Vinegar and Honey

Testing..

2012-02-10T02:40:00.000-05:00

Testing..

Time Will Tell

2012-01-01T22:23:00.006-05:00

Well, friends, here it is the beginning of another year, and who knows what this year holds?

I know what I wish it to hold, which is, probably, no different than what everyone wants.

I'm sure we all want good health, happiness, and prosperity...and most of all, peace...for ourselves, and for those we hold near, and dear, to our hearts.

But will our wishes come true?

I don't know.

Many really are frightened of the 2012 prophecies, found in the Mayan literature, and other prophetic writings, which portend doom, and gloom, and the end of the world.

I'm more afraid of what our country has become, with people who have no love, or respect for it, riding roughshod over those who do.

It has now become shameful to have worked hard, and become successful, and those who haven't think it is good, and right, to have it taken away, and given to them.

It's okay to occupy anything, and everything, and take it by force, and violence, if necessary, with the approval of the ones who should be looking out for the safety, and well being, of us all.

It's okay to have your own religion ridiculed, and the name of the God you believe in, trampled underfoot, while having to watch every word that is spoken, lest you offend others of a different faith.

And speaking of watching every word spoken, how many have lost jobs, and careers, just in the last year, because someone said something that someone else found offensive, because of race, or religion..or choice of lifestyle?

Heaven forbid that you should voice disapproval of any alternative lifestyle, no matter how perverse, or immoral, you consider it to be. If it goes against your own moral values, just shut up about it...or else.

Yes, that is what has befallen our country...

Did you ever think we would come to this?

I certainly didn't, not in my wildest imagination.

Perhaps, the Mayans were right, and it will be the end of the world, but even if they are wrong, it could still be the end of the world as we have known it.

Will the new year bring a positive change? I hope so. A friend keeps telling me that he thinks it will.

The photo, above, was taken with a cell phone, very early this morning. I thought it was a bit unusual to see a rainbow at that hour...so, maybe I should take it as a good omen.

Meanwhile, keep praying...

Time will tell.

An Old Fashioned Christmas (RePost)

2011-12-23T22:14:00.003-05:00

I know that I have, recently, written about a wonderful memory of Christmas past, and I'm sure that most of us do have those fond memories. We long for things to be that way again, and wish that we could see through the eyes of a child again, where everything is good, and right with the world. We all long for just an old fashioned Christmas.

I have my precious memories, but now, as I write this, I just cannot get into the "spirit of Christmas" that everyone speaks of, and longs for, because try as I may, I can't get into that state of "willing suspension of disbelief"-- a semi-conscious decision in which you put aside your disbelief and accept the premise as being real for the duration of the movie you're watching, or the story you're reading--because this is real life, with real people, with real emotions, and I am acutely aware of the pain which exists all around me.

This is the time of year when people try to achieve a level of perfection, which in most cases, just does not exist. They long for the perfect life, the perfect family, perfect kids. They think of peace on earth, and good will toward all men--that does not exist, either, and I can't pretend it does, because I can't forget that there are children going to bed hungry, that there are old people who are sick, and alone, and cold because they can't pay a heating bill and a prescription bill, too.

I am aware that there are young mothers, struggling to make a living for their children, yearning for some kind of normalcy in their lives, but knowing that it is pretty much a lost cause. I am aware that there are whole families who are next to being homeless, through no fault of their own, with no way out of their hopelessness.

I am aware that people are fighting, and killing each other, for no reason other than self-gratification, and I can't forget that there are wars where people are killing and being killed for the sake of peace.

I can't pretend that all of that is not happening. I can't close my eyes to reality and and pretend that this is a season when everyone is happy and satisfied, and loving his fellow man. I wish that were true, but I know that it is what it is, and I can't change it.

I am so thankful for what I have, and for anything that I am able to do to make things better for others, and I will never, ever, take that for granted.

My heartfelt wish is that all of you will have peace of mind, love in your hearts, and peace in your homes during this Christmas and Holiday Season. May it continue long after the season is past.

Live And Let Live

2011-12-03T20:18:00.002-05:00

There are hermit souls that live withdrawn
In the place of their self-content;
There are souls like stars, that dwell apart,
In a fellowless firmament;
There are pioneer souls that blaze their paths
Where highways never ran-
But let me live by the side of the road
And be a friend to man. -

Let me live in a house by the side of the road,
Where the race of men go by-
The men who are good and the men who are bad,
As good and as bad as I.
I would not sit in the scorner's seat,
Or hurl the cynic's ban-
Let me live in a house by the side of the road
And be a friend to man. -

I see from my house by the side of the road,
By the side of the highway of life,
The men who press with the ardor of hope,
The men who are faint with the strife.
But I turn not away from their smiles nor their tears,
Both parts of an infinite plan-
Let me live in a house by the side of the road
And be a friend to man.

I know there are brook-gladdened meadows ahead
And mountains of wearisome height;
That the road passes on through the long afternoon
And stretches away to the night.
But still I rejoice when the travelers rejoice.
And weep with the strangers that moan,
Nor live in my house by the side of the road
Like a man who dwells alone. -

Let me live in my house by the side of the road-
It's here the race of men go by.
They are good, they are bad, they are weak, they are strong,
Wise, foolish- so am I;
Then why should I sit in the scorner's seat,
Or hurl the cynic's ban?
Let me live in my house by the side of the road
And be a friend to man.

"The House by the Side of the Road"

By Sam Walter Foss
Librarian and Poet

1858-1911

Bitter or Better..A Re Post

2010-08-25T20:50:00.004-04:00

I know I said that I didn't have the heart to continue with this blog, and in a way, I don't, but because of something that happened, recently, I thought that it would be a good time to re-post this. If for no other reason than to remind myself of my own philosophy of how I want to react to the negative things that happen in my life.

Reading this, again, reminds me that not all people are going to act as I expect them to...that people are not always the kind of persons that I believed them to be, nor as trustworthy as I would expect them to be. They will not always like me as I thought they did...but even so, I know that the opinions of others do not change the reality of the truth of myself. That truth being that I am a loving, understanding, forgiving individual, and my prayer is always that I never hold on to bitterness, resentment, nor unforgiveness...toward anyone, about anything.

My prayer for them is that they would come to know the peace that passes all understanding in their own hearts.

Bitter or Better

I've been writing quite a lot about some experiences in my life. Some of them have been funny. Some happy, and some downright tragic.

I think all of us have that in common. Life is not always "just a bowl of cherries" as the old song goes, so we've all had our share of good and bad, and have had the tragedy, too.

Some of us allow what's happened in the past to color every aspect of our lives. Some, more than others, because we are all different in our emotional makeup, and much of it is a result of our particular background, or upbringing.

I went to a therapist once, and he was amazed at the fact that I wasn't mad about anything. "Why aren't you mad?" he kept asking. "You should be mad. You have every right to be mad!"

But I wasn't. I'm not. I don't know why. Maybe, it is just because I am a forgiving person. Maybe, it is because I understand that people, for the most part, do the best they can. It may not always be the best, just the best that they can do. How they live their lives, and how they treat us, is a direct result of their own upbringing. It is a cycle that is sometimes broken, but sometimes it isn't.

Maybe, it is because I understand that we can't change our past. We can't change the fact that people don't always love us, or think well of us. Maybe, it is because, in spite of everything that happened to me in my past, I decided to become better, rather than bitter.

Much of what we feel, on a daily basis, is a direct result of how we react to the way others treat us. I read somewhere that life is ten percent of what happens to us, and ninety per cent, how we react to it. I have to admit, though, that sometimes my "reactor" just doesn't want to cooperate with me...so maybe I am angrier than I realize!

I'd hate to think that this is so.

Do not be quickly provoked in your spirit, for anger resides in the lap of fools. ~Ecclesiastes 7:9~

So Long For Now...

2010-06-23T01:59:00.003-04:00

I don't quite know how to say this, so I will just say that, after much thought, I have decided to quit blogging. There are many reasons, and perhaps you aren't even interested in them, but I will try to explain, a little.

When I started this blog, nearly three years ago, I'm not sure that I had any particular kind of blog in mind. I began by writing a few little stories from my own life. Some of them were humorous, and some were of a more serious nature. Readers seemed to enjoy them. I liked sharing them. Others were written about people I have known, and relatives, and loved ones that I have lost, and even a pet, or two. I, also, wrote about particular social issues, or stories of interest, happening locally, or elsewhere.

Right after I started my blog, though, the political climate began to change in this country. I began to pay closer attention than I had ever done, before. Some things were happening that I felt needed to be brought to the attention of others, and I began to write about them...not in any erudite way, because I'm certainly no political scientist, but I wrote what I was observing, sometimes, even with a little twist of humor. After awhile, I couldn't find any humor in any of it. It had become frightening, and overwhelming, to the point that I didn't want to think about it, much less to write about it. So, I stopped writing about it.

I began to re-post several of my older pieces, and every now and then, I make an attempt at writing something, but it seems that my heart just isn't in it, anymore.

Unlike many who say that they blog only for themselves, I don't think that I do, and I feel that if you are taking the time to come to my blog, that you should find something worth your time. I appreciate, so much, everyone who has taken the time, and from the bottom of my heart, I thank you.

Perhaps, I will feel differently about things later on, but I don't know if I will. I will leave my blog up for awhile, so that if there is anything of interest in my archives that you would like to read, you may. Later, I plan to delete it.

Peace...from my house, to yours.
Jan

Live, Laugh, Love

2010-06-20T20:45:00.002-04:00

I hope that all the fathers out there have had a wonderful day, today. I hope that your children told you how much you are loved, and appreciated. I hope that you, if you still have a father, said those things to him, too.

I'm sorry that anyone coming to my blog to see what I had posted, found nothing but an old post, and nothing uplifting. I, actually, spent quite some time, preparing, and searching for just the right graphic to go with it, but after it all, either my computer, my server, or Blogger, or the combination of them all, just wouldn't cooperate. It was one thing, after another, and so, no Happy Father's Day post.

My heart wasn't in it, really, anyway. My son's best friend's father was buried yesterday, having died only a short time after being diagnosed with an illness, and it was a shock to everyone. I kept thinking, all day, yesterday, and today, how very sad this day would be for his family...for my son's best friend.

Only a few days ago, another friend of his, was killed in a motorcycle accident, and another friend, underwent surgery for a brain tumor. I kept thinking of the fathers of these boys, thinking that instead of happiness on this day, there would be such sadness.

I think of the three boys--not so long ago, just playmates--and my heart aches for them, and for the families.

I said to my son, that life is unpredictable. None of us can know what tomorrow may bring, and no one is promised tomorrow, so today, and every day, tell the ones that you love, that they are loved, and appreciated.

I try to do that, on a daily basis, and I hope that all of you, if you don't, already, will, too.

Life is short and we have never too much time for gladdening the hearts of those who are traveling the dark journey with us. Oh be swift to love, make haste to be kind.
~Henri Frederick Amiel

And to this, I add:

Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins.
~1 Peter 4:8-9

In Honor Of Flag Day 2010

2010-06-14T16:26:00.003-04:00

God Bless America!

Long may our flag wave over a Free Country!

Amen.

Thank You To Our Fallen Warriors

2010-05-31T00:59:00.003-04:00

Thank you, to our Fallen Warriors.

Thank you for your sacrifice.

It is because of you, that at this moment I have the freedom to write these words. I know that in other places, in other parts of the world, many do not have this privilege. I know, also, that there are many that have not the slightest bit of gratitude for what we have, nor any idea of the great cost to you, and to the ones you loved, and love you, still.

No matter that it's been said many times before, it needs to be said again, and again...freedom really is not free. May the price you have paid not be taken lightly, and may it never be taken for granted.

Most of all, may it never have been in vain.

Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends."
~ John 15:1~

A Word Is Such A Powerful Thing

2010-05-29T22:49:00.003-04:00

Sometimes, it is very hard to express what one is thinking. Thoughts don't always translate into words, exactly what one wishes to convey, and words are very powerful. That's why it is so important to think before speaking, I suppose.

I am not a poet, but here are some words that came to me one day while feeling a little wounded by some words that were spoken:

A word is such a powerful thing
It can lift a heart, or break it.

Be very careful what you say
Once said, you can't retake it.

It could be the reason, too, that my very wise mother, and grandmother, said to me, "If you can't say anything good about someone, don't say anything at all."

What a wonderful world it would be, if we would remember to speak only that which is good, and uplifting, and encouraging, so that our words become a blessing, rather than a burden.

Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honorable, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.
~Philippians 4:8~
kjv

Native American Prayer

2010-05-23T04:05:00.003-04:00

Oh Great Spirit,

Whose voice I hear in the wind,
Whose breath gives life to the world,
Hear me!

I come to you as one of your many children.
I am small and weak.
I need your strength and wisdom.

May I walk in beauty.
Make my eyes behold the red and purple sunset.
Make my hands respect the things that you have made,
And my ears sharp to hear your voice.

Make me wise so that I may know the things
That you have taught your children--
The lessons that you have hidden in every leaf and rock.

Make me strong, not to be superior to my brothers, but to be able to fight my greatest enemy: myself.

Make me ever ready to come to you with straight eyes, so that
When life fades as the faded sunset
My spirit will come to you without shame.
~Native American prayer~

Keepers

2010-05-19T02:45:00.002-04:00

Their marriage was good, their dreams focused. Their best friends lived barely a wave away. I can see them now. Dad in trousers, tee shirt, and a hat, and Mom in a housedress, lawn mower in one hand, and dish-towel in the other. It was the time for fixing things. A curtain rod, the kitchen radio, screen door, the oven door, the hem in a dress. Things we keep.

It was a way of life, and sometimes it made me crazy. All that re-fixing, eating, renewing. I wanted, just once, to be wasteful. Waste meant affluence. Throwing things away meant you knew there'd always be more.

But then my mother died, and on that clear summer's night, in the warmth of the hospital room, I was struck with the pain of learning that sometimes there isn't any more.

Sometimes, what we care about most gets all used up and goes away, never to return. So, while we have it, it's best we love it And care for it. And fix it when it's broken. And heal it when it's sick.

This is true for marriage, and old cars, and children with bad report cards. Dogs and cats with bad hips. And aging parents, and grandparents. We keep them because they are worth it --because we are worth it. Some things we keep -- like a best friend that moved away, or a classmate we grew up with.

There are just some things that make life important -- like people we know who are special --and so, we keep them close!

*This was sent to me today --I thought it was worth keeping --and sharing.

Building Your House

2010-05-13T00:39:00.002-04:00

I've had some conversations, recently, concerning the choices we make in life, and the consequences of some of those choices. When things are going well, we don't think so much about that, but when adversity comes, it becomes easier to question, not only ourselves, but the wisdom of God. It is easier to do that, than to take responsibility for our own choices, I suppose, but in the end, we still have to live with the consequences.

I think the following story pretty much puts it into perspective.

Building Your House

An elderly carpenter was ready to retire. He told his employer- contractor of his plans to leave the house-building business to live a more leisurely life with his wife and enjoy his extended family. He would miss the paycheck each week, but he wanted to retire. They could get by.

The contractor was sorry to see his good worker go and asked if he could build just one more house as a personal favor. The carpenter said yes, but over time it was easy to see that his heart was not in his work. He resorted to shoddy workmanship and used inferior materials. It was an unfortunate way to end a dedicated career.

When the carpenter finished his work, his employer came to inspect the house. Then he handed the front-door key to the carpenter and said, "This is your house...my gift to you."

The carpenter was shocked!

What a shame! If he had only known he was building his own house, he would have done it all so differently.

So it is with us. We build our lives, a day at a time, often putting less than our best into the building. Then, with a shock, we realize we have to live in the house we have built. If we could do it over, we would do it much differently.But, you cannot go back. You are the carpenter, and every day, you hammer a nail, place a board, or erect a wall.

Someone once said, "Life is a do-it-yourself project." Your attitude, and the choices you make today, help build the "house" you will live in tomorrow.

Therefore, build wisely!

In Honor Of My Mother

2010-05-08T23:04:00.002-04:00

I loved my precious little mother so much, and I've missed her every single day that she has been gone, but the feeling of loss is so much more pronounced when Mother's Day rolls around. I think of all the other Mother's Days, in days gone by, when she was still in my life, and I wonder if I always gave her the honor, of which she was so worthy.

I know how much I loved her, and there is no measure for that...no way to measure it, but did I always do everything that was within my power to show her how very much I loved her? I've thought of it, often, and there are only a couple of times, that I can remember, that I know I hurt her, however unintentional it was. Once, was when I asked her why she had stayed with my stepfather, considering all the times that he treated her cruelly, and many times, humiliated her. I just didn't understand, and so, one day when he had ridiculed her for some silly reason, had spoken so harshly to her, I asked her, "Why do you stay with him? Why don't you leave him, and come and live with me?" The look on her face, of shock, and, yes, pain, cut me to the very quick, as she answered, "Because I love him, Janice."

That night, while lying in bed, remembering our conversation, and her expression, and her answer to the insensitive, and thoughtless question that I had asked her, I told the Lord that if I lived to see tomorrow, I would tell my mother how very sorry I was that I had hurt her, and ask her forgiveness...and I did. And so typically of my mother, she answered, "Oh, Janice...there is nothing to forgive. You're my girl." How my heart yearns to feel the warmth, and the love of that hug that she gave me, then. Also, typically, she said, "Daddy never means to hurt my feelings by the things he says and he does. I know he loves me. He just doesn't know how to show it."

That was another wonderful quality that she had...she never blamed anyone for anything. She was always willing to forgive, and not only to forgive, but to forget. At least, if she did think about it, she never brought it up, again. Her life was not an easy one, and she suffered much mistreatment in a lot of ways, but she never felt sorry for herself, and rather than blaming others for their misdeeds, she chose to forgive them. She offered her heart to them, without guile.

What a wonderful world it would be if we could all be that forgiving of one another. I know that there are myriads of different families, circumstances, lifestyles, and personalities, and I know that there are such conflicts in some families, for many reasons, that it is often easier said than done, but still...wouldn't it be wonderful if we all could? And if we could, we would?

My prayer, always, is that I never hold onto resentment, bitterness, or unforgiveness, toward anyone, for anything. Like my mother, I choose to let it go.

On this special day, in honor of my own precious, and beloved mother, Sarah, I offer this same prayer for you, and mothers everywhere.

May you forgive, and be forgiven. May you show honor,and receive it as you give it. May your hearts be filled with peace and love.

Mother, the memory of you is worth more than all the treasures of the earth.

God's Pharmacy

2010-05-07T01:22:00.003-04:00

It's been said that God first separated the salt water from the fresh, made dry land, planted a garden, made animals and fish. . . all before making a human. He made and provided what we'd need before we were born. These are best & more powerful when eaten raw.

We're such slow learners.

God left us a some great clues as to what foods help what part of our body! A sliced Carrot looks like the human eye. The pupil, iris and radiating lines look just like the human eye... And YES, science now shows carrots greatly enhance blood flow to and function of the eyes.

The above is an excerpt from an article which tells about other fruits and vegetables that help the different parts of our bodies.

To read the rest of it, go here.

This has been around for awhile, but it is truly amazing, and well worth reading several times!

About Friendship

2010-05-04T16:38:00.004-04:00

This is another repost, but I have acquired a few new readers, recently, so decided to post it, once more.

My reason for doing so, is that I have been reminded, again, that not everyone that you like and admire, neccesarily feels the same about you. That's okay. Some people are more reticent, and are not comfortable when certain others reach out to them. And besides, the way that society is changing, one can never be too careful when choosing even a casual acquaintance.

Perhaps, you have already read this, but if so, I hope that you get something out of reading it, again.

If you have only recently started reading my blog, I want to tell you that I am pleased that you are here, and thank you that you have chosen to be here.

I have been thinking a lot about friendship, lately. Thinking of some friends that I've lost, in the past, and some that I've acquired, recently. I know that it is said that you should choose your friends carefully, but sometimes that is easier said than done. Sometimes, they just happen along, and things either work out, or they don't. I've had a few that I thought were genuine, but found out that it was not so.

I have never been one to choose, or keep a friend based on looks, age, education, or wealth. I've never chosen a friend based on how sophisticated they happen to be, or how enlightened. Prestige, fame, and fortune, have never impressed me in the least. I've been poor--just about as poor as you can imagine--and I've been fairly well-off.

I've had--and still have some of them--friends who were doctors, lawyers, college professors, politicians, pharmacists, an engineer, a physicist, a theologian, and a celebrity or two. I've, also, had friends who were common laborers, who worked their fingers to the bone, so to speak. Each and every one of those friendships have been based on things held in common--the only things of any real importance in a friendship --honesty, integrity, respect, and genuine affection.

I've been treated badly when I was very poor--in my growing-up years--and I've been kow-towed to, a few times, just because of my particular strata of society at the time. I guess I should be thankful for each and every one of those friendships, because I'm sure that I learned something valuable from each one. One thing that I have learned for sure--people are just people. Some are users, and some are losers, and some are the cream of the crop. Treat each one with kindness and respect, as much as it is possible, and most of the time, they will do the same. If not, then it is time to move on.

The following was written by an unknown author, as much as I can determine. Many have claimed authorship, but it is disputed.

"People come into your life for a reason, a season or a lifetime. When you know which one it is, you will know what to do for that person. When someone is in your life for a REASON, it is usually to meet a need you have expressed. They have come to assist you through a difficulty, to provide you with guidance and support, to aid you physically, emotionally or spiritually. They may seem like a godsend and they are. They are there for the reason you need them to be. Then, without any wrongdoing on your part or at an inconvenient time, this person will say or do something to bring the relationship to an end. Sometimes they die. Sometimes they walk away. Sometimes they act up and force you to take a stand. What we must realize is that our need has been met, our desire fulfilled, their work is done. The prayer you sent up has been answered and now it is time to move on.

Some people come into your life for a SEASON, because your turn has come to share, grow or learn. They bring you an experience of peace or make you laugh. They may teach you something you have never done. They usually give you an unbelievable amount of joy. Believe it, it is real. But only for a season."

