Nancy's Journey

What Do You Do With A Dream?

2010-08-01T10:43:00.017-04:00

Corey Ray

What do you do with a dream? Logically, you pursue it and make a dream become a reality! Sometimes, it seems to take forever and that's when patience becomes a virtue. This is what my great nephew, Corey Ray, is facing now. Corey has always loved music and is a talented drummer. I believe he has found his niche. He loves music, playing the drums, and heavy metal. This is where he enters his dream and where he begins his journey to reality.

He is based in Maine and has played in small venues but hopefully he will be able to increase his audience nationwide, soon. I will keep my readers updated because it is fun to follow a person with great talent as they pursue a dream.

Good Luck Corey! Keep On Keeping On!

Independence Day - God Bless America

2010-07-01T11:22:00.012-04:00

In June 1776, Richard Henry Lee from Virginia proposed a resolution of independence from Britain. On July 2, 1776, the Second Continental Congress voted to approve the resolution. After approval, Congress wanted a Declaration of Independence to explain their decision.

A Committee of Five men shown in the picture above wrote it up. Congress debated on the declaration and revised it. The Declaration of Independence was finally approved on July 4th. The Committee of Five was composed of Roger Sherman, a lawyer and politician from Connecticut; Benjamin Franklin, a writer, a spokesman, an ambassador, etc; Thomas Jefferson, the third President of The United States; John Adams, the second President of The United States; Robert Livingston, a lawyer, politician, and diplomat from New York.

My favorite part of the declaration is the first part:

"We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness - That to secure these rights,

(Now the next part becomes interesting -remember this come election time)

Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, - That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government....."

It appears that we are approaching the threshold of the above statement. Our government is out of control. As each member of Congress comes up for re-election, we need to vote for the person running against that incumbent - no matter what party. Taking sides is evidently not working. I think it's time for career politicians to go home. If any Senator or Representative has served 2 terms, GO HOME! If they haven't fixed the problems of our beloved country in 8 years, they have failed.

~ Now Back To Independence Day ~

Just why do we celebrate Independence Day with parades, fire works, etc. Could it have been initiated by John Adams?

John Adams wrote this letter to his wife on July 3, 1776 - the day after the declaration was presented and the day before its final approval.

"The second day of July, 1776, will be the most memorable epoch in the history of America. I am apt to believe that it will be celebrated by succeeding generations as the great anniversary festival. It ought to be commemorated as the day of deliverance, by solemn acts of devotion to God Almighty. It ought to be solemnized with pomp and parade, with shows, games, sports, guns, bells, bonfires, and illuminations, from one end of this continent to the other, from this time forward forever more".

In conclusion, there is one series of coincidences that should be mentioned - both John Adams and Thomas Jefferson died on the same day: July 4, 1826, which was the United States' 50th anniversary.

GOD BLESS AMERICA!

Follow Up On Illegal Immigration

2010-06-16T16:19:00.003-04:00

I read a news story on fox.com and I couldn't believe it. "About 3,500 acres of southern Arizona have been closed off to U. S. citizens due to increased violence at the U. S. - Mexico border, according to the U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service. U. S. Fish and Wildlife officials have warned visitors in Arizona to beware of heavily armed drug smugglers and human traffickers."

That is enough. It is negligence on the part of our government when Americans have been banned from a part of our country because of a threat of safety. This sounds like something that takes place in a third world county. The law enforcement in Arizona needs Federal help in guarding the border - NOW!

Please read this story at http://www.foxnews.com/us/2010/06/16/closes-park-land-mexico-border-americans/

Be sure to watch the video, too. If all of this doesn't make you support the Arizona Illegal Immigration law - nothing will.

She's Had An Incredible Journey But It's Time To Retire

2010-06-07T19:13:00.003-04:00

Helen Thomas has been a journalist for over 50 years but it's time for her to retire. She has covered U. S. news and issues, domestic and foreign, for so many years. She has been opinionated but yet, honorable in her journalism. She was born in 1920 and is 89 years old. It's time - Ms. Thomas - to get in the rocking chair and enjoy a little relaxation. The latest news on the "Thomas front" is that she has resigned. This decision came after her remarks about Israel. She evidently stated that Israel should get the hell out of Palestine.

After that insensitive remark, she didn't have much of a choice. However, she still should be honored for her past years of bringing world issues to life for us. Believe me, I didn't agree with her opinions on many issues but she had the right to report them as she saw them. Unfortunately, she went a little too far this time.

What Is Right Is Right and What Is Wrong Is Wrong

2010-06-06T15:21:00.001-04:00

Is this demonstration picture for real? I have seen it several places on the internet, including in an e-mail but I have yet to see the credit for the picture. If it is authentic, please accept my advice demonstrators - this is not a sign that will win friends and influence people.

Dear Readers, I usually try to stay away from political issues in my blog but when I feel strong about something, it bothers me not give my opinion. As with any political issue, there are a vast amount of opinions. I am not writing this to say that everybody should share my opinion. But, this is mine!

I believe that Arizona' s new immigration law is "right on". Arizona has the right to pass this law and enforce it. The Federal government said they have had an immigration law for years but it hasn't been enforced. So, Arizona - if the federal government is unwilling to pass and enforce an effective immigration law "like yesterday" - then You Rock On!

I am not saying that immigrants should not be welcomed to our country. I am saying no amnesty should be granted to those here illegally. The illegals that are here should be sent back to where they came from and then enter the U. S. legally just like all the immigrants from other countries. My ancestors had to do it legally and so did yours. So why, all of a sudden, does this particular ethnic group think the U. S. immigration laws don't apply to them? I know immigrants who have spent years going through the system legally because they really want to be an American. A Big Welcome To Them!

So - illegals - Go home - Apply for citizenship legally - Do mounds of paper work like other nationalities that want to become U. S. citizens and you will be welcomed back by most American citizens. Your actions now and the defiance of the illegal immigrants are not winning you very much support.

That brings me to learning English. Every other nationality that immigrated here didn't have the privilege of pressing # 2 for their native language. If you love America and want to be an American - LEARN ENGLISH. English should be the only primary language in America. Of course, I realize that it may take you a while to learn it. You'll just have to do what the other immigrants have done in the past and what the present-day immigrants from other countries are doing, get a friend or family member that speaks English to help you navigate through the system until you do learn it.

In conclusion, what is right is right and what is wrong is wrong. Immigration laws are the same for all nationalities - no exceptions.

I read the Arizona Immigration Bill SB1070 to see for myself what it is all about before approaching this topic in my blog. I see nothing unfair about it. If you would like to read it in its entirety, here is the link. After you read it, you can then made an informed decision yourself.

http://www.azleg.gov/legtext/49leg/2r/bills/sb1070s.pdf

Celebration Of Those Who Fought For Our Freedom Part VIII

2010-05-26T18:51:00.003-04:00

Today's war - The War On Terror - is still raging. Our brave men and women are still serving in the Middle East to keep us safe and to preserve out freedom here at home. Let us not forget 9-11 - Never Forget!!!

There is a horrible enemy trying to destroy our nation. Meeting them, bowing to them, apologizing (for some unknown reason), hugging them is not going to stop them. We just need to get one step ahead of them and stay there. Believe me - I am a "hawk" when it comes to this war. Being weak and trying to negotiate with them is a terrible mistake. Please read and remember history and see what avoiding a needed armed conflict will get you.

Thank you Veterans for serving in this war and thank you to all the men and women who are still fighting this war for us. God Bless You All!!!

Celebration Of Those Who Fought For Our Freedom Part VII

2010-05-26T17:56:00.003-04:00

The next war resulting from the Cold War was the Vietnam War. In 1961, Soviet Premier Nikita Khrushchev pledges support for "wars of national liberation" throughout the world. His statement greatly encourages Communists in North Vietnam to escalate their armed struggle to unify Vietnam under Ho Chi Minh.

John F. Kennedy is inaugurated as the 35th U. S. President and declares "...we shall pay any price, bear any burden, meet any hardship, support any friend, oppose any foe, to insure the survival and the success of liberty." President Kennedy sends 400 American Green Beret "Special Advisors" to South Vietnam to train South Vietnamese soldiers in methods of counter insurgency in the fight against Viet Cong guerrillas.

More and more advisors were sent to help the South Vietnamese fight against their Communist aggression. The first U. S. troops entered Vietnam in 1965. Until 1969, North Vietnam and the U. S. did most of the fighting. By 1969, the Vietnam War seemed endless, and the U. S. slowly began to withdraw troops. In January 1973, a cease fire was arranged. The last U. S. ground troops left Vietnam two months later. Despite the treaty, fighting between North and South Vietnam resumed soon afterward, but U. S. troops did not return. The war finally ended on April 30, 1975 when South Vietnam surrendered to North Vietnam.

American heroes who lost their lives in this war numbered 58,151. As previously stated, all the men and women who ever put on a uniform to preserve our freedom is a hero in my book. Thank you!

Celebration Of Those Who Fought For Our Freedom Part VI

2010-05-26T16:24:00.010-04:00

Toward The End Of The Cold War

President Ronald Reagan and General Secretary Mikhail Gorbachev signing the INF Treaty in 1987

After WWII, America was doing well but lurking in the background was the "Cold War". The Cold War lasted from 1947-1991. The spread of communism and rogue nuclear weapons were a constant threat. There were periods of calm but during that time America entered into two more wars.

The first war stemming from the Cold War that I'm going to discuss is the Korean War. The Korean War lasted from 1950 to 1953.

The war was a result of the political division of Korea by agreement of the victorious Allies at the conclusion of the Pacific War. In 1945 following the surrender of Japan, American administrators divided the peninsula of Korea along the 38th parallel with the U. S. troops occupying the southern part and Soviet troops occupying the northern part. The failure to hold free elections throughout the Korean Peninsula in 1948 deepened the division between the two sides, and the North established a Communist government. The 38th Parallel increasingly became a political border between the two Koreas. Although reunification negotiations continued in the months preceding the war, tension intensified. Cross-border skirmishes and raids at the 38th Parallel persisted. The situation escalated into open warfare when North Korean forces invaded South Korea on June 25, 1950. It was the first significant armed conflict of the Cold War.

The United Nations, particularly the U. S., came to the aid of the South Koreans in repelling the invasion. The threat of nuclear world war eventually ceased with an armistice that restored the border between the Koreas at the 38th Parallel and created the Korean Demilitarized Zone. The Armistice was signed on July 27, 1953.

Our heroic American soldiers suffered 36,516 deaths in this war.

Celebration Of Those Who Fought For Our Freedom Part V

2010-05-25T18:43:00.008-04:00

The start of WWII is generally held to be September 1, 1939 beginning with German invasion of Poland. Britain and France declared war on Germany two day later. Most of the world's nations, including all of the great powers eventually became involved. The great powers organized into two opposing military alliances.

The Allies (the good guys): Soviet Union, United States, United Kingdom, China, Poland, France, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, Belgium, Netherlands, Greece, Yugoslavia, Norway and others.

The Axis (the bad guys): Germany, Japan, Italy, Finland, Hungary, Romania, Thailand, Bulgaria, Croatia, Slovakia and others.

It was the most widespread war in history, with more than 100 million military personnel mobilized. In a state of total war, the major participants placed their entire economic, industrial, and scientific capabilities at the service of the war effort. The war took its toll on many thousands of civilians, including the Holocaust and the only use of nuclear weapons in warfare. It was the deadliest conflict in human history with over seventy million casualties.

The United States was trying to stay out of the war. But then on the morning of December 7, 1941, the Japanese bombed Pearl Harbor in a surprise attack and caused so much death and destruction that President Franklin Roosevelt declared war on Japan on December 8, 1941. The U.S. also declared war on all the Axis powers on December 8, 1941.

The war was fought in Europe, Pacific, Atlantic, South-East Asia, China, Middle East, Mediterranean and Africa.

The exact date of the wars end is not entirely agreed upon. Some believe the war ended at the Armistice of August 14, 1945 on V-J Day (Victory over Japan) rather than the formal surrender of Japan on September 2, 1945. The Treaty of Peace with Japan wasn't signed until 1951. V-E Day (Victory over Europe) was celebrated on May 8, 1945.

