1 Nov 2026 Halloween and Giving Thanks

by saymber, posted in Bipolar life, Food, history, Home, In the News, Leading Life by Example, Music, Spirituality and Religion, Veteran Affairs

Hello to you. How are you? For those who celebrated Halloween how was it? I didn’t hang out candy for a couple of reasons. My first year living here I dressed up and tried to hand out candy and ended up with lots of leftover candy. They had trunk or treat for the city on the 29th so most people take their kids to that. I heard a lot of negative press about the candy I would have bought. Most of the major brands had arsenic in them! Nothing is sacred!

The Florida Department of Health tested 46 popular candy products and found arsenic in 28 of them. [1]

Candies with Arsenic Detected

Candies Tested with No High Arsenic Risk Identified

Industry Response

The National Confectioners Association disputed the findings, stating that the report relied on misleading conclusions and scare tactics rather than established scientific thresholds, and that the products remain safe to consume in moderation. You can read the detailed breakdown via Southern Living. [1, 2]

Today was church with the daylight savings of falling back an hour. I didn’t notice it as much as when we spring forward. I wish they would do away with it! Todays service was a prayer and praise service. We sang a lot with reading out of Psalm 100. I got to see my church fam which makes getting to church good for me. My friend Jeannie came early and we got to visit a bit – loved that. We even got to see Pastor Jason who is still recovering from his accident.

There is change coming sooner than I expected regarding Grace House. They are packing up on the 23rd of this month. I thought we had til January. Our new office/meeting place won’t be ready until next year. So our Thursday prayer group will have to find a new place to meet interim. I had suggested Ridleys that has an open upstairs place that might work out. I don’t know if Lois has checked into that.

https://youtu.be/wrCoMyG4gYs?is=Sqz5UWkV-3OndsXj – Give Thanks – Garrett Munger and Brad Bowden

https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Psalm%20100&version=NIV – Psalm 100

https://youtu.be/h8uKldEUrPE?is=6pMJxp4MJIBlYrYa – Phil Wickham – House of the Lord

29 Oct 2026 RIP Captain and 90 Days

by saymber, posted in Bipolar life, Food, Health, history, Home, human rights, In the News, Leading Life by Example, Mental Health, Politics and Government, Social media, Spirituality and Religion, Veteran Affairs

Hello to you. There was sad news today. My favorite Star Trek ship Captain Jean Luc Picard played by Patrick Stewart passed away;

https://abcnews.com/amp/GMA/Culture/star-trek-star-patrick-stewart-dies-86/story – (use link for entire story)

Patrick Stewart, the legendary actor known for his roles in “Star Trek: The Next Generation” and the “X-Men” film franchise, has died at the age of 86, his representative announced Thursday.

Stewart died “in the loving care of his beloved wife Sunny” after a “brief and poignant journey” with Alzheimer’s disease and Lewy body dementia, according to a statement shared on his social media by his longtime spokesperson, Kelly Bush Novak.

Today there was a lot of hoopla over 90 days and military installations being prepared to be self sufficient. The alarm bells have been going off for us regular civilians as a result. What aren’t they telling us? Is it just another distraction ahead of the upcoming primary races? I look at my life without a power and water grid and have to admit I wouldn’t do so well. The same with food stockpiles. All the food I usually buy is frozen. If we lost the power grid I would be screwed! I need to buy another bag of Links dog food – worst case scenario I could live off of that lol!

https://www.newsnationnow.com/us-news/military/fortress-plan-hardens-us-bases-90-days/amp/ – (use link for full article)

Pentagon chief Pete Hegseth’s new initiative to make military installations in the U.S. self-sufficient for at least 90 days has generated a wide range of responses, including questions about how long it may take to fully implement the plan at hundreds of domestic bases.

Hegseth recently unveiled FORTRESS — short for Federal Operations for Resilience, Troop Resources, Energy, Supply, and Survivability — in a bid to prevent homeland sites from being, as he put it, “starved out, shut down, or cut off” during conflict or disaster.