LIFETIME relationships teach you lifetime lessons, things you must build upon in order to have a solid emotional foundation. Your job is to accept the lesson, love the person and put what you have learned to use in all other relationships and areas of your life. It is said that love is blind but friendship is clairvoyant."

I've made some wonderful friends on here, and some which turned out to be not so wonderful..but even so, I learned from it. There are some, though, that I hope to keep for a lifetime, even though I may never meet them in person, it seems as though we have. A genuine friendship is a gift to be treasured.

That's one of the most important lessons I've learned.

I have friends in overalls whose friendship I would not swap for the favor of the kings of the world. ~Thomas A. Edison ~

Me, too.

What Is It?

2010-05-01T00:15:00.002-04:00

There is so much unrest, and uncertainty in our land right now. There are times when one wonders if the constant struggle to cope from day to day is really going to accomplish anything. Just when we think that, maybe, there is hope, something else comes along, and knocks the breath right out of us.

Even so, we pick ourselves up, dust ourselves off, and get on with the business of living, of striving for the dream in all of our hearts, even though life is complicated, and reality is harsh.

But what is it that makes us go on dreaming, even in the stark daylight of reality?

Why does our heart tell us to keep going in the face of every opposition?

What is the force that drives us ever onward toward a goal that seems unobtainable?

What gives us the courage to carry on, even when it seems that we have gone the last mile?

What is the never ending force that travels through our being--the force that is our being?

Why do we struggle against it?

Why the resistance against the thing that is trying to work for our good?

We all must have a dream. A destiny to fulfill. A pattern that can be formed in it's entirety, by only specific pieces of life, much in the same way that a picture is formed only by each specific piece of a jigsaw puzzle. A piece which has been cut to perfection, and will only fit into that one particular part of the puzzle--its shape and size and color, made to be fitted into no other part--the picture, which without it, is incomplete.

If a piece is forced into a part of the puzzle, for which it was not made, the picture is misshapen and imperfect.

And such is life.

Our lives are like a jigsaw puzzle. We keep searching until we have found the piece of the puzzle which fits perfectly into the picture. Much searching, much trying, much forcing of pieces--trying to make a whole of perfection--our perfect picture. They have to be looked for carefully, and sometimes they are hard to find, yet, we keep searching.

Sometimes, the piece looks exactly as if it will fit, but it doesn't, and we try to force it into place. because it looks like it belongs there. Finally, after much effort we put that piece aside, and go on searching for the one that fits.

The important thing is that although we may search long and hard through the pieces that don't fit, eventually we find the ones which do, and we have that for which we have been striving.

Just as a puzzle is challenging at times, discouraging at others, but ultimately fulfilling when it all comes together, beautifully, as a result of our efforts--such is the putting together of each of our lives, and the pursuit of our dreams.

It's the challenges, the discouragements, the searching and the trying, and the determination to see the fulfillment of our endeavors culminate into the perfect picture.

But what is it really that drives us toward the ultimate dream, in spite of all of the adversity all around us?

It's faith, and hope.

In spite of those whom would turn our lives upside-down, by changing what we have always known, by trying to take away our freedoms, by causing chaos, and almost putting asunder all the pieces of the puzzle that we have worked so hard to fit together--it is faith in Someone bigger than we are, and hope in the knowledge that Good will always triumph over Evil in the grand scheme of things.

That's what it is.

It's Your Life

2010-04-26T15:19:00.003-04:00

LIFE IS A THEATER

Invite Your Friends Carefully

Observe the relationships areound you. Pay close attention.

Which ones lift, and which ones lean?

Which ones encourage, and which ones discourage?

Which ones are on a path of growth uphill, and which ones are going downhill?

When you leave certain people, do you feel better or worse?

Which ones have drama, or don't really know, understand, or appreciate you?

The more you seek quality, respect, growth, peace of mind, love and truth around you...the easier it will become for you to decide who gets to sit in the Front, and who should be moved to the Balcony of Your Life.

If you cannot change the people around you, CHANGE the people you are around.

Remember that the people we hang with will have an impact on both our lives, and our incomes...so we must choose the people we hang out with, as well as the information with which we feed our minds.

We must not share our dreams with negative people, nor feed our dreams with negative thoughts.

It's your choice, and your life...it is up to you, who and what you let in it.

~Author Unknown~

I have my own thoughts about this, having experienced some rather toxic relationships in my own life.

Sometimes, the people around us are not the ones that we have chosen, but are just part of the package of life, so to speak. We don't get to pick and choose our relatives, certainly, and then when we marry, we get the relatives that our spouses didn't get to choose, either, which makes for an even more complicated set of circumstances at times.

Sometimes, it seems that some of our worst enemies are our own relatives, and when that's not the case, it is an added blessing...however, it doesn't always work out that way, as I'm sure you are aware.

Yes, we can choose our friends, and when they don't work out, we are free to go our own separate ways, but what to do about our own relatives? Well, my husband and I have discussed this many times, and prayed about it, just as much...especially when we were having a very difficult time with one of my relatives, who was giving us a lot of grief over the care of my invalid mother....which resulted in banning her from our home, for awhile. He said that we should love our relatives, but we don't have to subject ourselves to their toxic behavior...and that's true.

One day as I was praying, I asked the Lord why my aunt seemed to hate me so much, and tried to find fault with everything that I tried to do in the care of my mother, and suddenly, it came like a bolt out of the blue. It wasn't that she hated me so much, but that she loved my mother, her sister, so much! After that, I began to view it in that light, and it seemed that a complete change came over my aunt, and our relationship was restored, and after a few years, she told me how very sorry she was that she had acted the way that she had, and asked my forgiveness.

Now, we are closer than ever, and she thinks there is no one else in the world who knows as much about taking care of an invalid, or anyone who needs any kind of care. She now calls me her daughter, and asks my advice about everything. LOL...yes, I have to laugh out loud, when I think of the goodness of God, and how He is able to work all things together for good, if we will only allow Him. If we ask, He will give us guidance and direction as to whom we should allow a front row seat in our lives!

"Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will direct your paths."
~Proverbs 3:5-6~

A Day In The Springtime

2010-04-13T16:26:00.001-04:00

The following story is, actually, a re post of a re post. Obviously, it is not the first day of Spring, and a lot has transpired in our world since the last re post, and current events are still depressing, and distressing...but it is a beautiful Spring day, and days like this remind me of the day in my story, and of the fact, that in spite of all of the ugliness around us, there is still beauty in the world, and hope, which gives us a reason for rejoicing in what we still have. Where there is hope, there is the feeling that all will be well, whatever the circumstances.

This being the first day of spring, I thought it would be a good time to depart from the more depressing current events, and re post one of my more uplifting stories.

To this very day, I can recall the particular day mentioned here, in detail.

I opened my eyes, and stretched, kicking the sheets off my suntanned legs with quick, little scissor kicks. It was early in the morning, but already it was hot, and muggy, causing the sheet to feel clingy, and uncomfortable. I just lay there, savoring the smell of bacon and coffee, the aroma hanging thick in the humid air. I could hear Mama in the kitchen, taking the heavy, iron skillet filled with biscuits, out of the oven and setting it down with a dull thud on top of the stove. Outside of the open window, I could hear birds singing. I felt like singing, too. I was fifteen years old, and it was springtime. It felt good, just being alive!

After breakfast, and after dishes, I put on my black Capri pants, and pink turtleneck top. I wished I didn't stick out so far in front. Being so tiny in the waist made me look twice as big at the top--and I didn't like the way the boys stared at me. It seemed to me that they never did get around to looking at me at eye-level--but worse than that were the snide remarks some of the girls at school made. If I heard, "Where'd you get those--Sears Catalogue?" one more time, I thought I'd scream.

Oh well, there could be worse things wrong with me than that--like being too skinny, like my best friend, Jean. She envied me, my bustline, but I sure didn't envy her, her skinny legs. I giggled at the thought of her with my bustline and her skinny legs!

Speak of the devil, I thought, as I heard her calling me from her front porch, across the road and three houses up. I ran outside, slamming the flimsy screen door behind me. I ran down the steps, and up the unpaved road to her house.

She was sitting on the steps, combing her hair which she had just washed. Maybe her legs were too skinny, but she sure did have beautiful hair. It was down to her waist, and looked like fluffy gold.

"Gosh, Jean, your hair looks absolutely beautiful," I said. I felt good. She got into her best movie star pose, and said, "I know--I wish I could say the same about yours."

"Well, why don't you tell a lie--like I just did?" I said, feeling gorgeous as the morning!

Mama was calling me home to go to the store for washing powder. I got the money, and ran across the road to the trail that ran down the hill through the little patch of woods, and was a shortcut between our house and the store. Just at the top of the hill was a large, flat rock from which you could see far away over the tree tops.

I jumped up on the rock, taking deep breaths of fresh, clean air. The sweetness of spring flowers filled my nostrils. The beautiful profusion of color, and the potpourri of fragrance was intoxicating! I wanted to sprout wings, and soar through the air! I felt like crying. It felt so good just to be alive on a day like this!

I took some more deep breaths, and stretched my arms in embrace of the beauty all around me. I looked up at the sky, and said, "When I die, let it be exactly like now, and let it be on a day in the springtime!" Tears slid down my face for some strange reason that I didn't understand. I felt clean, and pure, and gorgeous--yes, gorgeous as the morning!

Because He Lives...

2010-04-04T14:13:00.003-04:00

We associate Lent, Passion Week, Ash Wednesday, and Good Friday, with the days leading up to the Celebration of Easter, but it is the event that occurred that we, as Christians, celebrate.

It is not about colored eggs, jelly beans, or Easter bunnies, but about the empty tomb, and what it represents to us.

Our Christian faith is anchored in the fact that Jesus Christ was crucified, resurrected, and glorified, and the belief that He is the Son of God.

His word can be trusted. His sacrifice for our sin allows us complete forgiveness, which assures us that when we believe in Him, we too, can conquer death, so we turn to Him for mercy, guidance, and direction.

Death could not hold Him!

The tomb was empty! He is risen! He is alive! And because He lives, we shall live, also!

For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten son, that whosoever believeth in him, should not perish, but have everlasting life.

John 3:16 kjv

I Believe...

2010-03-04T23:18:00.005-05:00

I Believe...

That just because two people argue,
It doesn't mean they don't love each other.
And just because they don't argue,
It doesn't mean they do love each other.

I Believe...

That we don't have to change friends if
We understand that friends change.

I Believe....

That no matter how good a friend is, they're going to hurt you every once in a while
And you must forgive them for that.

I Believe....

That true friendship continues to grow, even over the longest distance.
Same goes for true love.

I Believe...

That you can do something in an instant
That will give you heartache for life.

I Believe....

That it's taking me a long time
To become the person I want to be.

I Believe....

That you should always leave loved ones with
Loving words. It may be the last time you see them.

I Believe....

That you can keep going long after you think you can't.

I Believe.....

That we are responsible for what
We do, no matter how we feel.

I Believe...

That either you control your attitude or it controls you.

I Believe...

That heroes are the people who do what has to be done when it needs to be done, regardless of the consequences.

I Believe....

That my best friend and I can do anything or nothing and have the best time.

I Believe....

That sometimes the people you expect to kick you when you're down will be the ones to help you get back up.

I Believe...

That sometimes when I'm angry I have the right to be angry,
But that doesn't give me the right to be cruel.

I Believe....

That maturity has more to do with what types of experiences you've had
And what you've learned from them and less to do with how many birthdays you've celebrated.

I Believe....

That it isn't always enough, to be forgiven by others.
Sometimes, you have to learn to forgive yourself.

I Believe...

That no matter how bad your heart is broken the world doesn't stop for your grief.

I Believe.....

That our background and circumstances
May have influenced who we are,
But, we are responsible for who we become.

I Believe...

That you shouldn't be so eager to find
Out a secret.
It could change your life
Forever.

I Believe....

Two people can look at the exact same
Thing and see something totally different.

I Believe...

That your life can be changed in a matter of
Hours by people who don't even know you.

I Believe...

That even when you think you have no more to give,
When a friend cries out to you -
You will find the strength to help.

I Believe...

That credentials on the wall do not make you a decent human being.

I Believe...

That the people you care about most in life are taken from you too soon.

I Believe...

That the happiest of people don't necessarily have the best of everything;
They just make the most of everything they have.

On Self Knowledge

2010-02-19T18:27:00.004-05:00

Your hearts know in silence the secrets of the days and the nights.
But your ears thirst for the sound of your heart's knowledge.

You would know in words that which you have always known in thought.You would touch with your fingers the naked body of your dreams. And it is well you should.The hidden well-spring of your soul must needs rise and run murmuring to the sea. And the treasure of your infinite depths would be revealed to your eyes.

But let there be no scales to weigh your unknown treasure.And seek not the depths of your knowledge with staff or sounding line.For self is a sea boundless and measureless.

Say not, "I have the truth," but rather, "I have found a truth.

"Say not, "I have found the path of the soul."

Say rather, "I have found the soul walking upon my path."

For the soul walks upon all paths.The soul walks not upon a line, neither does it grow like a reed.The soul unfolds itself like a lotus of countless petals.

(An excerpt from "The Prophet" by Kahlil Gibran)

I dedicate this to my fellow bloggers, and to the readers of our blogs, because thoughts of you bring this to my mind.

And because we are all in this world together.

How much better is it to get wisdom than gold! and to get understanding rather to be chosen than silver!
Proverbs 16:16 KJV

Sandy Dundee

2010-02-13T22:57:00.003-05:00

My mind seems to have gone to the dogs, lately. I don't know why, but everywhere I go, I read something about a dog, or someone sends me something about one. I even went to the New York Times today (forty lashes: I deserve at least that many for going to TNYT for any reason) to read a dog story--well, a story about dog trainers. Anyway, it has conjured up the memories of some of the dogs I have known, at one time or another. They haven't all been nice ones, either, but mostly they have been.

I haven't always been that fond of them---in fact, for many years I was terrified of them, having had a nasty bite from one, requiring several stitches, and the subsequent rabies shots in my abdomen.

I was only thirteen years old, at a carnival, just strolling along, minding my own business, and the little critter came running from one of the tents and chomped down on my leg. It was a traveling carnival, and by the time that I had gotten treated at the local emergency room, the carny people who owned the dog, packed up and hightailed it out of town, taking the dog with them, of course, which was the reason I had to take all of those shots--no dog to test for rabies.

Daddy always owned a dog of one kind, or another, including a lot of hunting dogs, and a few others, but Daddy was lord and master, and only a look, or a word, and they obeyed any command, so I was never afraid of them. After that little carnival episode, all other dogs scared me, and I had no fondness for them, whatsoever, until I had my two sons, and all little boys have to have a dog. It was after that, that I began to see, that just like people, they are not all bad, not all good, not all pretty, and not all ugly, and it only takes a little "getting to know you" on both sides. And just like children, some are naughty, and some are little comedians.

One of our dogs, Sandy, was one of the funniest dogs in the world! We got her, and her sister, Buffy, when they were just old enough to wean from their mother. They were beautiful Golden Retrievers, and when they were about six months old, they both came down with Parvo, which is a deadly virus, and wreaks havoc on the poor animal. They both spent time at the veterinarian's hospital, but Buffy didn't make it. The doctor told us, finally, that there was nothing more to be done for Sandy, either, and the kindest thing would be to euthanize her. We refused, and brought her home, and my son, Mike, nursed her back to health.

She was a pathetic case, too. She would lie on her side, with her tongue hanging out, and that was about all she could do for several weeks. Then she began to grow stronger and stronger, until she was bounding around just as before. The only after-effects of the illness was that she stopped growing. Just like that, she grew no more, and stayed the size of a six month old pup! She adored Mike, and was his constant companion, and she kept us laughing at her antics all the time.

When we lived in Florida, she was almost caught by an alligator, and had a couple of tooth scratches on her haunch to prove it. After that, we would put a bandanna around her neck, strap a toy knife in a sheath around her middle, and when we would say, "Sandy! Alligator!" She would snap her head around, taking the toy knife into her mouth, and looking at us with what we called her Barney Fife look! While wearing her outfit, we called her Sandy Dundee, because old Crocodile Dundee had nothing on her!

One Labor Day, she got out of the yard, and we couldn't find her, anywhere. A short time later, we saw her running up the street with a whole bag of buns in her mouth. We had no idea where she had gotten them. Right after that, she took off again, and this time, she came back with a whole block of butter, dropped it, and took off again, disappearing completely. Next, here she came with a piece of meat of some kind, and ashes all around her nose and mouth! She took off again, and we tried following her, but there was no sign of her anywhere! This time, we met her coming up the street, with a deflated beach ball, soaking wet, from head to toe! We were horrified, because it seems that she had found some one's Labor Day cookout, and had made off with just about everything they had!

She had been cutting through yards, which was the reason she disappeared so quickly, and we were unable to find her. We figured that she actually went into the pool after the beach ball, or they finally caught her snitching all their stuff and squirted her with the hose. We asked around, trying to find out who was missing their Labor Day cookout stuff, but never found out where she had been!

And Sandy? Well, she was so proud of herself, and walked around all day with her Barney Fife look--you know the cocky, smug one that he always got when he thought he had outsmarted Sheriff Taylor, or the local bad guy, or had accomplished something which he considered to be very clever. We laughed so much, but I'll bet that poor family wasn't laughing at all!

When she was nearly four years old, she was hit by a car, which was flying up the rural road where we lived, at about sixty miles an hour. The driver didn't stop, or even slow down, and we lost our precious girl who had given us so much joy. And even as she faded away, lying there surrounded by the people who loved her, and were telling her how much, her eyes were full of fear and pain, but even so, they were filled with love for her humans--especially for her Mike. Her eyes never left his face.

Do you think that dogs really do feel all the emotions that humans feel, like love?

I do.

*A repost

It's Time To....

2010-02-01T01:53:00.002-05:00

TEACHER: Maria, go to the map and find North America .

MARIA: Here it is.

TEACHER: Correct. Now class, who discovered America ?

CLASS: Maria.

____________________________________

TEACHER: John, why are you doing your math multiplication on the floor?

JOHN: You told me to do it without using tables. __________________________________________

TEACHER: Glenn, how do you spell 'crocodile?'

GLENN: K-R-O-K-O-D-I-A-L'

TEACHER: No, that's wrong.

GLENN: Maybe it is wrong, but you asked me how I spell it.

____________________________________________

TEACHER: Donald, what is the chemical formula for water?

DONALD: H I J K L M N O.

TEACHER: What are you talking about?

DONALD: Yesterday you said it's H to O.

__________________________________

TEACHER: Winnie, name one important thing we have today that we didn't have ten years ago.

WINNIE: Me!

__________________________________________

TEACHER: Glen, why do you always get so dirty?

GLEN: Well, I'm a lot closer to the ground than you are. _______________________________________

TEACHER: Millie, give me a sentence starting with ' I. '

MILLIE: I is..

TEACHER: No, Millie..... Always say, 'I am.'

MILLIE: All right... 'I am the ninth letter of the alphabet.' ________________________________

TEACHER: George Washington not only chopped down his father's cherry tree, but also admitted it. Now, Louie, do you know why his father didn't punish him?

LOUIS: Because George still had the axe in his hand.... ______________________________________

TEACHER: Now, Simon, tell me frankly, do you say prayers before eating?

SIMON: No sir, I don't have to, my Mom is a good cook. ______________________________

TEACHER: Clyde , your composition on 'My Dog' is exactly the same as your brother's.. Did you copy his?

CLYDE : No, sir. It's the same dog.

___________________________________

TEACHER: Harold, what do you call a person who keeps on talking when people are no longer interested?

HAROLD: A teacher

__________________________________

Walk By Faith...

2010-01-31T01:11:00.002-05:00

Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.

Psalm 119:105

If At First You Don't Succeed, Blame, Blame, Blame

2010-01-28T22:58:00.003-05:00

I was almost beginning to feel sorry for President Obama a few days ago, trying to give him the benefit of the doubt..again...but after last night, I am more disappointed in him, and his performance as leader of the nation, and I didn't think that was possible.

The reason I was beginning to feel a little sorry for him--and I know you will think this is strange--but it was a result of watching American Idol, over the years, and watching some of the contestants in their auditions.

Are your eyebrows furrowed, yet?

Anyway, I always think, when I see some of those poor people up there making fools of themselves, or looking just plain foolish and ignorant, and of course, getting ridiculed, and rejected, and some of them crying, some angry and defiant--I wonder why they, with absolutely no talent, or ability, or maybe a little talent, put themselves through that? Why do they audition in the first place? The more I thought about it, I realized that they, themselves, are convinced that they are super talented-- head and shoulders above the rest--not because they are, but because they have been convinced, by others...family members, friends, etc...that they are. They believe the lies that others tell them about themselves. Sometimes, though, they have a kind of mental derangement, and have grandiose ideas about themselves, and just can't accept that others can't see that.

So, that was why I was beginning to feel a little pity for Obama, thinking how he has always been told how great, how intelligent, how charismatic--and he does have some of those positive characteristics, and abilities. He has some expertise in some areas, but he is finding out that he is not the Superman that he has been led to believe, and that has to be a hurtful awakening. So, thinking in those terms, I was feeling a little sorry for him, considering that he must be feeling a bit of a failure, after all the promises he had made, but couldn't keep.

However, after the speech last night, I have to believe that not only has he been convinced by others that he is exceptional in every way, but that he, also, has the grandiose ideas about himself, and he came across as very angry that others could ever doubt his ability to accomplish all the things he promised, and if only everyone who doubts him, would stop fighting him, he could do it all. In other words, every single failure on his part, or his party's part, was the fault of Bush, and/or the mean old conservative Republicans.

The way he chastised the Supreme Court Justices, before the whole nation, was inexcusable. Not only that, but it pretty much showed his disdain toward the sanctity of that office, and just about everything else that has made this nation a beacon of light to all others.

I would have liked to have seen him succeed, as our leader, as long as it was for the good of the country, and for each of its citizens, but it looks like that is about as far-fetched as seeing me audition for American Idol!