The number of our American Heroes who perished during the war from 1941 - 1945 was 405,339.

Celebration Of Those Who Fought For Our Freedom Part IV

2010-05-25T12:29:00.008-04:00

World War I actually began in July, 1914 but the United States did not enter the war until April 6, 1917. The U. S. originally pursued a policy of isolationism avoiding conflict while trying to broker a peace.

Of course, Britain was fighting yet another war and at first, they really didn't want the U. S. to get involved because they feared that the U. S. might be on the other side. There was an anti-colonial stance in America. But things starting happening that got U. S. citizens in an uproar.

In 1915, a German U-boat sank the British liner Lusitania and there were 128 Americans on board. But that still wasn't enough for the U. S. to join the war. There were unauthorized German submarines along the U. S. East coast. Germany agree to stop it for a while. Germany resumed unrestricted submarine warfare in the spring of 1917 and this provided more reason for the U. S. to join the war. Also in 1917, the British intercepted a proposal from Berlin to Mexico. The message related to Mexico that if the U. S. were to enter the war then Mexico should declare war against the United States and enlist Japan as an ally. This would prevent the United States from joining the Allies and deploying troops to Europe and would give Germany more time for their unrestricted submarine warfare program to strangle Britain's vital war supplies. In return, the Germans would promise Mexico support in reclaiming the territory of Texas, New Mexico and Arizona. Okay, enough was enough and President Wilson called for war on Germany and the U. S. Congress declared war on April 6, 1917.

The war raged on until November 11, 1918 when an Armistice was declared. The Treaty of Versailles was signed on June 28, 1919. No other war had changed the map of Europe more dramatically: four empires disappeared - the German, Austria-Hungarian, Ottoman and the Russian; four defunct dynasties - the Hohenzollerns, the Habsburg, the Romanovs and the Ottomans together with all their ancillary aristocracies. Belgium and Serbia were badly damaged, as was France with 1.4 million soldiers dead. Germany and Russia were similarly affected. The United States lost 116,516 brave and heroic soldiers.

I would like to add the following information about this war because I found it devastating. The aftermath of this war took a terrible toll on many European nations. About 750,000 German civilians died from starvation caused by the British blockade during the war. By the end of the war, famine had killed approximately 100,000 people in Lebanon. Also, a major flu epidemic spread around the world. Overall, the Spanish flu killed at least 50 million people. In 1914, louse-borne typhus killed 200,000 in Serbia. There were about 3 million deaths from typhus in Russia from 1918 to 1922. A 1921 Russian famine followed the war with an estimated death toll of 5 million to 10 million people.

This was a terrible war but when America is pushed into war, Americans rise to occasion and do everything in their power to protect our freedom. Our armed forces are Heroes.

Celebration Of Those Who Fought For Our Freedom Part III

2010-05-24T09:24:00.022-04:00

I have always considered myself as a "hawk" when it comes to the protection of Americans. But in the case of the Civil War, I would be a "dove". Keep in mind, I am looking at this situation from today's perspective and from my beliefs , not of those who lived in the 1800s. There are Americans who had ancestors who fought in the Civil War for a principle that they believed would benefit all of America. These people should definitely be honored.

I will give a short synopsis of the Civil War and my thoughts about it. First, the thought of Americans killing Americans is repulsive and I would in no way approve of it. This war brought about more American casualties than any other war to date. Secondly, the thought of slavery is horrendous. Thirdly, I didn't have any direct ancestors who fought in the Civil War because they didn't believe it was their war. The geographic location of my ancestry helped to form their beliefs about this war.

Between 1830 and 1860, as abolitionism grew in the North, southerners largely stopped questioning the wisdom of slavery and argued strongly for extending it. The compromise of 1850, passed by Congress after the Mexican War, temporarily appeased both northerners and southerners who debated the expansion of slavery. But during the 1850s, the issue of slavery severed the political bonds that had held the United States together. The rise of abolitionism, renewed conflict over the expansion of slavery into the western territories, and the Dred Scott decision all pushed the nation closer to civil war.

The Lincoln-Douglas debates of 1858 and John Brown's raid on the federal arsenal at Harper's Ferry, VA, set the stage for the election 1860, in which Abraham Lincoln was elected president with support only from the North. After Abraham Lincoln's election to the presidency in 1860, seven southern states seceded from the U. S. Four more followed after South Carolina troops fired on Fort Sumter in Charleston, SC in April 1861 and Lincoln called for troops to put down the rebellion. But the rebellion could not be put down and the Civil War began.

North Carolina seceded from the U. S. but many of the people in the Western part of the state felt that the Confederacy only supported the interests of plantation owners and they did not want to die to support the interests of the wealthy. Many were labeled as Union sympathizers and were called "Unionists". This is where the Home Guard came in.

The Home Guard was a collection of small units of men organized on the local level. The Home Guard's duties included arresting deserters, enforcing the draft, policing residents who were suspected of having pro-Union sympathies, putting down domestic disturbances or unrest, and gathering and protecting supplies for the army. The Home Guard was also the last line of defense against invading Union troops. However, the Home Guard devastated the security of many people in the Western part of NC because there were many Union sympathizers and deserters that made their way to that part of the country to obtain sanctuary from the war. The guard dealt with the people they suspected of being pro-Unionists and deserters violently. Unfortunately, it came down to neighbors killing neighbors.

Thankfully, the war finally ended when General Robert E. Lee surrendered his Army of Northern Virginia on April 9, 1865, at the McLean House in the village of Appomattox Court House.

There were approximately 650,000 casualties in the Civil War with about 225,000 of those deaths from disease. Both sides in the war lost about the same percentage of their troops - one soldier in four died.

Needless to say, this was a tragic war on American soil. Americans killing Americans. Neighbors killing neighbors. Let us pray that Americans will never take up arms against other Americans again. But the soldiers who fought were also Heroes and that status should never be taken away from them.

Celebration Of Those Who Fought For Our Freedom Part II

2010-05-23T09:16:00.007-04:00

~ Fort Henry ~

Francis Scott Key wrote the

Star Spangled Banner here during the

War of 1812

I must admit that I know very little about the War of 1812. I have seen it referred to as "the forgotten war". I do know I had ancestors who fought in it so I decided to include this war in my remembrance of our veterans posts. We had many Americans who fought and died for our freedom during this war.

President George Washington(1790's) kept the United States neutral in the conflict between France and Great Britain. He believed that neutrality was the safest policy for our young nation, and also that it was wisest for the U. S. to stay out of European affairs.

During its wars with France in 1790s and early 1800s, Great Britain refused to respect the rights of U. S. ships and sailors on the high seas. The British navy was the strongest in the world in the late eighteenth and nineteenth centuries. British ships would board U. S. merchant ships and force that ship's sailors into the British navy. The British government claimed it was targeting deserters, but it also claimed the right to "recruit" any British subject. They took them right on the spot. The British government argued that since all of these sailors had been born in the British colonies, they were British, despite the fact that they now lived in the independent United States. They violated the right of the U. S. to govern itself, and the ability of the U. S. government to protect its citizens. Now - to me, that's just wrong.

The President in 1812 was James Madison, a Democratic-Republican. The newly elected members to the New York state assembly were from the opposing party - the Federalists. The Democratic-Republicans were in favor of war with Britain, while Federalists were against it. Federalists supported trade and commerce and war with Britain would definitely hurt trade with European countries.

When diplomacy and trade restrictions failed, President Madison declared war. The two countries fought for two years before agreeing to a treaty. I believe that war was necessary to reign in Britain and to keep them from taking over the U. S. again. Looks to me like they would have already learned not to mess with us but they evidently didn't. Yea! America!

The War of 1812 began for us on June 18, 1812 and lasted until March 23, 1815. There were 2,260 Americans killed in action, 4,505 Americans wounded and an estimated 17,000 who died from disease. Again - they were HEROES! Thank you for your service.

Celebration Of Those Who Fought For Our Freedom - Part I

2010-05-22T15:54:00.009-04:00

Dear Readers,

I understand that America has fought my wars and battles to secure our freedoms. Every man or woman who ever put on a uniform to protect us in the past or present is a hero in my book.

Today's entry will be about the American Revolution - The War of Independence. The description below is brief and will by no means give all the details of the prelude to war or of the war itself.

In 1763, the British moved to tighten imperial control by putting soldiers in the American frontiers. The British wanted Americans to contribute to this "imperial defense" and pay part of the bill. This plan started a long controversy about Parliament's right to tax. In December, 1773, a group of Bostonians dumped a cargo of British tea into the harbor to protest against the British effort to tax Americans. The bad situation kept snowballing. The Boston Tea Party really irked the British and they started infringing on America's rights. The British closed the Boston Harbor and put the whole state of Massachusetts under military rule.

This was enough to make us mad and we were determined to get the British "off our backs". Then came the battles of Concord, Lexington and Bunker Hill and we were in a full fledged war.

The war raged on from 1775 to 1783. It eventually spread from the east coast of America to the northern territories and other countries even got involved. It was on October 19, 1781 that Cornwallis realized he had lost the war and surrendered his entire army of 7,000 men at Yorktown. With the surrender at Yorktown, King George lost control of Parliament to the peace party, and there were no further major military activities in North America. The British had 30,000 garrison troops occupying New York City, Charleston, and Savannah. The war continued at sea between the British and the French fleets in the West Indies. The formal end of the war did not occur until the Treaty of Paris and Treaties of Versailles were signed on September 3, 1783. The United States Congress of the Confederation ratified the Paris treaty on January 14, 1784.

The total loss of life in the War is not known. Approximately 25,000 American Revolutionaries died during active military service. About 8,000 of these deaths were in battle. The other 17,000 deaths were from disease, including 8,000-12,000 who died while prisoners of war. The number of Revolutionary soldiers seriously wounded or disabled by the war has been estimated from 8,500 to 25,000. So the total casualty figure was about 50,000.

Yes readers, our ancestors were heroes and look what they fought for and won - OUR FREEDOM. I have several ancestors that fought during this war and I know you do, too.

Appropriate Words For This Day And Time

2010-05-20T12:35:00.003-04:00

Noah Webster

I always believed Noah Webster must be a pretty smart man because about 1800, he started writing the first American Dictionary. But I recently found a quote from him and this confirmed to me the fact that he was not pretty smart but extremely smart.

I believe we would all be pretty smart to take heed to the following advice in Webster's quote and follow his wise advice.

"When you become entitled to exercise the right of voting for public officers, let it be impressed on your mind that God commands you to choose for rulers, 'just men who will rule in the fear of God'. The preservation of government depends on the faithful discharge of this Duty; if the citizens neglect their Duty and place unprincipled men in office, the government will soon be corrupted; laws will be made, not for the public good so much as for selfish or local purposes; corrupt or incompetent men will be appointed to execute the Laws; the public revenues will be squandered on unworthy men; and the rights of the citizen will be violated or disregarded. If government fails to secure public prosperity and happiness, it must be because the citizens neglect the Divine Commands, and elect bad men to make and administer the Laws."

This makes sense to me and gives us a wise philosophy to follow. With all of the upcoming elections, it will be good to keep this in mind when you go into the voting booth.

Is Having A Boyfriend Really Necessary?

2010-05-19T18:51:00.016-04:00

This is the story of Sarah, who is fourteen years old. She is pressured by her friends to have a boyfriend. Sarah only likes one boy, Devon, but Devon only likes her as a friend.

Sarah is very levelheaded and knows what she wants out of life, but all that is twisted upside down when a new boy comes to her school and chooses Sarah for his girlfriend. Throughout the story, Sarah struggles to maintain her goals, but she stays true to herself.

Okay readers, this is what happened. Any and all grandmothers will understand. My friend, Jane, has three granddaughters and of course, they are the light of her life. They truly inspire her! She then took this inspiration and decided to write a series of short teen books based on her observations of them. This is the first in the series of her books. It can be enjoyed by girls aged 12 to 16. Check out Jane's inspiration!!!

The book can be purchased at the Dorrance Publishing Co. online bookstore.

http://dorrance.stores.yahoo.net/ishaborene.html

Look on this blog's right column for a direct link to the online bookstore.

Just click!

