Bonner, a 12 year old philanthropist, created his own nonprofit called the Little Red Wagon Foundation and he led several national initiatives to raise awareness of and help homeless children.

He was among several nominees, including Oklahoman Capt. Katie Illingworth (pictured at far right. At her left is Air Force Maj. Tobin Griffeth), for the inspirational online community’s annual award.

Award nominees were sent in by readers and then readers’ voted on the finalists.  Bonner was chosen from among the top three nominees who received the highest number of readers’ votes after voting closed on Dec. 12.

“Sometimes it takes a child to lead the way to right action, and that’s exactly what Zach Bonner has done,” Laurie Sue Brockway, Beliefnet’s family and inspiration editor, said in a news release.

Illingworth, of Oklahoma City, was a nominated along with her colleague Maj. Tobin Griffeth of McKinney, Texas, for their Operation Red River Cares charity drive. The two Air Force officers started the effort while serving at Bagram Air Force Base in Afghanistan.

Through the charity drive, people sent donations of warm clothes, shoes and school supplies for Afghans. Some sent boxes marked “Texas,” while others sent boxes marked “Oklahoma,” having a bit of fun with the Red River Rivalry — for a good cause.

Congratulations to Bonner, Illingworth, Griffeth and all the nominees. Read more about the award and all the nominees by visiting www.Beliefnet.com.

Carla Hinton

Religion Editor    

TULSA — The “Flying Nun” of TV yesteryear was make-believe.

Here come the real-life tweeting nuns of today.

Calling it “Chris and Barb’s excellent adventure,” two Benedictine sisters with St. Joseph’s Monastery in Tulsa joined Twitter this week to tweet about their experiences on a recent road trip.

Sister Christine Ereiser, the monastery’s prioress, said she and Sister Barbara Austin, left Tulsa earlier this week headed for Chicago, Ill., where the pair plan to attend an annual meeting of Benedictine women from throughout the U.S. and Mexico.

Ereiser said they chose to travel on old Route 66 and wanted to stay in touch with Ereiser’s 87-year-old mother who lives in Tulsa.

Ereiser said she decided to try Twitter as a way to keep Mom informed and also several friends and the St. Joseph’s community.

Speaking by phone Thursday night after arriving just outside Chicago, Ereiser said she enjoyed sending tweets as part of the Twitter social network. The trip through the old towns on the old highway was “meditative,” she said.

“It’s rejuvenating to travel at a slower pace.”

Ereiser, who sends tweets as ChristineOSB, said she had to think a little about what details would be off interest to family and friends following her tweets.

She’s had some return tweets.

“Some people weren’t aware of some attractions that I’ve mentioned. Some people were giving advice to us to get off (the highway) in different places”

Will she continue tweeting now that she’s found Twitter?

Possibly, but probably not on a daily basis, Ereiser said.

“I think it’s important to have something to say.”    

(ABOVE PHOTO BY JIM BECKEL, THE OKLAHOMAN: Sister Christine Ereiser, prioress of St. Joseph Monastery in Tulsa, poses for this 2007 photo at the monastery.) 

Carla Hinton

Religion Editor

I wrote a column before Christmas about being thankful for things that money can’t buy, things that I think come from God, like love and compassion. Then my house was burglarized and some items were taken that I had bought for my children.

Recently I blogged about possibly fasting or abstaining from some of my favorite old sitcoms like “Frasier” during Lent.  Then this past Saturday, I wrote a column about being mindful of the spiritual premise of fasting.

Well Sunday my own pastor called an all-church fast for one week.

We are to abstain from meat, breads, sugar or sweetener, fried foods and soft drinks. Add to this list items with sugar – and there’s to be no salt to season the food we do eat. 

I’m going to be straight — the food part is something that my family has adjusted to pretty well. We can eat fruits, vegetables, 100% fruit juice and whole grains. We can use herbs for seasoning. It has definitely given us a new appreciation for all the splendid varieties of fruits and vegetables. And salt — I never knew I loved ya.

Here’s the kicker: We also are fasting from television, movies and the Internet, although the Internet can be used for Bible study.

We are to use this time of fasting to pray, particularly with our families.

Without the TV and Internet (this includes video games, I had to tell my son) , there should be ample family time and moments to reconnect and explore biblical teachings and each other.

So my plan to possibly abstain from sitcoms became a literal fast. I have to tell you, I don’t think I would have done it all by myself. It’s one week and I’m sure I will make it. One loooonnngggg week, but yes, I will make it through.

Who can ever question whether or not God had a sense of humor?

Of course He does!

Carla Hinton

Religion Editor   

The more I think about the so-called Facebook Lenten fast, the more I think that it is an idea whose time has come.

Here’s what I think about it.

At my house, my teens are often arguing about computer usage.

Who’s getting on the computer?

Who forgot to turn off the monitor? … the printer?…

Having more than one computer doesn’t help either.  

You see, one teen wants to get on the computer that his sibling is on for any number of reasons.

And so it goes.

Sometimes, I play referee by just shutting down all the computers.

So, I look at the idea of adults fasting from Facebook this Lenten season with a new perspective. Plus I just read a story about school students in England who are fasting from the social networking sites like Facebook and MySpace during Lent: Schoolchildren fast. 

I like this idea! I LOVE this idea!

Not that my kids are all that into the social networking sites. I’m just thinking that perhaps an Internet ”fast” could be in order. Limiting the amount of time spent on the Internet isn’t a bad idea anyway, particularly if there is no homework involved.

I’m going to broach the subject with the teens, see what happens.

I’ve already got another idea: How about a fast from video games?

That should go over well with my son … 

Look for more Lent-related blog postings here on the Religion and Values blog in the days ahead. 

Carla Hinton

Religion Editor