If you hang around ActiveRain long enough, you will inevitably receive an email from Mr. Neal Bloom...asking if you would like to take a turn doing the Week in Review. Actually...Neal has a way of finding me when I've been away from the Rain too long and bringing me home. Thanks, Neal!!

If you have ever had the honor of doing a Week in Review, you know that it is incredibly difficult to decide which posts to include...as there are so many brilliant bloggers from which to choose. After many hours of reading hundreds of posts from this past week, I have chosen to share the posts that truly speak to me. I invite you to sit down with a good cup of coffee or hot tea and take your time to enjoy the best of the best of this past week on ActiveRain.

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One of the first posts I read this week was Do real men wear make-up? by Mike Frazier. From his title, I was expecting a good laugh, but he tricked me. This story about his daughter, Lauren, will touch you deeply and make your heart smile.

Now that you are smiling, it is the perfect time to read Giving Back to Your Community as a School Volunteer by Russell Lewis. In this post, Russell exposes his.... (I'm NOT going to spoil the surprise!!)

Speaking of giving back...my good friend, Nick Bastian, is always the first one in line for an opportunity to give. Please take a moment to read Nick Bastian and RailLife.com want you to help us fight Cancer! and support Nick in his efforts.

"Courage is not defined by those who fought and did not fall, but by those who fought, fell, and rose again." I do not know who first said those words, but I remember the first time I heard them. For me, they were life-changing.

My heroes have always been people who face life's greatest challenges with a determination to persevere and overcome. They emerge from the wreckage with a greater passion for life...and they inevitably choose to make a difference in the world. Jammin' for Julian - An Update Date on a 5 Year Old in Need by Christine Donovan tells of one such family. This post is a wonderful reminder that each one of us has a responsibility to make the world a better place.

In a little over a year here at ActiveRain, I have become friends with some of the most amazing humans on the planet. One of my New Years resolutions is to meet many of those wonderful people this year face-to-face. So...I was a little jealous when I came across these next few posts: Meeting Active Rain Members Kristin and Sheila Moran in Greune (San Antonio) -Texas! by Liz Moras and  ActiveRain International Dinner in Austin, Texas! (Okay, so maybe that sounds a bit dramatic). by Jason Crouch. Okay, Liz, how about a trip to North Carolina sometime soon, girlfriend???

ActiveRain is the best place on the internet to build lasting friendships. Need proof? Read Carole Provenzale's touching story My BEST ActiveRain SUCCESS Story: He Had me at Hello : ) 

Need MORE PROOF? I Just Gave out A Referral to An Active Rain Agent...and I Liked IT!!!!!!! by the one and only Larry Bettag will give you the motivation you need to keep those brilliant posts coming!

Okay...at the core, ActiveRain is about real estate. So naturally, some of my picks of the week are actually about real estate. (Imagine that!!)

In When is a Gift Not a Gift but a Bribe?, Elizabeth Weintraub shares a pretty unbelievable experience with clients who had unrealistic expectations. Has this ever happened to you?

This is a story about Guns and Unwelcome Guests..........BEWARE! by Ann Allen reminds all of us in this profession to be careful. This is a must read!

Mirela Monte must have been reading my mind when she wrote This is no Longer a Career; It's a Disease! I bet you feel this way sometimes, also.

In Progress Report - I Can Do ALL Things Through Christ Who Strengthens Me, Loreena Yeo shares how she handles the stress and pressures of this business. She is one amazing woman! If you have not had the pleasure of reading her blog, you will be hooked from the first post.

Dream It, Believe It and Do It by Kathy Clulow is packed with truth and motivation for anyone who needs a gentle 'push' toward greatness.

I can always count on Jesse Clifton to deliver great advice and wisdom with just the right balance of humor. The best agent to use just might be the one who tells you the truth... lives up to all my expectations of him.

Gary Woltal is the undisputed king of positivity who continually inspires us all. His recent post Getting Better Means Growing Through It is especially meaningful to me right now.

This past week was filled with moments few of us will ever forget. My final, featured posts were written to honor the legacy of Martin Luther King...a man whose life work paved the way for the events we have just witnessed.

Honoring Martin Luther King This Day... by Broker Bryant Tutas is a bit of a walk down memory lane for BB. In this raw and honest post, he shares his insights and experiences from a perspective that many of us have never seen.

A Thank You to Dr. Martin Luther King - May Your Vision of Peace and Unity Be Realized by my dear friend, Carol Smith, reminds us that it is our responsibility to continue to fight for Dr. King's dream of a country without racism.

100 Quotes: The Legacy of a Man - a dream realized. by Alan May will infuse you with passion and purpose. I cannot think of a better way to end a celebration of another wonderful week at ActiveRain.

Neal Bloom has kept the Week In Review alive and well and if you would like to take a stab at doing the next one please contact him!

**There will be no recreations of any type regarding the titles or content of this group or Review without the permission and expressed written consent of the Groups founder-Copyright 2008"