Mac Powell & David DeVane "By His Wounds"

2010-03-27T19:22:00.003-04:00

New CD - My Time To Fly - Keil Nathan

2010-03-15T10:05:00.006-04:00

As a lover of contemporary Christian music, I always have an "ear out" for something I like and inspires me. Last week, I was introduced to a new CD that fits that description. I wanted to share this "You Tube" video of the title song on Keil Nathan's CD, My Time To Fly. Take a look and listen - great lyrics and great music!

Where Did The Time Go????

2010-03-11T15:25:00.029-05:00

You may have had or will have these particular feelings. When you are young and in high school, you only think about what you are going to do now or in the near future and are yearning for a new adventure. When one is a senior in high school, most feel like time is standing still and there is a need to speed it up. For most of us, life is very simple at this point. However, I feel sure many seniors in high school would disagree that their lives are simple. Every body's idea of a new adventure is different.

A new adventure could be getting married or going out into the "big" world and experiencing the "work place" or going to college. Sounds like fun and it is. I believe that this a part of one's life that is necessary to make us ready for the next part of our lives. Life is still pretty simple at this stage.

Next comes the children, mortgages, etc. and decision making - things that sometimes cause stress like you've never seen before. Now you're making decisions that affect people other than yourself and coordinating this, that and the other. You spend most of your time trying to please everybody at the same time. Uh, Oh! Life is getting more complicated. The simplicity of life is now gone. For the next twenty years or so, life starts moving at a faster pace and you start staying awake at night rethinking your past decisions. Your children become seniors in high school and you hope your guidance through their lives has prepared them to make good decisions and the correct choices for the next phases of their lives. We begin to understand the problems and stress our parents had.

OK, now the children are going off to school or to work and you start feeling a little lost because you are not making as many decisions or coordinating activities, etc. "Alright, this is great"! "I have time for myself". "Now is time to take up a hobby". "Wow! This is fun". "Oh no! Don't tell me - it's already Christmas again." It seems like years pass as fast as weeks. However, this is a great part of your life - you can see a reflection of one of the best times of your past - Grandchildren. WHAT A BLESSING!

You have wonderful grandchildren that make you smile every time you think about them. Your children who once thought you were the dumbest person on earth, now seek your advice. Doesn't that make you feel good and useful? Now, your life is simple again and you have no problems...WRONG!!! Instead of years passing like weeks; years now pass like days. You worry about your financial future. "Please let me have enough money to last the rest of my life." "Please let my health stay good so my children don't have to take care of me." "Are my children doing OK?" "Are my grandchildren healthy and happy?" Once you have children and a family, worries continue but you remember the guidance you gave your children and you feel assurance that they remember the same and are using their teachings to raise their children.

At the winter stage of your life, your mind wanders back to the simple times you had in school and all of a sudden - a classmate who you hadn't thought of in years comes to your mind. "I always liked him/her". "I wonder where they are and what they are doing". "I wonder if they have children and grandchildren". "I think I'll try to look them up and catch up on old times".

Isn't it amazing how time flies and how life seems to go in a circle?

Thank you, God, for letting me travel this great circle.

Awesome Place To Vacation

2009-09-13T11:59:00.023-04:00

What do you do when a friend calls and asks you if you would like to go on a short vacation/road trip? Well, why not? Since I am originally from the North Carolina mountains and I always love going "home" for a visit and my friend, Robin, loves the mountains; it wasn't a hard choice to make when deciding where to go.

However, it took us a while to decide where to stay. We looked on-line for places to stay near Waynesville, North Carolina. Waynesville is pretty close to the places we wanted to visit. Well, I pulled up a website for The Old Stone Inn and it looked pretty interesting. I saw it had cabins and the price was right. So I gave them a call to see if they had a cabin with two bedrooms at a reasonable price and they did. And the trip was on.

Robin came by and picked me up and we were off! The drive was great and the scenery was terrific. We arrived in Waynesville and drove through town into a neighborhood.

We were thinking and chatting about the fact that this place couldn't be in a neighborhood - but it was. We drove with an apprehensive feeling that our selection was going to be a dud. We found the street to turn on and drove up this narrow drive way that seemed to keep going up. Wow! What a surprise when we got to the top! Behind all of these huge, ancient trees was this quaint lodge. The Inn was surrounded by trees and it was so shady and cool. The area at the top of the hill wasn't vast but still large enough not to feel over-run with people.

The Old Stone Inn

ready to serve dinner

(picture taken at dusk)

We found our cottage, The Hemlock, and went in to check it out. It was rustic, very large and most of all - immaculately clean in every room. The cottage had two bedrooms with a bath in each, a small den with a fireplace, adequate closet space, and a mini-fridge in one of the closets. The porch extended down the entire length of the cottage. Sitting on the porch was kind of like sitting in a tree house because it was so high, as you can tell from the picture. From there, it was difficult to tell that we were in a neighborhood. In fact, the whole area was sheltered from the neighborhood. We spent most of our time gazing out at the trees from the porch. It rained several times and we had to question whether or not it was actually raining because we could hear the rain but the trees acted as umbrellas. It know it is needless to say, but we enjoyed the cottage and sitting on the front porch.

The Hemlock Cottage

Now comes my favorite part of any trip - food. The Old Stone Inn has a fabulous restaurant with two very talented chefs. I am a meat 'n tater person and don't know much about sauces and foods in a foreign language but I had a quick lesson. The benefit of this lesson is that I learned how delicious food can be that I haven't tried before. The chefs were so customer friendly and made sure that the food experience at the inn was something that would always be remembered. Delicious! I really can't compliment them enough. Another thing was the cleanliness of the kitchen. You could see in the kitchen as you walked by and never did I see a clutter or a mess in there - cleanest kitchen I've ever seen in a restaurant. I know my opinion doesn't count for much but I give it 5 stars - food, atmosphere, service, friendliness and cleanliness.

(left) Carr - Chef

(right) Terry - Head Chef

My Governor - He's A Ramblin' Man

2009-06-25T18:31:00.001-04:00

If there's another sequel to the movie - Dumb & Dumber - Mark Sanford should definitely audition for the lead role.

I have very conservative political views and have always applauded Sanford's fight against "big government" and tax increases. I also applauded his stance against the SC Legislature concerning the so-called "stimulus plan". He always came across as a great conservative leader.

The last couple of months Sanford has obviously experienced stress over the loss of his ability to reject part of the federal stimulus money. So when I heard he was missing, I just assumed that he needed a break but didn't understand why his staff and family didn't know (?) or wouldn't reveal (?) his whereabouts. I asked myself - was he having a mental breakdown?

Well, after watching Sanford's news conference on http://www.wistv.com/ yesterday, I still wasn't sure if he hadn't had a mental breakdown. I am referring to the full news conference not the edited clips shown by major news channels. The full news conference is shown on the above link in the video titled - RAW: Sanford's Full Remarks.

He began the conference by rambling on about his college hiking trips, apologizing that he hurt his friend who spent the night in his basement on dinosaur sheets and other irrelevant things. About mid-way through his speech, he finally dropped a phrase that he was unfaithful to his wife.

It has finally been revealed that his wife learned about the affair with Maria from Argentina about five months ago. Jenny Sanford asked her husband to leave their home two weeks ago. My question is that since his wife already knew about the affair, why didn't he just tell his staff and others who needed to know his whereabouts that he was going to Argentina instead of lying? He handled "the reveal" in such a tacky way - humiliating himself, his family, and the Office of the Governor of SC.

He accepted the job of governing this great state and this job also comes with the responsibility of being available to run it. Being in a secret romantic rendezvous with your lover for days is not in the job description of being governor.

"Every decision has consequences - good or bad". The consequences of his decisions have drawn more negative press to SC and his political career is definitely ruined. But the most important consequence of his decisions is the burden he cast upon his family. Sanford caused a private matter and his family's pain to be broadcast over the world. Now, his and Maria's love e-mails have been published which will add more pain for his family. http://www.thestate.com/sanford/story/839350.html

After giving my opinion of Mark Sanford's indiscretion, I want to add that this family needs our prayers. Sanford spoke from his heart and professed his faith. He is forgiven!

"As water reflects a face, so a man's heart reflects the man". Proverbs 27:19 (NIV)

You Gotta Love This Upset - Mine That Bird

2009-05-03T13:52:00.003-04:00

Photo by John Gress/Reuters

This has got to be one of the most exciting horse races that I've seen in a long time. I always love the "come from behind" winner in almost all competitions and the Mine That Bird triumph was not a disappointment.

To make the win of this horse even better was the humbleness of the owners and trainer and the enthusiasm of Calvin Borel, the jockey. You couldn't help but feel Borel's excitement as he took Mine That Bird to the Winner's Circle.

If you didn't get to see the Kentucky Derby yesterday, it would be well worth your effort to find a video of the race and watch this unbelievable win.

The Four Blessed Looks

2009-05-02T16:27:00.004-04:00

I recently received this in an e-mail and felt that I should share it with my readers.

Look Back and Thank God.

Look Forward and Trust God.

Look Around and Serve God.

Look Within and Find God.

This was included in the same e-mail:

Without God, our week is:

Mournday

Tearsday

Wasteday

Thirstday

Fightday

Shatterday

Sinday

So, allow Him to be with you every day!

Photo Op Arrogant And Insensitive

2009-04-28T16:15:00.004-04:00

Maybe I shouldn't watch or read the news anymore because I am sure finding a lot of stuff that irritates me. When I saw this incident on video, I was appalled and full of empathy for the people who had to endure it.

I cannot believe that someone in the President's administration is arrogant enough to believe that his decision to do a low fly-over using the President's plane with F-16's chasing it would not upset the citizens of NYC. The people in Lower Manhattan were rightfully terrified at this sight. The mayor of NYC evidently was not informed of the "photo op" and he was furious and his anger is just.

I read an article on the web found on www.nypost.com pertaining to this ignorant action approved by the Director of the White House Military Office. It is my opinion that this person should not approve anything in the future if this is an example of how he makes decisions.

Follow Up On My Global Warming Post

2009-04-25T18:37:00.006-04:00

I recently found some more information that contradicts Al Gore's global warming movie. It is presented on You Tube and points out 35 errors found in Gore's movie. It will give you something to think about.

Lord Christopher Monckton, a former science advisor to Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher pointed out these errors in several forums. Of course, I recommend his website to read the transcript of these videos if you wish. Also, the following website has more links pertaining to errors and exaggerations presented in "global warming" scare tactics. http://www.scienceandpublicpolicy.org/

Monckton was supposed to appear with Al Gore at a global warming hearing this past Friday (April 24th) in Washington. However, Monckton states that when his plane from England landed in Washington, he was informed his invitation was rescinded. That's the reason I'm passing along some of Monckton's thoughts on global warming. I believe it is important to get all sides of the global warming story so each person can make up their own mind.

As I stated before, climate is always changing - always has and always will. It changed to extreme warmth when there were no cars or smoke stacks. It is my opinion that climate change is a phenomenon that exists and at this time, scientists can only speculate on the causes, the length of time it takes for the change to occur, and the severity of the final change. After all, it could warm a little bit and then start cooling again. Again, opinions are like heads - everybody has one.

My Earth Day Contribution - Part 2

2009-04-23T15:35:00.004-04:00

I will continue my rantings from yesterday. There are some environmental issues that do bug me more than the "global warming alarmists".

PLASTIC and TRASH - I don't like plastic grocery bags. I believe they were originally utilized because "tree huggers" wanted to save trees and not use paper. My friends - trees are a renewable resource. Botanists and horticulturists have developed some very fast growing trees. Tree farms and plantations produce wood to make paper. And believe me, there are enough "tree huggers" around now that clear-cutting would not be a problem anymore. Paper will eventually decompose but plastic will be around almost forever.

I have never liked plastic grocery bags:

1st - because my groceries usually fall out and I have to round them up and rebag them before I can bring them in the house.

2nd - those plastic bags are used everywhere now and end up on the highways and in the waterways. People who litter make me ill.

3rd - when the bags and other plastic things end up in the waterways, aquatic life is destroyed. I like the beauty of lakes, ponds, rivers, etc. and love fish. So please keep your plastic to yourself and BRING BACK PAPER!!!