The Bond Of Love

2010-01-25T19:57:00.007-05:00

" Don't cry when you hear about what happened to me, Henderson, honey. I feel just fine. I feel better now than I ever felt in my life. Don't be sad about Dr. Chilton anymore, either. He's just fine. Bye, Henderson...don't you cry, you hear?"

I had worked the eleven to seven shift the night before. I had been working double shifts for awhile, due to personnel shortage, and although I had been working a single shift the past few days, I was still exhausted from sheer mental strain and lack of sleep, so I had been sleeping a few hours later than I would have, normally.

At the hospital where I worked as an admitting officer, we worked what was called a swing shift. So many days from seven a.m. to three p.m., so many from three to eleven, and then from eleven p.m. until seven in the morning. Since we were short of help, I had been working double shifts, on and off.

At ten p.m., the one working three to eleven in the evening, would close the main floor office, taking all necessary paperwork and money, down to the emergency room and admitted patients from there. Sometimes, especially weekends, it got pretty hectic.

Jewel Teal was the R.N. in charge of the emergency room. Miss Teal, I called her. She knew her job, and did it well, and the patient just couldn't help feeling secure when she took over. I'll never forget the first time I met her.I had been living in California, but had left, and was hiding from an abusive, alcoholic husband, who had come close to killing me many times. This time I had fled in the middle of the night. Literally, running for my life, from a machete. At the first opportune time, I had grabbed my son, who was not quite six years old. I started running through the darkness, not daring to stop, or even to look back. I had enough money for a motel room and a bus ticket to Georgia. Nothing else, other than the clothes on our backs.

I went to Georgia, because I thought that he would not think of looking for me there. I was almost seven months pregnant, and once there, I couldn't find work, had no money, no friends, and no family who were in a position to help...or wanted to be bothered.

My son, and I, were staying in a store-room filled with broken wheelchairs and bedpans, at a dilapidated nursing home for old people on welfare. I worked around there, doing odd jobs, and in return, we got two meals a day, and the use of the store-room. We got the same meals as served to the residents, and it was hardly enough for anyone with a normal appetite. Seeing the nearly inhumane treatment the old and sick people received saddened me very much, and I hated for my little boy to have to see it, but I had no choice. I was desperate

As the days passed, my son who was normally so active, became quiet and listless. After several days, he began having an extremely high temperature. By now, he complained of having a stiff neck, and sore throat, and was vomiting blood.

Being unable to obtain any help there, after trying tirelessly, and being turned away because of no money, and no insurance, I finally called a relative in the next state, and begged him to come and take us to the hospital there, in my hometown. He agreed.

It was about an hour and fifteen minutes driving time, and by the time he got there, my little boy was already sinking into a coma. I wrapped him in a blanket, and held him close to me on the drive back to the hospital in the next state. I kept talking to him, wanting him to know how much I loved him--knowing that he was near death. He could no longer hear me, nor respond.

This pregnancy had not been easy, and I had had no prenatal care. I was tired, and weak, and sick, but I knew that I had to keep holding onto him. If only I kept holding him, he wouldn't stop breathing.

"Let me hold him awhile, Hon, he's heavy, " my Aunt Polly said, reaching for him. "No!" I shouted angrily. How dare she? Didn't she know what would happen if I let him go?

When we pulled up to the hospital entrance, my uncle came around to carry him in. "No," I said, holding him closer to me, walking toward the door. An orderly walked out to take him. "No!" An aide. "No!" I was inside then, and they were still trying to take my baby. And then, "Here, honey, let Miss Teal take care of your baby."

Miss Teal. I looked up, and coming toward me was a tiny woman, only about four feet, eleven inches tall, and weighing not more than eighty-nine pounds. Her smile was kind, and her eyes were full of concern. She very gently took him from me, the blanket wrapped bundle almost as big as she. "Get Dr. Woodruff! Stat!" she snapped, as she disappeared into a treatment room with my child. Dr. Woodruff, as it turned out, was the best, and best known pediatrician in the area.

My son had spinal meningitis, and wasn't expected to live through the night. By the mercy of God, he did, and with no after effects, but he was hospitalised for over three weeks. We were both in isolation, because I wouldn't leave him, and as it turned out, I was in a deep state of shock.

After my child was born, I was in the hospital another three weeks because of complications. During that time, I made many friends there at the hospital, and they were instrumental in my getting a job at the hospital. I especially loved working with Miss Teal. Any mistakes I made, she covered with a smile, a pat, and a wink.

Now this strange dream that I'd just had. She was there--it was so plain--just seeming to hover over me, looking down at me from her position above my bed, with her gentle, assuring smile. "Don't cry when you hear what happened to me," she had said. The Dr. Chilton she had mentioned, was an obstetrician, and he had died only a couple of months before. He had come through the emergency room around two in the morning, after delivering a baby. He was going home to sleep, he said.

"Don't send me anymore babies, tonight, Henderson," he had said in parting, and went home to bed, where he died in his sleep.

I felt uneasy about what had just happened. Seeing and hearing Miss Teal had seemed so real. It was hours until time for work, but because of my uneasiness, I called the hospital. As soon as I called, I heard, "Oh, Henderson, did you know Miss Teal is dead?"

She had been on her way home that morning, having worked the same shift with me. She thought she saw a car coming toward her on the wrong side of the road, and swerved to avoid hitting it, and crashed into a tree.

She was still conscious when the ambulance came, and she told them what had happened. She also told them that she thought that she had a ruptured spleen. She had. She died in surgery that morning, surrounded by doctors and nurses, and others who had loved her.

Yes, I cried for my Miss Teal.

Post Script

Aunt Polly, mentioned here, is the same, beloved, aunt written about in some of my previous posts. She passed away one year ago, this past August, and i miss her, so much.

Ironically, as I write this, I am reminded of the very morning that she died. I had talked to her the day before, and she was her usual, sweet, uplifting self...laughing with me about things that we remembered, together.

I had told her about writing about when she was teaching me to make fudge, and how several readers on here had suggested I write the recipe in a post, since it sounded like it was so special. She laughed, and said, "Why, Baby..all they have to do is look on the Hershey's Cocoa box, and they'll see it." I had no idea, and we laughed so hard about that.

During that particular phone call, we were talking about how much we had loved each through the years, and what great times we had had, even in adverse times, being able to laugh at ourselves.

She had married my mother's youngest brother, the baby of the family, the same year that my mother married my stepfather. Uncle Bo, my mother's brother, had brought his new bride to meet Mama, and her 'little girl' and her new family. As Aunt Polly so eloquently put it, "It was love at first sight." Even now, I can see those sparkling eyes, always filled with laughter and goodness. "Yes, Aunt Polly, " I agreed. "It was love at first sight." And it was. I spent more time at their house, it seems while I was growing up, than I did anywhere else. There was nothing that we wouldn't do for each other. She was like a big sister/mother, and was as dear a friend as anyone could ever be blessed with.

We had planned to go down on the following Thursday, because she said, "I just have to see you one more time."

Now, this particular morning, after talking to her the previous day, I was waiting until I thought the aides would be finished with her bath and other things, before calling to tell her that we would be there in just a few days.

As I sat there, waiting to call, I don't know if I dozed off, or what; that's not something that I normally do, however, I thought I felt a hand on my shoulder, and my name being called. I looked up to see my Aunt Polly, standing there with that smile on her face. She said, "Baby, I'm getting ready to go home, and I wanted to tell you, "Bye."

I was totally bewildered. I, immediately, called down there, and I couldn't believe it when they told me that Aunt Polly was dying, and that it would only be a matter of a few minutes, according to what the Hospice nurse had just told them. It was so quick! It had only been yesterday that I talked to her, and we had had that wonderful conversation, and had been laughing about the Fudge recipe.

A few minutes later, she was gone.

Now, I'm sure that any who read this will be sceptical, but I know what I know, and I know that all that I have written here, happened.

What I don't know is how, or why, but what I, also, know, is that there are things that happen that we will never understand in this life.

It is said that there is no stronger bond than love, so perhaps that is the explanation, here.

I can only tell you what happened, and allow you to judge it for yourselves

Pray For Our Nation

2010-01-23T22:18:00.004-05:00

Pray For Our Nation

I received this from a friend, today, and I thought it was well worth sharing.

Read the text, and listen to Andrea Bocelli sing "The Lord's Prayer."

Beautiful.

Today, when you pray, please remember to pray for Haiti, and for the safety of everyone there, including our troops, and all the volunteers.

Lord, please keep them in your perfect care, and please make a way for all the needed supplies to reach the people.

Amen.

Flabbergasted!

2010-01-21T13:42:00.006-05:00

Adam Bouska’s NO H8 photos have become the symbol of ending discrimination against gays and lesbians ... and as of this morning, former would-be first lady Cindy McCain has become one of the campaign’s spokesmodels. Photographer Adam Bouska talks about shooting Cindy and her daughter Meghan, their efforts to change what it means to be a Republican, and why Cindy is speaking out for gay rights now.
Read about it, here.

I was surprised to find out about Senator John McCain's wife being in favor of gay marriage, and to see how far she has gone in supporting it, really surprises me!

Well, no, it deserves a much stronger word than that. Actually, I am flabbergasted! Who knew? Maybe, we should have, in light of the way their daughter, Meghan, has been really "out there" in voicing her opinions about what she thinks a Republican should be representative of, none of which line up with my own.

What is this woman thinking? I agree that what anyone does in the privacy of his or her own bedroom is their business, but to come out in support of something that her husband, obviously, is diametrically opposed to, is like a slap in the face, I would think.

I had heard that several on McCain's campaign were more liberal than conservative, and that they are the ones who tried to derail Governor Palin. I tried to think of it as nothing more than rumor, but now, after reading this, I am inclined to believe that it was all true.

Maybe, it's just my suspicious mind, but I always got the feeling, whenever I saw them all together, that Cindy McCain had no fondness for Sarah Palin, and I'm wondering now, just how much she had to do with things that happened...the little tid-bits that, somehow, just seemed to slip out, putting Palin in a bad light--but forgive me. This is not about Palin, but all about the way that certain individuals are trying to make the Right look like they are more liberal in their thinking than what they try to portray to the world. That we are not as "moral" as we would like others to think that we are.

I've been reading around, trying to find out what other people are thinking, and saying, and some of the things I've read would probably make her hair stand on end, as far as the symbolism of the things portrayed in the photo.

Sometimes, I think that certain individuals will sell their souls for just a little bit of the spotlight, and morals, and ethics, be hanged! Unfortunately, there are too many of those individuals kicking and scratching to obtain political power and persuasion.

This has nothing to do with civil rights, or protecting the rights of gays and lesbians, but goes much deeper than that.

It is all so sickening, because it shows how very low our country has sunken, and it looks like we continue to sink even lower.

So, Mrs. McCain, as far as this Conservative is concerned, what you are trying to do is wrong, and to that I say, "No, no, no!"

A thousand times, "No!"

Did God Create Evil?

2010-01-16T22:49:00.003-05:00

I posted the following article a long time ago, but the recent tragedy of the earthquake hitting Haiti brought it to mind, again.I know that many are pondering this question, probably at this very moment. Perhaps, someone's faith has been shaken because of what has happened, and wonder if God really caused such a thing. Tragedy tends to do that, even to those whose faith is, in their minds, grounded.

Some have been unkind in their statements about why it happened, but can any of us know, or pass judgement, really?

I don't think so.

I do know that the Bible speaks of God's judgement, but it, also, says that time and chance happen to all men, and that it rains on the just and the unjust.

It is not for us to judge, but to love, and to forgive, and to pray for those in need.

DID GOD CREATE EVIL?

Did God create everything that exists? Does evil exist? Did God create evil?

A University professor at a well known institution of higher learning challenged his students with this question: "Did God create everything that exists?"

A student bravely replied, "Yes he did!"

"God created everything?"

"Yes sir, he certainly did," the student replied.

The professor answered, "If God created everything, then God created evil. And, since evil exists, and according to the principal that our works define who we are, then we can assume God is evil."

The student became quiet and did not answer the professor's hypothetical definition. The professor, quite pleased with himself, boasted to the students that he had proven once more that the Christian faith was a myth.

Another student raised his hand and said, "May I ask you a question, professor?"

"Of course," replied the professor.

The student stood up and asked, "Professor, does cold exist?"

"What kind of question is this? Of course it exists. Have you never been cold?" The other students snickered at the young man's question.

The young man replied, "In fact, sir, cold does not exist. According to the laws of physics, what we consider cold is in reality the absence of heat. Every body or object is susceptible to study when it has or transmits energy, and heat is what makes a body or matter have or transmit energy. Absolute zero (-460 F) is the total absence of heat; and all matter becomes inert and incapable of reaction at that temperature. Cold does not exist. We have created this word to describe how we feel if we have no heat."

The student continued, "Professor, does darkness exist?"

The professor responded, "Of course it does."

The student replied, "Once again you are wrong, sir, darkness does not exist, either. Darkness is in reality the absence of light. Light we can study, but not darkness. In fact, we can use Newton's prism to break white light into many colors and study the various wave lengths of each color. You cannot measure darkness. A simple ray of light can break into a world of darkness and illuminate it. How can you know how dark a certain space is? You measure the amount of light present. Isn't this correct? Darkness is a term used by man to describe what happens when there is no light present."

Finally the young man asked the professor, "Sir, does evil exist?"

Now uncertain, the professor responded, "Of course, as I have already said. We see it everyday. It is in the daily examples of man's inhumanity to man. It is in the multitude of crime and violence everywhere in the world. These manifestations are nothing else but evil."

To this the student replied, "Evil does not exist, sir, or at least it does not exist unto itself. Evil is simply the absence of God. It is just like darkness and cold, a word that man has created to describe the absence of God. God did not create evil. Evil is the result of what happens when man does not have God's love present in his heart. It's like the cold that comes when there is no heat, or the darkness that comes when there is no light."

The professor sat down.

The young man's name - - Albert Einstein....(1879-1955)

"The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God." Psalms 14:1 KJV

I'm no genius, but I can't remember a time when I didn't know in my heart that God exists.

Albert Einstein was no fool, either.

About Friendship

2010-01-12T15:25:00.003-05:00

I have been thinking a lot about friendship, lately. Thinking of some friends that I've lost, in the past, and some that I've acquired, recently. I know that it is said that you should choose your friends carefully, but sometimes that is easier said than done. Sometimes, they just happen along, and things either work out, or they don't. I've had a few that I thought were genuine, but found out that it was not so.

I have never been one to choose, or keep a friend based on looks, age, education, or wealth. I've never chosen a friend based on how sophisticated they happen to be, or how enlightened. Prestige, fame, and fortune, have never impressed me in the least. I've been poor--just about as poor as you can imagine--and I've been fairly well-off. I've had--and still have some of them--friends who were doctors, lawyers, college professors, politicians, pharmacists, an engineer, a physicist, a theologian, and a celebrity or two. I've, also, had friends who were common laborers, who worked their fingers to the bone, so to speak. Each and every one of those friendships have been based on things held in common--the only things of any real importance in a friendship --honesty, integrity, respect, and genuine affection.

I've been treated badly when I was very poor--in my growing-up years--and I've been kow-towed to, a few times, just because of my particular strata of society at the time. I guess I should be thankful for each and every one of those friendships, because I'm sure that I learned something valuable from each one. One thing that I have learned for sure--people are just people. Some are users, and some are losers, and some are the cream of the crop. Treat each one with kindness and respect, as much as it is possible, and most of the time, they will do the same. If not, then it is time to move on.

The following was written by an unknown author, as much as I can determine. Many have claimed authorship, but it is disputed.

"People come into your life for a reason, a season or a lifetime. When you know which one it is, you will know what to do for that person. When someone is in your life for a REASON, it is usually to meet a need you have expressed. They have come to assist you through a difficulty, to provide you with guidance and support, to aid you physically, emotionally or spiritually. They may seem like a godsend and they are. They are there for the reason you need them to be. Then, without any wrongdoing on your part or at an inconvenient time, this person will say or do something to bring the relationship to an end. Sometimes they die. Sometimes they walk away. Sometimes they act up and force you to take a stand. What we must realize is that our need has been met, our desire fulfilled, their work is done. The prayer you sent up has been answered and now it is time to move on.

Some people come into your life for a SEASON, because your turn has come to share, grow or learn. They bring you an experience of peace or make you laugh. They may teach you something you have never done. They usually give you an unbelievable amount of joy. Believe it, it is real. But only for a season."

LIFETIME relationships teach you lifetime lessons, things you must build upon in order to have a solid emotional foundation. Your job is to accept the lesson, love the person and put what you have learned to use in all other relationships and areas of your life. It is said that love is blind but friendship is clairvoyant."

I've made some wonderful friends on here, and some which turned out to be not so wonderful..but even so, I learned from it. There are some, though, that I hope to keep for a lifetime, even though I may never meet them in person, it seems as though we have. A genuine friendship is a gift to be treasured.

That's one of the most important lessons I've learned.

I have friends in overalls whose friendship I would not swap for the favor of the kings of the world.
~Thomas A. Edison

Alabama Alligator

2010-01-09T14:27:00.005-05:00

These first two pictures were taken by a KTBS helicopter flying over Lake Wiess, which is about ninety miles north of Birmingham, Alabama.

The helicopter pilot, and the game wardens on the ground, were in communication via two-way radios.

Here is a transcript of their conversation:

Air1, have you a visual on the 'gator? Over.

Approaching inlet now. Over.

Roger Air1.

'Gator sighted. Looks like it has a small animal in its mouth...moving in. Over.

Roger Air1.

Oh, crap, it's a deer!

Confirm, Air1...did you say 'deer?' Over.

Roger...a deer in its mouth..lookds like a full-sized buck...that's a big 'gator, boys. We're gonna need more men. Over.

Roger, Air1...can you give me a idea on size of animal? Over.

It's a big one...twenty-five feet, at least; please advise 'gator is heading to inlet..do I pursue? Over.

The deer was later found to be a mature stag, measuring eleven feet!

This alligator was found between Centre, and Leesburg, Alabama, near a house! Game wardens were forced to shoot the alligator.

Anita and Charlie Rogers could hear the beast bellowing in the night. Their neighbors had been telling them that they had seen a mammoth alligator in the waterway that runs behind their house, but they dismissed the stories as exaggerations.

"I didn't believe it," Charles Rogers said, but after the alligator was killed, they realized the stories were, if anything, understated.

Alabama Parks and Wildlife game wardens had to shoot the beast.

Joe Goff, a 6'5" tall game warden, shown below, walks past the twenty-eight foot, one inch long alligator that he helped shoot and kill in the Rogers' back yard.

The above report was sent to me in an email. I'm assuming it's all true, having seen a man reel in a seventy-five pound catfish at Guntersville Dam, which isn't all that far from Centre, Alabama. It took two men to hold it in their arms, while I snapped a photo of it. That was a small one, considering reports of catfish as large as school buses, spotted lying on the bottom of the lake, next to the dam.

I guess Alabama is a lot like Texas, in that respect..everything seems to grow just a little bit bigger!

But what I'm wondering is, what was that alligator doing in that part of Alabama?

Another Time..

2010-01-08T01:14:00.000-05:00

I know it is not Christmas, New Year's Eve, or even the Fourth of July..

but, I love this, and think it's just too pretty not to share!

There's just something about it..the setting, maybe..which reminds me of the era in which I grew up.

It reminds me of a place down home, which was called Oxford Lake, and it had a skating rink, and a midway, of sorts, and one could take a motor boat ride around the lake for about fifty cents.

Families would go there on their outings, guys took their dates there, and showed off, doing whatever guys did back then..mostly strolling along, holding hands, and bragging about stuff!

It's still there, but it is mostly just a place to have picnics, and there is some kind of Civic Center there, as well.

The lake which looked gigantic back then, is there to walk around now, for exercise, mostly. Two laps around equal about a mile.

The last time I walked around it, a few years ago, my friend, Lisa, and I headed out to Hardee's for a sausage biscuit, afterwards!

It's true, that you can't go home, again...but it sure is nice to dream of a happier, more peaceful, time.

Is it possible that it could ever be that way, again?

I wonder.

Graphic borrowed from Dudley's Diary

Thanks, Dudley!

Singing The Promises

2010-01-03T13:55:00.004-05:00

Yes, it's true that the past year has been a hard one. It has been harsher for some, than for others, so we are all hoping for a better one. There have been times when we've all felt like giving up in despair, but we kept holding on.

We all have different ways of doing that, of finding strength for the moment. One of mine is to remember, and sing, the words of some of my favorite hymns and songs.

One of my favorite hymns is "Great Is Thy Faithfulness" in which one of the verses is written, "Morning by morning, new mercies I see. All I have needed, Thy hand hath provided. Great is thy faithfulness, Lord, unto me."

Another, and one I have sung often, to myself, over the years, is "His Eye Is On The Sparrow." This one has a special meaning to me, and has gotten me through many, many, difficult, and painful moments in my life...especially this verse:

"Whenever I am tempted, whenever clouds arise,
When songs give place to sighing, when hope within me dies,
I draw the closer to Him, from care He sets me free;
His eye is on the sparrow, and I know He watches me;
His eye is on the sparrow, and I know He watches me."

I have been singing that song for as long as I can remember, but one day, it literally gave me the hope that was close to dying within me.

I was on my way from a doctor's office, where I had been given a very bad report, and while driving along, nearly unable to see because of the tears pouring out of my eyes, I looked up, and on a bumper sticker on the car just ahead of me, were the words, "His eye is on the sparrow."

I can't begin to tell you what that did to me, and for me. It was like a promise that I could hold onto...and I did. And God was faithful, just as he had promised.

I hope we can all hold on to the promises, even when it seems that hope is dying within us.

Wishing You A Blessed...

2009-12-31T02:03:00.003-05:00

May the coming year bring you peace and happiness.

Sending Peace...

2009-12-22T16:10:00.002-05:00

...from my house to yours, and wishing you all a very "Merry Christmas!"

May all of your fondest dreams come true during this special season, and may we all remember what this season is all about!

Let us recall memories of times past, and look forward to a new year, praying that we can all experience true peace in our hearts, and in our homes.

This is my prayer for you, my friends:

The Lord will give strength unto his people; the Lord will bless his people with peace.

