A Hidden Risk for Marathon Runners?

Dr. Robert Schwartz, a cardiologist at Abbott Northwestern Hospital in Minneapolis, has revealed that after studying 25 male runners who completed the Twin Cities Marathon for 25 consecutive years, are actually less healthy than non-athletes. 62 percent of them had more plaque in their coronary arteries than a group of non-athletes.

Original Article:

http://www.startribune.com/lifestyle/health/89177817.html?elr=KArks7PYDiaK7DUvDE7aL_V_BD77:DiiUiD3aPc:_Yyc:aULPQL7PQLanchO7DiUr

Brian Pingel

Forty-year-old Brian Pingel from Maple Grove, MN is a professor at North Central University (NCU) in downtown Minneapolis and plays a major role in the youth department as a pastor. He’s a full time pastor at NCU and also works at Life Church in Maple Grove.

According to Pingel, God called him to be a pastor when he got saved in his sophomore year of high school. “With being a pastor,” he says, “I really had to know for sure that that was something God was calling me to do.” After a series of confirmations, one specific instance stood out and that’s when he knew he was called into the ministry. Pingel’s youth group traveled around cities doing drama through outreach musicals and on their way to Davenport, Iowa to do a performance, their bus had broken down three times in Illinois. Pingel stated, “Every time it broke down, I went outside and was really praying for my life and the bus and everything. When we finally got to Davenport, this lady came up to me after we had performed our musical and she was like, “Are you called to the ministry?” and she was telling me prophetically things that I had been praying about. That was confirmation that I knew I was supposed to be and called to be a pastor.”

Pingel feels that he’s called to reach out to teenagers in life. “The youth really need advocates to start their journey right. I just really want to see them transformed. Once you start out the journey right, then your life has a better chance of just staying with God,” he said. One of the things he wants youth to take from his preaching is that teenagers have what it takes to fix what’s wrong in the world and that they need to know they can do it. “I love the “God-moments” when their eyes just light up and they just get what you’re talking about. I love when they finally understand that you know what they’re going through and that you truly do care about them,” Pingel said when asked what he enjoys the most about working with teenagers.

Pingel’s greatest strength in the ministry is pastoral care. “I am able to walk along side of people and encourage them,” he says, “I can help with whatever they need without having to carry their baggage with me. I think that is an important ability in this area.”

The most influential person in Pingel’s life was his mother. “A true prayer warrior,” he says. Another influential person was his youth pastor. “I learned from both his examples and mistakes and it really took me awhile to realize the influence he really had on me.”

Pingel does have a real heart for youth, supports them, and wants to see them do something with their lives; which is something we all should be doing. Some advice he would give to someone aspiring to become a pastor or be involved in the ministry is, “Do the hard work of developing your character so that your character can support the weight of your dreams and can support the weight of your ministry.”

Journal Entry

A film that has recently been obtained by activists supposedly documents the AIDS outbreak in two Uzbekistan children's hospitals that has killed at least 14 children and left 133 infected with HIV. The documentary reported the 12 doctors and nurses convicted of treating the children with contaminated medical equipment.

Original Article:
http://startribune.com/lifestyle/health/88821192.html?elr=KArks7PYDiaK7DUvDE7aL_V_BD77:DiiUiD3aPc:_Yyc:aULPQL7PQLanchO7DiUr

Story 5

When looking at this particular group of teenagers and college students, you would have never expected them to take time out of their Thursday night to worship, pray, and seek the Lord, but that’s just what college students at North Central University did last Thursday night just before they headed in their own directions for spring break.

This was no ordinary prayer meeting by any means. These young adults were hungry and striving for God’s presence. After a week of fasting and prayer, this Thursday night was the last and was expected to be better than the last three days. The last three days have focused on a time of reflection, praying for brothers and sisters in Christ, communication from God, and hearing His voice. Thursday night’s meeting wanted to focus on praying with fellow students of North Central and to seek God’s guidance in their lives for the time of action has come.

The worship leader starts reading from Psalm 84:10 and 11, “For a day in Your courts is better than a thousand. I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God than dwell in the tents of wickedness. For the LORD God is a sun and shield; The LORD will give grace and glory; No good thing will He withhold from those who walk uprightly.” College students all around the chapel started worshiping God and singing “Better Is One Day”.