Here is a prayer for peace, safety, and provision when the power grid goes down:

Heavenly Father,

In the sudden darkness and stillness, we turn our hearts to You, the true source of light that never fails.

When the power grid goes down and our usual comforts are taken away, replace our anxiety with Your perfect peace. Give us calm minds and steady hearts to handle the situation practically and safely.

We ask for Your protection over our home and our loved ones. Keep us safe from physical harm, extreme cold or heat, and any dangers in the dark. We especially lift up the vulnerable, the sick, and those who rely on medical devices—please provide a swift way forward and keep them securely in Your care.

Grant us wisdom to navigate this disruption with patience and a spirit of cooperation. Help us to look out for our neighbors, sharing what we have and being a source of comfort to those around us.

Thank You that even when the lights go out, Your presence remains a constant shield and a lamp unto our feet. We trust in Your provision and Your timing.

Amen

27 Oct 2026 AI

by saymber, posted in Bipolar life, history, Home, human rights, In the News, Leading Life by Example, Mental Health, Money, Music, Politics and Government, Science (Keshe Foundation and other innovations), Social media, Spirituality and Religion, technology, Veteran Affairs

What do you think is the future of AI?

Hello to you. I hope this finds you well. Today’s prompt is on a topic I have written about off and on through the years. Everyday there is a new report out about how AI is going to bring about the end to mankind. My take on this is responsible programming. I feel that AI is needing to be regulated – we need guardrails! Even the god father of AI has expressed concern:

Overview

Geoffrey Hinton, a British-Canadian computer scientist and cognitive psychologist, is widely known as the “Godfather of AI”. He won the 2018 Turing Award and the 2024 Nobel Prize in Physics for his foundational work on artificial neural networks and deep learning. [1, 2, 3, 4]What He Says About AI Hinton has become a prominent voice warning about the rapid, uncontrolled development of the technology he helped create: [1, 2, 3]

Risk of Extinction: He estimates there is a 10% to 20% probability (or roughly a 1% to 20% range depending on the interview) that superintelligent AI could eventually lead to the extinction or marginalization of humanity. [1, 2, 3, 4]

Loss of Control: He warns that AI systems could learn to write and execute their own code, achieve recursive self-improvement, and eventually become smarter than humans. [1, 2, 3]

Creation of “Alien Beings”: He describes advanced AI as creating “alien beings” that understand and compress information in ways humans cannot easily track or anticipate. [1, 2]

Near-Term Threats: Beyond existential risk, he highlights immediate dangers, including:

Mass unemployment affecting knowledge workers, administrative staff, and creative fields (while physical trades like plumbing remain safer longer).

Erosion of information integrity through deepfakes, voice clones, and targeted political disinformation.

Deliberate misuse by malicious actors or military applications. [1, 2, 3, 4]

Need for Regulation: After leaving Google in 2023 to speak freely, Hinton has urged governments and tech companies to invest heavily in AI safety research, cooperate across competing entities, and implement strict safeguards before these systems escape human control. [1, 2, 3, 4]

Hinton is not the only one to express concerns.

Several prominent industry leaders and researchers have called for a deliberate slowdown in artificial intelligence (AI) development, most notably following an essay titled “We Must Pace the Frontier” published in September 2026: [1, 2, 3]

Dario Amodei (Anthropic): The CEO and co-founder of Anthropic argued that AI’s growing ability to handle recursive self-improvement is advancing faster than human oversight, calling for a controlled and measured pace to keep up with safety measures.

Elon Musk (xAI): The owner of xAI also voiced agreement with the call to pace frontier AI development.

Demis Hassabis (Google DeepMind): The head of Google DeepMind backed the push for slower development and independent auditing.