Psalm 29:11

KJV

We Are Not Ashamed...Merry Christmas!

2009-12-20T12:35:00.004-05:00

While you are gathered together with your friends and loved ones in celebration of this special Christmas season, please take a moment to remember our men and women in uniform who will not be spending this special time with the people they love.

Let's pray for their safe return to their families, and remember to give thanks for
all the blessings in our own lives.

Freedom is one of the blessings we have, and it is their sacrifice which helps to assure that we, as Americans, of every color and creed, can stand together to proclaim that this is Our Country, and we are proud of it, and not ashamed of our own moral clarity, nor of our Christian heritage.

Merry Christmas!

Christmas At Arlington

2009-12-13T13:25:00.004-05:00

Rest easy, sleep well my brothers.
Know the line has held, your job is done.
Rest easy, sleep well.
Others have taken up where you fell, the line has held.
Peace, peace, and farewell...

Greater love hath no man but this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.

John 15:13

KJV

Amen

A Most Treasured Memory

2009-12-09T15:46:00.003-05:00

My friend, Z, had a most interesting post, recently, Is that.....No! It couldn't be! which prompted me to write my own experience.

She asked her readers for similar experiences, and I had intended to add mine, there, but it was much too long, so I decided to post it on my own blog.

Thanks, Z, for the idea..and 'the list,' which was pretty interesting, in itself.

For years, I had been a great admirer of David Hartman. Even as a young girl, I had what you might call a crush on him...the only crush that I can ever remember having on anyone, especially an 'older' man. Ah, but Mr. Hartman was not like any other in my eyes. Handsome, courteous, and I just knew that he would have to be the sweetest man in the world. My heart's desire was that I would, someday, meet this wonderful person, but alas, for this poor little Alabama girl, it would never be more than just a far-fetched dream.

The years passed, and many historical events took place, including the terrible tragedy of the shuttle, Challenger, in 1986. Then, in 1988, when they had the return to flight, due to my husband's work at the Kennedy Space Center, I was privileged to watch the launch of the shuttle Discovery from the VIP section.

As I sat there, at the top of the section, looking around, I laughed to myself at the sight of all of the Rollex watches assembled in one place. I had never, in my life, seen so many of them, on men and women, alike.

As I sat there, listening to bits and pieces of conversations, about the event, and which private plane they had flown in on, where they were headed afterwards, a trip recently taken to one place or another, a party here, or there....just the normal everyday topics of conversation for these people...I noticed a tall, handsome man, headed up the steps, in my direction...a very familiar face, and then like Z, I thought " Is that...no! It couldn't be!" But it was! David Hartman walked right up to me, and asked if I minded if he and his family joined me! He then introduced himself, and his family--his wife, two teen aged sons, and his father-in-law. As if he needed any introduction at all!

He was as kind, and gracious, in person as he was on film, and so were the other members of his family. I, especially remember his father-in-law's hat, which was a straw hat, much like one would wear while working outside in his garden. Mr. Hartman explained to me that he had been badly burned in some kind of accident..the scars were there..so, I suppose the hat was to protect his face from the hot Florida sun pouring down on us.

We had a great time, and we, and all others there at the site, held our breaths, and I'm sure many prayed, as we did, as the time approached...a minute or so..when the Challenger had exploded. When it reached that point, and beyond, there were many shouts of joy and relief which went up from all of us assembled there.

After the countdown, and when the shuttle launches, it is so loud, and one can feel the vibrations throughout the body to such a degree that it is awesome to realize the power involved in that operation. All I could think was that if there was that much power created by mere man, how much more so the power of the Almighty, our Creator. It was a humbling experience, to say the least.

After it was all over, we said our goodbyes, and said how much we had enjoyed watching this historical event together. I could hardly believe what had just happened in my life, and all I kept thinking of the scripture which says: "Delight yourself, also, in the Lord, and he shall give you the desires of your heart." Psalm 37:4 NKJV

FYI:

David Hartman
Most of you probably don't remember David Hartman but a quick Google search will reveal that he played a number of roles on TV and in movies. However, his career reached its peak when he was chosen as the host of a new AM news program called Good Morning America. With his affable style and natural charm he was the perfect choice to interview newsmakers and introduce the news. In fact, at one point, David Hartman was the highest-paid man on television. It would seem, however, that fame and riches were not Hartman's cup of tea. I really hope that he invested wisely because Hartman has been more or less MIA since he left the show.
Source: TV Squad

Well, Mr. Hartman, I do remember you, not only for your excellence in your chosen field of work, but also for your being such a gentleman in your courtesy toward me, and the genuine love shown toward your family that day that I had the priviliege of meeting you all. It will always be one of my most treasured memories

What Happened To Dignity?

2009-12-03T20:24:00.004-05:00

There are some things which just make me cringe, and this is one of them.

What happened to the diginity which is expected of the highest office in the land?

Two First Ladies exiting Air Force 1.

Need I say more?

The Cat's Out Of The Bag

2009-11-29T17:15:00.006-05:00

Well, well..I've been wondering when some of the more recognized, erudite, writers would address the subject of the president's shenanigans from 'the dark side' of his earlier years. Several months ago, after coming across several interesting sites which did address them, I wanted to begin writing about it on here, but one of my closest confidants, out of his concern for me, cautioned me about it, saying that I had to guard my credibility, and until more facts came out, and more main stream media addressed it, that I should give it more thought. So, I did, and I have refrained from making any mention of it, even after Larry Sinclair, whom I've followed from the time that he began speaking out about his own experience, which he writes about in his book, "Barack Obama & Larry Sinclair: Cocaine, Sex, Lies & Murder?"

But now, it looks like the cat's really out of the bag.

Things have changed, ( not the changes they were promising ) and now it is out in the open. There are many now taking the issue quite seriously, and there seems to be more digging for facts, which are being found. Sometimes, no matter how hard one tries, old skeletons just can't be buried deep enough. As the old saying goes, "Your sins will find you out."

Donald Douglas of American Power has more on it in his article, Obama's Gay Nightmare: Still Waiting for Barry's Backside Boogie Pics!

A Thanksgiving Prayer

2009-11-25T21:55:00.002-05:00

"O God, when I have food,
help me to remember the hungry;

When I have work,
help me to remember the jobless;

When I have a home,
help me to remember those who have no home at all;

When I am without pain,
help me to remember those who suffer,

And remembering,
help me to destroy my complacency;
bestir my compassion,
and be concerned enough to help;

By word and deed,
those who cry out for what we take for granted.
Amen."
by Samuel F. Pugh

Yes..I wanted to make this post happy and uplifting, and I looked through many, many, pictures and photos on here. There were some beautiful ones, showing a bountiful harvest of mouth-watering foods, with happy family gathered all around, but somehow, after finding the touching prayer above, none of the pictures seemed to fit.

I wish that everyone, on this day of thanksgiving, felt that they really had something to be thankful for, but I am enough of a realist to realize that many won't be feeling that way, at all. We do have much to be thankful for, no doubt about that, but somehow, it is not the same in this country, anymore.

It's true that I feel very blessed, and I realize that I am, but I can, also, remember at times, growing up, that we hardly had enough food to sustain us. If we got sick, we couldn't go to a doctor, and I can remember a time when I actually wore shoes with cardboard inside them, to keep out the wet and cold. No, I am not so old that I lived through the depression. It's just that we were poor, and it was always a struggle, but along with all of that, there was, also, hope for a better time..a better way of life, and I eventually, found it.

Now, it seems that all of that--the hope for something better--has been snatched away, and I know some, having had it pretty good not so long ago, are now worried about seeing it all slip away, along with the hope they once had. It seems that rather than moving forward with hope, we are going backwards, and instead of hope, there is fear. It is hard to think about that, and it shouldn't be this way.

Yes, let's give thanks for what we have, now, but let's not forget the ones without food, clothing, shelter, medical care, and all of the things that we so take for granted. Let's not forget our troops who are sacrificing everything, so far away from home, and so unappreciated by so many. As we give thanks, let us pray for their safety, and let us pray that what they are doing will never be in vain.

Let us pray that our country will always remain one nation under God..that we will never be robbed of the liberty and justice to which we are all entitled, by those whom have not our best interests at heart.

Most of all...let's just pray.

And pray.

That could be the only thing that saves our great nation at this point.

We're The People

2009-11-04T04:19:00.003-05:00

I watched an old movie on television, recently, about hardships and loss. Not only loss of all material possessions due to a depression, but loss of life of family members, as they pursued a way to survive, and not only to survive, but to find a better way of life. Along the way, they were faced with having their dignity taken away, and along with that, their very freedom. Throughout it all, in spite of all the difficulties, they faced everything with a stoicism worthy of admiration.

As I watched the movie, "The Grapes of Wrath" I was struck with the similarities of the possible events facing our country at this time, and of the fears of many of the people today. To say that the events portrayed in a movie could never happen in real life is equivalent to hiding one's face in the sand. Certain events are already happening, but many are still unable to see it, or refusing to admit that our nation is undergoing changes never imagined in this lifetime.

It is easy to despair when one looks around and sees the hardships happening all around us, on a daily basis...loss of jobs, of homes, and families being torn apart because it is no longer possible, financially, to stay together in one place. Instead of getting better, as promised in campaign promises, they are only getting worse, and we are losing, along with homes, and jobs, many of our freedoms.

I hope it is not too late to turn our country around again, but in order to do so, we must all work together to see that we have the right people in places of power...people of moral character, whose interest is in seeing that all people are treated equally, and fairly, and not denied their God-given right to freedom--people who are in office, not for their own personal greed, but to work for the rights of all citizens, no matter the color of skin, or whether they are rich or poor.

Believe it or not, I do have a little glimmer of hope, as I sit here, thinking of the very last line spoken in that movie.

As what is left of the family is in the old truck, moving on to whatever else faces them--the old man sits there, despondent, and feeling that he has failed, but his wife, as stoic as ever, explains to him the differences in themselves, as man and woman, and how it is that they get through life, each in his, or her, own way, She has not lost her dignity, nor has she lost her hope, as she says: "We'll go on forever, Pa--'cause WE'RE the PEOPLE!"

Yes, let's remember that we ARE the PEOPLE. We are diverse, our ways of living and coping are different but we are "WE, THE PEOPLE" of this great country of ours, and nothing, NOTHING, should ever change that! With God's help, we WILL go on FOREVER as a country under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for ALL!

Thinking Of My Friend

2009-10-23T23:23:00.003-04:00

(Click on image to enlarge text)

We've all had those moments of anguish, sorrow, and defeat, and for some of us, it is not moments, or hours, days, weeks, or even months, but an indeterminable time of that feeling of total despair, and emptiness.

Those times when it feels that we are walking completely alone, no matter how brief the time span, when we are hurting to the very depth of our being, it can seem an eternity.

Our only consolation comes from knowing in Whom we have believed, and being fully persuaded, that He is able to keep that which we have committed unto Him. 2 Timothy 1:12

This one thing we know: God loves us with an everlasting love, and He knows our weaknesses, and our strengths. His word says that He will never put on us, more than we are able to bear, and He will be there by our side to help us, and to carry us when we are too weak to walk alone.

I love these words from the song, "The Love of God," because they are so true:

Could we with ink the ocean fill,
And were the skies of parchment made,
Were every stalk on earth a quill,
And every man a scribe by trade,
To write the love of God above,
Would drain the ocean dry.
Nor could the scroll contain the whole,
Though stretched from sky to sky.

This was written by Frederick M. Lehman in 1917, based on the Jewish poem, "Haddamut," written by Cantor Meir Ben Isaac Nehorai, in 1050, in Worms, Germany.

As I write this, I am thinking of my friend, Z, of geeeeeZ! blog. She is going through a difficult time right now, but she will be sustained by her faith, which was shared by her beloved husband, Mr. Z.

He knew, and experienced, the Love spoken of here.

I love you, Z.

Proper Attribution For Essay By Author Lee Pitts

2009-10-07T20:20:00.004-04:00

To any of my readers who read a post I did awhile back, by the title of "Dirt Roads," I would like for you to be made aware of the fact that Paul Harvey is not the author of that wonderful essay, as I had thought. It seems that Mr. Harvey was very fond of the piece, and read it, publicly, quite often, but always gave Lee Pitts, the author who actually wrote it, proper credit for it...unfortunately, others like myself, not being aware of the real author, did not give Mr. Lee proper attribution. The essay is only one of many, in the book, "People Who Live at the End of Dirt Roads," and illustrated by Don Dane.

I apologize to Mr. Pitts, and recommend that if you haven't read the essay, that you will read it now, because it is so full of wisdom, and a wonderful memory jogger. If only what he wrote about those times were still true, today. Perhaps, somewhere, they still are, and I hope so, but I wonder.

You can check out information about the book here, and here, where you will be able to see that it is now a collector's item, but some used paperbacks may still be available.

Thank you, Mr. Pitts, for calling this to my attention. Now, I know that there is a whole book filled with these wonderful essays.

That's a picture of the book at the top of the page, found on Amazon.com and when you click on it there, at Amazon, you will be able to see the titles of all of the essays in the book.

Peace

2009-10-03T22:41:00.002-04:00

Peace, as defined by the Mirriam-Webster Dictionary can mean many things, but the one I'm pursuing at this moment is "freedom from disquieting or oppressive thoughts or emotions."

It isn't easy to obtain at the moment. As I watch, day by day, the unfolding events in the political world, fear, apprehension, and uncertainty become nagging, little undercurrents, in the process of my thinking, to the point where they become oppressive.

It is not easy to be at peace when one has no confidence in the newly elected leader of our nation. Never have I felt, nor sensed in others, such a sense of foreboding.

I know that no man can offer the peace that passes understanding, so I go to the One Who is able to do that.

Here are some words that offer, to me, a sense of peace. I hope they will mean something to you, too.

These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world. (John 16:33)

And the work of righteousness shall be peace; and the effect of righteousness quietness and assurance for ever. (Isaiah 32:17)

I will both lay me down in peace, and sleep: for thou, LORD, only makest me dwell in safety. (Psalms 4:8)

For the mountains shall depart, and the hills be removed; but my kindness shall not depart from thee, neither shall the covenant of my peace be removed, saith the LORD that hath mercy on thee. (Isaiah 54:10)

*I posted this awhile ago, but in reading these scriptures, again, I felt comforted, so I posted it, once more.

May you feel peace, today, and new hope for tomorrow.

Need I Say More?

2009-08-21T12:49:00.005-04:00

Need I say more?

No, but I will.

President Abraham Lincoln said a lot in his address at Gettysburg, but the one statement that has always gotten my attention was this:
"that this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom - and that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth."

Abraham Lincoln - November 19, 1863

The speech, itself, was to honor the fallen of the war, and to dedicate a portion of the land where they had fallen, but it, in a sense, became much more than that, in that the words came to define democracy, itself, and are taken quite seriously by many with the strong conviction that the words meant what they said, and that it would ever be so. However, there are too many who think that they are nothing more than "words, just words," and what a travesty it all has become.

How far we have fallen as a nation, but the flaming fire of that conviction--the conviction that freedom, and the government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth-- still burns as brightly as ever in the hearts of most of the citizens of our great country.

That in itself, should give us the determination to stand, even in the face of all adversity.

Until Then...

2009-07-27T23:15:00.002-04:00

I've been giving this a lot of thought, and I have come to the conclusion that it's time to take a break from blogging. Oh, not that I have been faithful, and committed...I haven't. Actually, I am a very poor excuse for what one would normally think of as a "Blogger." A real blogger blogs even when their spirits are low, or if they are not feeling up to par, physically.

The truth is that I have nothing to offer, because I am weary of even thinking of politics, and the state that our country finds itself in, lately. Other than that subject, I have written about myself, and my own experiences, mostly. I'm not sure how interesting that is to others, though, and I'm not an expert in any particular field of interest, so there you are--time to stop, at least for now.

I'll leave everything as it is, and I will still be here, reading other blogs, and happily answering any emails that anyone is kind enough to write. Later, perhaps, I will feel that I have something to write about, worth reading. Until then, thanks to everyone who has been kind enough to drop by...you were more than welcome.

I wanted to leave something uplifting, since it will be here for awhile, so I reposted the picture of the plaque hanging in my family room. I hope that trouble never knocks on your door, but if it does, I hope it will hear your laughter, and hurry away.

I want to keep as much laughter as possible in my home.

How about you?

Mama's Mortification

2009-07-19T16:22:00.005-04:00

Today is Sunday, and down south, where I'm from, they'll be serving up a lot of chicken and dumplings. But I just can't eat chicken and dumplings without remembering Mama's mortification.

Just before my ninth birthday, Mama got married again, to a widower with six children. Now, Daddy was an uneducated man, as far as any formal training, but he was so much fun, and saw a little humor in just about everything.

In fact, he said concerning his education, or lack thereof, he did finish the first grade, and would have gone on to the second, but couldn't 'cause his daddy was still in there!

Not having been trained for much of anything, other than "hard worker" and because there was no work of any kind available, Daddy became a sharecropper. That isn't an accurate job description, because we didn't get to share in much of anything at all, except the work, and we got to live in a shack, which the owner preferred to call a house.

We worked the crops for the owner. We got some flour and beans, and a few meager commodities, and enough money for shoes when school started in the fall. This, of course, was as long as we were producing, but after the crops were in, and until we could start on the next one, we just got by the best way we could.

Mama canned all of the food that she could, and Daddy hunted, but when in the dead of winter, and the canned stuff ran out, and Daddy couldn't hunt because he had no bullets, things got pretty rough. With nine people to feed, what we had didn't go very far.

This one particular time, we were down to a little flour and lard, left over from a long period of meals, consisting of nothing but gravy and biscuits. So now, here we were with not really enough for one more meal, and it had been a long, long, time since our last one.

I watched Mama and Daddy as they stood in the kitchen, whispering intensely, Daddy, seemingly, trying hard to convince Mama of something, and Mama, obviously distraught, resisting adamantly. Finally, some agreement must have been reached between the two of them, with Daddy the victor, because he went around for the rest of the day, smiling and happy, but Mama looked extremely miserable, and quite a bit nervous.

I remember getting into bed that night-- which in itself, was hard to do, because sleeping with three others, it was quite an accomplishment, just to find a place to get into -- and I was so hungry. I just laid there thinking of food. Wishing I had some. Anything. I even thought of all the stuff I hated, like slimy boiled okra, and wished I had some of that.

I finally drifted off to sleep, with visions of tables and tables, loaded with food, in my head, and a painful, growling, feeling of emptiness in my stomach.

I could hear Daddy's voice, pulling me unwillingly, back to physical awareness. "Great Goodness! What in the world? You young'uns get up, and see what's here! Great day in the mornin', Mama, where you reckon this come from?"

Was I dreaming? Or was that really chicken and dumplings I smelled? No, it was real -- I could smell that wonderful aroma -- and daddy kept saying, "Get up, get up! Get up and eat, unless you want me to eat it all up!"

Oh, how scrumptious did those chicken and dumplings taste! There it was, two or three o'clock in the morning, and there we sat, eating chicken and dumplings, enthusiastically! Everyone except Mama, that is, who looked very pale, and more than a little nervous --which really amused Daddy, because every time he looked at her, he would get so tickled that he would burst out laughing, so loud, and so hard, that he could hardly stop.

I was too hungry, and too busy eating to try to figure it out then, but Mama told me a long time after that what it was all about.

Daddy, she told me, had been worried about us because we hadn't had much to eat for so long, so he had finally figured out a solution to the problem, although temporary. He had decided that since the man we worked for had so much, and wasn't concerned at all about whether we had anything, that it wouldn't really be stealing if he relieved him of a couple of his chickens. Now to do this, he had to enlist Mama's help, which is what all the intense whispering had been about.

He had instructed her, over and over, what to do. They would wait until late into the night, until everyone would be sure to be asleep. Then they would go across the field, up the little hill to the chicken house, and inside, where Daddy would take a hen, hand it to Mama, and then he would take one, They would make a very quiet exit, down the hill, across the field, and back home again.

He had cautioned her, throughout the day, to hold the hen in such a way that it couldn't squawk, and whatever she did, not to make any noise, which would make the whole hen house to start squawking and cackling, which would alert the owner, who, although not very generous with his food, would be very generous with a load of buckshot.

All went well for awhile. Across the field, in the pitch-blackness of night, up the hill, into the chicken house. Daddy handed Mama a hen, whispered to her to hold it so that it didn't squawk, got one for himself, and they were making their very quiet exit, when Mama kicked over a bucket, which created utter chaos!

Mama started running as fast and as hard as she could, while still holding onto the chicken. It was so dark, and she was so scared, that she sort of lost her sense of direction, missing the field, and going through the corn patch, instead. Which further added to her humiliation, because after that, every time Daddy told it, he would tell how Mama had torn up the corn patch.

"It just beat all I ever seen" he'd say. "Mama goin' through that corn patch! I'm tellin' you, she just tore it right up!"

But that wasn't all. When she did get home with the chicken, it was dead. Mama had held on so tightly, that she had strangled it to death. "Oh," she said, "When I got home and saw that poor old dead chicken I was just mortified!"

So now do you see why I can't eat chicken and dumplings without remembering Mama's mortification?

Behold, the eye of the LORD is upon them that fear him, upon them that hope in his mercy;
To deliver their soul from death, and to keep them alive in famine.
Our soul waiteth for the LORD: he is our help and our shield.
For our heart shall rejoice in him, because we have trusted in his holy name.
Let thy mercy, O LORD, be upon us, according as we hope in thee.

Psalm 33:18-22
KJC

Of Shoes And Purses

2009-07-10T20:24:00.003-04:00

There's just something about me, and shoes...I like them. Shoes and purses. Mama always told me that when I was a little girl, that I would choose a purse over any toy, including dolls. When asked what I wanted Santa to bring me, my answer would be, " A puhse"--I couldn't pronounce it correctly at that tender age, but I sure knew what they were, and I loved them! Even now, when I find a pair of shoes that I really, really like, I will buy them in different colors. Females are strange critters, I know, and we are blessed, indeed, if we can find a man wonderful enough to put up with our strange ways, and not only that, but to be a real help in any situation.

