*News just broke this afternoon that actor, Heath Ledger was found dead in his NYC apartment. I remembered about this article I read a while ago and thought I would re-post it for anyone who struggles with loss of loved ones. My heart is out to Heath's family and baby.

I read something today in a Newsweek column called The Spiritual State by, Rabbi Marc Gellman. Rabbi Gellman's father passed away recently and he wanted to share the most valuable thing he learned from his dad's death with the rest of the world. It was touching and I thought I would share it as well along with my own personal experience.

I agree with the Rabbi, that the most important thing anyone can learn from losing someone as close a father, is "the immense importance of expressing your condolences to those who mourn." I can remember with great detail certain events that happened when someone I loved deeply committed suicide. Most of the events that occurred after I got the news are sort of blurred together, but the moments when people reached out to me, sharing their comfort and love, are the ones that are etched permanently in my mind. Just knowing that someone else is sad for you, or even thinking about you while you struggle with your grief, is such a comforting and healing thought.

". . .until my dad died I had no idea how deeply comforting even a store bought condolence card with a brief handwritten note can be to a broken heart." - Rabbi Gellman

Mother Teresa said that God did not put us here to do great things, but instead put us here to do little things with great love. And she was right. Is there anyone in your life right now that could use a phone call, a card, or a hug? Maybe they haven't lost someone, but have been given difficult news. Lost job, sickness, divorce - the lists go on.

Can you recall a time that someone did something compassionate for you that touched your soul? Leave it in a comment, I'd love to hear about it.

HUMMER has launched a new television ad campaign called "Hummer Helps." Their first commercial featured various natural disasters, as the Hummer rolls through flooded waters strong and stable. You then see a camera zoom out to a view of the earth.

Their newest commercial was a little more eerie. In the midst of footage of natural disasters, the screen scrolls with newspaper articles about hurricanes and death. Then, like before, the almighty Hummer rolls up unharmed to the tag line, "Hope: Hummer Owners Prepared for Emergencies."

Watching these commercials certainly instills reminders of Hurricane Katrina and the Indian Ocean Tsunami. It generates feelings of fear and uncertainty, and reminds me of the global warming dangers our earth is facing. But the irony is that these natural disasters are provoked by the Hummer's CO2 emissions.

So remember everyone, if you want to survive the upcoming global warming apocalypse, be sure to purchase a gas guzzling Hummer.

Here's the video that a group named Anonymous posted online. The group of hackers has declared war against this dangerous cult .

If you're one that requires a glossary to understand his crazy jibberish, hit the link for the wordage.

Please, if you have a minute, visit Confessions of a CF Husband. Blogger, Nate Lawrenson, writes about his wife, Tricia and their daughter, Gwyneth Rose, who are both fighting for their lives. Tricia has CF(Cystic Fibrosis) and in September was going to be put on the transplant list for a double lung transplant, but God had other plans for them and the Lawrensons found out they were expecting a baby. Due to Tricia's condition, her pregnancy was as high risk as one can get. Both Nate and Tricia have an amazing love and faith in God that will inspire any person, believer or not.

Please visit this blog and send them your thoughts, prayers and support in anyway you can. Help spread the word and be encouraged by the love Nate has for "his girls," as he often calls them, and get a glimpse into the life of someone who really is living God's word and holding onto faith, hope and love.

"And we can be confident that he will listen to us whenever we ask him for anything in line with his will. And if we know he is listening when we make our requests, we can be sure that he will give us what we ask for." 1 John 5:14-15

In Hayden, Idaho this week, a man cut off his hand with a circular saw and then cooked it in the microwave because he believed he saw the "the mark of the beast" on it. Before anyone starts thinking this guy is a nut case, I have to say that I think his actions may have been biblically sound and based in solid theology.

Jesus clearly taught (as recorded in The Book of Matthew (NIV)) that "if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to go into hell."

Apparently, the man must be reading a more loosely translated contemporary translation where the Hebrew phrase for "throw it away" was replaced with the Hebrew phrase for "cook it in the microwave."

The single most valuable thing someone can share with another human being is their time. We all try to fill our lives with material things like movies, mp3 players, flat screen televisions, or whatever else you feel you want. Sometimes it could be unhealthy things in the form of an addiction like, cigarettes, alcohol, porn, sex, or drugs. When the day comes that our closest friends and family are remembering us after we die, chances are pretty good that they won't sit around talking about our stuff.

"He had the coolest book collection. I hope I can inherit it," or "did you see all the hot purses she owned? She was so cute and trendy," are not the ways we will be remembered. Instead, people will mostly reflect back on the moments of our lives that we shared with them. For better or worse. Memories of things we did together. How we spent our time with them.

Last week, I wrote something for Punchline Magazine about Comedy Central's Stand-Up Showdown contest. In that post I stated that I believed comedian Mitch Hedberg should not be nominated since he is no longer alive. Several readers commented and shared their disagreement. The last comment received there was by Lynn Shawcroft. A colleague of mine informed me that Lynn is Mitch's widow. Honestly, upon learning this, my heart sank and I felt a deep responsibility to apologize. The point of view I shared in that post was wrong. You see, for most of Hedberg's fans, his Comedy Central Presents special is the only "time" they got to spend with him. This contest is an opportunity for all them to honor their memories of Mitch and have a chance to watch that special and together (connected via their cable service provider) can unite to memorialize and pay tribute to someone they lost and miss.

To Lynn and all of Mitch's fans, friends, and loved ones I offer my most sincere and heartfelt apologies.