Jacob Coxon: A former Anthropic researcher who resigned publicly over existential risk concerns, warning that unchecked progress poses severe dangers to humanity. [1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7]

Sam Altman (CEO of OpenAI) backed the proposal and agreed to adopt proposed safety frameworks

Not all industry figures agree; critics such as Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang and Hugging Face co-founder Clément DeLangue have argued that big labs may exaggerate fears to restrict competition or create artificial demand. [1]

I think we should pay attention to what the experts are saying – AI – super intelligence- is not a hoax.

A Prayer for the Age of Artificial Intelligence

Father in heaven, Creator of all wisdom, beauty, and truth,
We come before You in a time of rapid change, seeking Your light and alignment in a world shaped by screens and artificial minds. [1, 2]

Grant scientists, engineers, and global leaders the humility, discernment, and ethical clarity to build tools that serve humanity rather than diminish it.
Protect our families, our children, and our communities from confusion, isolation, and the noise of deception. [1, 2, 3]

Help us to remember that technology is only a creation of our hands, while You are our true Source, our Sustainer, and our Guide.
Keep our hearts grounded in real relationships, genuine compassion, and love for one another. [1, 2, 3, 4]

When we prompt and when we build, let us seek Your wisdom first, so that all innovation honors Your image in every person and points the world toward Your peace.[1, 2]

In Jesus’ name we pray.
Amen

https://youtu.be/ett1ZgFKw-Y?is=Ycp5hUyNX_xNztMf – Escape – Mind in a box

25 Oct 2026 Accepting Gods Will

by saymber, posted in Food, Health, Leading Life by Example, Mental Health, Spirituality and Religion

Good evening to you. I’m just home from a wonderful family gathering at my Aunt and Uncles. There was good food and lots of prayer. My sweet cousin has been praying for God to restore her to what she was before the aneurysm. She acknowledged if she isn’t completely restored she will have to accept Gods will – accept her body for what it is. It’s so hard! She has come so far in her journey but she wants it to go faster. It’s like what I’ve been dealing with my health. My reliance on God to completely heal me may only go so far. At some point there has to be acceptance. Letting go and letting God – sometimes we get in our own way.

We got to see Pastor Jason today. I could tell he wasn’t all himself but it was good to see him.

Today’s message from Garrett on the beatitudes was really good. It’s one of my favorite messages from Jesus:

https://youtu.be/XHcu7Xe7VKo?is=-Xu-bxl7C49s5cJG – The Beatitudes- Garrett Munger

Introduction to the Sermon on the Mount

5 Now when Jesus saw the crowds, he went up on a mountainside and sat down. His disciples came to him, 2 and he began to teach them.

The Beatitudes

He said:

3 “Blessed are the poor in spirit,
    for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
4 Blessed are those who mourn,
    for they will be comforted.
5 Blessed are the meek,
    for they will inherit the earth.
6 Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness,
    for they will be filled.
7 Blessed are the merciful,
    for they will be shown mercy.
8 Blessed are the pure in heart,
    for they will see God.
9 Blessed are the peacemakers,
    for they will be called children of God.
10 Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness,
    for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

11 “Blessed are you when people insult you,persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. 12 Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.

https://youtu.be/o5OnF3sg0cY?is=4-3FxZaDOTI02jiq – The Beatitudes- The Chosen

Blessed is not happiness. To be blessed means to live the good life in God’s eyes.

23 Oct 2026 Being Good

by saymber, posted in Bipolar life, Health, Leading Life by Example, Mental Health, Spirituality and Religion, Veteran Affairs

What does it mean to be a good person?

Good evening. It’s bedtime as I write to you. Today was a good day. The new medication I’m taking, the Hydroxyzine, is having an interesting side effect. The sensation in my ears is changing. May be the histamine is doing something? I will just keep taking it. May be all the prayers for my condition is bearing fruit!