Now on to the next environmental issue that really bugs me. There are many things in life that are beyond our control and we don't get to make a decision about them. But there are some things we do get to decide. When making those decisions, we don't weigh all the pros and cons. We don't give some of our decisions enough thought and sometimes those decisions put our well-being at risk. You are probably wondering what I am talking about.

Why do people build their homes on barrier islands? The islands developed from wave action and possibly hurricanes over a long period of time and they are meant to be temporary. But people build homes on them to enjoy the good life and have to end up building jetties, sea walls, etc. to keep their beaches from washing away. A major hurricane will take what ever it wants - including beach front property and homes. The washing of the sand from the beach and the erosion of the property are natural and are constantly changing. It seems to me that a person can not really own a beach because Nature is going change it or take it to the sea and put it some where else.

Why do people cut out a mountain and build their homes on the side of it? No matter how structurally correct and sound a building engineer has told you your mountain side home is - with enough rainfall and the right conditions - it can fall down. I have seen some standing for many years and some that have slid down the hill after just a few years.

Now, thankfully we live in America and people are allowed their freedom to make their own decision about where they live. But think before you build.

I know opinions are just like heads - everyone has one. All of this is my opinion and thank you for letting me have my say.

My Earth Day Contribution - Part 1

2009-04-22T14:44:00.008-04:00

Sometimes people do not think in logical terms and want to blame all bad changes in our environment on something we can control. I don't agree with many of the theories put forth about global warming so I want to express my opinion.

Yesterday, I heard a new theory about obesity contributing to global warming. What!? I just had to throw that statement in because it struck me as humorous.

As almost all of us know, our environment, landscapes and climate have been changing for thousands and thousands of years. For example, during the Mesozoic Era (about 245 million years ago to about 65 million years ago) - the climate was so warm that there were no ice caps at all. Food was plentiful because plants loved the warmth and moisture. And we weren't even here so we didn't cause it.

There have been several ice ages through time and it is believed that another one would have begun more recently but it was stalled because people began intense farming about 8,000 years ago and messed up the atmosphere with "greenhouse gases". Others believe movements within the earth and volcanoes cause the "greenhouse gases". Some believe in the Milankovitch Cycles which states climate suffers warming/cooling changes because of one of three Earth orbital changes.

In all my reading, I have found lots of theories and hypotheses about the causes of dramatic climate changes but nothing that is concrete. Only one thing is certain - climatic changes are cyclical. Geological history shows these cycles occurring even when there were no people.

Sea levels are continually changing also. For example, as late as 55 million years ago, the Atlantic Ocean was 100 miles inland in South Carolina. It is my opinion that it will change again but how long it will take or why - I don't know but neither does Al Gore.

The point of all this is that the Earth's climate is going to go through dramatic changes with us or without us. So to all the "global warming alarmists" - chill out! Yes! The climate will change and we don't know why or how long it will take.

Tomorrow, I will write about some things that actually do bug me - trash (particularly plastic grocery bags) and other stupid people tricks.

A New Day - Rejoice - We Are Blessed!

2009-04-12T00:01:00.001-04:00

"The Blessings That Are Ours Because He Lives"

"Joy - for He has triumphed over death.

Peace - for He has forgiven our sins.

Purpose - for He walks with us every day.

Love - for His presence fills our hearts.

Hope - for He is coming again."

~ Author Unknown

"From the fullness of His grace we have all received one blessing after another." ~ John 1:16 (NIV)

Bobby's Exercise Program - You Might Want To Try It

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

Bobby - A Man Of Deep Thought - Wise Beyond His Years

My friend Bobby sent me an exercise program via e-mail. He has been participating in this program and declares that he has seen great results. I thought I would share it with my readers in case you want to start getting in shape.

Begin by standing on a comfortable surface, where you have plenty of room at each side.
With a 5-lb potato bag in each hand, extend your arms straight out from your sides and hold them there as long as you can. Try to reach a full minute, and then relax.
Each day you'll find you can hold this position for just a bit longer. After a couple of weeks, move up to 10-lb potato bags.
Then try 50-lb potato bags and then eventually try to get to where you can lift a 100-lb potato bag in each hand and hold your arms straight for more than a full minute.
After you feel confident at that level, put a potato in each bag.

Great Palm Sunday

2009-04-05T12:19:00.003-04:00

~Beulah Baptist Church~

~Prayers For A Mission Team Leaving For West Africa Tomorrow~
Keep Them In Your Prayers.

Today's service at Beulah Baptist Church was uplifting and "joyful". I mentioned joyful because Pastor Brad related the difference between experiencing joy and experiencing happiness. I felt the message was uplifting.

I would try to relay to you what Pastor Brad said but I believe his own words would best explain this message. Fortunately, Pastor Brad now has a blog and he posted a synopsis of this message on April 3rd. Go to his blog: http://www.wordunhindered.blogspot.com/ and read it. It is well worth the read.

Today I witnessed 3 people who came forward and gave their lives to Christ and made the decision to follow Him. That brings me "joy"! And the best thing about their decision is that now they will feel true joy/fellowship!

Incredible Act Of Kindness

2009-04-02T12:47:00.006-04:00

I know many good people that help their neighbors at every opportunity. I have watched "news" reports of wealthy philanthropists who donate their money to a worthy cause. I have watched dedicated Christians sacrifice their time to practice their faith and spread the Gospel. All of these people are special and are blessed with a special kindness and concern for others. But I believe the story I heard on WIS TV last night was an incredible act of kindness and needs to be mentioned.

Hannah Horne reported on the 11 O'clock News about a man who gave up his job so that a co-worker could keep his. Mike Camp and Ralph Hanahan worked together and were informed by their employer that due to cut-backs, one of them would lose their job. Hanahan volunteered to give up his job so Camp could stay.

Hanahan would lose his seniority (only lacking 7 yrs. before his retirement from the state) but he unselfishly realized that sacrificing his job would be far less traumatic than if Camp lost his job. Hanahan realized that the job loss of his friend would result in no money for the Camps and their four children. But even more dire would be that the Camps would have no insurance. Insurance was absolutely necessary for the Camps because one of their children has autism and requires daily therapy.

"Be devoted to one another in brotherly love. Honor one another above yourselves. Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord. Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer. Share with God's people who are in need." ~ Romans 12:10-13 (NIV)

I do believe that Ralph Hanahan is serving the Lord. I'm not sure many of us would have made the sacrifice he did. His quote: " 'God will take care of us, Jenny and I believe that very deeply' ".

" 'God has taught me so much through this whole experience about loving your fellow man and how important it is,' says Camp."

This is probably one of most compelling, inspiring stories I've heard in a long time. The entire story and a video can be found on the following website: http://www.wistv.com/

Did You Know?

2009-04-01T14:12:00.012-04:00

- Man Arrested Driving Drunk On A Bar stool - Strange but true! This is the first time I have heard of this. A man in Ohio was arrested for DUI. The fact that a man was arrested for DUI is not a first but the machine he was driving is a first. Of course, I may be out of the loop. Have you ever seen a vehicle made from a bar stool?

The man called 911 for help because he had a wreck and needed assistance. The police arrived to find the injured man and his bar stool. The man explained he built himself a "ride" using a lawnmower engine and a bar stool. His "ride" would travel at nearly 40 mph but he explained to the police that he was only going 20 mph when he crashed. He was charged for the DUI and driving with a suspended license. However, he did get to keep his bar stool.

My faithful readers know I always wonder about the origin of words and today I was thinking - why are hamburgers called hamburgers and they are made out of beef. Of course, I had to research this anomaly. I found many references to people who claim to have made the first hamburger but the following is the only reference I found as to why the hamburger is not made from ham.

"Western New York history recorded that Frank and Charles Menches ran out of pork for their sausage patty sandwiches at the 1885 Erie County Fair. Their supplier, reluctant to butcher more hogs in the summer heat, suggested they use beef instead. The brothers fried some up, but found it bland. They added coffee, brown sugar, and other ingredients to create a taste which stands distinct without condiments. They christened their creation the "Hamburg Sandwich" after Hamburg, New York where the fair has been held since 1868; the name was probably later condensed by common use to the shorter contraction "hamburger" (and so explaining why a beef sandwich--which never contained any pork--bears this name). The original recipe is featured at Menches Brothers Restaurants in Akron, Ohio. " - wikipedia.org

Blessed To Be A Part Of The Beulah Baptist Family

2009-03-30T12:46:00.003-04:00

Pastor Brad Bessent, Pastor of Beulah Baptist Church in Hopkins, SC

"Pastor Brad is greeting two Bambara believers in a village in Mali. He teaches local pastors to be better leaders and provide discipleship training among their people".

Dear Readers,

Yesterday at church, I picked up a copy of the Spring 2009 issue of "To The Ends Of The Earth: International Mission Board, SBC". This post is from the article, Strategic Partnerships: at home and abroad, found in this publication.

I am very low tech and was unable to scan the text from the original article but I believe this story is important and needs to be shared so I am entering part of the article manually.

"It's an awe-inspiring argument for the power of partnership. Beulah Baptist is a 200-year-old church in Hopkins, S. C., that averages about 275 people on Sunday morning. In 2007, pastor Brad Bessent led Beulah's congregation to begin praying about partnering with the International Mission Board to adopt an unreached people group.

Bessent says the church soon recognized and answered God's call to take responsibility for spreading the Gospel among the Bambara, a West African people group at least 4 million strong.

Working together with IMB missionaries Steve and Susan Roach, Beulah set its sights on an unreached village of 3,000 Bambara in Mali. There were no evangelical churches in the village and no known Christians.

Short-term missions teams from Beulah began visiting the village every six weeks, openly sharing the Gospel with anyone willing to listen. At an average cost of $4,000 per volunteer, the trips weren't cheap, and the church didn't have money to fund them.

'God started this and He'll sustain it,' Bessent says. 'Our folks raise their own money. ... I haven't had anybody yet that the Lord didn't provide for.'

After nearly two years, Beulah Baptist has made more than 12 visits to the village and has witnessed more than 100 Bambara come to faith in Christ.

'I'm convinced that God called every one of us to fulfill the Great Commission,' Bessent says. 'If we don't get our churches mobilized there are going to be millions of folds that continue to die and spend eternity in hell because nobody told them about Jesus.' "

How awesome is this? Continuing missions dedicated to bring the Gospel to unreached people!!! I feel so blessed to be a part of the Beulah Baptist Church family.

Unfortunate Demise Of Popcorn Sutton

2009-03-20T17:44:00.005-04:00

I have not been keeping up with the news lately and today, I read my favorite newspaper on line, The Mountaineer. I was shocked to learn in a story written by Beth Pleming that Popcorn Sutton had decided to take his own life. This horrible decision by Sutton was made just a couple of days before he was supposed to report to a Kentucky prison to begin his 8 month sentence.

See my January 30th post in this blog for a story about Popcorn's trial.

From The Mountaineer (story dated March 18, 2009)

"Just days before 62-year old Marvin 'Popcorn' Sutton was expected to report to a Kentucky penitentiary, Western North Carolina's most notorious moonshiner took his life in the front seat of his "three jar Ford" - a John Deere green 1982 Fairmont, with bright yellow rims and an orange bumper for which he traded 3 gallons of liquor.

Sutton was discovered dead shortly before 4 p.m. by his wife of almost two years, Pam, who told detectives she returned from running errands to find her husband's body in his vehicle a short distance from their Parrotsville home. Cocke County Sheriff's detectives said it appears Sutton died of carbon monoxide poisoning and have ruled out any suspicion of foul play".

http://www.themountaineer.com/

It is so sad that this poor soul did not ask God to help him through his torment. If only he had proclaimed his faith and believed that God was the only answer to his inner peace and survival, he could have served his 8 month sentence and gone home to live out his days in peace and contentment. I will keep his family in my prayers and hope you will too.

This Is So Cool!

2009-03-12T17:17:00.008-04:00

As a genealogist, I take notice of articles about ancestry. This is especially true when I hear one about someone confirming something he/she has heard about an ancestor all their life but was just short of proving it. I saw this article on http://www.foxnews.com/ and thought I would share it with you.

