Whatsnuwitu

Where Have I Been?

2011-03-22T09:30:00.003-04:00

Just decided to come over here to see when last I posted. Wow... it's been a while. So, here I am, just saying I'm still here... just not 'here'! Possibly not even 'all here', if you get my drift!

I've been lazy and will probably continue to do that... it's easier than trying to keep up with everything... As we say, so much to do, so little time.

I admire all of you who can keep up a blog and all the other stuff we all need to keep up with in any given day.

Later my friends... much later!

Marge

Welcome Back to The Texas Woman!

2010-07-16T10:33:00.005-04:00

I just visited the site of a fellow blogger buddie who I had asked for prayer from the Dolls when she learned she had breast cancer. She hadn't posted a lot for a while and that allowed doubt to start to creep in.

I AM SO HAPPY to say she just posted and she is doing well! She may not be back fulltime, but she is back ... and that's the best news I can deliver!

I haven't been posting either, but I couldn't think of any better reason to write something today!

Welcome back to The Texas Woman! You were missed.

The Dolls and Virtual Dolls in Vegas 10/24 - 10/28/09

2009-11-04T09:31:00.016-05:00

For those who wanted to know who's who in my avatar, here we are in Vegas..

The Dolls:

From L to Right:

Back row: Rbennie, Margo, Laurie, meb, PDXgranny,

Front row: Sydney, Auntie Leigh, Becky

From L to Right: Laurie, PDXgranny, meb, Rbennie, Sydney

The little stuffed animals(virtual dolls) you see in the picture (on Elaine's shoulder and in my hand) were representative of those who couldn't go on the trip. We carried them around and they did what we did. Mine, the orange giraffe was actually donna from al.

Virtual Dolls - Not necessarily in the picture were:
Donna in the al, Jennasmom, Jackie, Sizzie, delee,
and Terry in CA (Hope I haven't forgotten anyone).

Nana in NW was with us briefly but had an emergency
and had to return home early. All is well now.

Dla who lives there met us for dinner one night. Great
meeting her! She was gorgeous...sorry no picture of her

We had a WONDERFUL time!

I'M VEGAS BOUND!

2009-10-22T10:47:00.003-04:00

One more day of work and I'm on my way to Vegas to meet my blogger buddies! I CANNOT WAIT! We've planned this since the end of 2008 and it's finally here.

Spouses or significant others have cautioned that perhaps we're trying to lure the others there to steal a kidney or sell them into sex slavery. I may have to volunteer for the second one. OK, now that I've embarrassed my immediate family and my church family... Lighten up!

So, while I want to see everything and do everything, more than anything I want to meet these friends I found in cyber-ville.

I'll tell you all about it when I get home, but right now I just wanted to let you know where I'll be for the next few days. I know... 'what happens in Vegas stays in Vegas', except if I see anyone dancing naked on a table, then I'm tellin' . (Hope it's not me.)

I HAD A MEMORY

2009-07-02T09:28:00.002-04:00

I worded my title as such because I have a friend who is always telling great stories that she remembers from her youth and I've always told her I can't remember anything. Yet, when reading her blog, it triggers a memory.

It doesn't have to have anything to do with what she's discussing... just a word and I'm off on a memory trip of my own. I think the following memory is funny, so I'm telling it. Thanks for this one Sizzie!

When I was in high-school, my sister was two grades higher than I. We were probably considered "poor" financially in those days, so we didn't have the benefit of a washing machine. Thus, we had to wash our own clothes, in the bathtub, on a scrub board...mom said we were old enough to do that chore ourselves. Well, I wasn't so good at keeping enough clothes clean for the week, so I had to do double duty with my washing chore. My sister, on the other hand, was Miss Do Everything Right. Her clothes were washed, ironed and hung or placed neatly in her dresser drawer, and enough to last her the whole week.

She would always tell me that I needed to be better prepared. Today I might have given her a flip answer, like "get bent", but back then ... well, I probably had some smart answer for her.

Anyway, eventually she graduated and started a job but still lived at home. I had two more years of school. She always left for work earlier than when I had to catch the school bus, (I'm sure you have figured out where I'm going here) ... after she left for work, I would go to her wardrobe and borrow her clothes to wear to school. Nice clean clothes...

And... I would return from school before she got home from work, sooooo... I'd place her clothes back neatly in her closet or dresser. This went on for about a year and a half... just before I graduated from high school. She never knew, until... that blasted year book and my stupidity.

I had all my pictures taken for the yearbook wearing her clothes. When the yearbook came out and she saw the pix, she had a fit. She could not believe I could have pulled it off, as she thought I wasn't capable of keeping anything neat or clean. And the thought of her wearing clothes that had already been worn was more than she could take. I'm not sure if we had an actual physical knock-down-drag-out. Probably not then... she was too sophisticated for that, after all, she was a working girl.

Of course, that was the end of having clean clothes prepared for me. But it was a blessing while it lasted.

My Dad

2009-06-21T12:01:00.003-04:00

Dad was the mainstay of our family when I was younger. Mom being a little shy, daddy filled in for what she was uncomfortable doing.

He was even the one who bought our clothes for us. He would come home on a Saturday night with two new beautiful dresses for Joan and I, just to make sure that we were well dressed at church the next morning. I loved the clothes he would pick out… red velvet or black velvet with white collars. I always thought I was the most beautiful little girl in the world. I've since seen pictures of myself and now know that the dresses were usually bought bigger so that we wouldn't out-grow them so quickly. I never knew that we didn't have much money, so when dad would come home with those clothes, my mother always seemed to be upset over it. I guess she was the one trying to manage a budget.

Dad also did the shopping for groceries, and that was one place he never skimped. We always had so much food on the table. Mom would try to make leftovers last for days. Dad would do the cooking first, always on Sunday, and we'd come home from church with a feast awaiting us for our noonday meal.

Sunday was “fun day” for our family. It was daddy’s only day off and he always wanted to do something that was as far from working as possible. The first thing was Sunday breakfast… Dad was Greek, and I can still hear him calling us to breakfast after he had cooked a huge meal: “Get ON the table!” he would yell, trying to get us out of bed. His English never quite made it but we had a lot of laughs because of it. Get ON the table was always a good one. In later years, by the time we had finished eating breakfast, he was well into starting to cook for the extended families who were coming over for lunch/dinner (today we'd call it brunch)…my two brothers and their families and my sister and her family and of course me and my family. We lived in a mobile home in mom and dad’s back yard.

Back to when we were younger, after breakfast we packed up and drove an hour to the beach… Rehoboth/Dewey Beaches…made famous by President Johnson’s daughters who came over from Washington, DC to party…

The large part of these Sunday trips to the beach was that dad was a gambler…loved his cards…. and that’s why he always headed to the “game” in Rehoboth. Our food for that day was the Boardwalk Fries, Hamburgers, Hot Dogs, ice cream and of course, always a big box of Salt Water Taffy! The day would end at about 2-3 o'clock in the morning with Mom and us kids waiting in the car for him to finish his card game, and then another hour drive home. Monday mornings were never easy for mom to get us up to go to school. Today dad would probably be arrested for neglect. I always saw it as just another adventure!

Dad had diabetes and ultimately lost a leg because of it. He never quite recovered from that disease and died at the early age of 63. Family life sort of stopped at the same time. Now I realize that it was Daddy who kept the family together, not only immediate family, but all the aunts and uncles and cousins. Only time you see them now is if there is a funeral.

However, my young life was blessed.

You Gotta Love This One

2009-06-10T16:07:00.001-04:00

Why Men Shouldn't Take Messages:

Tina ... Must be from Texas

2009-06-10T13:36:00.004-04:00

Got this in an email from a friend...

Daughter: My friends and I want to go out tonight.

Mother : Where are ya'll going ?

Daughter: To the cowboy bar on the edge of town.

Mother : I don't think you should. There's been a lot of trouble at that place. I heard there was a fight there last weekend, and several people got hurt.

Daughter : But mom!! Please!! It'll be okay.

Mother: No!! Your life is more important than going out!

Daughter : But "Tina" is going with us...

Mother: Oh Well! In that case, it should be okay.. Ya'll have fun!

LIGHTNING BUGS

2009-06-03T10:15:00.003-04:00

My grandson and I were sitting outside last evening, before the mosquitoes started to invade our space, and we wondered aloud about the Lightening Bugs and why they flash. I decided to do a search to see what I could find.

I learned that Lightning Bugs are beetles. They can't be "flies" as their name suggests because "flies" are members of the Fly Order and Lightning Bugs are the same as Fireflies; members of a particular family of the Beetle Order.

And why do they flash? They are trying to attract mates. Most males fly about flashing while females perch on vegetation, usually near the ground. If the female sees a flasher and she's ready to mate she responds by flashing right after the male's last flash. A short flash dialogue takes place as the male flies closer and closer, and then, if all goes well, they mate.

So that a flasher doesn't attract a firefly of a different species, each Lightning Bug species has its own special flash pattern.

Lightning Bugs live on the ground, under bark, and in moist swampy places. They eat earthworms, snails and slugs, plus they may scavenge certain small dead animals and other organic material . They have been seen following slime trails to their slug and snail victims.

As a child, I remember catching Lightning Bugs, pulling off the flasher, and placing it on the top of the ring finger. It was yucky "gooey" I recall, but would stick quite well, and continue to glow long before I decided to abandon it and be on to something else, never realizing that I was killing a defenseless little bug. Poor little beetle!

Are Animals Psychic?

2009-05-07T16:59:00.002-04:00

This has always fascinated me. I've seen strange things with my cats as well as my dogs all my life. They can tell you a storm is on it's way before you even know there's a chance of one, just by virtue of their actions. My buddy tries to climb into my skin (he's a scardy-cat.. uh dog) long before I know there's a problem.

Yesterday we had tornado warnings here in North Carolina. A couple I think even touched down in one of the counties north of where I live, leaving some destruction. And please, whoever is reading this, I certainly don't mean to infer that a little destruction is okay, as long as it isn't a lot. I'm sure the people who lived in the homes whose roofs were blown off, or those with a tree sitting on their car wouldn't call it "a little destruction". And my heart goes out to them.

But...I'm back to my fascination with animals who appear to be psychic. I was leaving for work at the club and stopped at the exit of our development which exits onto a rather busy highway. I happened to look across the road, and I saw what appeared to be a herd of deer (are they herds) running alongside the fence. You know, those fences they put on highways for whatever reason they put them there, cause if those deer wanted to jump it, they would... and have before.

I realized they were running from the storm that was approaching from the opposite direction. Now, we have storms all the time, and I've never seen deer trying to outrun them, but we don't have tornadoes often, and I truly believe these animals sensed danger and were fleeing from it.
Shortly thereafter, the news told us that in fact a tornado had touched down a ways from where the deer had been.

Are Animals Psychic... I'm saying absolutely. What's your take on this?

Rest In Peace...

