Job creation

.Giving rebates to Americans who make their homes more energy-efficient

.Slash tax breaks for companies that send jobs overseas

Energy Efficiency

.Encourage American innovation (focus on clean energy)

.Building nuclear power plants

.Exploring off-shore areas for oil and gas

.Investment in advance biofuels and clean coal technologies

.Comprehensive energy and climate bill to make clean energy profitable

.More exports of goods (goal: double exports in 5 years)

.Launch of a National Export Initiative

Skills & Education 

Renew the Elementary and Secondary Education Act

.Revitalize community colleges

.Ending taxpayer subsidies to banks for student loans

.$10,000 tax credit for families for four years of college

.Increase Pell Grants

.Only 10% of income to student loans

.Student loan debt forgiven after 20 yrs,10 yrs if they choose public service

.Cost cutting at colleges and universities

Tax credit

.Giving access to a retirement account for every worker

.Expanding the tax credit for those who start a nest egg (retirement fund)

.Refinancing to make more mortgages affordable

Health care reform

.Deficit reduction

.Tackling childhood obesity Starting in 2011

. Freeze government spending for 3 years on discretionary programs

(Excluding national security, Medicare, Medicaid, and Social Security)

.Eliminate programs that are unaffordable or don't work 

(giving those breaks to companies that create jobs in the U.S.)

Extend middle-class tax cuts

.Bipartisan fiscal commission to provide solutions

.Restoring pay-as-you-go law

.Fees on the country's largest banks 

.Giving $30 billion of recovered TARP $ to community banks to extend

credit to small businesses

Capital Hill 

.Require lobbyists to disclose every contact they make

.Limits on contributions that lobbyists give to candidates

.Reform for earmarks, publish them in a single location on the web

.Crack down on violations of equal pay laws

.Immigration reform

.Repealing Don't ask don't tell policy within the year 

What would we do if there was an earthquake????

Courtesy of http://www.fema.gov

If indoors

• DROP to the ground; take COVER by getting under a sturdy table or other piece of furniture; and HOLD ON on until the shaking stops. If there isn’t a table or desk near you, cover your face and head with your arms and crouch in an inside corner of the building.
• Stay away from glass, windows, outside doors and walls, and anything that could fall, such as lighting fixtures or furniture.
• Stay in bed if you are there when the earthquake strikes. Hold on and protect your head with a pillow, unless you are under a heavy light fixture that could fall. In that case, move to the nearest safe place.
• Use a doorway for shelter only if it is in close proximity to you and if you know it is a strongly supported, loadbearing doorway.
• Stay inside until shaking stops and it is safe to go outside. Research has shown that most injuries occur when people inside buildings attempt to move to a different location inside the building or try to leave.
• Be aware that the electricity may go out or the sprinkler systems or fire alarms may turn on.
• DO NOT use the elevators.

If outdoors

• Stay there.
• Move away from buildings, streetlights, and utility wires.
• Once in the open, stay there until the shaking stops. The greatest danger exists directly outside buildings, at exits, and alongside exterior walls. Many of the 120 fatalities from the 1933 Long Beach earthquake occurred when people ran outside of buildings only to be killed by falling debris from collapsing walls. Ground movement during an earthquake is seldom the direct cause of death or injury. Most earthquake-related casualties result from collapsing walls, flying glass, and falling objects.

If in a moving vehicle

• Stop as quickly as safety permits and stay in the vehicle. Avoid stopping near or under buildings, trees, overpasses, and utility wires.
• Proceed cautiously once the earthquake has stopped. Avoid roads, bridges, or ramps that might have been damaged by the earthquake.

If trapped under debris

• Do not light a match.
• Do not move about or kick up dust.
• Cover your mouth with a handkerchief or clothing.
• Tap on a pipe or wall so rescuers can locate you. Use a whistle if one is available. Shout only as a last resort. Shouting can cause you to inhale dangerous amounts of dust.

MY PRAYERS GO OUT TO THOSE FAMILIES DEVASTATED BY THE EARTHQUAKE IN THE HAITI!

Who's making a difference???

Pastor making a difference in the Middle East, one trip at a time-

Most Americans aren’t experts in Middle Eastern culture, nor would ever venture out to be. People wouldn’t travel outside the country to bring others to Christianity or reach out to those who have nothing. Some wouldn’t so much as check on an elder neighbor next door. But that’s not everyone. 

Tom Doyle has been a pastor for over 30 years and has been doing mission trips to places in Israel since 1995. He is the author of Two Nations Under God: Why you should care about Israel and Breakthrough: The Return of Hope to the Middle East.

After September 11^th, he was called to do full time mission work in the Middle East. This year, 8 trips are planned to Jordan, Israel, Syria, Iraq, Egypt, and Afghanistan. Traveling to these unpredictable areas, they keep in mind that it’s about changing the situation from the inside out and starting at the core. "We know that Jesus is what's going to bring the peace to this area." Tom says, “Political solutions don’t solve spiritual problems.”

The Missionaries do everything from build churches to talk to Muslims about the dangers of female circumcisions.  “The best foot forward for the church is letting them know we’re here to help.” Tom says.

According to mission researchers, estimates show more Muslims have committed to follow Christ in the last 10 years than in the last 15 centuries of Islam. Radical Islamic campaigns have driven Muslims literally into the arms of Christianity. Nowadays, it’s more common to find churches in certain towns then it was just a couple of years ago.  The E3 Missionaries what to be part of the solution, and that is what they will continue to pray for. 

If you would like to find out more information about Tom Doyle or

E3 Ministries go to www.goodnewsfromthemiddleeast.com

Relax, Refocus, Regroup

This New Years Eve I spend in bed with an ugly cold.  It should of been proof that I wasn't going to ring in the New Year on top of my game.  2 weeks after, my dad went the hospital for a series of back related issues- so I flew home to help mom out.


Now to the problem- With a paper- trail of dead end job leads, I'm starting to loose confidence.  Not because I don't think I can do it, but because no one is looking "right now".  


My problem is not focusing on myself but on everyone and everything else.  I seem to have more setbacks that others, which leads me to believe it's me with the problem.  I have always had problems concentrating and its starting to rear its ugly head more than ever these days-


Over lunch the other day, my friend and old classmate told me that she thinks I "might be the unluckiest person she knows"  Which is why I am going to throw my shoulders back, take deep breaths and relax, refocus, and regroup.
 Wish me luck! (wink)