This is a story about Jonathan Dillon who was a watchmaker on Pennsylvania Avenue. Dillon was in his shop in 1861 holding the pocket watch of President Abraham Lincoln. It was at that time that Dillon heard that the Civil War had begun in South Carolina. The watchmaker's story doesn't sound too eventful up to this point but his actions after he heard about the war makes all of this interesting.

A story had been passed down from generation to generation that Dillon had inscribed something inside of Lincoln's watch. In fact, Dillon went to the press in 1906 and told them his story. A reporter published the story at that time but still no proof of the inscription had ever been found. Proving it was not really pursued and it just became "family talk".

Finally, Doug Stiles, the great-great grandson of Jonathan Dillon decided to tackle the task of proving what he had heard in "family talk". He went on the Internet and found the story published by the New York Times in 1906. He passed the information along to the curators at the Smithsonian. Evidently, the curators thought it might be worth a look.

So, on March 10th, Abraham Lincoln's pocket watch was opened at the National Museum of American History by George Thomas, a watchmaker who volunteers at the museum. Mr. Stiles was invited to come up and read what his great-great grandfather had inscribed inside the watch. Part of the inscription reported in the article I read states:

" ' Jonathan Dillon April 13-1861,

Fort Sumpter was attacked by the rebels

on the above date' ". Another part reads,

" ' Thank God we have a government' ".

I can only imagine the joy and pride Mr. Stiles must have felt. He had finally proven that the inscription "legend" was not a legend; instead, his diligence was rewarded with a proven fact.

The watch went back on display but now it is accompanied by the story of Jonathan Dillon and a photo of the inscription.

Great Series At Beulah Baptist Church

2009-03-08T12:39:00.007-04:00

Good Afternoon Readers - I just listened to a great lesson at Beulah Baptist Church. Today's lesson was "Worry Free Zone (Anxiety, Worry, Fear)". It is about a topic that most of us experience every day. Pastor Brad did a great job relating this message to our lives. In fact, how do you tell if your Church experience is awesome? How do you tell if the pastor's message has hit close to home? The way I can tell is if tears come to my eyes. Not from sadness but from relief. I know that God's love and lots of praying is the only way to get relief from personal pain but we often get so wrapped up into ourselves that we forget to go to God in prayer. It takes a good message from your pastor to jog your memory, sometimes. The message today reminded me of one of my favorite Third Day songs ~ "Cry Out To Jesus".

What A Deal!?

2009-03-07T14:35:00.004-05:00

Readers - I know you've been to the grocery store lately and noticed the shrinking packaging of your usual staples. I first noticed it about six months ago while buying cereal - the boxes were so skinny. Now all the groceries are looking smaller. The problem is that quantities are smaller but the prices remain the same. Effective marketing or just a rip-off?

I feel sure that companies do a lot of psychological studying before they decide the best way to market their products. They probably felt that people wouldn't notice smaller packaging as fast as higher prices. They are correct in their conclusions but after a while, the smaller package begins to make many consumers feel ripped-off. I would be one of those consumers.

I love these deals - Buy One Get One Free. But if you think about it, we are not getting anything free. The total size of both packages/containers are equal to the size of one so we're actually just getting one. Where's my free one???!!!

Great News!

2009-03-05T14:21:00.005-05:00

Chemist Georg Steinhauser has now completed his research in belly button lint. He spent 3 years studying his belly button and those of his friends. His hypothesis is that abdominal hair is the culprit that causes the lint to collect in your belly button. He has also hypothesized that men are more prone to have belly button lint than women. Amazing?! Please keep in mind that we now have more knowledge about this phenomenon because of his work. Of course, there are many more findings in his study and I feel sure you could probably buy a copy of his complete study somewhere, if you wanted. I don't but you might.

Also, this blog would be remiss if I didn't mention Dr. Karl Kruszelnicki who won an lg Nobel Prize in 2002 for his Interdisciplinary Research into belly button lint. His research was conducted through a systematic survey. The conclusion of his research was about the same as the conclusions of the above research but I believe that Dr. Kruszelnicki is a pioneer in this field.

Also This Week - "National Crown Roast of Pork Day" - Yikes!

2009-03-02T15:35:00.004-05:00

After the "Pig Day Holiday" post which is celebrated on March 1st, I realized that following closely on March 7th is "National Crown Roast of Pork Day". It is with a heavy heart that I must report that "National Crown Roast of Pork Day" is a special day to cook and eat pork. I'm sorry for all the people who just celebrated Pig Day. But truthfully, if I had to choose between the two special days, I would prefer to celebrate "Pork Day".

This Week's Special Holiday

2009-03-01T11:57:00.002-05:00

National Pig Day

While surfing the web, I found a website with unique and weird holidays. Of course, they are not national holidays; nevertheless, someone thought a specific cause needed to be celebrated. The holiday discussed below is one of them and it will be this bloggers holiday of the week.

Each year on March 1st, some people-somewhere celebrate National Pig Day. The observers of this holiday are aware of the pig's high level of intelligence and cleverness so National Pig Day was established to give pigs the respect they deserve.

One may celebrate with activities, such as a "snort off", a "pig out", or just online pig chats. I think pigs are cute but a celebration for them is not high on my list of priorities. I must add for those who wish to celebrate "Pig Day":

HAPPY PIG DAY!!!

Another Animal Story

2009-02-21T11:27:00.002-05:00

Hi Readers - You all know how I love sweet animal stories but this one gives me the heebie-jeebies. It's a story about a courthouse in Florida that is overrun with mice. It is said that mice have been seen falling from the ceiling tiles. The employees check their purses and personal items before they go home to make sure mice haven't taken up residence.

I have always believed that animals have a special place in our world and there is a tender place in my heart for them. But I believe if a mouse fell on my head that tender place in my heart would be replaced with a "heart attack".

How Cute!

2009-02-19T17:59:00.002-05:00

"Lewis"

Lewis was born on February 9th at The Riverbanks Zoo in Columbia, SC. He is nine days old and is 5'5" tall and weighs 126 lbs. You've got to admit he is a cutie.

GRACE

2009-02-15T10:09:00.003-05:00

For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith-and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God ~ Ephesians 2:8

Today I followed my usual morning routine and got up, turned on the coffee pot, and reached for the TV remote to hear the news. When the TV came on - Dr. Charles Stanley was speaking from the First Baptist Church in Atlanta. He was speaking about God's Grace.

It seems I always catch one particular word or phrase when I am listening to a message/sermon/teaching that I can't get off my mind. And this is one of those phrases. Dr. Stanley asked what is Grace? Then went on to explain:

"God's Riches At Christ's Expense"

I thought that explanation was awesome and I wanted to share it.

Things To Think About

2009-02-14T10:08:00.002-05:00

1. A compromise is an agreement whereby both parties get what neither of them wanted. ~ Author Unknown

2. A conclusion is the place where you got tired of thinking. ~ Arthur McBride Bloch

3. How come there's only one Monopolies Commission? ~ Nigel Rees

4. I have six locks on my door in a row. When I go out, I lock every other one. I figure no matter how long somebody stands there picking the locks, they are always locking three. ~ Elayne Boosler

5. Anybody can win, unless there happens to be a second entry. ~ George Ade

6. You can't have everything... where would you put it? ~ Steven Wright

7. He's turned his life around. He used to be depressed and miserable. Now he's miserable and depressed. ~ Harry Kalas

8. The early bird gets the worm, but the second mouse gets the cheese. ~ Author Unknown

I Love Animal Stories

2009-02-13T14:13:00.010-05:00

There are some animal stories that touch my heart and make me say - aawww. That's the way I feel about this wonderful firefighter giving aid and comfort to "Sam" the koala.

Then there's the story about 22 dogs crammed into a car with the owner. This story makes me say - what!? I kinda believe that 22 dogs in a car are about 21 too many. But maybe, that's just me - I could be wrong.

Please Pray For The People In Australia

2009-02-09T20:57:00.003-05:00

The people in Australia are battling horrific fires. The last I heard there are at least 173 people dead, more than 750 homes have been destroyed and 5,000 people have been left homeless. The 60 mph winds and the drought and heat are making these fires spread and hard to contain. I also thought about all the vegetation and wildlife being destroyed.

Please pray for them.

Funny Thing Happened On The Way To Church

2009-02-08T11:42:00.003-05:00

I woke up this unusually warm morning feeling refreshed but a little hurried because I like to allow myself plenty of time to get ready for Church. I like to eat a bite so my stomach won't growl all the way through the service. So I did that and then checked my eye because I have been fighting with a sty for the last couple of days and you know, sties aren't really becoming. I had been able to reduce the swelling with warm compresses so I decided I didn't look too "freakish". My eye looked good enough to be able to go to Church and not make everybody scream at the sight of me.

Then, I went in to brush my teeth and I always brush with some intensity. I don't know why - it just seems like a good thing to do. I finished that little hygiene thing and rubbed my tongue on my front teeth to see if they felt clean. "Panic, Anxiety, Shock!!!" There was a gap in my front teeth that wasn't there before!!! The bonding on my front teeth was gone!!!

So my dear readers, it was at that time that I thought it would be better if I stayed at home. Believe me when I say that I am not a vain person but I felt the gaping hole in my front teeth and the sty were a little too much embarrassment for me to handle today.

****Update****

I glued two "chiclets" on my teeth nubs but they didn't look right so I went to the dentist and now I have real fake front teeth again.

Sorry - Back On My "Bandwagon" Again

2009-02-07T11:57:00.004-05:00

I try to stay out of politics on my blog but there are times when I feel strongly about something and I want to have my say. My first thought was to go back to 1993 and write about the events which I feel made it necessary to establish a detention facility like Guantanamo Bay but decided to stick to why I oppose closing the facility.

I read and heard about President Obama's meeting with invited families of the 9-11 victims and those of the 2000 bombing of the USS Cole. Some declined to accept the invitation. But this story got me to thinking.

I know in my head and heart that God will judge those who committed these atrocities. But then there is the "mother bear" in me that will do anything to protect her young. I know if anyone intentionally harmed anyone in my family, I would want justice for their suffering. I feel so much sympathy for the victims and the families of the victims of these horrific events. My prayers go out to them.

What makes it so sad for these families is that the charges and trials against the detainees have been suspended, even for one detainee who is responsible for the Cole bombing. This is not fair to families who had loved ones killed by evil people.

I have lots of questions: Where are the detainees going when "Gitmo" is shut down? Is there a plan? Will this plan protect us from their wrath and revenge? Does the administration actually think these detainees are going to stick around to see if they should eventually be brought to trial - once they are set free? Does the administration believe that the detainess now love America?

If the detainess are sent back to their home countries, I feel they will disappear into the shadows and regroup only to reappear during another attack in the future. I pray that the administration comes up with a fail-safe plan before "Gitmo" is closed.

How Well I Remember!!!

2009-02-06T14:50:00.003-05:00

My friend, Carolyn, sent me this menu from the fifties in an e-mail. Oh boy - it sure did bring back memories. I have eaten at Woolworth's many times in the good ol' days. Check out the prices. I see cent signs and not dollar signs. Doesn't it make you nostalgic for the era in our history when most of our nation's companies and corporations weren't ruled by greed and extravagance?

Bits And Pieces But Not Much Of Anything

2009-02-05T17:46:00.006-05:00

There are days I just don't feel inspired to blog. But I have been reading some news stories that deserve a small comment.

I feel sure most people have heard about the lady who had eight babies and already had six children at home. Then I read a story about a 60 year old lady who had twins by artificial means. These two news stories would go in the "what were they thinking" category.

The last bit for today is about the proposed stimulus package. This part goes in the "that needs to go" category. "Hollywood" would get to write off half the production and filming costs of the big-budget films and TV shows. The tax break for them amounted to $246 million. Whether this special tax break is still included, I do not know for sure but the story stated that the Senate Republicans stripped the tax break from the package. I believe the Hollywood producers, etc. can recover their expenses through box office and merchandise sales so I have a problem feeling too sorry for them.

Do You Remember This Voice?

2009-02-02T08:17:00.007-05:00

This is the bass-baritone voice of George Beverly Shea singing "Sweet Hour of Prayer". Shea started singing and traveling with the Billy Graham Crusade in 1947. His wonderful voice would resonate through the thousands of people who attended each Billy Graham Crusade. His songs and booming voice have brought comfort, hope and inspiration to millions of people over the years, including me.