2009-05-06T09:47:00.003-04:00

We just learned that a fellow blogger had passed away. I wanted to post a memorial to her as she will be so deeply missed.

Sharon was full of life. She commented on how she had received a liver transplant 11 years ago and was grateful for each one of those days.

When she became ill again, those of us who knew her attempted to be supportive on Jackie's blog and she acknowledged us whenever she could. Then she went missing. We never really knew who Sharon was other than her first name.

After a lot of searching, and based on little tidbits she had mentioned from time to time, we learned her last name and eventually "found" her (or I should say her husband). Don let us know that she was very ill, in the hospital and her prognosis wasn't good. This was back in Sept/Oct of 2008. We kept in touch with Don on occasion, getting updates... sent cards to Sharon and kept her in our prayers.

Yesterday another blogger friend received a phone call from Don that Sharon had passed away. We, who knew her, will be meeting over at Jackie's at 11:00a.m. today to pay tribute to Sharon, while at the same time her memorial service will be going on in Ohio.

I just felt it important to say to Sharon... Rest in Peace Dear Friend...You will bee missed.

I FOUND IT

2009-04-11T10:37:00.001-04:00

And you thought there was no such place, huh????

You will all be so pleased to receive this...... How many times have we been 'up there without one!'

My work is done.

MargeDon't tell GOD how Big your storm is. Tell the storm how Big your GOD is!

SHOUT-OUT

2009-04-09T10:03:00.000-04:00

Harper Lee

2009-04-03T11:52:00.006-04:00

To Kill a Mockingbird

For some reason, I have run across mention of this book numerous times in the last few weeks and decided that since it is my favorite book of all time, maybe I should look it up. I was even thinking about re-reading it, even tho I have read it twice and have watched the movie probably as many times as it's been shown.

I couldn't find the book on-line. All kinds of summaries but not the actual book. I wanted to tell Jackie that I read a whole book in one day (one of her last questions on her blog), but alas, it was not to be.

Instead, I found a write up on Harper Lee, the Author. There was so much information about her that I didn't know, I wondered if you knew... so I decided to post it here. Hope you enjoy reading about her.

First of all... her childhood neighbor was Truman Capote. They became friends in the early 1930s as kindergarteners in Monroeville, Alabama. They lived next door to each other. Although Capote moved to New York City in the third grade to join his mother and stepfather, he returned to Monroeville most summers, eventually providing the inspiration for Dill in To Kill a Mockingbird.

Harper was given the name Nelle Harper Lee. Nelle -her first name is her grandmother's spelled backward. She opted for the name "Harper Lee" as an author, because she didn't want to be misidentified as "Nellie." Her father, A.C. Lee became a title lawyer, and despite her father's hopes that she would become a local attorney, Lee went to New York to pursue her writing.

As a child, Harper Lee was an unruly tomboy. She fought on the playground. She talked back to teachers. She was bored with school and resisted any sort of conformity. The character of Scout in To Kill a Mockingbird would have liked her.

To Kill a Mockingbird was published in 1960 to highly favorable reviews and quickly climbed the bestseller lists, where it remained for eighty-eight weeks. In 1961, the novel won the Pulitzer Prize.

Though fans of the book waited for a second novel, it never came. Lee later researched a book, similar to Capote's In Cold Blood (1966), about a part-time minister in Alexander City, Alabama, accused of killing five people for their insurance money and later himself murdered by a victim's relative. However, she dropped the project in the 1990s.

In the meantime, To Kill a Mockingbird has sold more than thirty million copies in eighteen languages. Lee was unprepared for the amount of personal attention associated with writing a bestseller. Ever since, she has led a quiet and guardedly private life. As Sheriff Tate says of Boo Radley, "draggin' him with his shy ways into the limelight-to me, that's a sin." So it would be with Harper Lee. From her, To Kill a Mockingbird is gift enough.

The Friendship of Harper Lee and Truman Capote

In 1948 Capote published his first novel, Other Voices, Other Rooms. Around that time, Lee quit law school and joined Capote in New York to work at becoming a writer, too. Years of menial jobs followed until To Kill a Mockingbird was ready for publication. Capote read the manuscript and made editorial suggestions. She, in her turn, accompanied him to Kansas to help research In Cold Blood.

After To Kill a Mockingbird was published, Capote resented Lee's success. He allowed baseless rumors that the novel was as much his work as hers. Their friendship continued during the 1960s and '70s, but Capote's drug and alcohol abuse strained the relationship. When Capote died in 1984, Lee confided to friends that she hadn't heard from him in years.

How the Novel Came to Be Written

The novel had its origins in Lee's hometown of Monroeville, Alabama-the small, Southern town that the fictional Maycomb is based upon. Her father's unsuccessful defense of a black man and his son accused of murder, in addition to the Scottsboro Boys trials and another notorious interracial rape case, helped to shape Lee's budding social conscience and sense of a dramatic story.

For a long time, Lee called her work in progress Atticus, basing this character on her own father. Once she came up with the title, To Kill a Mockingbird, she never looked back!

Eighty weeks later, the novel still perched on the hardcover bestseller list. During that time, it had won the Pulitzer Prize for fiction and the hearts of American readers, mine included!

To think, at one time during the writing of the novel, she opened her apartment window and threw all 500 pages of the manuscript out into the wind driven snow. I, along with millions of other people, am so happy she retrieved it before it was lost forever.

COUNT YOUR BLESSINGS

2009-03-27T11:15:00.004-04:00

As I was surfing the various blogs I follow, I clicked on a link and randomly ended up on a blog this morning that prompted this entry.

It was about a little boy who, while in his mother's womb, was diagnosed with heart failure and the parents were told he would not survive. Because of the family's devout belief in God and His miracles, the baby was born, even tho the doctors said again he would die. The parents will not believe that this precious baby was given to them, only to be taken away and they're great prayer warriors for this child. I don't know how to link to this blog, but that's not why I'm writing this... keep this family in prayer... God knows who you're praying for, even if you don't... but again, that's not why I'm writing this...

I'm writing to say that there are always people out there who are so much worse off, or have so many more problems than I. So when I start to feel like "Whoa is me!", instead, I must remember to "COUNT MY BLESSINGS".

I believe that God sent me to this site, just to remind me that no matter what my "problems" may be, I need to be praying for others. He knows what I'm dealing with and He'll handle it for me.

Don't tell God how big your storm is.
Tell the storm how BIG your GOD is!

I'M EXPERIMENTING

2009-03-20T10:58:00.003-04:00

I'm going to give Jamie the credit for this endeavor... you can go to my last post's comments and click on Jamie's name and check out why I decided to do this... but I'm not linking it to any particular blogspot, since lots of people are doing this now.

These are some questions,
I'd like you to ponder,
Put your answers in comments,
You'll find the link yonder!

OK... so I'm not the best poet, but you get my point... on to the questions...

1) What was your most special birthday and why?

2) I know a lot about... (fill in the blank).

3) What makes you laugh and why?

4) What was something you broke or lost that belonged to someone else. How did you tell them?

5) My first encounter with a bully was...

Have fun with the answers. I look forward to reading them.

I AM CANCER FREE

2009-03-19T09:05:00.002-04:00

Just needed to let you know that I'm free of cancer. I had my colonoscopy on Monday and if a colon can be called clean, mine was. They showed me pictures they took during the procedure and they actually used the words: "You are cancer free!"

I'm not sure they would call me a cancer survivor, since you usually have to be free of this dreaded disease for five years before they use the word "survivor", but I am a survivor!!! I know they have to keep checking on me, but I don't have to go back for any procedures until a year from now.

The bad news is that during this whole mess, I lost a lot of weight (70 pounds). The good news is that I'm gorgeous! A few more wrinkles are showing, but they are a badge of survival! I'll wear them proudly.

My Oncologist said that my surgeon was very smart to have removed as much of my colon as he did (85%). He took out 23 lymph nodes, even tho it turned out only 2 were malignant. He said that by doing that, he made sure he got it all out during surgery and the chemo was definitely precautionary.

I was also fortunate that a foundation came to my rescue to help pay the majority of the doctors and other service providers for my co-pay portion of the bills. Just the chemo co-pay was almost a thousand dollars a MONTH. Five months/10 treatments ... you can do the math. There is no way I could have paid that. As it is, there is still $1000 that I owe my Oncologist that the foundation doesn't pay... But, thank God for these kinds of services which are available to us.

I hope my healing is encouraging to others who might be having similar circumstances. Just keep a positive attitude, no matter how difficult it may seem, and keep positive people around you to encourage you. I had so many family members and the best of friends who kept me "up" daily, and I had God who promised me my healing, and I believed Him! What a miracle I have received!

Don't tell GOD how big your storm is! Tell the storm how big your GOD is!

Life's Lessons

2009-03-08T11:13:00.004-04:00

This is just another email that is a keeper!

I've learned....

That the best classroom in the world is at the feet of an elderly person.
That when you're in love, it shows.
That just one person saying to me, 'You've made my day!' makes my day.
That having a child fall asleep in your arms is one of the most peaceful feelings in the world.
That being kind is more important than being right.
That you should never say no to a gift from a child..

That I can always pray for someone when I don't have the strength to help him in some other way.
That no matter how serious your life requires you to be, everyone needs a friend to act goofy with.
That sometimes all a person needs is a hand to hold and a heart to understand.
That simple walks with my father around the block on summer nights when I was a child did wonders for me as an adult.
That life is like a roll of toilet paper. The closer it gets to the end, the faster it goes.
That we should be glad God doesn't give us everything we ask for.

That money doesn't buy class.
That it's those small daily happenings that make life so spectacular.
That under everyone's hard shell is someone who wants to be appreciated and loved.
That to ignore the facts does not change the facts.
That when you plan to get even with someone, you are only letting that person continue to hurt you.
That love, not time, heals all wounds.

That the easiest way for me to grow as a person is to surround myself with people smarter than I am.
That everyone you meet deserves to be greeted with a smile.
That no one is perfect until you fall in love with them.
That life is tough, but I'm tougher.
That opportunities are never lost; someone will take the ones you miss.
That when you harbor bitterness, happiness will dock elsewhere.

That I should have told my Mom that I love her one more time before she passed away.
That one should keep his words both soft and tender, because tomorrow he may have to eat them.
That a smile is an inexpensive way to improve your looks.
That when your newly born grandchild holds your little finger in his little fist, that you're hooked for life.
That everyone wants to live on top of the mountain, but all the happiness and growth occurs while you're climbing it.
That the less time I have to work with, the more things I get done.

Happy Valentine's Day

2009-02-14T09:39:00.005-05:00

Another Great Graphic from Zoetawny for me...to you!

DON'T KNOW HOW... BUT THE GRAPHIC JUST REAPPEARED! HMMMM?

AND NOW DISAPPEARED AGAIN... Just know it was a valentine from me to you!