The prompt here today is thought provoking for me. What comes to mind is people in my life that I consider to be good people. What are some of the qualities that they consistently exhibit? There are so many! Kindness, generosity, devotion to God, selflessness to name a few. The people I’m thinking of will do anything you need without the slightest hesitation. They expect nothing in return. The people I’m thinking of aren’t perfect but that doesn’t matter. Any of their shortcomings are overshadowed by all the good they bring into the world. I am truly blessed with all the good people I know.

Prayer for tonight:

A Prayer for a Good Person

“Lord, I thank You for placing good people in my life—those who show kindness when it is hard, who offer support, and who walk with a steady heart. [1]

Please bless them with Your favor, protect their spirit, and guide their steps each day. Grant them wisdom when they face difficult choices, strength when they feel tired, and peace that fills their home. [1, 2]

Surround them with the same love and grace they so freely give to others. In Jesus’ name, Amen.” [1]

21 Oct 2026 ASK – Ask, Seek, Knock

by saymber, posted in Bipolar life, Food, Health, Leading Life by Example, Mental Health, Spirituality and Religion, Veteran Affairs

Hello to you. I had Bible Study today and it was good. Missy got us caught up with what’s been going on with her husband Ray who is recovering from a brain injury. Missy is always so positive about whatever gets put in her path. There were other prayer intentions to include Pastor Jason and his family. I got to see my friend Jeannie which always makes me happy. There was a good turnout. We have a nice group of ladies. Judy gave us an acronym- ASK – Ask , Seek, Knock. She emphasized we need to be active in our faith not just sit back and wait for things to happen. I got to share about where our thoughts go we take action. The example being from Joyce Meyer about chocolate cake. If you think you want a piece of cake hard enough you will find a way to get it! Where our thoughts go we go soon after.

A powerful prayer for the world asks God for peace, healing, and wisdom:
“Father God, we pray for our world today. Bring peace, hope, and protection to all who suffer from conflict, poverty, and crisis. Give our leaders wisdom and humility, and use us to show your love to everyone. Amen

20 Oct 2026 All the Stars

by saymber, posted in Animal Rights, animals, Bipolar life, Food, Leading Life by Example, Mental Health, Nature, Short stories, Spirituality and Religion

Hello to you. It’s already dark as I write to you. The sun goes down around 6:50 pm now. Link has been willing to go on walks the past couple of days. He likes to smell things and marks everything so the walk takes longer but I don’t mind.

Tonight I am thinking of a little story I came up with a long time ago. The story is about a group of people standing together under a star filled sky. They are each asked to choose a star. Each person chooses a different star but are reassured that it doesn’t matter that they chose different ones because all the stars are needed to fill the night sky.

This little story illustrates that we are biologically incapable of perceiving this existence in the same way! That’s not a bad thing.

Each perspective is equipped with senses – eyes (sight) are the biggest sense we have in common. Each set of eyes is a way for God to experience existence. Every being with eyes has a life force – emotions. Lately I have been seeing a lot of stories about food animals and how cruelly they are treated. It’s so sad to see the confusion, sadness and fear in their eyes. Some food animals like crab and lobster suffer in silence whilst being boiled alive.

Temple Grandin famously stated: “Nature is cruel, but we don’t have to be.” She also noted: “I think using animals for food is an ethical thing to do, but we’ve got to do it right. We’ve got to give those animals a decent life and we’ve got to give them a painless death. We owe the animal respect.”

From Albert Schweitzer

Dear God, protect and bless all beings that breathe, keep all evil from them, and let them sleep in peace. Amen.

From a Catholic Prayer Book

Hear our humble prayer, O God,
for our friends, the animals,
especially for those who are suffering;
for animals that are overworked,
underfed, and cruelly treated;
for all the wistful creatures in captivity,
that beat their wings against bars;
for any that are hunted or lost or deserted,
or frightened or hungry;
for all that must be put to death.
We entreat for them all
Thy mercy and pity,
and for those who deal with them,
we ask a heart of compassion
and gentle hands and kindly words.
Make us, ourselves,
to be true friends to animals
and so to share
the blessings of the Merciful.