Yesterday - he turned 100 years old! HAPPY BIRTHDAY - GEORGE BEVERLY SHEA!!!

Popcorn Sutton

2009-01-30T18:58:00.025-05:00

I always like to read The Mountaineer Newspaper (http://www.themountaineer.com/) and happened to notice this story about Popcorn Sutton. In fact, there are numerous stories about him on the internet. He has a rather large following and many supporters. He is a folk-hero in Western North Carolina and Eastern Tennessee. This post about Popcorn comes from several internet sources, including The Mountaineer. Of course, I added my two cents.

I did not know him personally but I knew of his reputation. There have been documentaries made about him and his profession on the History Channel and the Discovery Channel. As you can see in one of the above pictures, he wrote a book about making "likker".

I know he looks like a harmless old man but that is not the entire story. From his pictures, he looks like he is about 80 years old but he is only 62. I think his lifestyle has probably contributed to his rapid aging. It is said that he lights one match a day - that is one match in the morning and lights his cigarette and continually lights another one from one already lit all day. Of course, I feel sure he does a lot of tasting of his "likker".

In the past, he has been convicted on having an unregistered still and manufacturing untaxed liquor and was given probation. He was convicted on a felony drug offense and was given a suspended sentence. He was convicted for an assault with a deadly weapon with intent to kill. He has been jailed numerous times for alcohol related offenses. He had always "lucked out" and evidently gotten lenient judges each time but he did not get so lucky this time. Early last year, Popcorn was caught when he sold about 200 gallons of his "likker" to an undercover agent. He mentioned to the undercover agent not to worry because the local law would not bother them. But this agent wasn't the local law; he was a federal agent.

Well, this past Monday, Popcorn appeared in Federal Court in Tennessee and was given 18 months in a Kentucky Federal Penitentiary. Popcorn and his attorney pleaded for probation due to the fact that he was old, sick and he promised that he wasn't going to make any more liquor. Popcorn went on to say that he had always prayed to God that he could die at home.

The judge reminded Popcorn that he had five prior felony convictions and that he always got probation. The judge went on to say that Popcorn continued to break the law, seemed proud of it and showed no remorse at all. There were no documents presented that showed Popcorn was too sick to go to prison or that he was incapable of committing more crimes. So Popcorn received his 18 month sentence but he was given 10 months credit for already being on house arrest. I believe the sentence was just but I also find it sad because I believe he realizes he is getting older and that his health is declining. Being a folk-hero has taken a toll on his health and on his ability to enjoy his older years.

Hopefully, Popcorn will ask God for strength and forgiveness so that he can live out his remaining years at home in peace like he wants.

"If we claim to be without sin, we
deceive ourselves and the
truth is not in us.If we confess our sins,
He is faithful and just and will
forgive us our sins
and purify us from all unrighteousness".
1 John 1:8-9

Proud Of My Childhood Hometown

2009-01-30T14:46:00.008-05:00

Location of Canton in North Carolina

Canton, North Carolina

Pisgah High School Band In Labor Day Parade

(Pisgah High School was named

Canton High School when I attended)

Canton, North Carolina - my hometown - is very special to me. I have fond memories of the small town and the friendly people. According to the 2000 Census, there were 4,029 people living there. And I can guarantee that they are all just as kind and neighborly as when I was growing up there. I still have relatives and friends that live there and in the surrounding areas who are so special to me. So, if you're ever traveling through Haywood County, NC - stop by Canton and meet some friendly people.

Just A Thought About Economic Stimulus

2009-01-27T09:25:00.012-05:00

Developing Story: The government has now decided to postpone the transition to DTV conversion for four months. They ran out of money and coupons but have no fear the government will include more money for this program in the new economic stimulus package.

My question is: who were the planners of this program and what were they thinking?

I have been hearing about converting all TV reception to digital on February 17th for almost almost two years. The news media stressed that all would be OK because the government would give coupons to the people who don't have digital TVs or cable or satellite service. These coupons will help pay for a box that will convert the analog service to digital. All would be well.

I would like to share my story with you. I am one of the people that uses "rabbit ears" on 2 of my TVs because I can only afford satellite on my main TV in the living room. So, I applied for 2 coupons. The coupons came and I noticed that they would expire 90 days after they were mailed. OK, no problem - I thought. I put the coupons away and really didn't think much about it because I really don't think about digital TV 24-7.

Then the local TV stations ran a trial to see if everyone in the area was ready for the conversion. Well - my 2 "rabbit ear" TVs weren't ready. I went to get my coupons from the drawer where I had stashed them and to my amazement - they were expired. As I was staring at my expired coupons, I heard the news commentator responding to a question from a viewer about expired coupons. She said that the viewer could not use them and could not get new coupons because each household was entitled to only two. But, she went on to suggest that the viewer could possibly find a friend who didn't need the coupons and let the friend order them for the viewer.

This brings me to my point. The conversion was to be on February 17, 2009. So why did any of the coupons expire before that date? I believe the original planners of this coupon program had a "stupid fit". It is logical that the program would not have run out of coupons if they had a reasonable expiration date on them (like February 17th...duh!). I believe that many of the people who received the coupons were like me - either absentminded or are on fixed incomes which made them have to delay the purchase of the converter boxes until they could afford them. Now - if the planners had used the conversion date as the expiration date of the coupons (1) they would not have run out of coupons (2) they would not have run out of money because I feel sure they had to send out millions of coupons to people unnecessarily because of expired coupons.

Sorry but I had to get on my "bandwagon" a little bit and state my opinion about something I feel strongly about. However, I am happy to announce that I am ready for the conversion - no matter when it is.

Sopping Pot Liquor and Gravy

2009-01-26T09:49:00.028-05:00

Cornbread

Collards

Blackeyed Peas

Molasses

Biscuits and Gravy

I thought I'd share with my readers some of my sopping favorites. Over the years, I have developed my favorites when it comes to pot liquors and which bread I use to sop.

Cornbread, of course, is best for collard, cabbage, pole bean, pinto and other dried bean pot liquors. Cornbread seems to work well with the pot liquor in stews also.

I prefer biscuits with all milk gravies and gravies made from the grease of pan fried foods. Of course, biscuits are good with molasses and butter.

I know all this may seem trivial but it is important when I go out to eat and have to select a restaurant for my dining pleasure. Most fancy restaurants don't have food with pot liquor or cornbread or biscuits. Also, if I happen to find a bit of juice left on my plate that I can sop, the hard rolls most fancy restaurants serve aren't very good absorbers and I usually end up pushing the juice around. Now, I do have a little class so I'm not going to spend too much time chasing the juice around. Instead, I'll just lift my plate and lick it (please know I am kidding about licking my plate but it is an idea).

Are there any readers out there that enjoy sopping as much as I do?

The Onion Attack

2009-01-22T21:56:00.014-05:00

One of the culprits

I covered the wound for the pictures to spare you from the gore.

I really am curious if anyone else has suffered an injury from an onion. Here's the way it went down on Monday (I watch a lot of cop shows). The vic (that's me) was going to make chili. Of course, one of the main ingredients in chili is onions.

I went to the grocery store to get a couple of onions for my chili. I approached the bin containing a big pile of onions with caution because I know onions can be vicious at times. And just as I stuck my hand into the bin to make my selection, my fear became reality - the perp (alleged onion) struck my thumb with intense force.

I immediately felt the stinging pain and withdrew my hand from the bin and examined my wound. I noticed a red spot on my thumb and tried to be brave as the pain became greater. Unfortunately, this was a covert operation and I was unable to pick the perp out of a line up. But, I am a "brave lil' soldier" so I "sucked it up" and continued my shopping.

Seriously though, that little prick from an onion has caused my thumb to swell, turn red and throb for days. It even had a fever. I am a fan of the T.V. show "House" so I immediately tried to diagnose the injury. Is it a splinter? I don't see one and I have never heard of onions having splinters. Is it a spider bite? I hope not.

I use the "old school" treatments for wounds: an Epsom salt soak to draw out the infection and ease the soreness, a white vinegar soak as an antibiotic, Dial soap to wash it and a band-aid so I can't see it. I must say that the treatment has helped but my thumb is still red around the once red dot. I can see it is definitely infected so I may have to give in and go to the doctor. My home remedies aren't working fast enough because it has been 5 days since the onion attack. But it's going to be embarassing to tell the doctor that I hurt my thumb on an onion.

Does anyone know if onions have splinters or some other debris that could do this?

A Little More About the Inaugural

2009-01-21T15:12:00.002-05:00

Pastor Rick Warren

I salute President Obama and Rick Warren for ignoring protests to have Pastor Warren banned from delivering the invocation at the Inaugural. Pastor Warren did not cave in and ignore Christ in his invocation. In fact, he mentioned his love and trust in Jesus several times. He even repeated the name of Jesus in several languages and continued to recite the Lord's Prayer. Yea! Rick Warren!

For months now, I hear news commentators talk about our nation in turmoil. I believe the words I heard Franklin Graham speak on Fox News this morning pretty well sum up why our nation might be in turmoil. He stated that when you take God out of government, there will be turmoil. We, as Christians, know the turmoil we feel in our personal lives when we leave God out of it. He delivered a wonderful explanation about why God needs to be in every part of our lives. We should not try to be politically correct and ignore God. He said that God has been banned little by little from the public by lawyers and government over the past 50 or 60 years. This country was founded on "In God We Trust". Our founding fathers do not want to take God out of government or schools.

If there is ever a time to put God back in government, it is now. Again, I thank Rick Warren and President Obama for standing up for their beliefs and not denying Christ to be politically correct.

Inauguration

2009-01-20T14:00:00.002-05:00

I watched the inauguration and I'll give you my take on the great celebration. It has nothing to do with the Obamas because I believe they were gracious to George W. and his family.

My disappointment lies in the mass of "so-called great Americans" who were cold and abusive to our former President. I'm sorry but I do not believe that you can be a great American and also lack respect for the office of the President. I also believe that you are not a good Christian if you are abusive to other people.

George W. Bush sacrificed much while he was in office. George W. Bush sacrificed and served America. Are we forgetting that he implemented many programs and new laws to keep us safe? Are we forgetting that he and his family have investments just like us and are taking the losses just like us? We must remember also that he cries tears for the sacrifices of our troops just like us? I feel sure he has spent many sleepless nights worrying about the future of millions of people. I offer my prayers for George W. and his family as they make this transition. May God Bless Them!

I also offer my prayers for the "so-called good Americans" who boo, jeer and hate. I pray that God will give them the ability to feel compassion and understanding.

Personally, I have always liked George W. Bush and all of his family. I think they are good Christians; as well as, great Americans. Also, don't you think the Bushes would be fun to hang-out with?

Let us all offer prayers for President Obama as he leads our nation into a new era. As his term progresses, let us not be critical but pray that God will give him the wisdom to make the correct decisions for our nation.

GOD BLESS AMERICA!!!

I'm Back!

2009-01-18T13:51:00.004-05:00

Hi Readers,

I am sorry but I have been doing hobby things and haven't been inclined to blog. I hope your holidays were wonderful. I had a great time with the family but ended up with a "nice" cold a couple of days after Christmas. I think a lot of other people got a nice cold for Christmas because several people I talked to during the holidays sounded just like me - hoarse, nasal, coughing.

Well, I went on a new adventure yesterday - Facebook. I got an e-mail from Carolyn which basically wanted me to sign on to Facebook and become one of her "friends". Since she really is my friend, I couldn't turn down the request. After signing on and becoming one of her friends, I decided to join Facebook and start one of my own. Evidently, it would help to be a teenager so I could understand the jargon. I have not a clue what I am doing on Facebook. If I ever figure it out, I will give you my site or you can just check it out.

However, I believe blogging is more my cup of tea. I hope to be blogging regularly now. I'll see you back here in a couple of days.

Oh What Fun!

2008-11-18T18:40:00.003-05:00

Moving is so much fun. I'm having a real blast going back and forth from the old house to the new house and from the new house to the old house - loading and unloading. Well, I have almost everything moved but now the fun part - unpacking boxes and putting stuff away. Don't get me wrong, moving is actually a good thing and once it is done - it's a happy time.