Zoetawny's Graphics

2009-02-01T12:19:00.009-05:00

A while back, it was around my birthday, when everything wasn't so hectic, Zotawny offered to make me a graphic. Needless to say I took her up on it right away. And I gave her so many suggestions on what I wanted, that, well, by the time she finished I had more than one.

This one she just took from one I had saved and added my name to it, but I still love it!

I forget to add them to my emails like I should... that's what they were for, but since I don't I thought I would post them here... Some were in motion,but it appears that's not going to happen on the blog... Too bad... I'll have to add them to an email afterall just so you can see them... but for now, I wanted to show you these anyway. They are too beautiful to just rest in my computer... and I wanted you all to enjoy them as much as I do!

Aren't these just the best ever!!! I LOVE THEM!

Thanks so much Zoe!

Ain't it the truth. meb

WHAT'S YOUR PHOBIA(S)?

2009-01-30T11:32:00.004-05:00

I was thinking about a best friend the other day who I knew back in the 80's . It was a full moon that night, which is why I was thinking of her...but I'll explain that later. Anyway, she wasn't even 50 years old when she died of cancer, and I still miss her. She loved a fulll moon, so anytime I see a full moon I always acknowledge her with a "Hi Bryan"...

But the reason I'm writing about her is that she had so many phobias... one was she couldn't cross over bridges, and she said she always felt that if someone jumped off a bridge to their death, it wasn't necessarily that they wanted to die...they just wanted to get off the bridge. Sounds so simple doesn't it.

Anyway, it got me to thinking about phobias. If I have/had one, it would be that I hated to be chased. I would stop and just stand there and wait for the person to catch up with me, cause the fear of them catching me was overwhelming. Not so simple, but I know what I mean...and besides, I don't have to worry about that anymore because I have no reason to run now, thus no one would be chasing me. I hope!

So... my question is: Do you have any phobias? Tell us about them.

Rainbow Bridge

2009-01-27T16:49:00.002-05:00

A Reminder Of Just How Good God Is:

Just this side of heaven is a place called Rainbow Bridge. When an animal dies that has been especially close to someone here, that pet goes to Rainbow Bridge. There are meadows and hills for all of our special friends so they can run and play together. There is plenty of food, water and sunshine, and our friends are warm and comfortable.

All the animals who had been ill and old are restored to health and vigor; those who were hurt or maimed are made whole and strong again, just as we remember them in our dreams of days and times gone by.

The animals are happy and content, except for one small thing; they each miss someone very special to them, who had to be left behind. They all run and play together, but the day comes when one suddenly stops and looks into the distance.

His bright eyes are intent; His eager body quivers. Suddenly he begins to run from the group, flying over the green grass, his legs carrying him faster and faster. You have been spotted, and when you and your special friend finally meet, you cling together in joyous reunion, never to be parted again. The happy kisses rain upon your face; your hands again caress the beloved head, and you look once more into the trusting eyes of your pet, so long gone from your life but never absent from your heart. Then you cross Rainbow Bridge together....

Author unknown...

God's Pharmacy! Amazing!

2009-01-26T15:18:00.017-05:00

God left us great clues as to what foods help what part of our body!

A sliced Carrot looks like the human eye. The pupil, iris and radiating lines look just like the human eye... and YES, science now shows carrots greatly enhance blood flow to and function of the eyes.

A Tomato has four chambers and is red. The heart has four chambers and is red. All of the research shows tomatoes are loaded with lycopine and are indeed pure heart and blood food.

Grapes hang in a cluster that has the shape of the heart. Each grape looks like a blood cell and all of the research today shows grapes are also profound heart and blood vitalizing food.

A Walnut looks like a little brain, a left and right hemisphere, upper cerebrums and lower cerebellums. Even the wrinkles or folds on the nut are just like the neo-cortex. We now know walnuts help develop more than three (3) dozen neuron-transmitters for brain function.

Kidney Beans actually heal and help maintain kidney function and yes, they look exactly like the human kidneys.

Celery, Bok Choy, Rhubarb and many more look just like bones. These foods specifically target bone strength. Bones are 23% sodium and these foods are 23% sodium. If you don't have enough sodium in your diet, the body pulls it from the bones, thus making them weak. These foods replenish the skeletal needs of the body

Avocadoes, Eggplant and Pears target the health and function of the womb and cervix of the female - they look just like these organs. Today's research shows that when a woman eats one avocado a week, it balances hormones, sheds unwanted birth weight, and prevents cervical cancers. And how profound is this? It takes exactly nine (9) months to grow an avocado from blossom to ripened fruit. There are over 14,000 photolytic chemical constituents of nutrition in each one of these foods (modern science has only studied and named about 141 of them).

Figs are full of seeds and hang in twos when they grow. Figs increase the mobility of male sperm and increase the numbers of Sperm as well to overcome male sterility.

Olives assist the health and function of the ovaries

Oranges, Grapefruits, and other Citrus fruits look just like the mammary glands of the female and actually assist the health of the breasts and the movement of lymph in and out of the breasts.

Onions look like the body's cells. Today's research shows onions help clear waste materials from all of the body cells. They even produce tears which wash the epithelial layers of the eyes. A working companion, Garlic, also helps eliminate waste materials and dangerous free radicals from the body.

My Best Birthday

2009-01-23T11:38:00.003-05:00

This one is going to be about My Best Birthday.

I always enjoyed being on stage... being the shy person that I was back in my early years, being on stage was an outlet. I can easily perform in front of an audience of a thousand people, but don't ask me to perform for 5 people... I would be too uncomfortable.

I belonged to a group of community singers who put on full length musicals and we had done them all. Usually the musical we might do would require the leading cast member to have a beautiful soprano voice, I'm more like the "belt them out type", so I never really ever tried out for one of those parts. Why bother, I wouldn't have gotten it anyway.

Eventually, having gone through all the shows that required those beautiful voices, including Sound of Music, My Fair Lady, etc., we decided to attempt my least favorite musical, Hello, Dolly! Now I say least favorite, however, that was at that time, because later it became my favorite show of all. I finally decided to try out for the part of Dolly, after all, if Carol Channing could do it, then I knew my voice was at least as good as hers, IMHO of course. So, I tried out and I so desperately wanted this part.

I didn't get it! I was devastated. I'm not a cryer, but I sobbed aloud when I was alone. This was the only time, I thought, where a part would come along that fit my singing voice.

When I tried out for the part, I got a large round of applause from the other actors who were there for tryouts as well...many parts in the show needed to be filled, so I knew I had done well in my audition. I learned from the Director later, that his decision not to cast me in the part was partly as a result of that applause... he wasn't going to let someone else tell him who to select.

I decided that I wouldn't let people know how hurt I was that I didn't get the part, so I stayed with the show and became a part of the chorus. You have 10 weeks to complete a show before the actual performance. Eight weeks into the show the Director came to the Board of Directors and stated that the person he had chosen for the part of Dolly hadn't got past rehearsing for the first musical number. He was upset in that he knew she wouldn't be ready for the performance in the next two weeks. I was a member of the Board. Most of the people immediately said I could take over since I had done so well in auditions. Others felt they should not change, but give the other person another chance. I excused myself from the meeting and allowed them to make a decision. When it was over, I was the new Dolly and aside from the fact that I had to learn the part in two weeks instead of 10, another ugly monster reared his head... those that felt the part should never have been replaced.

One of those people was also a lead in the play. He continued with the show, but he began threatening the cast. One of the females he had a dance number with, and it was on a ramp built around the orchestra. He would dance her around that from one side of the stage to the other and he would continually promise her the next time they did that number he would "accidentally" let her fall into the pit. She was expected to smile and play her part and sing, through all this trauma, never knowing whether he would actually do it.

I took 2 weeks vacation in order to learn the part... hey, I'm good, but I needed more than a couple weeks of nights to be prepared! And I had people who would read lines with me. We might be in a store and they'd read and I'd respond. Riding in the car, eating in a restaurant, anywhere needed, I rehearsed!

And we did it! On my 40th birthday, I played the part of Dolly in "Hello, Dolly" and it was great! Even the critics wrote: " Carol Channing would have been the first out of her seat for a standing ovation".

So, My Best Birthday was my 40th.

How can I say it was my best, when all this was going on? Because, when I was taking my final bow, down on that wretched ramp, I looked toward the main aisle and there was my daughter with roses, bringing them to me, and the applause that was thundering in the theatre, and we could all say, regardless of the stress, we had given the best performance ever!

Now these have got to make you smile!

2009-01-20T11:15:00.004-05:00

Hospital regulations require a wheel chair for patients being discharged. However, while working as a student nurse, I found one elderly gentleman already dressed and sitting on the bed with a suitcase at his feet, who insisted he didn't need my help to leave the hospital. After a chat about rules being rules, he reluctantly let me wheel him to the elevator. On the way down I asked him if his wife was meeting him. "I don't know," he said. "She's still upstairs in the bathroom changing out of her hospital gown.

"Keep reading.....Couple in their nineties are both having problems remembering things. During a checkup, the doctor tells them that they're physically okay, but they might want to start writing things down to help them remember. Later that night, while watching TV, the old man gets up from his chair.

"Want anything while I'm in the kitchen?" he asks."Will you get me a bowl of ice cream?" "Sure." "Don't you think you should write it down so you can remember it?" she asks. "No, I can remember it." "Well, I'd like some strawberries on top, too. Maybe you should write it down, so's not to forget it? "He says, "I can remember that. You want a bowl of ice cream with strawberries." "I'd also like whipped cream. I'm certain you'll forget that, write it down?" she asks. Irritated, he says, "I don't need to write it down, I can remember it! Ice cream with strawberries and whipped cream - I got it, for goodness sake! Then he toddles into the kitchen.

After about 20 minutes, the old man returns from the kitchen and hands his wife a plate of bacon and eggs. She stares at the plate for a moment. "Where's my toast ?

"Oh No! KEEP READING....

Three old guys are out walking. First one says, "Windy, isn't it?" Second one says, "No, it's Thursday! "Third one says, "So am I. Let's go get a beer. "

Keep reading....A man was telling his neighbor, "I just bought a new hearing aid. It cost me four thousand dollars, but it's state of the art. It's perfect." "Really," answered the neighbor . "What kind is it?" "Twelve thirty.

"Keep reading....Morris, an 82 year-old man, went to the doctor to get a physical. A few days later, the doctor saw Morris walking down the street with a gorgeous young woman on his arm. A couple of days later, the doctor spoke to Morris and said, "You're really doing great, aren't you? "Morris replied, "Just doing what you said, Doc: 'Get a hot mamma and be cheerful.'"

The doctor said, "I didn't say that. I said, 'You've got a heart murmur; be careful."

One more.....A little old man shuffled slowly into an ice cream parlor and pulled himself slowly, painfully, up onto a stool. After catchi ng his breath, he ordered a banana split. The waitress asked kindly, "Crushed nuts?" "No," he replied, "Arthritis."

