Who would be your most inspiring person of the year?

As the year comes to a close, I am pondering who is my most inspiring person of 2007?  I was asked this question as I was surfing for some religious prayer at Beliefnet. 

Their choice is Liviu Librescu, the Professor at Virginia Tech who was Jewish survivor of the Holocaust who during the horrible killings at Virginia Tech this April, barricaded the classroom door with his body to allow his students to jump out the window.  I agree and think that that is a very inspirational story, but I’m not sure if that’s the one that I would pick.

I’m going to update this post as I think of more inspirational people.

this is the list of people that I’m nominating for the most inspirational person of 2007…send me your additions to the list

1) My cousin Gail who has an advanced stage of breast cancer, but she did not let that stop her from enjoying every minute of her son’s wedding.  In fact I think that Gail danced almost as much as the bride and groom.  If anyone can be a survivor, it’s Gail.

2) Beginning with Jill, and continuing with Sarah, Jillian, Jen, Deb and Krista (and soon to be Quish in April) all these women have shown tremendous strength, courage, faith, happiness, patience and love in becoming moms this year.  (And kudos to the babies other parents too!)

3) Al Gore.  He lost the election, but in his spare time after, instead of becoming bitter he decided to save the universe and won a Nobel Peace Prize for his work.

4) J.K. Rowling.  Not for her history of how hard it was for her to write the Harry Potter series, but for the excitement her final book brought to the THOUSANDS of people who were lined up at the Borders store on Route 1 in North Attleboro to buy Book 7 at midnight and the looks on all of their faces when Addy and I walked out of the store at 12:02 with our copies, because Addy had won a kids contest and her prize was 1st in line to receive her book.  But the best part was that Harry lived and I got to tell seven year old Addy that Harry lives.

5) The rock group the Eagles.  they made their first studio album in decades and it is so beautiful!  I listen to it every day and it touches my heart.

Benazir Bhutto

I just wanted to post how saddened I am on the death assassinationMURDER of the Pakistani leader Ms. Benazir Bhutto.  She became Prime Minister while I was in high school and to have a woman lead a Muslim country in the 1980’s was something that was unheard of.  She was one of the first women of the 20th century to rule a country.  She was one of my role models as a young woman growing up.  I was so glad to see that she wanted to bring “Democracy” back to “her people” (as she told NBC’s Ann Curry in an October interview.)  I feel very sad for the Pakistani people, the people of the region and people from all over the world who are striving for justice and peace.  Ms. Bhutto’s death made me think of the assassination in 1984 of another female political leader- this time from India, their Prime Minister Indira Gandhi.  Again, it is sickening that these leaders, who tried to fight for changes in their countries had their lives cut short. 

May she rest in the peace that she never found on this earth.  Amen

Christmas 2007

I had a great Christmas this year.  This was the first Christmas in many, many years that I didn’t sing in the choir for Christmas eve (I also skipped singing at the 11pm service too.)  And guess what?  I actually got to enjoy the service at Immanuel and being there with my family and then seeing all of my friends after the service.  I think that having not to rush around and be at church at certain times and rehearse made life a lot easier.  I thoroughly enjoyed the church service of lessons and carols.  Then I went to my parents house for a traditional Swedish dinner of meatballs, lingonberries (the equivalent to cranberries,) creamed potatoes, carrots, Swedish Bundost (a kind of cheese) and then cookies.  I was so good.  I skipped the cookies (and ended up losing 3 pounds this week yeah!)

On Christmas morning, my parents came over to my house (after we all slept in !!)  And had Swedish pancakes and sausage, opened our presents.  Hey, Santa found my new house even!  One of the sweetest gifts I received was from my Godparents and I’ve know about it since April.  My godparents are in their 80’s and they had formal pictures taken at Easter and there’s a lovely picture of my Godmother Darlene and my Godfather Jim.  My godmother had a 5×8 picture made for me and she found a beautiful frame to put the picture in.  It’s something that I’ll treasure forever.  Especially since the tag read “To Karen, from your loving Godparents.”  That’s definitely what they are, my loving Godparents.

I hope you all have had a Merry Christmas and I wish you all a very wonderful 2008!