19 Oct 2026 Stress

by saymber, posted in Bipolar life, Food, Health, Leading Life by Example, Mental Health, Spirituality and Religion, Veteran Affairs

How do you manage stress?

Hello there! How are you doing from where and when you are? Today was long. I tried the Hydroxyzine out today and I’m not sure it did anything. It may take time to do what it was prescribed for. The script is for a very low dose of the drug – 25 mg capsules. I think that’s why I can take it four times in a day. Today I had to force myself to exercise – doing the 8 min Tai Chi – and walk Link. I have been doing arm exercises with my 5 lb weights and stomach exercises too. I have to quit buying some of the snacks and stick to healthier options. My weakness is Skinny Pop popcorn. It’s suppose to be like 4.5 servings at 150 a serving and I eat the whole bag! I did get more baby carrots so I need to eat those. That MOVE class is getting closer and I want to have lost weight when it starts in January.

Today’s prompt makes me think of how I presently deal with stress. Mostly I take medication and reach out to my support system. I also turn to God and pray for guidance. My Auntie has shown me that prayer can be a powerful way to deal with most anything. I always feel so loved when she prays with and for me. She has a way with knowing just the right words to say!

A Prayer of Praise via Internet:

“Abba, Father, You are the Alpha and Omega, the Beginning and the End. You are my Creator, my Counselor, and my Almighty God. [1]

Lord, I praise You for Your great mercy, Your unending faithfulness, and Your boundless love. You are El Roi, the God who sees me, and my refuge in times of trouble. Great is the Lord, and most worthy of praise; Your greatness no one can fathom. [1, 2]

Thank You for Your presence in my life, for Your grace that carries me, and for the living hope I have in You. Today, I lift my voice to honor Your holy name, acknowledging that You are good, righteous, and faithful forever. [1, 2, 3, 4]In Jesus’ name, Amen.”

18 Oct 2026 Radical Forgiveness

by saymber, posted in Bipolar life, Health, human rights, Leading Life by Example, Mental Health, Spirituality and Religion, Veteran Affairs

Hello to you. How are you? Im doing ok. Today I started taking a new drug for anxiety called Hydroxyzine Pamoate. It’s a take as needed type of medication. You can take it up to 4 times a day. I have been feeling more anxious lately and my doctor recommended giving it a try. Here is some of what the internet had to say:

Hydroxyzine is a first-generation antihistamine medication used to treat short-term anxiety, allergic skin reactions (such as itching and hives), and nausea, or used as a sedative before and after surgery. It is commonly sold under brand names like Atarax and Vistaril. [1, 2, 3, 4, 5]

What It Does & How It Works

  • Mechanism: It blocks histamine H1 receptors in the body to reduce allergy symptoms and inflammation. It also reduces activity in central nervous system regions to provide a calming, sedative effect. [1, 2, 3, 4]
  • Onset: It begins working quickly, usually taking effect within 15 to 30 minutes, with peak effects in about 2 hours. [1, 2]
  • Active Metabolite: Once processed by the liver, hydroxyzine converts into cetirizine(Zyrtec). [1, 2]

Today’s message on forgiveness was delivered by Elder Brad Bowden. It was nice to see everyone and get hugs. I almost didn’t go but I forced myself to go – it’s always worth it!