I'll be back soon with a new post on my action packed blog. See you then.

Moving!!!

2008-10-28T16:57:00.001-04:00

I am moving so I won't be posting for a while. Hopefully, I'll be blogging again in about 2 weeks. See you then.

My Favorite Places To Shop

2008-10-21T13:35:00.003-04:00

I can honestly say that my favorite places to shop and browse are home improvement stores. Evidently, these places have great people doing their merchandising because the minute I enter the store, I feel the need to start a project whether I had actually planned to or not. Of course, my project always includes something that won't fit into my car and then I have to figure out a way to get the supplies for my project home. The man in the picture seems to have the same problem I have. Does anyone else have this problem?

My Favorite Halloween Costume

2008-10-07T14:26:00.003-04:00

I know you were anxiously waiting on this post so you could see what my favorite childhood Halloween costume was. I apologize for the delay but here it is - Tweety Bird. Cool, huh?

Costumes And Candy

2008-10-03T15:37:00.002-04:00

I think Halloween is a neat holiday. Is it the lovely attire or is it the candy? My favorite part is the candy. Of course, I have to dress up to make it official - it's a rule. Each year, I rack my brain to think of something to wear so I can get free candy. Then the big night comes and I get to go to peoples' homes and knock on their doors. The candy-giver comes to door and go "Oh - how cute" and hands me a hand full of candy. Of course, the whole time I am thinking - please let it be a big candy bar.

No - I really don't go trick or treatin' now but it is a fond memory from my childhood. However, the thrill of getting big candy bars instead of penny candy is as true today as it was when I was a child and it probably always will be.

I remember my favorite Halloween costume from my childhood. It was - drum roll please. I'll tell you tomorrow. I know you'll hardly be able to sleep tonight waiting for my answer.

Another Great Loss

2008-09-27T11:25:00.002-04:00

Robert Redford & Paul Newman - "Butch Cassidy and The Sundance Kid"

I just saw on the news that Paul Newman died at the age of 83 from his battle with cancer. It is my opinion that he was one of the greatest actors ever. He starred in so many great movies but I guess my all time favorite Paul Newman movie is "Cool Hand Luke" with "Butch Cassidy and The Sundance Kid" following as a close second favorite. His talent will be missed. I will remember his family in prayer.

It's Fall !

2008-09-22T16:54:00.002-04:00

Don't you just love Fall? This time of the year, the weather gets cooler and the horrible humidity goes away. The foliage turns pretty colors, corn stalks start to dry up and get their autumny (not a word but it describes them pretty good this time of year) look. And it is fun to drive in the country and look at the pretty scenery. You got to love it! What's your favorite time of the year?

What Have I Been Doing?

2008-09-18T16:26:00.001-04:00

I haven't been doing alot - just kicking back and watching TV - with snacks of course.

Gas Shortage? Is It Really?

2008-09-14T12:45:00.006-04:00

Recent Pictures of Gas Pumps In SC

Please tell me - what's the deal with this? This began on Thursday - several days before Hurricane Ike came ashore in Texas. Gas in SC has been reported as high as $5.49 and many gas stations have run out of gas. The average gas price in SC today is $4.070 today. The average gas price in the USA is $3.828.

Why are our gas prices so much higher than the national average?

Why did the so-called shortage and price hike start before Hurricane Ike even came ashore?

There was a time in our history when there was a true shortage in our nation and SC, just like all other states, shared the misery. In 1973, the Arab oil embargo sparked a series of events that did cause a true oil shortage.

During the 70's oil shortage, buying gas was based on the rotation of customers. License plates ending with even numbers got to buy gas on even numbered days and license plates ending with odd numbers got to buy gas on odd numbered days. Many gas stations were closed completely and others used colored flags pictured on the sign above. Gas lines were long and many times people would sit in the long lines for several hours. This didn't mean just because you were in line that you would get gas because the station owners would select a last car in the line allowed to get gas. You might be next in line but if you were behind the last car allowed to get gas, you were out of luck.

Many lessons were supposed to have been learned from the energy crisis in the 1970's but it seems that the Energy Commission might need to go back to the drawing board.

By the way, let us all keep the people in Texas in our prayers. They are faced with horrible devastation.

Something Good To Watch

2008-09-14T09:59:00.004-04:00

Good Morning Readers - Yesterday, I was surfing channels looking for something good to watch and happened across this movie.

I am a western movie fan because "good" always wins over "evil" and the "evil" people are clearly defined and they are super-evil. Of course, the "good" are so good that I can't help but to cheer them on. The problem is that I have seen most of them a dozen times each so when I happened to run across this one, I thought I had probably seen it too. After watching the cast list at the beginning of the movie, I realized that I hadn't seen - Silverado. Yea! A western I haven't seen!

This movie has a lot of my favorite movie people in it: Kevin Kline, Scott Glenn, Kevin Costner, Danny Glover, and Brian Dennehy.

Kevin Kline plays a man who doesn't really trust people. His character evidently had a sordid past and did things he wasn't proud of but he was trying to change and work for the "good" side.

Scott Glenn plays the older brother of Kevin Costner. His character was the kind of person that has always worked hard for the "good" side and was protector of the family. Kevin Costner's character was the younger brother who kept getting into trouble without even trying.

Danny Glover plays a man who decided to go to the big city to make a better life while his family moved out west to start their homestead. Glover's character receives a letter from his mother who wants him to come help with the new home. He arrives to find his mother dead and his father being "burnt out" of his home and his sister working in the local saloon in Silverado.

Of course, they get together to take on the corruption in Silverado and the "evil" sheriff played by Brian Dennehy.

I was pleasantly surprised by this movie. It moved fast, had a good story line, and a great cast. So, if you like westerns and haven't seen this one - check it out - it's something good to watch.

Thank You! Thank You!

2008-09-10T19:14:00.000-04:00

And Fun Was Had By All!!!

You've Got To Read This

2008-09-09T16:34:00.002-04:00

Today, I read one of the most poignant and moving posts that I have read in a long time. It is called "Jesus Wept" by Nigel James. This is just part of what he said, "Our tears aren't enough. Real compassion will move us to action, and a desperate desire to see God move in the lives of the broken, the hurting, the despairing, those who have given up hope".

I have put Nigel's blog-link, Nigel James, in my favorite blogs. Click on it and read the entire post. It is dated August 30 and titled "Jesus Wept".

Starting A New Blog

2008-09-08T15:48:00.002-04:00

Today, I started a new blog. At least, I chose my template and name for my blog and wrote a couple of sentences. So, I guess I can say that I started a new blog. I have decided to write about my genealogy research for a while. Fear not, I will post here occasionally.

There are so many genealogy sites available on-line but I have found many that have listed the families I am researching with information that just doesn't make sense. For example, one person I have been researching is Nancy Williams. More than one site has an incorrect mother. The mother they have for Nancy Williams was born 5 years after her daughter. Wouldn't that throw up the "red flag" and say that this is probably an error?

Any way, I have researched many families and wanted to present them to other genealogists that may be researching the same families.

Media - Please Leave The Palin Children Alone

2008-09-03T12:11:00.005-04:00

What I see here is not just a pregnant teen but a deeply religious family that made a decision based on their Christian faith. They are not going to destroy the God-Given life that they were blessed with just to satisfy public opinion or the "abortion rights" people and they have not cast their daughter into exile. Their decisions are from the teachings of Jesus Christ. So, my opinion is that this family is awesome and that the media should stay away from the Palin children. LEAVE THEM ALONE!!! Instead, commend them for their Christian values and pray that God will continue His Blessings upon this wonderful family.

Lori McElroy/AP Photo

I remember when the media and talk show hosts talked so badly about Chelsea Clinton and her appearance. I have never been a Clinton fan. Bill Clinton is a far over-rated President and Hillary is not "all that". But the actions of the media toward Chelsea during Clinton's term were inexcusable and extremely evil.

If the media feels it is necessary to fill their required time and space to report and talk about some one's child, they need to find another job because they are pitiful excuses for journalists and reporters.

"Whoever would love life and see good days must keep his tongue from evil and his lips from deceitful speech". 1 Peter 3:10 (NIV)

A Great Talent Will Be Missed

2008-09-02T18:20:00.004-04:00

AP Photo

Jerry Reed Hubbard

Photo: Kay Williams

2005 - Jerry Reed Being Inducted In The Songwriters Hall of Fame

Jerry Reed Hubbard was born March 20, 1937 and passed away September 1, 2008.

I remember him from the movie "Smokey and The Bandit" and his guitar picking with Chet Atkins. He was a great guitar player and song writer. He made you smile when he performed because he always seemed like he was having such a fun time. His songs told some interesting stories. I'm kinda partial to his song "Amos Moses". You could sense his great sense of humor any time you saw him perform - on stage or in the movies. His sense of humor and talent will be missed.

Clip Of Third Day Singing Beyonce's Irreplaceable

2008-08-28T17:17:00.002-04:00

I saw this on Mark Lee's blog today and it is really cute. Third Day is singing Beyonce's song Irreplaceable. On my blog - click on the Offical Third Day Blog to read Mark's account of this song. He has lots of neat pictures and stuff on his blog. So, check it out.

It's Time To "Unlax"

2008-08-27T18:16:00.003-04:00

WAKE UP BOBBY!!!

My friend Bobby loves football and I am sending him this reminder. It's time to "unlax" - FOOTBALL SEASON IS BACK!!! Rah! Rah! I know he's a "happy camper" now.

Nonpartisan View

2008-08-25T22:19:00.008-04:00

Ron Edmonds/AP Photo

I have never had the habit of watching political conventions because I find them pretty boring. But from lack of any good television shows being on tonight (including "Law and Order"reruns), I watched Caroline Kennedy give a tribute to her uncle, Ted, at the Democratic National Convention. It was touching and very good. After the tribute, Ted Kennedy came to the podium to make a speech.

As you know, Ted Kennedy is suffering from a brain tumor and I was really amazed at the strength and courage he showed while making his speech. As you know, I don't get political on my blog but I must say the delivery of his speech was great. It doesn't matter what your political views are, I hope you will remember him in your prayers. He still has a long way to go in his recovery.

Words Of Wisdom

2008-08-24T14:16:00.005-04:00

I have always enjoyed Native American stories. They are simple but yet so true and they reveal so much wisdom and just plain ol' common sense. Stories like the one below were passed down from generation to generation. They had no written laws so these stories guided each generation on how they should live and conduct themselves. I would like to share one of them with you.

Story of Two Wolves

~ Barbara LaBarbera

Old Grandfather was proud and wise

The spirit of truth shined from his eyes

Come draw your hearts near

Old Grandfather's story to hear...

Listen with your spirit's ear well

Keep this story in heart to dwell

A strong message for all hearts to see

This is the Two Wolves Story...

In each person's heart deep within

Are two wolves fighting to see who wins

One wolf is good, who fights strong

The other is evil and fights to do wrong

Down in our spirit's soul

They fight for our hearts to hold

The wolves are in constant fight

Each struggling with all their might

Of the two wolves that dwell within

You ask, which wolf will win?

The answer is simple, take heed

The wolf that wins is the one you feed

Sometimes the wolves rip our soul apart

Which wolf will rule your heart...

Remember, old Grandfather was wise

The spirit of truth shined from his eyes...

I Wonder What She Feeds This Cat

2008-08-21T14:54:00.003-04:00

This picture is for my cat-loving friend - Carolyn.

And This Would Be?

2008-08-20T18:28:00.003-04:00

Tap Dancers

Dr. Pepper

Assaulted Peanut

Really Cool !

2008-08-19T17:02:00.008-04:00

Nebula

Nebulas are created by both the formation and destruction of stars. They are large clouds of interstellar gas, dust and plasma.

Owl Eyes - two galaxies passing each other

I was looking at websites for pictures of the atmosphere because I think they are so cool. I found a website with such great pictures and thought I would share a few of them with you. You can go to http://www.space.com/ and see lots of pictures just like these. Check it out.

Not Feeling So Special Now???

2008-08-18T15:52:00.002-04:00

AP/Enquirer Photo

Did this make John feel special ? Did he actually believe this ?