For instance, several years ago, when my husband worked at the Kennedy Space Center, we lived there, right on Indian River, across from where they launched the shuttles. It's beautiful there, but it is so hot and humid, that it sometimes it makes just ordinary tasks seem nearly impossible--and oh, yes, I do have a "for instance" about that, too.

One evening our church took all the young people to a skating rink, which I loved, because I always loved skating. We all were having a great time, gliding around the rink, doing our special little moves. Except that I suddenly wasn't really gliding, more like stumbling along. I realized that one of the wheels on my skates was not functioning properly, and decided to go to the changing room for another pair.

I was easing myself across the carpet, when I suddenly felt myself falling, headlong, with no way to stop myself. I fell like a ton of bricks, with my left hand taking the full brunt of the fall. It was bent backwards, with the tops of my fingers, touching my arm. The pain was so intense that I couldn't move. It seems that there had been a hole in the carpet, and the wheel of my skate rolled right into it, throwing me forward.

Needless to say, I was in the hospital for five days, having undergone surgery, to instill five pins in my wrist, hand, and arm. My wrist was broken in eight places, and the bone in my lower arm was broken in two places.

I don't have to tell you what a predicament that put me in, as far as trying to do things for myself, such as getting dressed. I had a cast from my wrist, all the way up to my arm pit.

The worst times were when I would try to get dressed for church, because being the prim and proper little lady that I am, I wouldn't have dreamed of going to church without wearing pantyhose! And just by the way, have any of you ever tried pulling on a pair of pantyhose with one hand, over legs covered with perspiration from all the humidity, that not even air conditioning going full blast would remedy? And did you ever have to have your husband do the deed for you, while instructing him how to roll them up, position them over your (wet) toes. slowly, and carefully unrolling them up the entire length of your (wet) legs, keeping them straight, so that the seam of the panty part of them would be in the right place? And when it wasn't, pulling and manipulating them, until it was, almost, but not quite? Well, let me tell you, by the time it was over, we would both just about be in tears--of frustration if it turned out to be a long struggle. But, oh the joy when it went well, and we had plenty of time to get my shoes on, and to church on time.

One of those times, when things had gone well, we so enjoyed our time at church--sitting through the service, singing in the choir, a potluck dinner at church, There was only one hitch to that wonderful day! Just as we were going in the door, back at home, I looked down to see--yep, you guessed it! My two feet, each with a shoe exactly like the other, except for one little thing. Each shoe was a different color! Even now, I'm almost embarrassed to think about it, but that's what I get for buying the same shoe in different colors! My husband tried to console me, saying that no one had even noticed. I asked him if he had, and he said, "Well, yeah, but not until it was almost time to come home."

I still don't know if anyone else noticed it, but my only consolation is that if they did, they have forgotten it by now. Sure wish I could.

In case you're wondering, I have another little anecdote about shoes, and if you'd like to hear about that one, too, just let me know, and I will be happy to humiliate myself again, just for you, my dear, dear readers.

An American Without Reserve

2009-07-03T23:12:00.003-04:00

An American Without Reserve
by Daniel Webster

I was born an American; I live an American; I shall die an American; and I intend to perform the duties incumbent upon me in that character to the end of my career. I mean to do this with absolute disregard of personal consequences.

What are the personal consequences? What is the individual man, with all the good or evil that may betide him, in comparison with the good or evil which may befall a great country, and in the midst of great transactions which concern that country's fate?

Let the consequences be what they will, I am careless. No man can suffer too much, and no man can fall too soon, if he suffer, or if he fall, in the defense of the liberties and constitution of his country.

In spite of everything that's going on in our great country right now, I know that there are still those who echo those very words of Daniel Webster, and have within their hearts, a commitment to do whatever is required to preserve the freedoms for which so many have sacrificed and died.

It is easy to become discouraged, when all around us we see those freedoms slipping away, but I have to believe in my own heart that there are more like the men I just mentioned, than those like the person who wrote these words on a blog I just read:

"And Happy Fourth of July to all nihilists out there. Burn a flag for Obama tomorrow."

When I read such things, it only makes me more thankful for the men and women who truly love and respect this great country of ours, and even more determined that people like the one who wrote those hateful words will never have their way in destroying what we have.

Happy Independence Day to everyone!

GOD BLESS AMERICA!

The Bill Of No Rights

2009-06-29T18:55:00.003-04:00

The Bill of No Rights

"We, the sensible people of the United States, in an attempt to help everyone get along, restore some semblance of justice, avoid any more riots, keep our nation safe, promote positive behavior, and secure the blessings of debt-free liberty to ourselves and our great-great-great-grandchildren, hereby try one more time to ordain and establish some common sense guidelines for the terminally whiny, guilt-ridden, deluded, and other liberal bed-wetters. We hold these truths to be self-evident: that a whole lot of people are confused by the Bill of Rights and are so dim that they require a Bill of No Rights."

ARTICLE I:
You do not have the right to a new car, big screen TV or any other form of wealth. More power to you if you can legally acquire them, but no one is guaranteeing anything.

ARTICLE II:
You do not have the right to never be offended. This country is based on freedom, and that means freedom for everyone — not just you! You may leave the room, change the channel, or express a different opinion, but the world is full of idiots, and probably always will be.

ARTICLE III:
You do not have the right to be free from harm. If you stick a screwdriver in your eye, learn to be more careful, do not expect the tool manufacturer to make you and all your relatives independently wealthy.

ARTICLE IV:
You do not have the right to free food and housing. Americans are the most charitable people to be found, and will gladly help anyone in need, but we are quickly growing weary of subsidizing generation after generation of professional couch potatoes who achieve nothing more than the creation of another generation of professional couch potatoes.

ARTICLE V:
You do not have the right to free health care That would be nice, but from the looks of public housing, we're just not interested in public health care.

ARTICLE VI:
You do not have the right to physically harm other people. If you kidnap, rape, intentionally maim, or kill someone, don't be surprised if the rest of us want to see you fry in the electric chair.

ARTICLE VII:
You do not have the right to the possessions of others. If you rob, cheat or coerce away the goods or services of other citizens, don't be surprised if the rest of us get together and lock you away in a place where you still won't have the right to a big screen color TV or a life of leisure.

ARTICLE VIII:
You don't have the right to demand that our children risk their lives in foreign wars to soothe your aching conscience. We hate oppressive governments and won't lift a finger to stop you from going to fight if you'd like. However, we do not enjoy parenting the entire world and do not want to spend so much of our time battling each and every little tyrant with a military uniform and a funny hat.

ARTICLE IX:
You don't have the right to a job. Sure, all of us want all of you to have one, and will gladly help you along in hard times, but we expect you to take advantage of the opportunities of education and vocational training laid before you to make yourself useful.

ARTICLE X:
You do not have the right to happiness. Being an American means that you have the right to pursue happiness — which, by the way, is a lot easier if you are unencumbered by an overabundance of idiotic laws created by those of you who were confused by the Bill of Rights.

The famed "Bill of No Rights" was written in 1993 by Bill Napper, a self-described amateur philosopher. He is from Mississippi, and ran for a U.S. Senate seat in 2000, as a Libertarian.

It is said that it resonates with a number of issues, including the one which most often causes our ire to rise, which is the sense of entitlement, so prevalent in today's society.

Unfortunately, the ones whom Mr. Napper had in mind when he wrote this, will probably never read it.

I originally posted this on January 03, 2008

Happy Father's Day

2009-06-21T00:51:00.002-04:00

"Children, obey your parents in the Lord: for this is right. Honour thy father and mother; which is the first commandment with promise; That it may be well with thee, and thou mayest live long on the earth. And, ye fathers, provoke not your children to wrath: but bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord." (Ephesians 6:1-4 KJV)

Daddy

2009-06-17T01:25:00.005-04:00

~The following is a repost, which I first posted in August of 2007~

Maybe some of you, who read that last post, thought that I wrote it about me. It could have been written for a lot of people, I know, but I wrote it, thinking of Mama and Daddy.

You know, I told you about how she, and my real father, had been divorced when I was just a baby, and then when I was eight years old, she remarried.

From the very first time I saw him, I began calling him Daddy...and that's what he was to me, always, no matter what.

Daddy had been born and raised on Sand Mountain. Many of you could never imagine the kind of existence that entailed. Not only for himself, but for just about anyone in those days. It was pure, abject poverty, lived out by those uneducated, and certainly no resources which may be acquired nowadays.

Daddy was uneducated, his daddy was, and I'm sure it was that way back through all the generations of his family.

I knew my step-grandfather for only a short time. He died a few years after Mama and Daddy married. I'm not sure, exactly about his character, per se, as to the kind of worker he was, as far as trying to provide for his family.

He was a tall, handsome man, even in his later years. It seems that all of the men in that family were exceptionally handsome, especially when they were younger. I think he was well aware of that, too...being handsome, I mean.

Living out in the country, which is where everyone there lived, not many of them ever venturing into the small town, other than to pick up a few things that they might need, such as tobacco, or a few commodities. That's what I meant about not knowing his character. Most folks tried to farm, and grow most of the food they needed, or raised hogs, or cattle, if they could, but I don't think he did much of that.

I don't know about many of those details, but I know that it would have been during the depression, or there-abouts, that Daddy would have been growing up. Times would have been tough all over, and it would have been a struggle for survival for most folks.

That isn't all that made it hard on Daddy, though. He was horribly abused by his father. He had been a harsh, and cruel man, who was a bootlegger. So maybe, that is how he got by, but from what Daddy said, he drank as much of it as he sold. Not only that, but he gave it to Daddy to drink when he was only a child. Daddy said that he got drunk for the first time when he was three years old on "white lightening."

His father beat him, not always for any good reason. It was not in the way that one normally thinks of in the way of punishment for a child's innocent misbehavior. It was with fists, or a wooden chair, and once, he said that he woke up from unconciousness, with rain dripping onto his face from the roof. He had been knocked unconcious with a two-by-four-- trying to defend his mama from his daddy --and dragged over there by the side of the house. He finally left home, and married at fifteen years of age.

Maybe, that's why he always drank, and no matter how hard he tried, he never got to the place where he could stop. Oh, it wasn't a matter of drinking every single day, but when he did drink, it would be for four or five days straight. I think he just had too many demons, too much torment, from memories that never left him.

I told you all this because, even as bad as that was, Daddy still had a big heart. He would give you the shirt off his back, and as I have said before, he was a very proud man. He wouldn't accept anything that he couldn't repay, and he was a hard worker. Right after he married Mama, about a year later, we moved to another town, and he was hired at the local Army facility in that town. He didn't make a lot of money as a laborer, but it kept a roof over our heads, and food on the table. We moved around a lot, around town, but it was never into anything better than what we were moving out of, but he always thought so, and took pride in that.

The only thing was, that Daddy still had that same mentality, prevalent in his own dad. He was handsome, and he knew it, and even though he loved Mama--in his own way, and as much as he was capable of loving anyone-- he went out with other women. Not only that, but he thought that it was his right to do so. And he did it often, sometimes leaving Mama, and staying with the other woman for days, and at one time, months at a time.

Once, he told Mama this story about going deep-sea fishing in Florida, and was supposed to meet the guy he was going with over at his house. He never asked her to go along on these jaunts, and never even asked if it was alright with her if he was going to be gone for a week. She was a woman, and he was a man --that's just the way it was.

What he didn't know, is that she was suspicious, and had a pretty good idea where he was headed, which was a few blocks from their house. As soon as he left in his car, she left on foot, and sure enough, when she got there, there he stood out in the yard, practicing his casting with his rod and reel.

Just about the same time that he spotted her, the other woman stepped outside, and Mama tackled her like a linebacker! They rolled all over the yard, across the sidewalk, and right out into the street. A city bus had pulled up and stopped, and the passengers were cheering her on, like crazy!

Finally, Daddy got Mama off of her, and told her to get home, and he would be right behind her. She left, but he didn't go right behind her. He and the other woman went on their fishing trip to Florida. Daddy brought back pictures, showing all the big fish he caught, but many of them, which were taken of the two of them, had one side torn away, and had only Daddy standing there with his big grin and his prize catch.

I'm sure that some of you may be wondering how I could still feel so much affection for him, seeing as how he had treated my mother like that. All I can say is that he loved me from the start, he was always good to me, and treated me with respect, and I loved him...he was my Daddy.

I asked Mama once, after I was grown, why she had married him, and why did she stay with him. Her answer was simple, and from the heart. "Because I love him, Janice...I always did, and I always will."

Love covers a multitude of sins.

*While reading this again, I was reminded of something which I think is very important, and says a lot about the character of my sweet little Mama.

Several years after this event took place, the "other woman" came to Mama and asked her forgiveness. She had become a Christian, and wanted to make things right. When Mama told me about it, I asked her if she had forgiven her. She replied, "Well, sure I did, Janice. If she asked God for forgiveness, and He forgave her, who was I, not to?"

Oh, Mama, what a precious treasure you were!

It is interesting to note, that the three of them, eventually, belonged to the same church, and the woman and my mother became good friends. One day, while going through her pictures, after her death, I came across several pictures of them together, looking so happy, and having a great time at one of the church's "dinner on the ground."

For those of you not familiar with that pharase, it is simply a potluck meal eaten outside, usually after the church service, and sometimes, between church services.

It's always a great time of fellowship, and sometimes, it is "Singing, with dinner on the ground."

Precious memories.

Our Labor Is Not In Vain

2009-06-07T14:16:00.002-04:00

I will rejoice and be glad in Your lovingkindness, Because You have seen my affliction; You have known the troubles of my soul.
Psalm 31:7

You have seen it, for You have beheld mischief and vexation to take it into Your hand. The unfortunate commits himself to You; You have been the helper of the orphan.
Psalm 10:14

"Therefore, my dear brothers, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, for you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain."
I Corinthians 15:58

It Will Never Make Sense To Me

2009-06-02T19:02:00.005-04:00

This is something that just keeps going round and round in my mind, and I am having a hard time coming to terms with it.

There has been much discussion about the pros and cons of "water boarding" and whether or not it constitutes "torture." Also, of great concern are the "rights" of the recipients of the water boarding technique.

I know what the word "torture" means, as defined by a dictionary, and I know what the word conjures up in my own mind. What I really don't understand is what the difference might be if a "terrorist" is tortured by the water boarding method, as compared to an abortion, and especially, a partial-birth abortion performed on an innocent fetus, in terms of suffering.

Maybe what I'm really trying to reconcile in my own mind, is how the opponents of water boarding, who vehemently protest the cruelty of it, and diligently pursue "justice" and "protection of civil rights" for the recipients of it, justify the pain and suffering endured by the innocents who have done nothing, but are tortured in the most inhumane way during an abortion--while at the same time loudly protesting the mistreatment of some very bad people intent on killing us, one and all.

I looked up a few things about both subjects. Perhaps, you will tell me what you think, after we compare the two.

Water Boarding

Water boarding as it is currently described involves strapping a person to an inclined board, with his feet raised and his head lowered. The interrogators bind the person's arms and legs so he can't move at all, and they cover his face. In some descriptions, the person is gagged, and some sort of cloth covers his nose and mouth; in others, his face is wrapped in cellophane. The interrogator then repeatedly pours water onto the person's face. Depending on the exact setup, the water may or may not actually get into the person's mouth and nose; but the physical experience of being underneath a wave of water seems to be secondary to the psychological experience. The person's mind believes he is drowning, and his gag reflex kicks in as if he were choking on all that water falling on his face.

Pain In The Unborn

“The neural pathways are present for pain to be experienced quite early by unborn babies.”– Steven Calvin, perinatologist, University of Minnesota

An unborn child at 20 weeks gestation “is fully capable of experiencing pain... Without question, [abortion] is a dreadfully painful experience for any infant subjected to such a surgical procedure.”– Robert J. White, MD., Ph.D. professor of neurosurgery, Case Western Reserve University

“At 20 weeks, the fetal brain has the full complement of brain cells present in adulthood, ready and waiting to receive pain signals from the body, and their electrical activity can be be recorded by standard electroencephalography (EEG)”– Dr. Paul Ranalli, neurologist, University of Toronto

An unborn child has less legal protection from feeling pain than commercial livestock.

In a slaughterhouse, a method of slaughter is deemed legally humane only if “all animals are rendered insensible to pain by a single blow or gunshot or an electrical,chemical, or other means that is rapid and effective, before being shackled, hoisted,thrown, cast, or cut.” (Section 2 of the Humane Slaughter Act, 7 USC 1902).By contrast, D&E abortions, performed as late as 24 weeks (well after the child begins to feel pain), involve the dismemberment of the unborn child by a pair of sharp metal forceps.(9) Instillation methods of abortion (performed even in the third trimester) involve the replacement of up to one cup of amniotic fluid with a concentrated salt solution, which the unborn child inhales as the salt burns her skin.The child lives in this condition for up to an hour. In neither of these techniques is the unborn child provided with any form of anesthesia(1013)
http://www.nrlc.org/abortion/Fetal_Pain/FetalPain091604.pdf

Robert George writes in his essay, "Obama and His Pro-Life Apologists," something rather thought provoking:

"President Obama knows that an unborn baby is human. He knows that the blood shed by the abortionist’s knife is human blood, that the bones broken are human bones. He does not deny that the baby whom nurse Jill Stanek discovered gasping for breath in a soiled linen bin after a failed attempt to end her life by abortion, was a human baby. Even in opposing the Illinois Born-Alive Infants Protection Act, which was designed to assure that such babies were rescued if possible or at least given comfort care while they died, Barack Obama did not deny the humanity of the child. What he denied, and continues to deny, is the fundamental equality of that child—equality with those of us who are safely born and accepted into the human community."

The sad part of all of this, is that the President is not the only one who persists in defending the rights of the women who choose to abort, and the abortionists, but sadder, still, is the fact that they all put more value on the well-being, and lives of a terrorist, than they do on an innocent little child who has no one to come to his defense as a human being with the right to live.

Is water boarding worse than being burned alive, poisoned, or torn to pieces?

I am not saying that I like, or condone, anyone, or anything, having to suffer pain and agony. I am just having a hard time accepting that there are actually people who think that some lives are more valuable than others, or, at least, are willing to take that stand for political gain.

It will never make sense to me.

*The above post was written last Saturday, to be published on Sunday. I decided not to post it on Sunday because of the content, and decided to wait until Monday. Of course, we all know what happened Sunday morning--Dr. Tiller, the late term abortion doctor was shot and killed while he was attending church. That, in itself, is a tragedy. It is nothing to rejoice over, no matter what one's opinion concerning abortion happens to be, pro, or con. However, it seems that some have chosen to use it, politically, to condemn all those not in agreement with their own point of view, and in anticipation of this heinous act furthering the cause of pro choice advocates.

The President has condemned this horrible act, as of course, he should. However, there is something else to be considered here, as well. Again, it comes right back to which life is more valuable than another.

On Monday, two young soldiers, only recently having finished basic training, were gunned down in cold blood in front of a recruiting office in Little Rock, Arkansas. One died, and the other was seriously wounded. They were shot by another American, recently converted to Islam, for no other reason than the fact that he hated the military, and Americans for what he thought they had done to Muslims.

That act was just as heinous as the one who took the life of Dr. Tiller, yet I have heard no public condemnation, no pubic outcry.

So, what does this mean?

That the lives of these young soldiers who had committed to die for the citizens of this country, no matter the religion, color, or creed, is less valuable than the life of someone who is committed to assisting citizens in ending the lives of unborn babies? That murder matters only when it happens to some individuals, and not to others? It all depends on who commits the murder, or is murdered?

Equality? Who is making that determination, and what does it mean, in terms of humanity?

Ironically, I'm sure that all involved in the two incidences--the doctor, his killer, and the Muslim convert, all believed that they were doing the right thing.

It is still making my mind go round and round, and I just don't get it.

As I said before, it will never make sense to me.

God help us all...obviously, nobody else can.

"There is a way that seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death."

Proverbs 16:25
KJV

Something To Think About

2009-05-28T23:24:00.002-04:00

The most useless thing to do......Worry

The greatest Joy......Giving

The greatest loss......Loss of self respect

The most satisfying work......Helping others

The ugliest personality trait......Selfishness

The most endangered species......Dedicated leaders

The greatest "shot in the arm"......Encouragement

The greatest problem to overcome......Fear

Most effective sleeping pill......Peace of mind

The most crippling failure disease......Excuses

The most powerful force in life......Love

The most dangerous pariah......A Gossiper

The world's most incredible computer......The brain!

The worst thing to be without......Hope

The deadliest weapon......The tongue

The two most power-filled words......"I Can"

The greatest asset......Faith

The most worthless emotion......Self pity

The most prized possession......Integrity

The most beautiful attire......A smile

The most powerful channel of communication......Prayer

The most contagious spirit......Enthusiasm

The most important thing in life......God

I know a lot of people don't agree on that last one....but a lot of people do!

~Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.~
Philippians 4:8
KJV

Now..More Than Ever

2009-05-24T22:05:00.003-04:00

So much has been said and written on this special day.

Really, there are no words that can adequately convey what this day stands for, nor the importance of remembering what it stands for.

I had many uncles who fought in past wars.

A husband.

A father-in-law.

Thank God they didn't have to lose their lives, but they would have been willing, if it had come to that--and to an uncle, and my father-in-law, it was close, as they both received nearly mortal wounds.

The wounds that my husband received are not apparent, physically, but they are deep within his heart, and psyche, and he will never forget what he went through in Viet Nam, and he will never feel the same again, about a lot of things.

We have been so blessed in this country, and for too long we have taken it so much for granted. Today, as we see many of the freedoms that our loved ones, friends, neighbors, and perfect strangers, fought for, and died for, slipping away, it is very important that we determine to never allow their sacrifices to have been in vain.

Now, more than ever, it is so important that we stand up for what we believe in, to hold on to what we still have, with everything we've got, for as long as it takes, to assure that it will never be taken from us by anyone, for any reason.

The cost for what we have has been too great, and that is something that we should never forget!

Dirt Roads

2009-05-21T00:29:00.002-04:00

What's mainly wrong with society today is that too many Dirt Roads have been paved.