CIRCLE OF FRIENDS

2009-01-16T20:09:00.006-05:00

I had a great graphic here, but somehow I lost it... but the thought was what counts... I still consider you my Circle of Friends.

Funny (or Not) Restaurant Happenings!

2009-01-16T12:28:00.004-05:00

One's I have either seen or read about:

Sitting in a relatively up-scale restaurant, the waiter had brought out a beautifully arranged dessert tray to the table. When one of the ladies saw the tray, she burst out with "Get behind me Satan!!!"

At a fast food restaurant, while sitting in a booth enjoying our meal a huge cockroach crawled up the wall by the side of our booth. One of the patrons actually flung their cheeseburger against the wall. Splat! ... causing the cockroach to fall on the table! Everyone scurried to get out of the booth! Embarrassing to admit we were all screaming. Needless to say, the meal was free. Some of the other patrons took advantage of the situation.

Waiting for an order at a different fast food restaurant, one of the kids working there came running out of the back storage room yelling "The rats got into the buns again!"

Leave a comment and tell us: What's the funniest restaurant encounter you've ever had.

The History of 'APRONS'

2009-01-13T15:02:00.003-05:00

I don't think our kids know what an apron is.

The principal use of Grandma's apron was to protect the dress underneath because she only had a few and it was easier to wash aprons than dresses.

An apron used less material, and along with that, it served as a pot holder for removing hot pans from the oven.

It was wonderful for drying children's tears, and on occasion was even used for cleaning out dirty ears.

From the chicken coop, the apron was used for carrying eggs, fussy chicks, and sometimes half-hatched eggs to be finished in the warming oven.

When company came, those aprons were ideal hiding places for shy kids.

And when the weather was cold, grandma wrapped it around her arms.

Those big old aprons wiped many a perspiring brow, bent over the hot wood stove.

Chips and kindling wood were brought into the kitchen in that apron.

From the garden, it carried all sorts of vegetables.

After the peas had been shelled, it carried out the hulls.

In the fall, the apron was used to bring in apples that had fallen from the trees.

When unexpected company drove up the road, it was surprising how much furniture that old apron could dust in a matter of seconds.

When dinner was ready, Grandma walked out onto the porch, waved her apron, and the men knew it was time to come in from the fields to dinner.

It will be a long time before someone invents something that will replace that old-time apron' that served so many purposes.

REMEMBER: Grandma used to set her hot baked apple pies on the window sill to cool.

Her granddaughters set theirs on the window sill to thaw.

They would go crazy now trying to figure out how many germs were on that apron. I don't think I ever caught anything from an apron.

Anonymous.... if I didn't know better, I'd swear that Sizzie wrote this... but then again, I don't know better.

2009-01-08T09:32:00.002-05:00

I can't figure out how to link this to the sidebar, so I'll do it this way for now and see what happens... Please click it everyday anytime you see it somewhere... Thanks.

THANK YOU FOR BEING MY FRIENDS

2008-12-31T19:06:00.004-05:00

Something prompted me to write this!

When I look back as this year ends, I think of my friends,
and I also ponder: Who came into my life and who is gone.

Every year there are those who remain,
Looking only for friendship and nothing else
They have stayed by me through good and bad,
Smiled when I am happy and cried with me
when someone or something is no longer here.

And after so many years you begin to realize,
That a friend is life's most precious gift.
So as I grow older and begin another New Year's Day,
I will thank God for those friends He has given me.
And my New Years resolution will always be,
To thank Him again for every breath of life He has been so faithful to give.

I'll Keep my friends close, and even as I make new friends,
I'll always treasure the old.

Thank you all for being my friends...

THE SEASON OF POSSIBILITIES

2008-12-23T07:59:00.006-05:00

During the Christmas season I am often reminded of the possibility of impossibilities.

The impossibility of a virgin conceiving a child.

The impossibility of God being born, no less through a human.

The impossibility of a man being fully human, yet fully God.

The impossibility of a carpenter's son being The Messiah.

The impossibility of a humble servant being The King.

The impossibility of the blind seeing, the deaf hearing, the lame walking.

The impossibility of the captive being set free, the broken made whole.

The impossibility of the sick made well, the hungry fed, the wounded healed.

The impossibility of the dead being raised from the grave.

The impossibility of being "born again.

The impossibility of faithfulness triumphing over the power of all evil.

The impossibility of the most loving being the most hated.

The impossibility of a man willing to lay down His life for others.

The impossibility of forgiveness for the unforgivable.

The impossibility of a Savior who takes away the sins of the entire world.

Do you have an impossible circumstance in your life today?

Rejoice, this is the season of possibilities!

"FOR NOTHING IS IMPOSSIBLE WITH GOD" Luke 1:37.

In the following... One Solitary Life was written by James Francis in 1926. In 248 words he captured the essence of how the life of Christ has made a powerful difference for over 2000 years.
Therefore, to celebrate His birth this Christmas season click on the link below...it's only 3 minutes

http://www.onesolitarylifemovie.com/

5 THINGS FOR MY MENTAL HEALTH

2008-12-20T20:47:00.009-05:00

I've been tagged... by Sydney... again! Thanks... Actually it's been good to have to go through and think about all this. So here goes:

What do I do for my mental health...

#1,2,3,4,5 is to stay close to God...but I'll add a few more that also help. However... God is my source for all things, especially my mental health. If He had not been with me during this past 5 months, I couldn't have stayed mentally healthy. I would have lost it many times over. When God is the one orchestrating the events in your life, neither lack nor danger nor destruction can affect you. Nothing happens to you by accident when you have God in your life. Whatever needs you have, God wants you to know that His supply will be there for you. As you involve Him in your daily life and trust His love for you, you will see Him lead and place you at the right place to enjoy His blessings.

#2 is to enjoy family time... My family is very important to me and I'm fortunate that I have had them with me pretty much THEIR whole life (lives). When my daughter was a young adult, not yet married, we always gave each other gifts of travel...tickets for the two of us to do something together. When she married, and had her children, they pretty much lived around the corner...again, staying close and we either saw each other every day or we talked on the phone many times per day. My grandchildren grew to adulthood and we're all still together. We all live in the same house, with me in like mother-in-law quarters, (well you need some private space sometimes) and the boys and my daughter in the remainder of the house. My Grandaughter does live a few miles away, but close enough. I find this to be another good thing for my mental health. I so enjoy being with them or near them.

#3... I miss my friends who have either passed away or I moved away and don't have the same contact. Being used to the close contact with someone who is no longer around causes those moments of sadness to surround you, but bringing back a good memory of that person at that very moment, can deliver you from the sadness to that of joy and peace.

#4... My dog Buddy... He's my closest friend right now... he's always there whether I want him to be or not, but he will look at me sometimes with those big eyes and tail wagging, and no matter what kind of mood I may be in, he lifts my spirits, and all is well.

#5...My blog and my blog buddies. I lose myself in the fun and experience of writing in my blog...sometimes serious, sometimes silly...but that's who I am. And I love reading my cyber-friends' blogs. We have become so close, even though the majority of us have never met. It's great to sign on and read what's going on in their lives...and be able to write down what's going on in mine.

I've never been the type of individual who dwells on "things". Good or bad. I accept them as that which is supposed to be.

My house would probably be considered dirty and unkempt... And it doesn't bother me in the least if it doesn't get cleaned. It doesn't look it, but if you get in those corners and behind furniture, you're gonna see that it doesn't get moved often. When I do spring cleaning (and that can be anytime) you can bet it really needs it. You clean people out there ( I was going to say "clean freaks", but didn't want to offend), ... you must be palpitating just thinking of the dirt. Sorry...

I sleep with my dog who sheds... I have to keep a sheet over my comforter so he can't get to it, otherwise I'm washing bedclothes constantly. I do it twice a week as it is. That is one place that has to be really clean... my bed... need to smell that good aroma from clean pillow cases. But I wouldn't even consider making him sleep anywhere else.

Exercise is another thing that never caught on with me. And I don't feel guilty... Would never have been helpful to my mental health. It would be the one thing that pulled me down if I thought about it. Maybe I'm just lazy, but again... guess that's just me.

God, Family, Friends, my Buddy and Cyber-friends.... that's what does it for me!

I'm only going to tag one person...pdx granny... you're it! Look forward to seeing your answers.

STRANGE ISN'T IT...

2008-12-20T10:40:00.001-05:00

Isn't it strange how a 20 dollar bill seems like such a large amount when you donate it to church, but such a small amount when you go shopping?

Isn't it strange how 2 hours seem so long when you're at church, and how short they seem when you're watching a good movie?

Isn't it strange that you can't find a word to say when you're praying but.. you have no trouble thinking what to talk about with a friend?

Isn't it strange how difficult and boring it is to read one chapter of the Bible but how easy it is to read 100 pages of a popular novel or ZANE GREY book?

Isn't it strange how everyone wants front-row-tickets to concerts or games but they do whatever is possible to sit at the last row in Church?

Isn't it strange how we need to know about an event for Church 2-3 weeks before the day so we can include it in our agenda, but we can adjust it for other events in the last minute?

Isn't it strange how difficult it is to learn a fact about God to share it with others; but how easy it is to learn, understand, extend and repeat gossip?

Isn't it strange how we believe everything that magazines and newspapers say but... we question the words in the Bible?

Isn't it strange how everyone wants a place in heaven but... they don't want to believe, do, or say anything to get there?

Isn't it strange how we send jokes in e-mails and they are forwarded right away but when we are going to send messages about God, we think about it twice before we share it with others?

Isn't it sad!

A NEW KIND OF REACTION TO CHEMO

2008-12-18T16:04:00.002-05:00

I've been doing very well with my chemo treatments as most of you know. No illness, eat what I want, no hair loss... and I attribute it mostly to the fact that having opened our nutrition club, the daily shake (full of protien), the Herbal green tea (lots of energy) and the aloe vera shot (soothes the tummy), plus taking all the supplements I need, has been the force in keeping me well during these treatments.

And then there was Monday, when I went for my 7th treatment of 12, and my blood counts were low... Not much, they would have given me the treatment if the white blood count had been 1.0, but it was a .08, so no treatment.

I have been so glad that I haven't had to take that Neulasta shot that everybody else has been getting at the end of each treatment. It's the shot that they give when your blood count is low. My counts have always been high.

So, a new kind of reaction to the Chemo has now put me in the Neulasta shot category. I tried to negotiate with the doctor since they first gave me a "brother" shot called Neuporin (sp). It's a smaller shot, but gives your blood counts a quick boost. I had to have that on Monday and Tuesday and on Wednesday my counts were sky high so I could do the chemo that Wednesday. I'm currently on the pump that I wear when I leave the clinic on Wednesday and I return on Friday to have it removed when it's empty. That takes the full Wednesday, Thursday and part of Friday.