"Her [Rielle] purpose on this Earth, she said, was to help raise awareness about all this [New Age Philosophy], to help the unenlightened become better reflections of their true, repressed selves. Her latest project was John Edwards. Edwards, she said, was an old soul who had barely tapped into any of his potential. The real John Edwards, she believed, was a brilliant, generous, giving man who was driven by competing impulses-to feed his ego and serve the world. If he could only tap into his heart more, and use his head less, he had the power to be a " 'transformational leader' " on par with Gandhi and Martin Luther King. " 'He has the power to change the world,' " she said". Jonathan Darman/Newsweek/August 9, 2008

This video sums it up!!!

I don't guess the New Age Philosophy worked too well. This is part of John's statement after he didn't feel special anymore:

"It is inadequate to say to the people who believed in me that I am sorry, as it is inadequate to say to the people who love me that I am sorry. In the course of several campaigns, I started to believe that I was special and became increasingly egocentric and narcissistic.... ".

"See to it that no one takes you captive through hollow and deceptive philosophy, which depends on human tradition and the basic principles of this world rather than on Christ". Colossians 2:8 (NIV)

Ultimate Stupidity

2008-08-17T10:19:00.002-04:00

Have you ever been surfing the web and found some strange news stories? Well, I did that yesterday and found STUPID.

I found a story about a woman who used her 12 year old daughter as a designated driver. She had the child drop her off at a local bar. The child was pulled over by the police for a traffic violation. The child explained that she had dropped her mom off at the bar and was on her way back home. They found the mother and she was arrested for child endangerment. It only gets worse, this story went to another link with a similar story.

This story involves a mother who had been taking drugs. A neighbor of this lady noticed a car speeding around the corner and screeching to a halt in front of a nearby house. The neighbor noticed the mother sitting in the passenger seat and asked if the child had been driving. The child's mother answered that he was a good driver. The child complained that he was having a hard time driving because he couldn't reach the pedals. Would you believe that a 5 year old had been driving the car with his mother and 3 year old brother inside? Of course, the mother was charged with intoxication and child endangerment.

Steven Curtis Chapman On Larry King

2008-08-16T17:36:00.003-04:00

Steven Curtis Chapman and his family were on Larry King's show discussing the accidental death of their daughter, Maria, who was accidentally run over in the drive way of their home. Steven's testimony of their family's faith is touching and inspirational. Their family still has a lot of pain and sadness to endure so it is important that we continue to pray for them.

Vacation

2008-08-15T17:43:00.002-04:00

Dear Readers,

Have you missed me? Sorry I haven't posted anything on my blog for a while but I've been on vacation. I headed toward the beach but I must have taken a wrong turn. Stayed tuned, I will be blogging more later.

UFO ???

2008-07-29T18:06:00.006-04:00

I try to read The Mountaineer (newspaper in Waynesville, NC) as often as possible because it is from the area where I was born and raised. The Mountaineer is a very good local newspaper with lots of interesting stories and pictures.

I happen to find this picture by D. C. Buchanan - Staff Photographer - in a recent edition of the newspaper. It is really neat and I wanted to share it with you. But what is it? D. C. Buchanan also wrote an article about his photo titled "Mountain Mystery". I will write an excerpt from it but you can read the entire article on their website: http://www.themountaineer.com/

"What I found so interesting was that each time I tried to debunk what I was seeing, the tests prove, in fact, the objects are within the scene photographed. Aside from that, there is an obvious lighter topside and darker bottom which coincides with the position of the sun at the time the photos taken. An Internet search shows these photos aren't the first time an unidentifiable object has been captured in photographs in Western North Carolina. I was, at first quite hesitant about sharing the photos, though the more I thought about it, I decided why not? I was amazed at the opinions that I received". - D. C. Buchanan

I will offer my opinion for whatever it's worth. I believe it is a cloud. It doesn't really matter because I enjoyed the picture and the article and I hope you do too.

Life's Instruction Manual

2008-07-23T08:49:00.004-04:00

Good Morning Readers:

You're working on a project or trying to straighten out some trials going on in your life and it seems that one thing after another is going against you and what you are trying to accomplish just seems to be going backward. Don't many of us tell ourselves - this is too much trouble and it's stressing me out too much, so I'll just forget it? Well, God has given us instructions for this situation in Life's Instruction Manual - The Bible. I know this scripture helps me when I'm getting frustrated and impatient and I thought I would share it with you.

"Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything". James 1:2-4 (NIV)

Third Day Is Going To Be On Jay Leno's Tonight Show

2008-07-22T19:25:00.002-04:00

Hey Readers - Third Day is going to be on Jay Leno's Tonight Show on July 29th. That is the same day their new CD comes out. This video is a sneak peek of their new CD - Revelation. Set your TIVO's to record the show just in case you can't stay awake that late at night. Hope you watch and send me your comments about their new music.

Critters

2008-07-12T21:37:00.004-04:00

I enjoy watching critters and they seem to know it because they're always on my porch. The frogs have so much patience hunting their food. They sit perfectly still for as long as thirty minutes waiting for a bug to come by. I can't imagine having that much patience. Humans stress out standing in line for five minutes at a fast food restaurant. I watch the little green lizards crawl on my plants hunting bugs. I like their determination and how they keep my plants bug-free.

I do not like the two critters in the pictures above - they creep me out. Unfortunately, these want to visit my porch too. That's ok because I can go in the house. But today, Skip and Carolyn came by and I got up to answer the front door and something caught my attention. It was a baby snake lying by my front door - on the inside of my house!!! I told Skip and Carolyn to wait while I got the broom to get the snake out of the door. I managed to sweep the little snake outside and Skip took over and swept the little snake into the grass. I know Carolyn was freaked out because she has two great fears - thunder storms and SNAKES. But she toughed it out and didn't run down the street screaming.

I know snakes can't talk but I really wanted to ask him/her where the mama was. Believe me I am looking around and opening closet doors more carefully and looking before I go in. I hope "snake baby" just got lost and "snake mama" isn't in my house. EEK!!! So, that's my critter adventures for the day - I hope.

Just Chilling

2008-07-11T18:22:00.003-04:00

Greetings Readers,

What's up? Not a lot? Me either. I'm sorry I haven't been blogging much lately. Evidently, I'm suffering from blog burn-out. Hum-drum routines aren't really exciting but believe me, hum-drum is not a bad thing. It just means there's not a lot of drama. That's good! Less drama - more chilling time!

"A cheerful look brings joy to the heart,

and good news gives health to the bones".

Proverbs 15:30 (NIV)

New Third Day Song - Check It Out

2008-07-03T18:32:00.001-04:00

The name of this song is Call My Name and it is the new Third Day song I bought from iTunes a couple of weeks ago. It is really awesome. I hope you enjoy it too.

Fourth Of July

2008-07-03T10:05:00.004-04:00

HAVE A GREAT 4TH OF JULY !!!

"In the truest sense, freedom cannot be bestowed; it must be achieved". - Franklin D. Roosevelt

On July 4, 1776, America declared its independence from England and approved the wording of the Declaration of Independence. It is said, however, that the Declaration of Independence was sent to the printer on July 4th and that it was not signed by John Hancock or the other delegates until August 2 because it was damaged or destroyed while being printed.

Below are some of the first 4th of July celebrations and facts:

In 1777, thirteen guns were fired, once at morning and again in the evening.

In 1778, General George Washington marked Independence Day with a double ration of rum for his soldiers and had an artillery salute.

In 1779, July 4 fell on Sunday. The holiday was celebrated on Monday.

In 1781, the Massachusetts General Court became the first state legislature to recognize Independence Day as a state celebration.

In 1791 was the first recorded use of the name "Independence Day".

"Then it was said among the nations, the Lord has done great things for them. The Lord has done great things for us, and we are filled with joy". - Psalm 126: 2-3

The Moon

2008-06-21T12:25:00.005-04:00

"Beauty is God's handwriting" ~ Charles Kingsley

The other night I was sitting on the porch and my eyes caught the moon looming over in the eastern sky. I thought WOW! The color was so magnificent!

So, of course I had to grab my camera. I really don't know why because I can never capture the true effect of what I'm looking at. But this moon was so beautiful I had to try. So - you can see my effort. It is not a great photograph but you can see the unusual color. The top picture is when it was going behind a cloud. Cool - huh?

It Has Been A Great Day For Enjoying The Great Outdoors

2008-06-16T17:51:00.002-04:00

The weather has finally started to cool off a bit. In fact, I've enjoyed sitting back and relaxing outside today - swinging a bit, listening to the birds sing, watching the breeze blow the limbs on the weeping willow, and working in my flowers. Yep, it was an outdoor day.

Trying To Build My Family Tree

2008-06-10T11:25:00.000-04:00

Sorry I haven't posted for a while but I have been very busy doing genealogy. I have been scanning one census schedule after another - from 1850 through 1930. Anyone who has ever done genealogy knows how tiring it can be - scrolling through these records.

I try to match the name and age of a relative or spouse or one of his or her children with the names in the census. You have to remember that these records are handwritten and the handwriting is sometimes almost impossible to read. Of course, many have the person's nickname and an incorrect age so I try to find someone else in the household that is familiar and see if the majority of the information matches what I already know or what I have found in the past.

I know this sounds pretty boring but it really isn't. It is like putting a picture puzzle together - you know how excited you get when you find a piece of puzzle that you have been looking for and all of a sudden it fits and the puzzle's picture starts taking form. It is pretty exciting isn't it? Well, doing genealogy uses the same technique and produces the same excitement. I look and look until I find a member of the family that fits and place him or her in my puzzle and all of a sudden I have a picture of my family, how they lived and where they lived two or three hundred years ago. I have been doing genealogy for a good many years so my family tree has lots of branches now. But if I look long enough, I always find a branch I didn't have.

I've Been iTunes Shopping - Guess What I Bought

2008-06-07T14:27:00.005-04:00

Since Third Day's "Revelation" album hasn't been released yet, I bought "Call My Name" - the single that iTunes is offering. And of course - I was not disappointed. It is absolutely great.

Now this one is a bit unusual for my taste but if you noticed the post before this one - I loved the commercial for Cold Play's "Viva La Vida". Well, I bought it and I really do like it. From what I understand, it is about the French Revolution but I am not sure. Any way, it is a "catchy" tune because I catch myself humming it a lot.

Love This Commercial

2008-06-04T21:18:00.002-04:00

I'm not really a Cold Play fan and I have no idea what this song is about but I do love this commercial. I know most people have already seen it but it is one that you can watch over and over.

How Cool Is This!!!

2008-05-30T22:45:00.002-04:00

For the first time, a Christian Band is on the cover of Billboard Magazine! If you want to read the article, go to their website and click on "to view the article": http://thirdday.com . It is really a great article!

I'm Looking Forward To Season Two

2008-05-29T10:36:00.003-04:00

Season Two of one of my all time favorite shows "Ice Road Truckers" starts on June 8th at 9:00 PM on the History Channel. This video is from last season but it sort of shows how intense the show can get.

Did You Enjoy Your Memorial Day Weekend?

2008-05-26T18:35:00.002-04:00

I enjoyed my Memorial Day weekend. Today was a little warm but it was a perfect day for going to the pool.

Prayer Request For Pastor Troy And His Family

2008-05-24T09:49:00.011-04:00

"It Matters" Series Continues This Weekend

Watch It On The Internet If You Can't Attend

In Person: http://www.flamingoroad.org/

Please Pray For Pastor Troy And His Family

Pastor Troy's mother, Linda, is in the hospital with a brain aneurysm. She is going to have surgery this coming Tuesday if she is stable this weekend. Besides the aneurysm, she has some unexplained bleeding in the back of her brain. Pastor Troy's blog update yesterday also says that she suffered a stroke.

I got to know Linda several years ago. She is a remarkable person - an example of strength, courage and faith. Of course, she is facing a terrifying situation. We are all afraid when we face the unknown and she is no different. So I ask that you pray for her recovery and for God to give her the strength and courage she will need as she faces surgery. Also, pray for the well-being of Pastor Troy and all of his family.

Pastor Troy has been updating his mother's condition in his blog so if you wish, you may visit the blog at http://www.troyandsteph.com/