There's not a problem in America today, crime, drugs, education, divorce, delinquency that wouldn't be remedied, if we just had more Dirt Roads, because Dirt Roads give character.

People that live at the end of Dirt Roads learn early on that life is a bumpy ride.

That it can jar you right down to your teeth sometimes, but it's worth it, if at the end is home...a loving spouse, happy kids and a dog.

We wouldn't have near the trouble with our educational system if our kids got their exercise walking a Dirt Road with other kids, from whom they learn how to get along.

There was less crime in our streets before they were paved.

Criminals didn't walk two dusty miles to rob or rape, if they knew they'd be welcomed by 5 barking dogs and a double barrel shotgun.

And there were no drive by shootings.

Our values were better when our roads were worse!

People did not worship their cars more than their kids, and motorists were more courteous, they didn't tailgate by riding the bumper or the guy in front would choke you with dust & bust your windshield with rocks.

Dirt Roads taught patience.

Dirt Roads were environmentally friendly, you didn't hop in your car for a quart of milk you walked to the barn for your milk.

For your mail, you walked to the mail box.

What if it rained and the Dirt Road got washed out? That was the best part, then you stayed home and had some family time, roasted marshmallows and popped popcorn and pony rode on Daddy's shoulders and learned how to make prettier quilts than anybody.

At the end of Dirt Roads, you soon learned that bad words tasted like soap.

Most paved roads lead to trouble, Dirt Roads more likely lead to a fishing creek or a swimming hole.

At the end of a Dirt Road, the only time we even locked our car was in August, because if we didn't some neighbor would fill it with too much zucchini.

At the end of a Dirt Road, there was always extra springtime income, from when city dudes would get stuck, you'd have to hitch up a team and pull them out.

Usually you got a dollar...always you got a new friend...at the end of a Dirt Road!
~by Paul Harvey

No Such Thing As A Free Lunch

2009-05-15T22:00:00.001-04:00

There was a Chemistry professor in a large college that had some exchange students in the class. One day while the class was in the lab, the Prof noticed one young man (exchange student) who kept rubbing his back, and stretching as if his back hurt.

The professor asked the young man what was the matter. The student told him he had a bullet lodged in his back. He had been shot while fighting communists in his native country who were trying to overthrow his country's government and install a new communist government.

In the midst of his story, he looked at the professor and asked a strange question. He asked, ' Do you know how to catch wild pigs?'

The professor thought it was a joke and asked for the punch line. The young man said this was no joke.

"You catch wild pigs by finding a suitable place in the woods and putting corn on the ground. The pigs find it, and begin to come every day to eat the free corn. When they are used to coming every day, you put a fence down one side of the place where they are used to coming. When they get used to the fence, they begin to eat the corn again, and you put up another side of the fence. They get used to that, and start to eat again. You continue until you have all four sides of the fence up with a gate in the last side. The pigs, who are used to the free corn, start to come through the gate to eat, and you slam the gate on them and catch the whole herd.

Suddenly, the wild pigs have lost their freedom. They run around and around inside the fence, but they are caught. Soon they go back to eating the free corn. They are so used to it that they have forgotten how to forage in the woods for themselves, so they accept their captivity."

The young man then told the professor that is exactly what he sees happening to America. The government keeps pushing us toward Communism/Socialism and keeps spreading the free corn out in the form of programs such as supplemental income, tax credit for unearned income, tobacco subsidies, dairy subsidies, payments not to plant crops(CRP), welfare, medicine, drugs, free medical, etc., while we continually lose our freedoms - just a little at a time.

I don't know about you, but just reading these words gives me an unconfortable feeling, because as bad as it is now, it is getting worse, and who knows what the coming election will bring? No matter how hard I try, or how positive I try to be, I just cannot believe in the great change that the current presidential candidates, and those endorsing them, are trying to convince us is possible if only he or she is elected. All I can feel--with all that they are promising-- is that any change is going to be for the worse rather than for the better. Maybe, it's because I'm just a pessimist, always expecting the worst--but maybe it is a 'gut-feeling' which is very seldom ever wrong. None of the presidential candidates are miracle workers--this much I know for sure.

Maybe we would all do well to remember that there really is no such thing as a free lunch.

A government big enough to give you everything you want, is big enough to take away everything you have.

~Thomas Jefferson

*I posted the above way back in February of 2008, long before the election. From the looks of things now, I wasn't too far off in my predictions of things to come, but I had no idea that it would come this far, this fast.

Installing Love

2009-05-14T02:25:00.001-04:00

Tech Support: Yes, ... how can I help you?

Customer: Well, after much consideration, I've decided to install Love. Can you guide me through the process?

Tech Support: Yes. I can help you. Are you ready to proceed?

Customer: Well, I'm not very technical, but I think I'm ready. What do I do first?

Tech Support: The first step is to open your Heart. Have you located your Heart?

Customer: Yes, but there are several other programs running now. Is it okay to install Love while they are running?

Tech Support: What programs are running ?

Customer: Let's see, I have Past Hurt, Low Self-Esteem, Grudge and Resentment running right now.

Tech Support: No problem, Love will gradually erase Past Hurt from your current operating system. It may remain in your permanent memory but it will no longer disrupt other programs. Love will eventually override Low Self-Esteem with a module of its own called High Self-Esteem. However, you have to completely turn off Grudge and Resentment. Those programs prevent Love from being properly installed. Can you turn those off ?

Customer: I don't know how to turn them off. Can you tell me how?

Tech Support: With pleasure. Go to your start menu and invoke Forgiveness. Do this as many times as necessary until Grudge and Resentment have been completely erased.

Customer: Okay, done! Love has started installing itself. Is that normal? Tech Support: Yes, but remember that you have only the base program. You need to begin connecting to other Hearts in order to get the upgrades.

Customer: Oops! I have an error message already. It says, "Error - Program not run on external components." What should I do?

Tech Support: Don't worry. It means that the Love program is set up to run on Internal Hearts, but has not yet been run on your Heart. In non-technical terms, it simply means you have to Love yourself before you can Love others.

Customer: So, what should I do?

Tech Support: Pull down Self-Acceptance; then click on the following files: Forgive-Self; Realize Your Worth; and Acknowledge your Limitations.

Customer: Okay, done.

Tech Support: Now, copy them to the "My Heart" directory. The system will overwrite any conflicting files and begin patching faulty programming. Also, you need to delete Verbose Self-Criticism from all directories and empty your Recycle Bin to make sure it is completely gone and never comes back.

Customer: Got it. Hey! My heart is filling up with new files. Smile is playing on my monitor and Peace and Contentment are copying themselves all over My Heart. Is this normal?

Tech Support: Sometimes. For others it takes awhile, but eventually everything gets it at the proper time. So Love is installed and running. One more thing before we hang up. Love is Freeware. Be sure to give it and its various modules to everyone you meet. They will in turn share it with others and return some cool modules back to you.

Customer: Thank you, God.

Show Me Your Faith

2009-05-08T23:39:00.005-04:00

I was thinking recently about religion, and the personal beliefs and convictions held by some--beliefs and convictions which to those holding them, are as natural as breathing, but may seem bizarre to others.

In the various religions that I have read about, heard about, and experienced at one time or another, they have been as normal and practical as anyone could want, and others have been somewhat confusing, as far as what they preached and practiced. Others, which I must admit were more "read about" than personally experienced, seem downright bizarre, and scary, but when it comes to personal convictions, they are just that--personal. To each his own, and far be it from me to try to change them. I know what I believe, and what my personal convictions are, and I don't want anyone trying to change them for me, either.

One of the strangest of these various religions that I have heard about involve the snake handlers, which are mostly found in Appalachia, and particularly around Sand Mountain, in North Alabama, where I lived for awhile as a little girl, and then again for awhile, years later.

A few years ago, I became interested in a case involving a preacher, Reverend Glenn Summerford, the pastor of a church whose members believed in, and practiced the ritual of "taking up serpents" or snake handling. At the time, there were at least three churches on Sand Mountain which practiced it. It seems that the pastor became suspicious of his wife, and according to reports, forced her hand into a box full of rattlesnakes until she was bitten. He was convicted of attempted manslaughter, and sentenced to 99 years in prison.

As bizarre as all this sounds, the people who practice snake handling are not crazy, but very dedicated in their adherence to practicing what they believe, and this belief is based on a verse of scripture found in Mark 16:17-18 which says:"And these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues; they shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick and they shall recover."

They are fervent in their belief, and they take this scripture, literally. They feel that if their faith is strong enough that they will not be bitten, and if they are, that it will not kill them. As strange as it may seem, there have been but few deaths in all the churches which practice snake handling, and when it happens, they believe it was because their faith was not strong enough, or that they had not waited until the Lord moved on them.

There are laws in most states, other than Georgia and West Virginia, which prohibit the practice, with small fines, but they are not usually enforced because it is seen as a religious practice, and that is, after all, what all the hue and cry is about lately--freedom to practice any religion we choose. I guess it just depends on which side of the fence you're on when it comes to something like this--whether you approve, or disapprove.

I've wondered, since some are requesting special areas for foot washing to satisfy followers of Islam, if they will have to start providing sections containing cages of rattlesnakes in public areas, too--you know, so that those who like to handle serpents can practice their beliefs? And don't forget the religion that is based on smoking marijuana, or the one which sacrifices chickens, or the one...oh, I know, I know this is beginning to sound ridiculous, but I was trying to make a point, which is that we do have freedom of religion in this country, and freedom of speech, but political correctness is going to have to draw the line, somewhere.

I know, exactly, where I'd like it to start, but for me to say would not be politically correct.

~But someone may well say, "You have faith and I have works; show me your faith
without the works, and I will show you my faith by my works."

James 2:18
New American Standard Bible

Forest Gump In Heaven

2009-05-06T22:01:00.002-04:00

I have discovered since I started blogging that there are an awful lot of differing opinions on here, and on just about any subject. I get a few of them in my comments, and I try to allow each one to express his, or her opinion, while hoping all the time that no one will get too offended, or get their feelings hurt. I try to express my own opinion as tactfully as possible, and with as much sensitivity as the topic allows, but I am not sure that I always succeed.

The thing that surprises me, is how something can be viewed from so many perspectives, and yet each person feels, adamantly, that they are right. I am not speaking of those commenters to my blog, particularly, but of the myriad of blogs found on here--the bloggers and their commenters.

Forrest Gump in Heaven

Forrest Gump dies and goes to Heaven. He is met at the Pearly Gates by St. Peter himself. The gates are closed, however, and Forrest approaches the gatekeeper. St. Peter says "Well, Forrest, it's certainly good to see you. We have heard so many good things about you. I must inform you that the place is filling up fast, and we've been giving an entrance quiz for everyone. The tests are short, but you need to pass before you can get into Heaven.

Forrest responds "It sure is good to be here, St. Peter. I was looking forward to this. Nobody ever told me about any entrance exam. Sure hope the test ain't too hard; Life was a big enough test as it was.

St. Peter goes on, "I know, Forrest, but the test is only three questions: -- What days of the week begin with the letter T? -- How many seconds are there in a year? --What is God's first name?"

Forrest goes away to think the questions over. He returns the next day and goes up to St. Peter to try to answer the exam questions.

St. Peter waves him up and says "Now that you have had a chance to think the questions over, tell me your answers."

Forrest says, "Well, the first one how many days of the week begin with the letter "T?"

"Shucks, that one's easy. That'd be Today and Tomorrow."

The Saint's eyes open wide and he exclaims "Forrest! That's not what I was thinking, but.....you do have a point though, and I guess I didn't specify, so I will give you credit for that answer."

"How about the next one?" "How many seconds in a year?"

"Now that one's harder" says Forrest, "but I thought and thought about that and I guess the only answer can be twelve."

Astounded, St. Peter says "Twelve! Twelve! Forrest, how in Heaven's name could you come up with twelve seconds in a year?"

Forest says "Aw, come on, St. Peter, there's gotta be twelve: January second, February second, March second. . . "

"Hold it" interrupts St. Peter. "I see where you're going with it. I guess I see your point, though that wasn't quite what I had in mind, but I'll give you credit for that one too.

Let's go on with the next and final question. Can you tell me God's first name?"

Forrest replied, "Andy."

When St. Peter asked how in the world he came up with the name Andy, Forrest replied, "You know, St. Peter, that song we sing in church: "Andy walks with me, Andy talks with me."

The lesson: THERE IS ALWAYS ANOTHER POINT OF VIEW, and just because another person doesn't see things the same way or understand the same way that you do, does not mean that it's wrong.

Author Unknown

*Now, I know that this story is meant to be humorous, and I can go along with that last paragraph to a degree, but when it comes to certain things, such as how one treats another, or if they live life in such a way that it is offensive and harmful to another, I will have to stick to my own personal convictions.

There are elements of society, violating the laws, trampling on the rights of others, causing general havoc and chaos, all the while feeling that they are right, entitled, and have a perfect right to do so. And there are those who stand behind them, encouraging them to demand those rights. That's just wrong, their point of view is wrong, and they will never accept another point of view.

In light of this, I can never agree that just because their view, or understanding is different, does not make it wrong. It is true that many things we can overlook, and agree to disagree, and even laugh about, but on certain issues there is just no middle ground.

Wouldn't it be wonderful if there were more Forrest Gumps in the world?

School Days

2009-05-05T00:20:00.004-04:00

This was one of my first grade experiences, a couple of years past Eugene the Traitor, and I was in love again. His name was Mickey, and he had a head-full of platinum curls, and he is the type, I'm sure who grew up to be some kind of gorgeous hunk! But I digress.

Mickey was in love with me, too, because he told me so. We declared our love, in a note, passed from one desk to the other, until it reached its intended destination. It was printed by Mickey, on a scrap of notebook paper, and said, "I love you. Do you love me. Put yes or no." It had two lines drawn, one for "yes", and one for "no." With trembling hand, I printed "yes" in the designated spot, and sent it back from whence it came.

In school, in those days, in all classrooms, , the first order of business was to say The Pledge of Allegiance, and The Lord's Prayer. It didn't take long at all to learn it by heart. It was especially easy for me to learn, because I just loved words--hippopotamus being the very first one I learned to spell, long before being old enough to go to school. But, again, I digress.

One morning we were saying the Pledge of Allegiance, and The Lord's Prayer. I always closed my eyes when we said The Lord's Prayer, but this one morning, I opened my eyes, for only a second, to get a glimpse of Mickey, and there he was staring right back at me. I blushed with pleasure knowing he was looking at me.

When the prayer was over, I heard Mickey... "Miz Whiteside! Miz Whiteside!" he was yelling,and waving his hand to get her attention. "What is it, Mickey?" she asked.

"Miz Whiteside, when we were saying the Lord's Prayer, Janice didn't have her eyes closed!"

My heart was pounding, and I couldn't believe my ears! Mickey, The Boy of My Dreams, was telling on me! I could feel the heat in my face, as I dropped my head in shame, thinking that I sure never wanted to look at him again!

"Mickey," came Miz Whiteside's voice of sheer wisdom, "if you hadn't had your eyes open looking at Janice, you wouldn't have seen that her eyes weren't closed." I just had to look up so I wouldn't miss his moment of humiliation, too. Needless to say, that was the end of our romance.

Thinking back over some of my experiences in love at such a young age, I realize now, that I had to kiss a lot of frogs before finally finding my prince.

Delight thyself also in the Lord; and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart.
~Psalm 37:4 KJV~

Beware Of Garbage Trucks

2009-05-02T23:20:00.000-04:00

Recently, something occurred which caused me a lot of dismay, but mostly, a lot of disappointment in someone who seemed so very nice, and gave every indication of wanting to be friends. As it turned out, that was not the case at all, and it bothered me, a lot. But then, the same thing happened to one of my friends on here, and it really seemed to hurt her.

I, more or less, knew why it happened to me, but my friend was totally in the dark as to why it happened to her. I think we both let it bother us too much.

A couple of days ago I came across this article, and saw some pretty good advice offered for dealing with unpleasant situations, instigated by insensitive people. I think we can all benefit from it. There will always be insensitive people, treating others shabbily, to further their own self interests, so the sooner we learn to just consider the source, and get on with other things, the better off we'll be.

"How often do you let other people's nonsense change your mood? Do you let a bad driver, rude waiter, curt boss, or an insensitive employee ruin your day? Unless you're the Terminator, for an instant you're probably set back on your heels. However, the mark of a successful person is how quickly she can get back her focus on what's important.

Many people are like garbage trucks. They run around full of garbage, full of frustration, full of anger, and full of disappointment. As their garbage piles up, they need a place to dump it. And if you let them, they'll dump it on you. When someone wants to dump on you, don't take it personally. You just smile, wave, wish them well, and move on. You'll be happy you did.

The bottom line is that successful people do not let garbage trucks take over their day. What about you? What would happen in your life, starting today, if you let more garbage trucks pass you by?

Here's my bet. You'll be happier. Life's too short to wake up in the morning with regrets, so…Love the people who treat you right. Forget about the ones who don't. Believe that everything happens for a reason. If you get a chance, TAKE IT! If it changes your life, LET IT! Nobody said it would be easy...They just promised it would be worth it! "

*Excerpts from "Beware of Garbage Trucks," by David J. Pollay

The above is good advice, but this is better:

Come unto Me, all ye that labor, and are heavy laden, and I will give thee rest.
~Matthew 11:28 KJV~

This Too Shall Pass

2009-05-01T01:16:00.002-04:00

Hebrew for "This Too Shall Pass," read, of course, from right to left.

The quote, in itself, is simple. The true wisdom to be found in its meaning is revealed in the story from which the quote originates. I have no idea if you know where this quote came from, but I shall tell the story here. I think you will find it incredibly wise, whether it serves as a reminder or this is the first time you hear it....

King Solomon, feeling blue, asked his advisors to find him a ring he had once seen in a dream.

"When I feel satisfied I’m afraid that it won’t last. And when I don’t, I am afraid my sorrow will go on forever. Find me the ring that will ease my suffering." he demanded.

Solomon sent out all of his advisors, and eventually one of them met an old jeweler who carved into a simple gold band the inscription, "this too shall pass." When the king received his ring and read the inscription, his sorrows turned to joy and his joy to sorrows, and then both gave way to equanimity.

You see, the great King found himself unable to be content.

He felt sorrow when he was happy, and sorrow when he was not, because he was unable to see his way forward. The ring served to cancel out his sorrow. By constantly having something to look forward to, he found himself content. What he previously thought was satisfaction was only a superficial feeling that was brought on by his great wealth, which was only temporary, thus his satisfaction could not last forever. True satisfaction could only be found when he recognized his wealth for what it was.

The preceding story is a condensed version, and there are other origins attributed to the phrase.

Abraham Lincoln said, in an address to the Wisconsin State Agricultural Society in Milwaukee, WI, on September 30, 1859:

It is said an Eastern monarch once charged his wise men to invent him a sentence, to be ever in view, and which should be true and appropriate in all times and situations. They presented him the words: "And this, too, shall pass away." How much it expresses! How chastening in the hour of pride! How consoling in the depths of affliction!

(The Collected Works of Abraham Lincoln edited by Roy P. Basler, Volume III, "Address Before the Wisconsin State Agricultural Society, Milwaukee, Wisconsin" (September 30, 1859), pp. 481-482.)

Another version of the story from The Way of the Sufi by Idries Shah:

A powerful king, ruler of many domains, was in a position of such magnificence that wise men were his mere employees. And yet one day he felt himself confused and called the sages to him. He said: "I do not know the cause, but something impels me to seek a certain ring, one that will enable me to stabilize my state. I must have such a ring. And this ring must be one which, when I am unhappy, will make me joyful. At the same time, if I am happy and look upon it, I must be made sad."

The wise men consulted one another, and threw themselves into deep contemplation, and finally they came to a decision as to the character of this ring which would suit their king. The ring which they devised was one upon which was inscribed the legend: "This, too, will pass."

Another origin of the phrase is the story of a Middle Eastern potentate and his sons.

Once there was a Middle Eastern potentate who wanted his two sons to become the most intelligent people in the world. In order to do this he called a meeting of all the wise men in the Kingdom and ordered them to gather all the world's knowledge together in one place so his sons could read it. The wise men returned in a year with twenty-five volumes of knowledge. The potentate told them that it was far too long and asked them to condense it. The wise men left and returned a year later, but this time with only a single volume. The potentate told them that it was still too long for his sons and ordered them to condense it further. The wise men left for another year and returned and gave the potentate a piece of paper with a single sentence on it. That sentence was "This too shall pass."

"Not that I speak in respect of want: for I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content. I know both how to be abased, and I know how to abound: everywhere and in all things I am instructed both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need."
Phillipians 4:11-12 KJV

I'll just sum it all up by saying this: "Life has its ups and downs."

Psalm 91

2009-04-29T00:07:00.001-04:00

This is a post that I did last year, but somehow, it just seems so appropriate for right now.

I find comfort in it, and I hope you will, too.

He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.

I will say of the LORD, He is my refuge and my fortress: my God; in him will I trust.

Surely he shall deliver thee from the snare of the fowler, and from the noisome pestilence.

He shall cover thee with his feathers, and under his wings shalt thou trust: his truth shall be thy shield and buckler.

Thou shalt not be afraid for the terror by night; nor for the arrow that flieth by day;

Nor for the pestilence that walketh in darkness; nor for the destruction that wasteth at noonday.

A thousand shall fall at thy side, and ten thousand at thy right hand; but it shall not come nigh thee.

Only with thine eyes shalt thou behold and see the reward of the wicked.

Because thou hast made the LORD, which is my refuge, even the most High, thy habitation;

There shall no evil befall thee, neither shall any plague come nigh thy dwelling.

For he shall give his angels charge over thee, to keep thee in all thy ways.

They shall bear thee up in their hands, lest thou dash thy foot against a stone.

Thou shalt tread upon the lion and adder: the young lion and the dragon shalt thou trample under feet.

Because he hath set his love upon me, therefore will I deliver him: I will set him on high, because he hath known my name.

He shall call upon me, and I will answer him: I will be with him in trouble; I will deliver him, and honour him.