But Wednesday, as I mentioned, I tried to negotiate to not have to take the Neulasta shot tomorrow, after all, my counts are very high. Don't you just love doctors who have a "good" reason why you must do what they say...but I have to admit his reasoning was logical. It's the holidays, they'll be closed a lot, I don't go back for three weeks (usually it's every two weeks), if I get sick during this time and they are closed, I will have to go to the hospital, so there ya go... I'll take the shot... but I'm going to negotiate the next one!

He was funny when he was telling me all this. Wanted to know why I was so upset at having to take the shot. I explained that I wanted to be able to get through the whole 12 treatments without having to take the shot. He said, "but you're doing so well" and I said, "but it makes you sick", he said, "No it doesn't, it causes your bones to hurt, take Tylenol". We both laughed and while I didn't know what he meant that your bones hurt when he told me that, but the second Neuprin shot caused a reaction on Wednesday morning and I was bent over like a 110 year old... the pain was unbelievable, a pulsating pain down my back from top to bottom of my spine. I almost crawled to the Tylenol, but it took about 10 minutes and the pain was gone. I'm keeping the Tylenol very close by though...that was something I didn't want to go through again. Then the nurse has to tell me that the Neulasta shot (a $5,000 shot) is worse. I told her, not for me... I'm having no reaction to it, so there!

I'll be back to my Monday thru Wednesday routine for the next 5 treatments and that's good, cause this has caused me to lose a day at work. I'm working today, Chemo pump and all, but that's no big thing either, cause if I wasn't here working, I'd be at the club working. I think this job is easier, sit all day, watch TV, play games on computer, talk to people, and write in my blog. Also read Jackies blog, and everybody elses. Lots of time. Great job and I get paid for it.

Holidays are almost upon us! Enjoy the time with family and friends. I know I will!

Pearl Harbor Day

2008-12-07T08:51:00.008-05:00

I was four years old. I don't remember the day, but I remember the conversations years and years after... especially on the anniversary. My father was of Greek descent, but he was more American than any of us. He believed in the land of the free... he was a patriot from the moment he stepped on American soil and remained that way until the day of his death in 1963, 8 months before President Kennedy was killed. He would have been devastated had he still been here at that terrible time. I tell you this because it was my father who gave us stability as a family during and after the bombing of Pearl Harbor... and I'm including my aunts and uncles, nieces and nephews, and anyone else who wanted to be part of our family, and there were many friends who thought they were.

I remember the two stars mom kept in the window when my brothers entered the Navy. Both were stationed on ships and served their country. One of my brothers was knocked out of his bunk of the ship when it was hit by Japanese fire.

I can still see the pictures of the bombings of Pearl Harbor which were in the news at the movies. And there you have it... while my brothers were fighting in Okinawa, my father still tried to make it a normal life for his two little girls who remained at home. He let us know how important it was that my brothers were "over there", but he didn't want the war to be all consuming for us.

We would be in bed and could hear mom and dad talking and you could hear the concern in their voices, though they would never show their worry when my sister and I were around.

My brothers came home safe. Praise God. Pearl Harbor is but a distant memory for some...but it shaped the lives of so many of us at that time, and even today, I can hear my father saying... "It's alright... everything is going to be alright!"

And it is!

2008-11-25T21:39:00.001-05:00

The embers glowed softly, and in their dim light, I gazed round the room and I cherished the sight. My wife was asleep, her head on my chest, My daughter beside me, angelic in rest. Outside the snow fell, a blanket of white, Transforming the yard to a winter delight.
The sparkling lights in the tree I believe, Completed the magic that was Christmas Eve. My eyelids were heavy, my breathing was deep, Secure and surrounded by love I would sleep. In perfect contentment, or so it would seem, So I slumbered, perhaps I started to dream.
The sound wasn't loud, and it wasn't too near, But I opened my eyes when it tickled my ear. Perhaps just a cough, I didn't quite know, Then the sure sound of footsteps outside in the snow. My soul gave a tremble, I struggled to hear, And I crept to the door just to see who was near.
Standing out in the cold and the dark of the night, A lone figure stood, his face weary and tight. A soldier, I puzzled, some twenty years old, Perhaps a Marine, huddled here in the cold. Alone in the dark, he looked up and smiled, Standing watch over me, and my wife and my child.
'What are you doing?' I asked without fear, 'Come in this moment, it's freezing out here! Put down your pack, brush the snow from your sleeve, You should be at home on a cold Christmas Eve!' For barely a moment I saw his eyes shift, Away from the cold and the snow blown in drifts.
To the window that danced with a warm fire's light Then he sighed and he said 'Its really all right, I'm out here by choice. I'm here every night.' 'It's my duty to stand at the front of the line, That separates you from the darkest of times.
No one had to ask or beg or implore me, I'm proud to stand here like my fathers before me. My Gramps died at ' Pearl on a day in December,' Then he sighed, 'That's a Christmas 'Gram always remembers.' My dad stood his watch in the jungles of ' Nam ', And now it is my turn and so, here I am.
I've not seen my own son in more than a while, But my wife sends me pictures, he's sure got her smile. Then he bent and he carefully pulled from his bag, The red, white, and blue... an American flag. I can live through the cold and the being alone, Away from my family, my house and my home.
I can stand at my post through the rain and the sleet, I can sleep in a foxhole with little to eat. I can carry the weight of killing another, Or lay down my life with my sister and brother.. Who stand at the front against any and all, To ensure for all time that this flag will not fall.'
' So go back inside,' he said, 'harbor no fright, Your family is waiting and I'll be all right.' 'But isn't there something I can do, at the least, 'Give you money,' I asked, 'or prepare you a feast? It seems all too little for all that you've done, For being away from your wife and your son.'
Then his eye welled a tear that held no regret, 'Just tell us you love us, and never forget. To fight for our rights back at home while we're gone, To stand your own watch, no matter how long. For when we come home, either standing or dead, To know you remember we fought and we bled. Is payment enough, and with that we will trust, That we mattered to you as you mattered to us.'

CHRIST'S BELL

2008-11-25T20:56:00.007-05:00

THE BELL

I KNOW WHO I AM

I am God's child (John 1:12)

I am Christ's friend (John 15:15 )

I am united with the Lord (1 Cor. 6:17)

I am bought with a price (1 Cor 6:19-20)

I am a saint (set apart for God). (Eph. 1:1)

I am a personal witness of Christ. (Acts 1:8)

I am the salt & light of the earth (Matt 5:13-14)

I am a member of the body of Christ (1 Cor 12:27)

I am free forever from condemnation ( Rom. 8: 1-2)

I am a citizen of Heaven. I am significant (Phil 3:20)

I am free from any charge against me (Rom. 8:31 -34)

I am a minister of reconciliation for God (2 Cor 5:17-21)

I have access to God through the Holy Spirit (Eph. 2:18)

I am seated with Christ in the heavenly realms (Eph. 2:6)

I cannot be separated from the love of God (Rom 8:35-39)

I am established, anointed, sealed by God (2 Cor 1:21-22 )

I am assured all things work together for good (Rom. 8:28 )

I have been chosen and appointed to bear fruit (John 15:16 )
I may approach God with freedom and confidence (Eph. 3: 12 )

I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me (Phil. 4:13)

I am the branch of the true vine, a channel of His life (John 15: 1-5)

I am God's temple (1 Cor. 3: 16). I am complete in Christ (Col. 2:

10)

I belong to God

Do you know

Who you are?

The Beauty of Mathematics

2008-11-23T10:28:00.005-05:00

1 x 8 + 1 = 9

12 x 8 + 2 = 98

123 x 8 + 3 = 987

1234 x 8 + 4 = 9876

12345 x 8 + 5 = 98765

123456 x 8 + 6 = 987654

1234567 x 8 + 7 = 9876543

12345678 x 8 + 8 = 98765432

123456789 x 8 + 9 = 987654321

1 x 9 + 2 = 11

12 x 9 + 3 = 111

123 x 9 + 4 = 1111

1234 x 9 + 5 = 11111

12345 x 9 + 6 = 111111

123456 x 9 + 7 = 1111111

1234567 x 9 + 8 = 11111111

12345678 x 9 + 9 = 111111111

123456789 x9 +10= 1111111111

9 x 9 + 7 = 88

98 x 9 + 6 = 888

987 x 9 + 5 = 8888

9876 x 9 + 4 = 88888

98765 x 9 + 3 = 888888

987654 x 9 + 2 = 8888888

9876543 x 9 + 1 = 88888888

98765432 x 9 + 0 = 888888888

Brilliant, isn't it? And look at this symmetry:

1 x 1 = 1

11 x 11 = 121

111 x 111 = 12321

1111 x 1111 = 1234321

11111 x 11111 = 123454321

111111 x 111111 = 12345654321

1111111 x 1111111 = 1234567654321

11111111 x 11111111 = 123456787654321

111111111 x 111111111 = 12345678987654321

Now, take a look at this... 101%
From a strictly mathematical viewpoint:

What Equals 100%?

What does it mean to give MORE than 100%?

Ever wonder about those people who say they are giving more than 100%?
We have all been in situations where someone wants you to GIVE OVER 100%.
How about ACHIEVING 101%?
What equals 100% in life?

Here's a little mathematical formula that might help answer these questions:

IF:

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

Is represented as:

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26

Thus:

H-A-R-D-W-O- R- K

8+1+18+4+23+ 15+18+11 = 98%

And: K-N-O-W-L-E- D-G-E

11+14+15+23+ 12+5+4+7+ 5 = 96%

And: A-T-T-I-T-U- D-E

1+20+20+9+20+ 21+4+5 = 100%

THEN, look how far the love of God will take you:

L-O-V-E-O-F- G-O-D

12+15+22+5+15+ 6+7+15+4 = 101%

Therefore, one can conclude with mathematical certainty that:
While Hard Work and Knowledge will get you close,

and Attitude will get you there,

It's the Love of God that will put you over the top!

Old Age Is a Gift!

2008-11-16T15:06:00.003-05:00

I didn't write this, but I wish I had...

Old Age, I decided, is a gift. I am now, probably for the first time in my life, the person I have always wanted to be. Oh, not my body! I sometimes despair over my body, the wrinkles, the baggy eyes, and the sagging butt. And often I am taken aback by that old person that lives in my mirror (who looks like my mother!) , but I don't agonize over those things for long.

I would never trade my amazing friends, my wonderful life, my loving family for less gray hair or a flatter belly. As I've aged, I've become more kind to myself, and less critical of myself. I've become my own friend. I don't chide myself for eating that extra cookie, or for not making my bed, or for buying that silly cement gecko that I didn't need, but looks so avante garde on my patio.

I am entitled to a treat, to be messy, to be extravagant. I have seen too many dear friends leave this world too soon; before they understood the great freedom that comes with aging. Whose business is it if I choose to read or play on the computer until 4 AM and sleep until noon? I will dance with myself to those wonderful tunes of the 60 & 70's, and if I, at the same time, wish to weep over a lost love ... I will.

I will walk the beach in a swim suit that is stretched over a bulging body, and will dive into the waves with abandon if I choose to, despite the pitying glances from the jet set. They, too, will get old.

