DEEP WATERS

Why do children pay for the idiocy of adults? Today Russian President Vladimir Putin  signed a law  that bans adoptions of Russian children by U.S. citizens. This ban was reportedly developed in retaliation for a US law punishing Russians accused of violating human rights. As the mama of an eleven-year-old boy adopted from Russia  in 2003, my heart breaks for the children that will never be adopted due to this new law.  According to UNICEF  there are approximately 740,000 children without parental care in Russia. "Alternatives to the institutionalization of children are essential, including permanent foster care, domestic adoption and inter-country adoption," said Anthony Lake, Executive Director of UNICEF. "All children deserve an environment that promotes their protection and well-being . Russian children -- indeed all children -- need to be in protective and loving families ..." Amen, Director Lake. Why has it become so hard for adults to get ...

Okay, I'll admit it. I can't say I loved the movie Talladega Nights , but quite of few of the lines made me chuckle. As a matter of fact, the main character Ricky's prayer over the family meal actually has me in stitches every time I think of it. Here's a sampling: "Dear Lord Baby Jesus... Dear Baby Jesus, we also thank you for my wife's father, Chip. We hope that you can use your Baby Jesus powers to heal him and his horrible leg... Dear Tiny Infant Jesus..." In the middle of his prayer, Ricky's wife Carley interrupts. "Hey, um... you know, sweetie, Jesus did grow up. You don't always have to call him baby. It's a bit odd and off puttin' to pray to a baby." Ricky, frustrated with his wife's assertion says, "Well, look, I like the Christmas Jesus best when I'm sayin' grace. When you say grace, you can say it to Grown-up Jesus, or Teenage Jesus, or Bearded Jesus or whoever you want." He later con...

Most of you have heard the news  already. A young man of about 24 entered an elementary school in the small town of Newtown, Connecticut and killed 26 people. I've heard that twenty of those people were mere children. As the news drones on and on and the facts stack up about this heinous crime, many of us are dumbfounded. How could someone enter a school and randomly kill so many young, innocent children? Why didn't someone see this coming? And what can we do to prevent another massacre like this one? Well, I don't have any answers to these questions. But I do want to share what I plan to do in the midst of this national tragedy. Look Up At times like this, no one has any real answers. We debate about gun control and the government setting the example for the rest of the world by getting along. We stress that we've got to be more vigilant about stressing mental healthcare for our family and friends. But really there are no answers. So, at this time I...