With long life will I satisfy him, and shew him my salvation.

Bitter Or Better

2009-04-26T15:31:00.004-04:00

I've been writing quite a lot about some experiences in my life. Some of them have been funny. Some happy, and some downright tragic.

I think all of us have that in common. Life is not always "just a bowl of cherries" as the old song goes, so we've all had our share of good and bad, and have had the tragedy, too.

Some of us allow what's happened in the past to color every aspect of our lives. Some, more than others, because we are all different in our emotional makeup, and much of it is a result of our particular background, or upbringing.

I went to a therapist once, and he was amazed at the fact that I wasn't mad about anything. "Why aren't you mad?" he kept asking. "You should be mad. You have every right to be mad!"

But I wasn't. I'm not. I don't know why. Maybe, it is just because I am a forgiving person. Maybe, it is because I understand that people, for the most part, do the best they can. It may not always be the best, just the best that they can do. How they live their lives, and how they treat us, is a direct result of their own upbringing. It is a cycle that is sometimes broken, but sometimes it isn't.

Maybe, it is because I understand that we can't change our past. We can't change the fact that people don't always love us, or think well of us. Maybe, it is because, in spite of everything that happened to me in my past, I decided to become better, rather than bitter.

Much of what we feel, on a daily basis, is a direct result of how we react to the way others treat us. I read somewhere that life is ten percent of what happens to us, and ninty per cent, how we react to it. I have to admit, though, that sometimes my "reactor" just doesn't want to cooperate with me...so maybe I am angrier than I realize!

I'd hate to think that this is so.

Do not be quickly provoked in your spirit, for anger resides in the lap of fools.

~Ecclesiastes 7:9~

Alabama Herbalist

2009-04-21T23:41:00.002-04:00

This is a picture of Alabama herbalist, Buford Stitcher. I met Buford (that's what he asked me to call him) several years ago. I had a little store at a local Trade Day, or flea market, and he had his regular place where he set up, there.He traveled around, selling his herbs at various flea markets in the area, and I had met him at one of those, a couple of years before.

He was an interesting person to talk to, very friendly, and the perfect Southern gentleman. I can't recall seeing him dressed any differently than he is in the picture, either.

The following is from an article featured in Alabama Folkways/Center For Traditional Culture, which is a division of the Alabama State Council on the Arts:

When he returned to his family farm in later life, he said he began to have a lot of questions about the old herbal treatments. "I got to thinking about it more and more-- what I grew up with. Who’d done this and who’d done that and how the ailments were healed just by simple, little herbs. It could be bark, roots, leaves, or just weeds. It’s amazing how they work," he said. "I would talk to elderly people about different remedies they had used."

In his quest for more knowledge, he met the late Tommie Bass of Leesburg, Alabama. Bass, by then, had gained national recognition as a traditional herbalist. Stitcher visited Bass frequently in order to learn from him. "I spent eight years with him in the woods and the mountains and he taught me his ways. A lot of them were like mine. A lot of them were different."

Among the medicinal lore that Bass passed on to his student, were his recipes for a skin salve and a liniment, both of which Stitcher makes and provides to customers.

His business, based in Wedowee, is called Little River Botanicals.He advises people to consult a doctor first about a medical problem. "That’s one thing Tommie the old herb man taught me. Said, ‘Don’t you ever diagnose anybody. You let the doctors do that. That’s what they’re for.’ ""We can’t claim this to take the place of modern medicine. I don’t mean to do that," he said, explaining that he goes to doctors for his own medical care. "This is what I like about herbs. Anytime you give the body something to help heal itself, more than likely it will."

Stitcher enjoys educating others about the traditional uses of herbs and is invited all over the state to talk about plants and their medical lore. He brings labeled samples of many of the plants he’s collected and holds each one up for his audience’s inspection, as he discusses its identifying features and medicinal properties. He cautions against using a plant unless one is absolutely certain of its identity. A mistake could be dangerous.

At a recent festival at Landmark Park in Dothan, Stitcher held up a sprig of peppermint and sniffed its distinctive scent. "Anybody that has gas or heartburn, just chew a leaf of this thing and it’s mighty good," he explained. "If you can’t sleep at night, make yourself a cup of peppermint tea and it will calm your nerves."As another sedative, he recommended peach leaves. "If you can’t sleep at night and you’re just hollering at everybody, strip you a handful of leaves and put them in a cup of hot water. Put a saucer on ‘em and let ‘em steep for about ten minutes, and then strain it up and drink it. Then you’ll feel good to everybody. It’ll relax your nerves and settle you down," he said.He recommended drinking a cup of peach leaf tea before bed. "If you’re there 20 minutes and you’re not asleep, get up and make a second cup—but bring your pillow with you. You’re going to sleep."He mentioned catnip as an old-time remedy to soothe fussy babies.

"Growing up in the country, people would come up with a baby just a-screaming and crying. And they would get a leaf and crush it and rub the little baby’s gums and just instantly it would quit crying." It works for adults too, he claimed. "It’ll make us calm and sleep at night. You can boil it and make a tea or rub it on your gums."

"Buford Stitcher’s pharmacy includes hundreds of native plants. And he can recommend one for almost any health concern.For gout he advocates eating collard greens twice a week. Drinking a tea made from Queen Anne’s lace will help you lose weight, he said. Chickweed is another plant that will "take the weight right off of you," claimed Stitcher. "You can eat it green in a salad, or you can boil it and make a tea."According to Stitcher, a tea made from wild blueberry will treat high blood pressure. Smoking rabbit tobacco, also known as "life everlasting," is good for "sinus, head colds, and congestion." Mullein is also useful for treating sinus problems and lung congestion.

"You may wonder why I talk about the same ailment and different herbs," he said. "I have people come to me and they want one herb that does everything. God didn’t make it like that. As a matter of fact he made several herbs for one ailment. Well, why is that? I guess it’s because everybody’s system is different. What works for one may not work for the other one."

I originally posted this December 13, 2007

Tommy Bass, who is mentioned here, is probably the most reknown of all Alabama herbalists. I never had the pleasure of meeting him, but I met several people who had, and all agreed that he was quite an unique individual.Below is a link to a video featuring Mr. Bass, along with a transcript. If you are at all interested in this subject, you will certainly enjoy this.FolkStreams » Tommie Bass

All That Is Required...

2009-04-20T00:28:00.003-04:00

Prisoner Tatoo of a Holocaust Survivor

I read something recently about the UK removing The Holocaust from their school curriculum. It proved to be a rumor...a hoax. It was said that it was being done so as not to offend their Muslim population. Even so, there are still those who deny that the holocaust ever happened--Iran being one of the most vocal about it. Radical Muslims are not our friends--they've made that quite clear. Their one passionate goal is to see that all infidels--that being anyone who is not of their faith--are wiped from the face of the earth.

During that horrible time in German history, over six million Jews, and several millions of others, including Russians, those of Polish descent, Christians, and others who were considered inferior, perished. They were massacred, burned, starved, and stripped of all human dignity, all while many were pretending that it wasn't happening.

It did happen, and more and more, in order to be politically correct, we are bending our own convictions, and giving up some of our own rights, so that those of the Muslims, and others are not offended-- and we, as a country, are just going along with it-- in much the same way that Germany went along with what was happening in that country.

Several years ago, I met an elderly man who had survived the holocaust. The tattoo of numbers was still visible on his forearm. Each time I saw that, I felt a little sick...at that, and at the still troubled, fearful expression in his eyes.

Edmund Burke, (1729-1797) an Irish orator, philosopher, and politician said, "All that is required for the triumph of evil, is for good men to do nothing."

I don't want to forget that it ever happened in my friend's country, and I never want what caused that look in his eyes, to happen in mine.

Natural Laws Of The Cherokee

2009-04-18T00:29:00.000-04:00

These "laws" have been passed down from generation to generation. This is what the Cherokee based their life on. By following these, one would live in harmony and balance with all of Creation.

1. The first thing one should do of the morning is to praise the Creator for your life and all of Creation. Asking Him for guidance through the day and thanking Him for providing another day for you. Recognizing Him as the only one true God.

2. Always keep fresh in your mind that everything has been created by God and deserves respect. Everything God has created has a purpose in life. We should honor these and treat them with kindness and generosity. Always assume that others are in need of something. Offer what you have to give.

3. When you find that you have more than you and your family need, then give the excess to someone who can use it.

4. When you say you are going to do something, or otherwise promise something, you are bound by your words. You cannot break it without permission from the person you have told this to.

5. Practice silence. This shows self-control, true courage, patience, dignity, reverence and internal peace. And by practicing silence you can build these characteristics up through time.

6. Never overindulge or underindulge on anything. Do all things in moderation. And this includes boasting or attracting attention through your behavior. Eating, sleeping, working, learning and so on.

7. Know what helps you and what hurts you. Learn from your experiences and be open to new ones, remembering to live each day in itself, not worrying about tomorrow or living in the past but retaining the knowledge learned. Listen to advice and guidance offered by elders and friends. Listen with your heart and then follow up through prayer to the Creator for His guidance.

8. Always ask permission before doing anything that involves someone else, including all living things. Always give something back in return for things received, including a simple "thank you." Remember that a smile can be shared.

9. Beware of what is inside you and outside of you.

10. Always, always, always show respect. From the youngest to the oldest, from the rocks to the trees, from all animals to all peoples.

11. Never stare at someone and drop your eyes in respect to an elder or teacher.

12. Always give a sign of greeting, even to strangers.

13. Never talk about someone in a harmful or critical way. Remember that what you say it will always come back to you one way or the other.

14. Never touch anything that is not yours without permission from the owner.

15. Respect the privacy of everyone. Never enter into their place or space without permission. Do not disturb anyone's quiet time or prayer time.

16. Never offer advice or ask questions of another without their permission.

17. Never interrupt.

18. When you are in someone's home, follow their customs out of respect.

19. Always treat other things held sacred by someone with respect even though you may not understand why.

20. Treat Mother Earth with respect. Protect Earth as well as all of Creation on her in all ways.

As I read these natural laws of the Cherokee, I was struck with the realization that much of it is exactly what my maternal grandmother, who was Cherokee, taught me. And, of course, my mother, who was taught by her mother.

I can just hear them now--"If you can't say something good about someone, don't say anything at all."

"It is bad manners to stare."

"Always say 'thank you.' "

"Always knock first, and never enter anyone's house unless they ask you to come in."

They always taught me to respect others, and their property, and to be thankful for what I have, and to share with others.

They taught me so much, and so much of it was by example.

They are both gone now, but I thank you, Mama and Big Mama, for teaching me important lessons which have helped me throughout my life. You would be happy to know that I, too, have passed them on to my children.

Seasons Of Life

2009-04-13T21:24:00.002-04:00

There was an Indian Chief who had four sons. He wanted his sons to learn not to judge things too quickly. So he sent them each on a quest, in turn, to go and look at a pear tree that was a great distance away.

The first son went in the winter, the second in the spring, the third in summer, and the youngest son in the fall. When they had all gone and come back, he called them together to describe what they had seen.

The first son said that the tree was ugly, bent, and twisted.The second son said no it was covered with green buds and full of promise. The third son disagreed; he said it was laden with blossoms that smelled so sweet and looked so beautiful, it was the most graceful thing he had ever seen. The last son disagreed with all of them; he said it was ripe and drooping with fruit, full of life and fulfillment.

The man then explained to his sons that each of them had reported correctly, because they had each seen but one season in the tree's life. He told them that you cannot judge a tree, or a person, by only one season,and that the essence of who they are and the pleasure, joy, and love that come from that life can only be measured at the end,when all the seasons are passed.

If you give up when it's winter, you will miss the promise of your spring, the beauty of your summer, the fulfillment of your fall.

Moral: Don't let the pain of one season destroy the joy of all the rest. Don't judge life by one difficult season. Persevere through the difficult seasons and better ones are sure to come.

"To everything there is a season,a time for every purpose under the sun."

Ecclesiastes 3:1 KJV

*Originally posted August 24, 2007

Happy Easter

2009-04-11T22:34:00.003-04:00

May this very special season bring you peace, and a renewed hope for the future.

May the peace that passes all understanding fill your heart, reminding you that He cares for you..always.

Two Wolves

2009-04-11T01:31:00.002-04:00

One evening an old Cherokee told his grandson about a battle that goes on inside people. He said, "My son, the battle is between two "wolves" inside us all.

One is Evil. It is anger, envy, jealousy, sorrow, regret, greed, arrogance, self-pity, guilt, resentment, inferiority, lies, false pride, superiority, and ego.

The other is Good. It is joy, peace, love, hope, serenity, humility, kindness, benevolence, empathy, generosity, truth, compassion and faith."

The grandson thought about it for a minute and then asked his grandfather: "Which wolf wins?"

The old Cherokee simply replied, "The one you feed."
~A Cherokee Legend~

I don't know a lot about my Cherokee ancestors. I wish that I could have found out more about my grandmother, and her family, but she died when I was quite young. I lived with her until I was nearly nine years old, and I remember that she was a very serene, gracious, woman. I remember that she taught me to know when it was going to rain, by smelling the air, and observing the leaves of a tree.

I remember that she said that I had feet like an Indian, and walked like an Indian--softly, lightly, with one foot in front of the other. She taught me to walk with my head up, shoulders back, back straight. A few years later, I won an award at school for best posture.

She taught me how to make warts go away, and most of all, she taught me kindness. Even at that young age, she told me that I should not say anything about anyone, if I had nothing nice to say--she said that it was better to keep silent.

She told me that we must judge no one until we had walked in their moccasins. She explained what that meant, because she always talked to me, as we walked, or went about doing whatever it was that we were doing. She listened to my questions, and answered them. I wish that she had lived long enough for me to be wise enough to ask her about her family.

I know that I have not always lived up to everything that she taught me, but to this day, I can still observe the signs she taught me concerning the weather. And I still walk like an Indian.

*Originally posted October 04, 2007

Sand And Stone

2009-04-07T22:46:00.003-04:00

Two friends were walking through the desert. During some point in their journey, they had an argument, and one friend slapped the other one in the face.

The one who got slapped was hurt, but without saying anything, wrote in the sand:

"Today, my best friend slapped me in the face."

They kept on walking, until they found an oasis, where they decided to take a bath.

The one who had been slapped, got stuck in the mire and started drowning, but the friend saved him.

After he recovered from the near drowning, he wrote on a stone:

"Today, my best friend saved my life."

The friend who had slapped, and then saved his friend, asked him, "After I hurt you, you wrote in the sand, and now you write on a stone, why?"

The friend replied, "When someone hurts us we should write it down in sand, where winds of forgiveness can erase it away. But when someone does something good for us, we must engrave it in stone, where no wind can ever erase it."

I think that writing your hurts in the sand, and carving your benefits in stone, might be a hard thing to do sometimes, but it would probably be very good for one's mental and emotional peace of mind to do so.

The thing is, that it's often easier said, than done.

A Story Of Two Pictures (A Re-Post)

2009-04-07T00:56:00.003-04:00

The part of history that I read concerning the Apache warrior, Gernonimo, was sad, to me. When I posted that, I, obviously, was unaware of another part of his history depicting the heinousness of his treatment of his captives. I know that he went after his enemies with a vengeance because of what happened to his wife, children, and mother, and I don't know how to evaluate that.

Why do any of us do the things that we do, that go against the values and morals of another? I think in the grand scheme of things that the choices we make in our lives are greatly influenced by past circumstances, whether good or bad. That said, it is still our choice to make.

It could be said that our environment has everything to do with what we become, but if that were completely true, I would hate to think of where, or what, I would be now.

Thinking about all of that reminded me of this poem:

A Story of Two Pictures

Two pictures hung on the dingy wall
Of a grand old Florentine hall-

One of a child of beauty rare,
With a cherub face and golden hair;
The lovely look of whose radiant eyes
Filled the soul with thoughts of Paradise.

The other was a visage vile
Marked with the lines of lust and guile,
A loathsome being, whose features fell
Brought to the soul weird thoughts of hell.

Side by side in their frames of gold,
Dingy and dusty and cracked and old,
This is the solemn tale they told;

A youthful painter found one day,
In the streets of Rome, a child at play,
And, moved by the beauty it bore,
The heavenly look that its features wore,
On a canvas, radiant and grand,
He painted its face with a master hand.

Year after year on his wall it hung;
'Twas ever joyful and always young-
Driving away all thoughts of gloom
While the painter toiled in his dingy room.

Like an angel of light it met his gaze,
Bringing him dreams of his boyhood days,
Filling his soul with a sense of praise.

His raven ringlets grew thin and gray,
His young ambition all passed away;
Yet he looked for years in many a place,
To find a contrast to that sweet face.

Through haunts of vice in the night he stayed
To find some ruin that crime had made.
At last in a prison cell he caught
A glimpse of the hideous fiend he sought.

On a canvas weird and wild but grand,
He painted the face with a master hand.

His task was done;'twas a work sublime-
An angel of joy and a fiend of crime-
A lesson of life from the wrecks of time.

O crime: with ruin thy road is strewn;
The brightest beauty the world has known
Thy power has wasted, till in the mind
No trace of its prescence is left behind.

The loathsome wretch in the dungeon low,
With a face of a fiend and a look of woe,
Ruined by revels of crime and sin,
A pitiful wreck of what might have been,
Hated and shunned, and without a home,
Was the child that played in the streets of Rome.

Origin and Author Unknown

*I posted this, originally, in 2007. It seems that I have come to a stand-still when it comes to writing anything worthwhile, lately. I hope you all can bear with me, until I can get back into the swing of things.

Kids Write To God

2009-04-05T00:00:00.001-04:00

Dear God,

I went to this wedding and they kissed right inside the church is that ok?

Neil

Dear God,

I think the stapler is one of your greatest inventions.

Ruth M

Dear God,

In bible times did they really talk that fancy?

Jennifer

DearGod,

I think about you sometimes even when I'm not praying.

Elliott

Dear God,

I am Amearican what are you?

Robert

Dear God,

Thank you for the baby brother but what I prayed for was a puppy.

Joyce

Dear God,

I bet it is very hard for you to love all of everybody in the whole world. There are only 4 people in our family and I can never do it.

Nan

Dear God,

Please put another holiday between Christmas and Easter. There is nothing good in there now.

Ginny

Dear God,

If you will watch in church on Sunday I will show you my new shoes.

Mickey D.

Dear God,

If we come back as something please don't let me be Jennifer Horton because I hate her.

Denise

Dear God,

I would like to live 100 years like the guy in the bible.

Love,Chris

Dear God,

If you give me a genie lamp like Alladin I will give you anything you want except my money or my chess set.

Raphael

Dear God,

We read Thos. Edison made light. But in Sun. School they said you did it. So I bet he stoled your idea.

Sincerly,Donna

Dear God,

If you let the dinasor not exstinct we would not have a coutry. You did the right thing.

Jonathan

Dear God,

Please send Dennis Clark to a different camp this year.

Peter

Dear God,

Maybe Cain and Abel would not kill each so much if they had their own rooms. It works with my brother.

Larry

But Jesus said, Suffer little children, and forbid them not, to come unto me: for of such is the kingdom of heaven.
Matthew 19:14 KJV

The Banana

2009-04-02T01:23:00.003-04:00

Today, I read something that stirred the memory of this story which I posted quite awhile ago. Maybe, if you were reading my blog at the time, you will have forgotten it by now, and won't mind reading it again.

I hope it will give you a laugh, or two, and a little respite from the bad news that confronts us on a daily basis...after all Proverbs 17:22 says,"A merry heart doeth good like a medicine: but a broken spirit drieth the bones."

So, here's my story:

The Banana

Have you ever stolen anything? I have. Well, at least that's what they called it...stealing. It was when I was just a little girl, maybe three or four, and we lived in that house on Canal Street.

Around the corner from the house, which would probably have been Main Street, there was a little grocery store. Hedgepeth's Grocery, or something like that. The people who owned it seemed old to me then--a lot older than Mama, anyway.

I loved that store. Besides shelves of canned goods, and such, they also had display cases filled with lots of pretty things, like little appliqued handkerchiefs, and trays of home-made candy. I went in there, everyday, either because Mama or Big Mama sent me to get something, or just to visit.

One day, while passing by, they had set stuff out in the front of the store, like fresh vegetables, and fruit. I spotted big bunches of bananas, which I just loved, and stood there, picking out the one I wanted. When I had done that, I took off running with my banana. Not running away, but running toward home, all excited at the thought that they were giving away free bananas.

On the way, I met Eugene. Eugene was the love of my life. He lived next door to us. We were going to get married. My mama, and his mama said we could. In fact, Big Mama had a long under-slip that I was going to use for my bridal train. When I tied the straps around my head, in front, the rest of the slip trailed over the back of my head, and down in back, reaching the floor. I was already learning how to make my princess tiara by tying the stems of clovers together, making a circle big enough to fit around my head. They said that we should get married in front of Big Mama's fireplace, but since it was summertime, we would have to wait until it got cold, so we could have a fire in the fireplace, and it would be much prettier that way.

I was so happy to see Eugene, until he said, "Ohhhh, you stole a banana." "No, I didn't," I said. He said, "Yes, you did, and I'm gonna tell your mama, " and ran off in the direction of his house, where my mama was visiting his mama.

Now, I was really scared! I didn't think that I had done anything wrong, but Eugene sure did, and now he was gone to tell Mama. I knew I had to do something, and fast. I went looking for a place to hide, and found it, under Big Mama's bed.

"Janice!" Mama called. I could hear her walking through the house. "Janice Louise, where are you?" I swallowed the last of the banana, and squeezed the empty peel as close to my chest as I could get it.

"Here she is!" The edge of the bedspread lifted. And there was the face of The Traitor, formerly my Future Bridegroom, looking right at me! "Come out from under there...right now!" That was the voice of my mama. I didn't move, or say a word. "Get out from under there, you little heifer!" That was a term of endearment, but not in that tone of voice. I started crying, and then sobbing, as I slid from under the bed.

"Did you steal that banana?" I shook my head. Then what are you doing with that banana peel?" I couldn't speak, I couldn't stop crying. "Well, then, c'mon, you're going with me!