I know I am sometimes forgetful. But there again, some of life is just as well forgotten. And I eventually remember the important things.

Sure, over the years my heart has been broken. How can your heart not break when you lose a loved one, or when a child suffers, or even when your beloved pet gets hit by a car? But broken hearts are what give us strength and understanding and compassion. A heart never broken is pristine and sterile and will never know the joy of being imperfect.

I am so blessed to have lived long enough to have my hair turning gray, and to have my youthful laughs be forever etched into deep grooves on my face. So many have never laughed, and so many have died before their hair could turn silver.

As you get older, it is easier to be positive. You care less about what other people think. I don't question myself anymore. I've even earned the right to be wrong. I like being old. It has set me free. I like the person I have become. I am not going to live forever, but while I am still here, I will not waste time lamenting what could have been, or worrying about what will be. And I shall eat dessert every single day. (If I feel like it).

MAY YOU ALWAYS HAVE A RAINBOW OF SMILES ON YOUR FACE AND IN YOUR HEART FOREVER AND EVER!

CRABBY OLD MAN

2008-11-16T14:36:00.003-05:00

When an old man died in the geriatric ward of a nursing home in it was believed that he had nothing left of any value. Later, when the nurses were going through his meager possessions, they found this poem. Its quality and content so impressed the staff that copies were made and distributed to every nurse in the hospital . The old man's sole bequest to posterity has since appeared in the Christmas edition of the News Magazine of the St. Louis Association for Mental Health.

And this little old man, with nothing left to give to the world, is now the author of this anonymous poem.

Crabby Old Man

What do you see nurses? .. . What do you see?
What are you thinking . . . . . when you're looking at me?
A crabby old man, . . . not very wise,
Uncertain of habit with faraway eyes?
Who dribbles his food . . . and makes no reply
When you say in a loud voice . . 'I do wish you'd try!
Who seems not to notice . . . the things that you do.
And forever is losing . . .A sock or shoe?
Who, resisting or not . . . lets you do as you will,
With bathing and feeding. . . The long day to fill?

Is that what you're thinking?. . . Is that what you see?
Then open your eyes, nurse . . . you're not looking at me.
I'll tell you who I am . . . As I sit here so still,
As I do at your bidding, . . as I eat at your will.

I'm a small child of Ten . . . with a father and mother,
Brothers and sisters . ..who love one another
A young boy of Sixteen . . with wings on his feet
Dreaming that soon now . . . a lover he'll meet.
A groom soon at Twenty . my heart gives a leap.
Remembering, the vows . . . that I promised to keep.
At Twenty-Five, now . . . I have young of my own.
Who need me to guide . . . . And a secure happy home.
A man of Thirty . . .My young now grown fast,
Bound to each other . . With ties that should last.

At Forty, my young sons . . have grown and are gone,
But my woman's beside me . . . to see I don't mourn.
At Fifty, once more, . Babies play ' round my knee,
Again, we know children . . My loved one and me.

Dark days are upon me . . My wife is now dead.
I look at the future . . .I shudder with dread.
For my young are all rearing . . young of their own.
And I think of the years . . . And the love that I've known.

I'm now an old man . . . and nature is cruel.
Tis jest to make old age.. . look like a fool.
The body, it crumbles . . grace and vigor, depart.
There is now a stone . . . . where I once had a heart.

But inside this old carcass . . A young guy still dwells,
And now and again . .. my battered heart swells
I remember the joys . . . I remember the pain.
And I'm loving and living . . . life over again.
I think of the years. .. all too few . . gone too fast.
And accept the stark fact . . . . . . that nothing can last.

So open your eyes, people . . .open and see..
Not a crabby old man ..
Look closer . . . see . . . ME!!

Birthday Card From My Grandchildren..

2008-11-16T11:25:00.003-05:00

Thought this was so funny that I had to share it here.

I have always told each of my 3 grandchildren that they are my favorite. I do this whenever I have one of them alone... "You know you're my favorite don't you?", and they always answer "Yes, I know". Of course they all know I say it to each of them individually when the others aren't around.

My birthday card sentiments went like this:

Gram, Happy Birthday. Even though I may be searching for cash, you know we still have to do something on your birthday. I hope you have a wonderful day and I hope you always know I'm your favorite. I love you and thanks for always being there. Love, Stephen

Gram, I love you and hope you have a great day. And we will just let Stephen think he's the favorite, but we all know you love me the most! Love, Chris

Grandmama, I hope you have an amazing birthday! I love you so much!! Hearts, Brittanay
WAIT, HOLD ON, I was just informed of the misinformation on this card. We ALL know I'm the favorite. BBB

Again... just had to preserve this for posterity...

Cat vs Printer

2008-11-15T08:28:00.001-05:00

This is too cute... Someone has added sound, so turn it on... makes it funnier!

http://myspacetv.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=vids.individual&videoid=42612906

Who knew?

2008-11-15T08:18:00.003-05:00

Eliminate ear mites. All it takes is a few drops of Wesson Corn Oil in your cat's or dog's ear... massage it in, then clean with a cotton ball. Repeat daily for 3 days. The oil soothes the cat's skin, smothers the mites, and accelerates healing.

Kill fleas instantly... Dawn Dishwashing Liquid does the trick. Add a few drops to your dog's bath and shampoo the animal thoroughly. Rinse well to avoid skin irritations. Good-bye fleas.

Rainy day cure for dog odor: Next time your dog comes in from the rain, simply wipe down the animal with Bounce or any dryer sheet, instantly making your dog smell springtime fresh.

Did you know that drinking two glasses of Gatorade can relieve headache pain almost immediately-without the unpleasant side effects caused by traditional pain relievers?

Did you know that Colgate Toothpaste makes an excellent salve for burns?

Before you head to the drugstore for a high-priced inhaler filled with mysterious chemicals, try chewing on a couple of curiously strong Altoids peppermints. They'll clear up your stuffed nose.

Achy muscles from a bout of the flu? Mix 1 tablespoon horseradish in 1 cup of olive oil. Let the mixture sit for 30 minutes, then apply it as a massage oil for instant relief for aching muscles.

Sore throat? Just mix 1/4 cup of vinegar with 1/4 cup of honey and take 1 tablespoon six times a day. The vinegar kills the bacteria.

Cure urinary tract infections with Alka-Seltzer. Just dissolve two tablets in a glass of water and drink it at the onset of the symptoms. Alka-Seltzer begins eliminating urinary tract infections almost instantly-even though the product was never been advertised for this use.

Honey remedy for skin blemishes... cover the blemish with a dab of honey and place a Band-Aid over it. Honey kills the bacteria, keeps the skin sterile, and speeds healing. Works overnight.

Listerine therapy for toenail fungus: Get rid of unsightly toenail fungus by soaking your toes in Listerine Mouthwash. The powerful antiseptic leaves your toenails looking healthy again.

Easy eyeglass protection... to prevent the screws in eyeglasses from loosening, apply a small drop of clear nail polish to the threads of the screws before tightening them.

Cleaning liquid that doubles as bug killer... if menacing bees, wasps, hornets, or yellow jackets get in your home and you can't find the insecticide, try a spray of Formula 409. Insects drop to the ground instantly.

Smart splinter remover: Just pour a drop of Elmer's Glue-All over the splinter, let dry, and peel the dried glue off the skin. The splinter sticks to the dried glue.

Hunt's Tomato Paste boil cure... cover the boil with Hunt's Tomato Paste as a compress. The acids from the tomatoes soothe the pain and bring the boil to a head.

Balm for broken blisters... to disinfect a broken blister, dab on a few drops of Listerine, a powerful antiseptic.

Vinegar to heal bruises... soak a cotton ball in white vinegar and apply it to the bruise for 1 hour. The vinegar reduces the blueness and speeds up the healing process.

Quaker Oats for fast pain relief... it's not for breakfast any more! Mix 2 cups of Quaker Oats and 1 cup of water in a bowl and warm in the microwave for 1 minute, cool slightly, and apply the mixture to your hands for soothing relief from arthritis pain.

Who Knew?

Men Are Happy People--

2008-11-15T08:09:00.006-05:00

Here's why:

Your last name stays put.
The garage is all yours.
Wedding plans take care of themselves.
Chocolate is just another snack.
You can never be pregnant.
Car mechanics tell you the truth.
The world is your urinal.
You never have to drive to another gas station restroom because this one is just too icky.
You don't have to stop and think of which way to turn a nut on a bolt.
Same work, more pay.
Wrinkles add character.
People never stare at your chest when you're talking to them.
New shoes don't cut, blister, or mangle your feet.
One mood all the time.
Phone conversations are over in 30 seconds flat.
You know stuff about tanks and engines.
A ten-day vacation requires only one suitcase.
You can open all your own jars.
You get extra credit for the slightest act of thoughtfulness.
Your underwear is $8.95 for a three-pack.
Three pairs of shoes are more than enough.
You never have strap problems in public.
You are unable to see wrinkles in your clothes.
Everything on your face stays its original color.
The same hairstyle lasts for years, maybe decades.
You only have to shave your face and neck.
You can play with toys all your life.
One wallet and one pair of shoes -- one color for all seasons.
You can wear shorts no matter how your legs look.
You can "do" your nails with a pocket knife.
You have freedom of choice concerning growing a mustache.

No wonder men are happy!

Tagged

2008-11-05T16:19:00.006-05:00

Sydney has tagged me. It's probably a lot of fun, so even tho it's something new to me, I'll try to make it interesting as I answer these questions.

1. Clothes Shop
When I was younger, I was a clothes fanatic. Even after I was married, every dollar I earned basically went to buy clothes. Today it's a little different. I'm not as enamored with my appearance as I used to be. I should be tho, who says just cause you get old that you can't still look good. Yeah... I'm going clothes shopping now. Well, maybe when I finish here. Stein Mart, look out!

2. Furniture Shop
My furniture shopping days are over. I'm an eclectic shopper tho. Didn't matter if it fit in, as long as I liked it. I once had a huge leopard chair that had nothing to do with my living room, but I liked it so I bought it. Luckily my furniture was all white, so it didn't clash horribly. Or so I told myself. My inlaws frowned every time they walked into the room. That's ok, I didn't like them anyway. (I guess that wasn't part of the question was it).

3. Sweet
Not a real sweet eater. Don't like ice cream. Do like apple turnovers.

4. City
If I had a choice, I'd be living in San Diego. Visiting there was wonderful. Probably couldn't afford it, but it's so beautiful, and of course the weather is my idea of living high!

5. Drink
Used to love Grand Marnier (sp). Not a drinker anymore. Quit drinking alcohol when my granddaughter was born... that would be 24 years ago. Turned into a grandmother instead of a party girl (yes I was still partying at 47 years old.)