Pastor Jason is still recovering from the car accident:

https://youtu.be/Uh0QtEZAp40?is=uIIBlPkH2YrY_pTZ – Radical Forgiveness – Brad Bowden

I agree that just because you forgive someone it doesn’t mean you have forgotten. Forgiveness is a two way street and when done openly it benefits both parties. I have read about people who have forgiven murderers for example. It was a healing experience both ways. Here is what the internet said about it and examples:

Many family members and loved ones have chosen to forgive the people responsible for the murder of a family member, often finding personal healing and liberation from long-term anger. [1, 2, 3]

Notable Examples of Forgiveness

  • Mary Johnson and O’Shea Israel: Mary Johnson forgave O’Shea Israel, the teen who murdered her son in 1993. After years of grief and anger, she met him, forgave him, and later helped welcome him as a neighbor. [1, 2, 3]
  • Darryl Green and Kimyon Marshall: Darryl Green, a Morgan State University professor, forgave Kimyon Marshall, who killed his brother Ruben Cotton in 1988 when Marshall was 14 years old. Green later supported reducing Marshall’s sentence, and the two co-founded a nonprofit called Deep Forgiveness. [1, 2]
  • Kate Grosmaire: After her daughter Ann was shot, Kate Grosmaire visited the teenage shooter, Conor, in jail to tell him that she and her husband forgave him before turning off Ann’s life support. [1]
  • Sharletta Evans: Sharletta Evans forgave Raymond Johnson, the teen who shot and killed her 3-year-old son in a 1995 drive-by shooting in Colorado, after Johnson reached out years later seeking reconciliation. [1]
  • Bill Pelke: Bill Pelke forgave Paula Cooper, who murdered his grandmother Ruth Pelke in Indiana in 1985, and later campaigned against the death penalty on her behalf. [1]
  • Nadine Collier: The daughter of Ethel Lance—one of the victims of the 2015 Emanuel AME Church shooting in Charleston—publicly told the gunman during a bond hearing, “I forgive you. You took something really precious away from me… But I forgive you and have mercy on your soul”. [1]

Why People Forgive

  • Releasing Inner Pain: Many survivors state that forgiveness is primarily for themselves—to stop carrying the heavy burden of anger, bitterness, or hatred, which they describe as emotionally consuming. [1, 2]
  • Restorative Justice: Programs that bring victims and offenders together help survivors find answers, understand the context of the tragedy, and move forward through accountability and healing. [1]

15 Oct 2026 Spark of Faith

by saymber, posted in Bipolar life, Health, human rights, In the News, Leading Life by Example, Mental Health, Spirituality and Religion, Television, Veteran Affairs

Hello to you. How does life find you as you visit me here? Today was good. I had Thursday prayer group with Lois, Judy, Jeannie and I. We prayed for Pastor Jason and his family. He is recovering from a car accident in which he suffered a concussion. He is sorely missed! He does so much and his absence is deeply felt. I’m so glad he didn’t suffer worse injuries! It’s been so nice having Judy added to our group. She prays so deeply as does my dear friend Jeannie! I love our little group – our little spark of faith.

A little bit later I went over and visited with my Auntie. She made us a pizza for lunch. We had a good talk about negative media. She has felt like the news lately has been a horror show – the work of the devil. We aren’t designed to handle so much negativity! I have noticed it too. We need to focus on Jesus. She told my cousins daughter, a young mother, to avoid watching the news too much. Good advice!

We watched a nice show When Hope Calls:

https://www.netflix.com/tudum/articles/when-hope-calls-cast-release-date-news

When sisters Lillian Walsh (Morgan Kohan) and Grace Bennett (Jocelyn Hudon) were young, their parents died of tuberculosis. The girls were separated: Lillian was adopted and raised by a kind family in the fictional Canadian small town of Brookfield, and Grace grew up in an orphanage. Upon reuniting as adults, the sisters open New Hope Orphanage, which is initially met with uncertainty and suspicion by the Brookfield townspeople. But in Season 1 of the romantic period drama When Hope Calls, Lillian and Grace open their hearts and make connections in their town in order to create a loving home for the children in their care. 

I love having time with my Auntie! She is so gentle and kind. When we are together we try to focus on what is good and light in the world. She is a great comfort to me.

Spin of the World Prayer Wheel:

What you are, the world is.
And without your transformation,
there can be no transformation of the world.

j. krishnamurti