The theme for the night was “You Won’t Relent”. The young adults all over the room and the worship band sang it over and over. “You won’t relent until You have it all, my heart is yours,” the lead guitar player sang, “I don’t want to talk about You like Your not in the room, I want to look right at You, I want to sing right to You,” were the powerful words that were sung during a time of worship and prayer.

Prayer and intercession for teenagers who don’t know God was encouraged. An alter call for college students who wanted to dedicate or re-dedicate their lives to Jesus Christ was held. “Lord we come to You,” a student of North Central begins, “We admit that we need You in our lives and we turn from the rebellious sins of our pasts. We believe that You died for our sins so we can have everlasting life, and that You rose from the grave three days later. Lord, we invite You to come into our lives and come into our hearts to control our lives by the moving of the Holy Spirit. We receive You as our Lord and Savior.” You could hear a pin drop within the sound of that brave, courageous college student who volunteered to lead everyone in the chapel in a corporate prayer.

The prayer and worship meeting was just what college students needed for a great first night of spring break. North Central college student Donovan Carson said, “This was a great, powerful, and inspirational prayer meeting. A great start to a great spring break!”

Childhood: 1 in 4 Parents Link Autism to Vaccines

A new study has found that one in four parents think some vaccines cause autism in children. The study also has shown that one in eight parents have refused to give their children at least one recommended vaccine.

Original Article:

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/03/09/health/research/09child.html?ref=health

Story 4

Twenty-one-year-old Angelina Geinosky is from Warrenville, Ill., the hometown where she began her incredible passion of singing.

“My mom told me that I could sing before I could talk. I don’t know if I was influenced by Disney movies, or it could be my father’s love of music, all I know is that apparently I have been singing my whole life,” Geinosky said enthusiastically when asked when her whole passion started. Her choir director and mentor, Gordon Krauspe, inspired Angelina to really go out there and do something remarkable with her talent and even helped her discover her true passion of music.

Angelina Geinosky showed off her gift in several school choirs and even participated in the Midwest Young Artists. “One of the things I have learned over the years about my love of singing,” She says, “Is that although I love to sing on my own, I enjoy singing much more when I am singing in a choir.” Geinosky’s favorite singing part in her choir was the alto. She enjoyed it so much more because she usually got to sing the harmony.

“I really enjoy all the hard work and teamwork that comes along with chorale music because it helped me learn restraint and balance in my singing. I just love how people are blessed with the gift of song, and I think it's amazing that, when trained, I can use my voice the same way a person uses any other kind of instrument. Plus- it makes me happy,” exclaims Geinosky with such excitement that filled the whole room.

Interview :)

Alyssa Peterson

Media Writing

Interview with Angelina Geinosky

Q: Where are you from?

A: I was born in West Chicago, Illinois and grew up in Warrenville, Illinois. I moved to Plymouth, Minnesota just about 3 years ago.

Q: What is your passion and favorite hobby in life?

A: Singing

Q: When did you start singing?

A: My mom told me that I could sing before I could talk, I

don't know if I was influenced by disney movies, Or it could be my fathers

love of music, All I know is that apparently I have been singing my whole

life.

Q: Who was the most influential person in singing? Any coaches or musical artists?

A: I was really inspired by my choir director Gordon Krauspe. He really helped me discover my true passion of music.

Q: What kind of music were you into? More choir music or did you like to go solo?

A: I was involved in several school choirs and also involved in the Midwest Young artists. One of the things I have learned over the years about my love of singing is that although I love to sing on my own, I enjoy singing much more when I am singing in a choir.

Q: What was your favorite singing part in your choirs?

A: In my choirs I have always been an alto, and I think that’s why I enjoy the choir aspect more then a soprano would, because as an alto I usually sing the harmony.

Q: What do you enjoy most in singing and choir?

A: I really enjoy all the hard work and teamwork that comes along with chorale music because it helped me learn restraint and balance in my singing. (Because in a choir every voice has to blend in with each other.) I just love how people are blessed with the gift of song, and I think it's amazing that (when trained) I can use my voice the same way a person uses any other kind of instrument. Plus- it makes me happy.

Journal Entry #7

Apple Inc. has just now started to ban sexually suggestive applications for its iPhone and its upcoming iPad. Apple is hoping that the iPad will be family friendly and an educational tool in schools, which would be hard to sell if the devices are filled with racy applications.

Original Article:

http://www.startribune.com/science/85007957.html?elr=KArks:DCiUo3PD:3D_V_qD3L:c7cQKUiD3aPc:_Yyc:aULPQL7PQLanchO7DiUr