6. Music
You name it I love it (except jazz...just never could get into the heavy jazz). Having been on stage in musicals most of my life, that kind of music is my favorite. But I love it all, gospel, rock, classical...all of it. Did I tell you I played to 8,000 people as Dolly in Hello, Dolly; Vera in Mame; and Miss Hannigan in Annie. There were so many other shows I did, but these were my favorites because I had the lead. Oh my, I'm so full of myself.

7. TV Series
Too, too many to mention. I've become a reality junkie which is how I happen to be answering all these questions. I've met so many great people having started to blog over at Jackie's and that's how I met Sydney. In addition to reality shows tho, I'm into shows like Criminal Minds, Prison Break, Lost...any that get my brain working to solve the crimes before its obvious.

8. Film
Pretty much anything that Hitchcock did. He really kept me in suspense. Still love to go back and watch his films. Love anything that Jodie Foster does. A Moment In Time with Christopher Reeve. The General's Daughter with John Travolta, and of course Starman! Again, too many to mention.

9. Workout
My mouth is the only thing that gets a workout from me. Hate exercise...I don't even like to walk. I do the treadmill (as little as possible), because I have to.

10. Pastries
They look great, but never taste as good as they look.

11. Coffee
Never was much of a coffee drinker. More so as I got older, but nothing fancy. Plain old coffee with heavy cream and a little sweetner. Have never been to Starbucks. Once bought coffee at Barnes and Noble as I waited for someone to arrive. Hmmmm... I sound so boring.

So, I guess I need to tag some people too, Sassy and Silver (Laurie), and Just Letting You Know (donna in al) you're both it!

MOTHERS

2008-11-01T21:17:00.004-04:00

Real Mothers don't eat quiche; they don't have time to make it.
Real Mothers know that their kitchen utensils are probably in the sandbox.
Real Mothers often have sticky floors, filthy ovens and happy kids.
Real Mothers know that dried play dough doesn't come out of carpets.
Real Mothers don't want to know what the vacuum just sucked up.
Real Mothers sometimes ask 'Why me?' and get their answer when a little voice says, 'Because I love you best'.
Real Mothers know that a child's growth is not measured by height or years or grade ... It is marked by the progression of Mommy to Mom to Mother...

The Images of Mother
4 YEARS OF AGE - My Mommy can do anything!
8 YEARS OF AGE - My Mom knows everything!
12 YEARS OF AGE - My Mother doesn't really know everything.
14 YEARS OF AGE - Mother doesn't know much at all.
16 YEARS OF AGE - Mother is hopelessly old-fashioned.
18 YEARS OF AGE - That woman is way out of date!
25 YEARS OF AGE - Well, she might know a little bit!
35 YEARS OF AGE - Before we decide, let's get Mom's opinion.
45 YEARS OF AGE - Wonder what Mom would have thought about it?
65 YEARS OF AGE - Wish I could talk it over with Mom.....

The beauty of a woman is not in the clothes she wears, the figure that she carries, or the way she combs her hair.
The beauty of a woman must be seen in her eyes, because that is the doorway to her heart, the place where love resides.
The true beauty in a woman is reflected in her soul. It is the caring that she lovingly gives, the passion that she shows, and the beauty of a woman with passing years only grows!

These are supposed headlines from various newspapers....

2008-10-29T15:00:00.004-04:00

"Man Kills Self Before Shooting Wife and Daughter "
Let's hope this is a true statement, but I don't think so.

"Something Went Wrong in Jet Crash," Expert Says
No, really?

"Police Begin Campaign to Run Down Jaywalkers"
Now that's taking things a bit far!

"Panda Mating Fails; Veterinarian Takes Over"
What a guy!

"Miners Refuse to Work after Death"
No-good-for-nothing' lazy so-and-so's!

"Juvenile Court to Try Shooting Defendant"
See if that works any better than a fair trial!

"War Dims Hope for Peace"
I can see where it might have that effect!

"If Strike Isn't Settled Quickly, It May Last Awhile"
Ya think?!

"Cold Wave Linked to Temperatures"
Who would have thought!

"Couple Slain; Police Suspect Homicide"
They may be on to something!

"Red Tape Holds Up New Bridges"
You mean there's something stronger than duct tape?

"Man Struck By Lightning: Faces Battery Charge"
He probably IS the battery charge

"New Study of Obesity Looks for Larger Test Group"
Weren't they fat enough?!

"Astronaut Takes Blame for Gas in Spacecraft"
That's what he gets for eating those beans!

"Local High School Dropouts Cut in Half"
They shuda staed in shcool.

DID YOU KNOW?????

2008-10-27T08:17:00.002-04:00

The facts in this clip (assuming they are true facts) are astounding... worth taking the time to review.

http://release.theplatform.com/content.select?pid=x7aVOMrlfkkijQwcLllwk6WjB5JE0zrF

TO MEET SUCH A MAN

2008-10-25T08:53:00.003-04:00

I sat, with two friends, in the picture window of a quaint restaurant just off the corner of the town-square. The food and the company were both especially good that day. As we talked, my attention was drawn outside, across the street. There, walking into town, was a man who appeared to be carrying all his worldly goods on his back. He was carrying, a well-worn sign that read, 'I will work for food.' My heart sank. I brought him to the attention of my friends and noticed that others around us had stopped eating to focus on him. Heads moved in a mixture of sadness and disbelief.We continued with our meal, but this image lingered in my mind. We finished our meal and went our separate ways.

I had errands to do and quickly set out to accomplish them. I glanced toward the town square, looking somewhat halfheartedly for the strange visitor. I was fearful, knowing that seeing him again would call some response. I drove through town and saw nothing of him. I made some purchases at a store and got back in my car. Deep within me, the Spirit of God kept speaking to me: 'Don't go back to the office until you've at least driven once more around the square.' Then with some hesitancy, I headed back into town. As I turned the square's third corner, I saw him. He was standing on the steps of the store front church, going through his sack. I stopped and looked; feeling both compelled to speak to him, yet wanting to drive on. The empty parking space on the corner seemed to be a sign from God: an invitation to park. I pulled in, got out and approached the town's newest visitor.'Looking for the pastor?' I asked.' Not really,' he replied, 'just resting.''Have you eaten today?'' Oh, I ate something early this morning. ''Would you like to have lunch with me? ''Do you have some work I could do for you?'' 'No work,' I replied. 'I commute here to work from the city, but I would like to take you to lunch.''Sure," he replied with a smile. As he began to gather his things, I asked some surface questions. 'Where are you headed?'' St. Louis .''Where are you from?''Oh, all over; mostly Florida . ''How long have you been walking?'' 'Fourteen years,' came the reply. I knew I had met someone unusual.

We sat across from each other in the same restaurant I had left earlier. His face was weathered slightly beyond his 38 years. His eyes were dark yet clear, and he spoke with an eloquence and articulation that was startling. He removed his jacket to reveal a bright red T-shirt that said, 'Jesus is The Never Ending Story.'Then Daniel's story began to unfold. He had seen rough times early in life. He'd made some wrong choices and reaped the consequences. Fourteen years earlier, while backpacking across the country, he had stopped on the beach in Daytona. He tried to hire on with some men who were putting up a large tent and some equipment. A concert, he thought . He was hired, but the tent would not house a concert but revival services, and in those services he saw life more clearly. He gave his life over to God. 'Nothing's been the same since,' he said, 'I felt the Lord telling me to keep walking, and so I did, some 14 years now. ''Ever think of stopping?' I asked.'Oh, once in a while, when it seems to get the best of me. But God has given me this calling. I give out Bibles. That's what's in my sack.. I work to buy food and Bibles, and I give them out when His Spirit leads.'I sat amazed. My homeless friend was not homeless. He was on a mission and lived this way by choice. The question burned inside for a moment and then I asked:'What's it like?''What?''To walk into a town carrying all your things on your back and to show your sign?''Oh, it was humiliating at first. People would stare and make comments. Once someone tossed a piece of half-eaten bread and made a gesture that certainly didn't make me feel welcome. But then it became humbling to realize that God was using me to touch lives and change people's concepts of other folks like me.'My concept was changing, too.

We finished our dessert and gathered his things. Just outside the door, he paused. He turned to me and said,'Come Ye blessed of my Father and inherit the kingdom I've prepared for you. For when I was hungry you gave me food, when I was thirsty you gave me drink, a stranger and you took me in. 'I felt as if we were on holy ground. 'Could you use another Bible?' I asked. He said he preferred a certain translation. It traveled well and was not too heavy. It was also his personal favorite.'I've read through it 14 times,' he said.'I'm not sure we've got one of those, but let's stop by our church and see'. I was able to find my new friend a Bible that would do well, and he seemed very grateful.' Where are you headed from here?' I asked.'Well, I found this little map on the back of this amusement park coupon. ''Are you hoping to hire on there for awhile? ''No, I just figure I should go there. I figure someone under that star right there needs a Bible, so that's where I'm going next.'He smiled, and the warmth of his spirit radiated the sincerity of his mission.

I drove him back to the town-square where we'd met two hours earlier, and as we drove, it started raining. We parked and unloaded his things.'Would you sign my autograph book?' he asked. 'I like to keep messages from folks I meet.'I wrote in his little book that his commitment to his calling had touched my life. I encouraged him to stay strong. And I left him with a verse of scripture from Jeremiah, 'I know the plans I have for you, declared the Lord, plans to prosper you and not to harm you; Plans to give you a future and a hope.''Thanks, man,' he said. 'I know we just met and we're really just strangers, but I love you.''I know,' I said, 'I love you, too.' 'The Lord is good!''Yes, He is. How long has it been since someone hugged you?' I asked.'A long time,' he replied. And so on the busy street corner in the drizzling rain, my new friend and I embraced, and I felt deep inside that I had been changed. He put his things on his back, smiled his winning smile and said, 'See you in the New Jerusalem.''I'll be there!' was my reply. He began his journey again. He headed away with his sign dangling from his bedroll and pack of Bibles. He stopped, turned and said, 'When you see something that makes you think of me, will you pray for me?''You bet,' I shouted back, 'God bless.''God bless.' And that was the last I saw of him.

Late that evening as I left my office, the wind blew strong. The cold front had settled hard upon the town. I bundled up and hurried to my car. As I sat back and reached for the emergency brake, I saw them... a pair of well-worn brown work gloves neatly laid over the length of the handle. I picked them up and thought of my friend and wondered if his hands would stay warm that night without them. Then I remembered his words: 'If you see something that makes you think of me, will you pray for me? 'Today his gloves lie on my desk in my office. They help me to see the world and its people in a new way, and they help me remember those two hours with my unique friend and to pray for his ministry. 'See you in the New Jerusalem,' he said. Yes, Daniel, I know I will...

