Five posts to brighten the end of your week...10/11/13

1. 50 First Dates (via MarriedPeople.org)

What were you like when you first met your spouse? For most of us, it probably wasn’t the day-to-day, mundane, just getting through the week type of expressions that we so easily can fall into after a few years of marriage. Read the rest here

2. 9 Things You Should Know about Casinos and Gambling (via Gospel Coalition)

Throughout most of the twentieth-century, legal casino gambling in the U.S. existed in only two locations: Nevada and Atlantic City, N.J. Beginning in the 1990s, casinos spread across the nation at an accelerating pace. Today, 23 states have commercial casinos, a category which includes land-based, riverboat, dockside, and racetrack casinos. In the Northeast and mid-Atlantic states, nearly every adult now lives within a short drive of a casino. Read the other 8 here

3. 10 Jaw-Dropping Pumpkin Carvings by Ray Villafane (via twisted sifter)

4. Pakistani Muslims Form Human Chain To Protect Christians During Mass (via Huffington Post)

Hand in hand as many as 200-300 people formed a human chain outside the St Anthony’s Church adjacent to the District Police Lines at the Empress Road, in a show of solidarity with the victims of the Peshawar church attack two weeks back, which resulted in over a 100 deaths. (read the rest here)

5. Don't tell anyone, but I'm a fan of musicals and Wicked has been far and away my favorite. Check out this video of Kristin Chenoweth singing with a guest from the audience. Unbelievable. (via YouTube)