"She grasped my hand firmly in hers, and said, "You're going to go tell Miz Hedgepeth what you did, and you're going to pay her for that banana!" We stopped on the way out, to grab the little hankie, in which was tied my entire life's savings...about five or six pennies.

We went marching up the street, and around the corner to the little store. I was crying so hard, and my face was hot with humiliation. When we got inside, Mama said, "Janice, tell Miz Hedgepeth what you've done." I couldn't speak. Since I couldn't, Mama was glad to. Placing the empty banana peel on the counter, she said, "She stole this banana."

"Why, is that what this is all about? She didn't steal that banana, Sarah. We saw her when she stood there and picked it out. We wanted her to have it." Oh, the love that emanated from my little heart to hers! She knew that I didn't steal it!

Mama still tried to pay for it, but Miz Hedgepeth wouldn't allow it. With that, I took Mama's hand, and we went marching out of the store, right past Eugene the Traitor.

The next time that I went by the store, Miz Hedgepeth called me inside. "Come in here, Janice...I have something for you." And with that, she opened the glass display case, and took out the tray of her home-made potato candy. She took a piece, and placed it my hand. My cup of happiness was running over! Now, I knew for sure that I had been exonerated! That candy must have sold, at least, for two or three pennies! I thanked her, and ran out, popping that whole piece into my mouth, at once, and savoring every moment it took to melt away.

I was just going to say, "Who says crime doesn't pay?" but if I said that. you might think I really did steal that banana!Oh, and Eugene The Traitor, formerly known as my Future Bridegroom? I don't know whatever happened to him.

You Just Never Know

2009-04-01T17:09:00.001-04:00

Speaking Out In Freedom

2009-03-30T17:18:00.004-04:00

My friend, Linda G, has a new blog, this time, a political one. She is not satisfied with the downward spiral this nation seems to be in, right now, but she's decided to do something about it. She is no longer satisfied to sit around, hoping things will get better, and she has a lot to say about that.

It would be worth your time to read what she has to say..to hear about what she is doing to make a difference.

Go on over and read Speaking Out In Freedom

Good luck, Linda, and thank you for what you're doing in this fight for freedom.

Move To Get More Muslims In The White House

2009-03-30T01:52:00.003-04:00

"It was mostly under the radar," Williams said. "We thought it would put (the president) in a precarious position. We didn't know how closely he wanted to appear to be working with the Muslim American community."

The move began with Rep. Keith Ellison, D-Minn, who took his oath of office with a hand on the Quran, to solicit the resume of what he considered to be the nation's most qualified adherents of Islam.

Yes, I suppose he would want the fact that he was trying to get more Muslims into the White House to be kept 'under the radar.' After all, an awful lot of people read that statement in his book, "Audacity of Hope."

“I will stand with the Muslims should the political winds shift in an ugly direction.”

Perhaps, they will be wondering why he feels it is so important to get more Muslims into the White House.

Why not more adherents to Baptist, Methodist, Episcopalian, Pentecostal faiths? How about more Mormons? Sounds silly, I know...but I know you get the point.

To read more details, go here.

To read more about Representative Keith Ellison, who is shown with President Obama in the photo above, go here.

Kids, Tell Us What You Really Think

2009-03-29T00:53:00.003-04:00

LOT'S WIFE

The Sunday School teacher was describing how Lot's wife looked back and turned into a pillar of salt, when little Jason interrupted, "My Mommy looked back once while she was driving," he announced triumphantly, "and she turned into a telephone pole!"

GOOD SAMARITAN

A Sunday school teacher was telling her class the story of the Good Samaritan. She asked the class, "If you saw a person lying on the roadside, all wounded and bleeding, what would you do?"

A thoughtful little girl broke the hushed silence,"I think I'd throw up."

DID NOAH FISH?

A Sunday school teacher asked, "Johnny, do you think Noah did a lot of fishing when he was on the Ark ?"

"No," replied Johnny. "How could he, with just two worms?"

HIGHER POWER

A Sunday school teacher said to her children, "We have been Learning how powerful kings and queens were in Bible times. But, there is a Higher Power. Can anybody tell me what it is?"

One child blurted out, "Aces!"

MOSES AND THE RED SEA

Nine-year-old Joey was asked by his mother what he had learned in Sunday School.

"Well, Mom, our teacher told us how God sent Moses behind enemy lines on a rescue mission to lead the Israelites out of Egypt. When he got to the Red Sea, he had his army build a pontoon bridge and all the people walked across safely.

Then he radioed headquarters for reinforcements. They sent bombers to blow up the bridge and all the Israelites were saved."

"Now, Joey, is that really what your teacher taught you?" his Mother asked.

"Well, no, Mom. But, if I told it the way the teacher did, you'd never believe it!"

THE LORD IS MY SHEPHERD

A Sunday School teacher decided to have her young class memorize one of the most quoted passages in the Bible - Psalm 23. She gave the youngsters a month to learn the chapter.

Little Rick was excited about the task - but he just couldn't remember the Psalm. After much practice, he could barely get past the first line.

On the day that the kids were scheduled to recite Psalm 23 in front of the congregation, Ricky was so nervous. When it was his turn, he stepped up to the microphone and said proudly,

"The Lord is my Shepherd, and that's all I need to know."

UNANSWERED PRAYER

The preacher's 5 year-old daughter noticed that her father always paused and bowed his head for a moment before starting his sermon. One day, she asked him why.

"Well, Honey," he began, proud that his daughter was so observant of his messages. "I'm asking the Lord to help me preach a good sermon."

"So, how come He doesn't?" she asked.

BEING THANKFUL

A Rabbi said to a precocious six-year-old boy, "So your mother says your prayers for you each night? That's very commendable. What does she say?"

The little boy replied, "Thank God he's in bed!"

UNTIMELY ANSWERED PRAYER

During the minister's prayer one Sunday, there was a loud whistle from one of the back pews. Tommy's mother was horrified. She pinched him into silence and, after church, asked, "Tommy, whatever made you do such a thing?"

Tommy answered soberly, "I asked God to teach me to whistle, and He did!"

TIME TO PRAY

A pastor asked a little boy if he said his prayers every night. "Yes, sir." the boy replied.

"And, do you always say them in the morning, too?" the pastor asked.

"No sir," the boy replied. "I ain't scared in the daytime."

ALL MEN / ALL GIRLS

When my daughter, Kelli, said her bedtime prayers, she would bless every family member, every friend, and every animal (current and past).

For several weeks, after we had finished the nightly prayer, Kelli would say, "All girls."

This soon became part of her nightly routine, to include this closing. My curiosity got the best of me and I asked her, "Kelli, why do you always add the part about all girls?"

Her response, "Because everybody always finish their prayers by saying, 'All Men'!'

Wisdom Of The...First Graders

2009-03-24T21:08:00.005-04:00

This is an email making the rounds, but just in case you haven't seen it, I thought I would post it here..it's just too good, not to share!

A first grade school teacher had twenty-six students in her class. She presented each child in her classroom the 1st half of a well-known proverb and asked them to come up with the remainder of the proverb.

It's hard to believe these were actually done by first graders. Their insight may surprise you. While reading, keep in mind that these are first-graders, 6-year-olds, because the last one is a classic!

1.
Don't change horses-----until they stop running.

2.
Strike while the-----bug is close.

3.
It's always darkest before-----Daylight Saving Time.

4.
Never underestimate the power of-----termites.

5.
You can lead a horse to water but-----How?

6.
Don't bite the hand that-----looks dirty.

7.
No news is-----impossible

8.
A miss is as good as a-----Mr.

9.
You can't teach an old dog new-----Math

10.
If you lie down with dogs, you'll-----stink in the morning.

11.
Love all, trust-----Me.

12.
The pen is mightier than the-----pigs.

13.
An idle mind is-----the best way to relax.

14.
Where there's smoke there's-----pollution

15.
Happy the bride who-----gets all the presents.

16.
A penny saved is-----not much.

17.
Two's company, three's-----the Musketeers.

18.
Don't put off till tomorrow what-----you put on to go to bed.

19.
Laugh and the whole world laughs with you, cry and-----You have to blow your nose.

20.
There are none so blind as-----Stevie Wonder.

21.
Children should be seen and not-----spanked or grounded.

22.
If at first you don't succeed-----get new batteries.

23.
You get out of something only what you-----See in the picture on the box

24.
When the blind lead the blind-----get out of the way.

25.
A bird in the hand-----is going to poop on you.

And the WINNER and last one!

26.
Better late than-----Pregnant

Letter From The Past

2009-03-22T14:18:00.005-04:00

With all the turmoil in our country right now, it is easy to lose sight of what is really important. All we see is deception, greed, and corruption. We become depressed..discouraged, and begin to think that there is no hope..but there is, there has to be.

Today, reading this, I, again, feel encouraged, knowing that our land is still filled with men like I read about here, and as long as we know that, there is hope.

Read, "A Letter To My Father, From His"

You'll be encouraged, too.

H.R. 1388 "The Give Act"..It Passed

2009-03-19T18:54:00.002-04:00

This Mandatory National Service bill passed, folks.

While everyone is all caught up in the AIG fiasco, we're not keeping up on much of anything else, and they're passing bills right under our noses, with no media fanfare.

You think that it's nothing to worry about? Well, think again.

This article will explain a few things..you need to read it.

Letter To Congress

2009-03-19T15:17:00.001-04:00

ALG Demands President Obama and Members of Congress Return AIG Bonuses from their Campaign Coffers

The 2008 money received by the President and members of Congress should clearly be returned, but more than that, the honorable thing would be for any politician who has ever received a penny from AIG to return it to the American taxpayers who are now paying to keep the company afloat.”—ALG President Bill Wilson.

Click here to read the letter to Congress.

If The Shoe Fits

2009-03-18T18:44:00.003-04:00

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi recently told a group of both legal and illegal immigrants and their families that enforcement of existing immigration laws, as currently practiced, is "un-American."

"You are special people. You're here on a Saturday night to take responsibility for our country's future. That makes you very, very patriotic."

What in the world is wrong with this woman?

She tells a bunch of illegal immigrants, who by their very presence are breaking the laws of our land, that they are special? That they are very, very patriotic? Yet, she calls the legitimate citizens, and the enforcers of the law of this country, "un-American?

Who's the one really being unpatriotic, and un-American, here?

Since when did it become okay to totally disregard the laws of the nation, and encourage others to do the same?

Go here to read all about this outrageous act by the Speaker of the House...wonderful example of leadership that she is.

Sedition-incitement of resistance to or insurrection against lawful authority

If the shoe fits...

A Beautiful Irish Blessing

2009-03-17T02:47:00.003-04:00

For a beautiful Irish blessing, go here.

Looking For Leadership In The Veggie Patch

2009-03-13T16:51:00.003-04:00

Nearly 85,000 people have signed an online petition calling for part of the White House lawn to be turned into a vegetable patch.

"The idea is for the Obama family to plant an organic vegetable garden on part of the White House lawn, with the cultivated veggies going to the White House kitchen and any overflow going to feed those in need," Roger Doiron, the man behind the petition, said.

You can read all about the "Victory Garden," here.

Hmmm...I wouldn't count on the overflow going to feed those in need, though. Unless, of course, you consider the ones attending all those White House parties, needy.

Oh, wait...plain old organic veggies may not be good enough, considering the lavish menus featured at those parties, anyway.

"It was a time of war, it was at a time of economic crisis, and it was at a time when Americans were looking to the White House for leadership," he said of the Roosevelt allotment.

Sorry, Mr. Doiron, but I just don't think that plan's going to work, this time.

It Ain't Over Until It's Over

2009-03-13T15:35:00.001-04:00

Thank you!

To Kim, Donald, Morris, DM, Nancy, Desert Cat, Jack, Linda, who offered encouragement in comments, and to those who sent emails, again, I say thank you so much.

It's a tough battle, and it does get discouraging, but as Yogi Berri supposedly said about staying in the game, and seeing it through to the end: "It ain't over, until it's over."

Now, I can't say for sure that I will stay the course in this game, but for right now, at this moment, I'll give it another try.

In A Little While...

2009-03-11T19:04:00.003-04:00

You know what?

I just don't want to do this anymore. I am sick at heart. I am tired of the fraud and deception being perpetrated against this nation--against the citizens of our country.

I've been reading around at other blogs, and even though they feel discouraged at times, they say that they are determined to keep putting it out there, telling it like it is, for as long as they are able to do it, but it is getting harder, and harder, for me. I even resort to humor and ridicule in doing it, but I feel mangled inside..within my uttermost being...within my very spirit.

I read the post of one of my blogger friends, today...The Pen is Mightier than the Sword and I cried. Why? I guess it just reminded me, again, of the mess that we now find ourselves in, and even though my friend put a positive spin on it, at the moment, in spite of my own faith, I just can't seem to see the light at the end of the tunnel. That's a sure sign that I need to, at least, take a break from it all.

Nothing that I write on here is all that profound, anyway, but I know that every little bit helps, so I'll be back in a little while..when I'm feeling better.

If America ever passes out, as a great nation, we ought to put on our tombstone: America died from a delusion she had Moral Leadership.
~Will Rogers

Hero

2009-03-10T15:06:00.002-04:00

Mr. trouble never hangs around,
when he hears this Mighty sound,

Here I come to save the day!
That means that Mighty Mouse is on the way!

Yes sir, when there is a wrong to right,
Mighty Mouse will join the fight!

On the sea or on the land,
He's got the situation well in hand!

We know that when there's danger, we'll never dispair;
Because we know that when there's danger he is there...
On the land on the sea in the air.

We're not worrying at all
We just listen for his call
"Here I come to save the day!"
That means that Mighty Mouse is on the way.

When there is a wrong to right,
Mighty Mouse will joint the fight
"Here I come to save the day!"
That means that Mighty Mouse is on the way!

Mighty Mouse Theme Song
(Philip Scheib / Marshall Barer) - circa 1955

Remember Mighty Mouse? He was quite the hero, as I recall.

After reading this, I was thinking that with nothing more than a simple name change, it could be used as someone else's theme song, too!

King Of America

2009-03-09T17:18:00.004-04:00

I know this may be getting a bit redundant, but the boorish way in which the Obamas received, and treated, a visiting foreign dignitary, and his wife, is more proof of the mounting evidence that the President is beginning to think of himself, not as a public servant to the citizens of this country, but as a reigning Monarch over his lowly subjects.

Now, he's just itching for a visit with Her Majesty, the Queen of England, but I'm wondering how well that's going to turn out, considering this statement by a State Department official concerning the shabby, disinterested, reception of Prime Minister Gordon Brown, when questioned about it by The Sunday Telegraph:

"There's nothing special about Britain. You're just the same as the other 190 countries in the world. You shouldn't expect special treatment."

Uh-oh.

After hearing that, the Queen may not be all that interested in sharing a cup of tea with the leader of one of the 'other 190 countries in the world,' who just happens to be coming across as an ill-bred boor, interested in no one but himself.

Oh God, but I do love being king!
King Henry ll (The Lion in Winter)

Love..Hopes All Things

2009-03-08T17:06:00.002-04:00

Lord, we pray for the power to be gentle; the strength to be forgiving; the patience to be understanding; and the endurance to accept the consequences of holding to what we believe to be right.

May we put our trust in the power of good to overcome evil and the power of love to overcome hatred.

We pray for the vision to see and the faith to believe in a world emancipated from violence, a new world where fear shall no longer lead men to commit injustice, nor selfishness make them bring suffering to others.

Help us to devote our whole life and thought and energy to the task of making peace, praying always for the inspiration and the power to fulfill the destiny for which we and all men were created.
Amen.

"Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up; does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil; does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth; bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never fails."
1 Corinthians 13:48

Oops!

2009-03-07T20:18:00.004-05:00

And now, three more Obama nominees withdraw from running...

What's going on, here?

How Gauche!

2009-03-07T01:09:00.001-05:00

Even if the Obamas' didn't know, personally, about proper protocol concerning such things as thoughtfully selecting gifts, for exchange with visiting dignitaries, and their families, surely there must have been someone on staff who knew the proper thing to do!

Obama and his wife are touted as being so sophisticated, and classy, but as far as I can see, in that department, they are a disgrace, especially when it comes to representing our great nation!

How utterly classless to present a visiting foreign dignitary and his family such shoddy presents..toy helicopters and a package of DVDs..it's disgusting!

Michelle seems to have been ashamed of her country up until the time her husband was running for President, but now she has every reason to be ashamed..of their gauche behavior!

I can't even begin to tell you how gauche, but go to America's Right and read it for yourself!

If British Prime Minister Gordon Brown, and his wife had only known, they could have chosen one of Emily Post's books on etiquette to go with their other carefully chosen gifts to the Obamas.

It's sorely needed.

Christian Hipster, I'm Not

2009-03-05T15:41:00.002-05:00

Oh, for heaven's sakes! No pun intended, but while reading Andrew Sullivan last night, I clicked on a link which took me to an article that really confirms a few things in my mind.

I'm already sick and tired of being called a Christianista by so-called intellectual thinkers, who seem to think that if one believes in good, old-fashioned, traditional moral values, they're nothing but 'holy-rollers'..and now this!

Well, at least I know now, why they look down their noses at the likes of me. I'm just not 'hip' enough!

But now I know, for sure, the kind of person who calls me a 'Christianista'..they're the ones who consider themselves, Christian Hipsters!

To Give, Or Not To Give

2009-03-03T16:39:00.003-05:00

No, no, no...a thousand times, no!

I will give my charitable donations, as much as, and to whom, I please! And they will be to those whom I feel are in need, regardless of race, ethnicity, color, or any other thing they can think of--but it will be MY choice! If I don't get a tax deduction for it, then so be it!

"Nonprofit leaders are reeling from the recent news that President Barack Obama's proposed budget would limit tax deductions on charitable contributions from wealthy Americans. But now the philanthropic world has something else to worry about. Today the National Committee for Responsive Philanthropy (NCRP), a research and advocacy group, will release a report offering "benchmarks to assess foundation performance." Its real aim is to push philanthropic organizations into ignoring donor intent and instead giving grants based on political considerations.

The committee is part of a rising tide of politicians and activists who are working to change the face of American philanthropy -- and not for the better.

The report, titled "Criteria for Philanthropy at its Best," advises foundations to "provide at least 50 percent of grant dollars to benefit lower-income communities, communities of color, and other marginalized groups, broadly defined." The committee looked at 809 of the largest foundations in the country, whose combined three-year grants totaled almost $15 billion, and concluded that the majority of foundations are "eschewing the needs of the most vulnerable in our society" by neglecting "marginalized groups."

Two years ago, an advocacy group in San Francisco called Greenlining began releasing similar reports. Greenlining's aim then was to pass legislation in California mandating that foundations report to the public the percentage of their dollars given to "minority-led" organizations and the percentage of their boards and staffs made up by racial and ethnic minorities. The legislation was dropped when several foundations promised to donate money to causes Greenlining favored."

Read the rest of this nonsense here.

What, you may ask, has that to do with anything? Well, a lot, when you consider Obama's mind-set concerning reparations:

Prior to his election to the U.S. Senate in 2004 Obama opposed reparations for slavery. After his election, Obama subtly changed his view, stating he was against "just signing over checks to African-Americans," leaving open the possibility of other forms of reparations would be acceptable to him (Chicago Tribune 11/14/2004).

I'm beginning to think that Obama has found his 'possibility of other forms of reparations' that are 'acceptable to him.' I guess we will see the other acceptable forms as we go along..after all, something new pops up every day.

Lest you think that I am implying that he is catering to the Black minority only, it will be well to remember that while he was campaigning for the presidency, in order to garner votes, he made a lot of promises to a lot of different groups of people.

The worst part of all of this is, that it is not only about reparation, or handing out money to certain, select groups, but about a very complex, convoluted, agenda that is just mind-boggling!

So much for "transparency."

It's about as transparent as muddy water.

Something Stinking This Way Comes

2009-03-02T17:16:00.003-05:00

Obama will sign 410 billion spending bill despite the over 8,000 earmarks.

Look...I'll be a good citizen, and save the tax payers 1.8 million dollars of that money.

I'll volunteer to go around from pigsty to pigsty and take notes on which ones smell worse, and make a few suggestions on how to make them smell better.

It shouldn't be too hard. After all, pigs are pigs..always have been, always will be, and they'll keep on doing what they always have done.

They're swine. They stink.

Just like all that pork in the stimulus bill.

Selfishness Is Not A Virtue

2009-03-02T15:10:00.003-05:00

Remember this speech, made by President Obama, back when he was still Senator Obama?

Well, I just wanted to remind you, so you wouldn't feel so selfish when you resentfully start filling out those tax forms. I mean, after all, you might not be WANTING to pay out all the money you earned so it can be handed over to a bunch of people who didn't, but feel they are entitled to it, anyway.

From a speech, last October, in Sarasota, Florida:

On the stump this week, Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill., has pushed back against Sen. John McCain's description of his tax policies.

"The reason that we want to do this, change our tax code, is not because I have anything against the rich," Obama said in Sarasota, Fla., yesterday. "I love rich people! I want all of you to be rich. Go for it. That’s the American dream, that’s the American way, that’s terrific.

"The point is, though, that -- and it’s not just charity, it’s not just that I want to help the middle class and working people who are trying to get in the middle class -- it’s that when we actually make sure that everybody’s got a shot – when young people can all go to college, when everybody’s got decent health care, when everybody’s got a little more money at the end of the month – then guess what? Everybody starts spending that money, they decide maybe I can afford a new car, maybe I can afford a computer for my child. They can buy the products and services that businesses are selling and everybody is better off. All boats rise. That’s what happened in the 1990s, that’s what we need to restore. And that’s what I’m gonna do as president of the United States of America.

"John McCain and Sarah Palin they call this socialistic," Obama continued. "You know I don’t know when, when they decided they wanted to make a virtue out of selfishness."

Now..stop being so selfish, and get that blank filled in. Selfishness is not a virtue. He said so. And he won...just ask him. He's more than glad to remind you, over and over, as many time as necessary.

Oh..if you want to see what else is on the horizon, read:

New and Outrageous Taxes