If A Dog Was The Teacher You Would Learn Things Like:

2008-10-20T15:06:00.007-04:00

When loved ones come home, always run to greet them.
Never pass up the opportunity to go for a joyride.
Allow the experience of fresh air and the wind in your face to be pure Ecstasy.
Take naps.Stretch before rising.
Run, romp, and play daily.
Thrive on attention and let people touch you.
Avoid biting when a simple growl will do.
On warm days, stop to lie on your back on the grass.
On hot days, drink lots of water and lie under a shady tree.
When you're happy, dance around and wag your entire body.
Delight in the simple joy of a long walk.
Be loyal.
Never pretend to be something you're not.
If what you want lies buried, dig until you find it.
When someone is having a bad day, be silent, sit close by, and nuzzle them gently.

ENJOY EVERY MOMENT OF EVERY DAY!

Live simply.
Love generously.
Care deeply.
Speak kindly.

LET'S BE AWARE

2008-10-19T09:46:00.009-04:00

Common Symptoms Of A Heart Attack...

You should know that not every heart attack symptom is going to be the left arm hurting. Be aware of intense pain in the jaw line. You may never have the first chest pain during the course of a heart attack. Nausea and intense sweating are also common symptoms.

One Cause of Cancer ...

The Chinese and Japanese drink hot tea with their meals, not cold water, maybe it is time we adopt their drinking habit while eating.

For those who like to drink cold water, this information is applicable to you. It is nice to have a cold drink after a meal. However, the cold water will solidify the oily stuff that you have just consumed. It will slow down the digestion. Once this 'sludge' reacts with the acid, it will break down and be absorbed by the intestine faster than the solid food. It will line the intestine. Very soon, this will turn into fats and can lead to cancer. It is best to drink room temperature red wine,hot soup or warm water after a meal.

Let's be careful and be aware. The more we know, the better chance we have to survive.

SMILE

2008-10-18T15:00:00.000-04:00

I've decided my blog is just a lot of silly nonsense, but if I get a laugh out of it, I figure maybe you will too. So, enjoy my next attempt...

I may just have to use this as my new avitar!

Sometimes

2008-10-15T23:19:00.000-04:00

Sometimes... When you cry... No one sees your tears.
Sometimes... When you are in pain.. No one sees your hurt.
Sometimes... When you are worried.. No one sees your stress.
Sometimes... When you are happy.. No one sees your smile .

But FART!! Just ONE time...
And everybody knows!!

GOTCHA!

WE IS FRIENDS

2008-09-27T11:23:00.000-04:00

You and Me Is Friends
You Smile, I Smile..
You Hurt, I Hurt..
You Cry, I Cry..
You Jump Off a Bridge..
I Gonna Miss Your Comments!

WHAT CANCER CANNOT DO

2008-09-24T18:28:00.000-04:00

Cancer is so limited...

It Cannot Cripple Love,
It Cannot Shatter Hope,
It Cannot Corrode Faith,
It Cannot Destroy Peace,
It Cannot Kill Friendship,
It Cannot Suppress Memories,
It Cannot Silence Courage,
It Cannot Invade The Soul,
It Cannot Steal Eternal Life,
It Cannot Conquer The Spirit!

It was the best of times...it was the worst of times!

2008-08-04T22:52:00.000-04:00

Well, I have to say that while I tried to be brave, and probably put on a good front, this was not the most exciting thing I've ever "had" to go through. When I said "this wasn't as bad as I thought", believe me, I was still under the influence, cause by the time they wore off, I was miserable. I stopped answering the phone. I didn't want anyone coming to see me or call me. I was so sick.

If you've ever been in for surgery and they're going to keep you a few days however you can't yet eat... DON'T, and I mean DON'T let them give you a multi-vitamin tablet on your empty stomach. You're not going to die for lack of a vitamin pill even if you stay 15 days or more. It took me 5 days after surgery to realize that that pill kept me so nauseaus that when they told me to eat, I couldn't keep it down. So they kept putting me on a liquid diet. Couldn't eat it. I finally refused the vitimin and my nauseau started to subside. You know, medical professionals are taking educated guesses of what is good for you, but not all things are good for all people. I simply refused the vitamin pill, and ultimately refused any nauseau medication as well and it stopped completely.

I didn't eat for two weeks until they finally started giving me real food. Then it was touch and go as to how much I ate. I stuck with the mashed potatoes, cereal, ice sherbert, and while very little of either, at least I was getting some real food in my stomach.

I'm sure you all know the whole story from Kim to Sydney to the blog, but I want to put it down here for myself.

Friday, the 19th, I went to a pulmonary doctor because I had been to 3 other doctors to determine why I was so breathless when I first started to exert any energy. I would have to wait a few seconds, fill my lungs, and then I pretty much was able to continue what I was doing. While at the pulmonary doc, as I was checking out and he was going to send me for some tests, my heart rate elevated. Although I know this is certainly not normal, it was sort of normal for me, as I've had this for years and usually would wait 20 or so minutes and it would go back to a regular heart beat. In my infinite wisdom, and because my cardiologist could only take my word for the fact that I had this condition, I thought I would ask the pulmonary doctor to document the rapid rate and he could then tell my heart doctor as she had never been able to document it.

When the girl took my pulse, it was at 210. She, being concerned, call the doctor and he wouldn't let me go home. He kept saying I should go to the hospital. I kept telling him that it was sort of normal and it would stop in 20 minutes. No go, he called the paramedics and they took me to the ER after giving me something to bring rate down (which I might add was some kind of a rush)!

In the ER, having done blood work, they discovered that I was anemic and my blood count was a 5 compared to an 11 or 12 it should have been. Immediate admission to get blood transfusions and to then get tests run to determine where I may be bleeding, hence the Endoscopy and then the Colonoscopy where they found the blockages. If it hadn't been for the rapid heart rate, I would have come home and remained ignorant of my problem because other than not being able to breath I had not signs of anything wrong.

My surgery was on the 22nd of July. I guess, according to my daughter, I was doing all sorts of things coming out of anesthesia. The only thing I remember is telling them I wanted to get back to the blog and I also thought I would blog the president. They had removed 85% of my colon! My surgeon had told me that this was going to happen, so it wasn't a shock later. Giving God the glory, I didn't have to wear a bag...my colon is functioning well. Lots of trips as Queen for the Day, but that's ok. I'll get used to that easily enough.

I do have to go through Chemo Therapy, but I'm believing that God is going to get me through this as well.

Work is still a figment of my imagination...but as soon as I can, I do want to go back. Plus my daughter is starting a nutrition company and we hope to get into the location by September 1. It's nutritional products which you can purchase and do at home, but a healthy shake awaits at our location (Cary Nutrition) for purchase. It's a meal replacement shake, not just a smoothie, and it's designed to lose weight as well if that's what you want, or you just want to stay healthy.

I was on the product for three weeks before all this happened, and believe that it helped me through the surgery. I plan on staying healthy from here on out!

I am now an avid proponent of getting a colonoscopy as soon as its recommended for your age group. I don't even remember it. I do remember they needed to do it a second time that while it wasn't anything I'd want to do again, if I had to I would!

So, that's it pretty much.

Everyone who sent me cards, prayers, emails, I just want to thank you for your concern and support. I missed not being able to get on line and "talk", but even tho my granddaughter brought up her laptop, I just didn't have the will to use it.

LOVE YOU ALL!

Marge (meb)

FLIGHT IN THE MOUNTAINS

2008-06-28T19:22:00.000-04:00

I don't know, you could get motion sickness if you do this too much, but this is sort of neat.

Move your cursor over the screen, and you will have the impression you are flying over the mountains.

http://electricoyster.com/esp3d/

YOU COULD HAVE HEARD A PIN DROP!

2008-05-26T06:46:00.000-04:00

I discovered these short stories and found them to be patriotic in their answers, so decided I would post them here. It appears to be picking on the French mostly but I would imagine, for the art of the storytelling, it could be any country who may have made a comment about our country.

When in England, at a fairly large conference, Colin Powell was asked by the Archbishop of Canterbury if our plans for Iraq were just an example of empire building' by America. He answered by saying, 'Over the years, the United States has sent many of its fine young men and women into great peril to fight for freedom beyond our borders. The only amount of land we have ever asked for in return is enough to bury those that did not return.'
You could have heard a pin drop.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
There was a conference in France where a number of international engineers were taking part, including French and American. During a break one of the French engineers came back into the room saying 'Have you heard the latest dumb stunt Bush has done? He has sent an aircraft carrier to Indonesia to help the tsunami victims. What does he intended to do, bomb them?' A Boeing engineer stood up and replied quietly: 'Our carriers have three hospitals on board that can treat several hundred people; they are nuclear powered and can supply emergency electrical power to shore facilities; they have three cafeterias with the capacity to feed 3,000 people three meals a day, they can produce several thousand gallons of fresh water from sea water each day, and they carry half a dozen helicopters for use in transporting victims and injured to and from their flight deck. We have eleven such ships; how many does France have?'
You could have heard a pin drop.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
A U.S. Navy Admiral was attending a naval conference that included Admirals from the U.S., English, Canadian, Australian and French Navies. At a cocktail reception, he found himself standing with a large group of Officers that included personnel from most of those countries. Everyone was chatting away in English as they sipped their drinks but a French admiral suddenly complained that, 'whereas Europeans learn many languages, Americans learn only English. He then asked, 'Why is it that we always have to speak English in these conferences rather than speaking French? Without hesitating, the American Admiral replied 'Maybe it's because the Brits, Canadians, Aussies and Americans arranged it so you wouldn't have to speak German.
You could have heard a pin drop.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
AND THIS STORY FITS RIGHT IN WITH THE ABOVE...
Robert Whiting, an elderly gentleman of 83, arrived in Paris by plane. At French Customs, he took a few minutes to locate his passport in his carry on. 'You have been to France before, monsieur? the customs officer asked sarcastically. Mr. Whiting admitted that he had been to France previously . 'Then you should know enough to have your passport ready. The American said, 'The last time I was here, I didn't have to show it. 'Impossible. Americans always have to show your passports on arrival in France! The American senior gave the Frenchman a long hard look. Then he quietly explained. 'Well, when I came ashore at Omaha Beach on D-Day in '44 to help liberate this country, I couldn't find a single Frenchmen to show a passport to.
You could have heard a pin drop.

BACK TO ONE PART-TIME JOB

2008-05-20T10:05:00.000-04:00

I have chosen to take the easy way out and leave the second part time job. I found that it was more difficult than I expected (visiting stores and making sure the product was on the shelves, and if not, getting it on the shelves like heavy liquid detergents, etc.) and I think it was causing some anxiety problems that I surely didn't need. My health is more important than a job.

And anxiety is not my bag! In the norm, I'm not the type to let things bother me. I can be upset over an issue and it's over in short order, including an argument. I just don't carry a grudge and if I feel something isn't important to me, I don't remember it. That's why I was never good at trivia games. But I couldn't seem to accept this new position. As much as I tried to ignore my feelings, it kept bothering me. I finally decided I just couldn't do it anymore. I'm not a quitter, so it was difficult to call my boss and tell her I had to stop. She was understanding though, so that helped a little.

So, I'm back to one part time job, and it's the easy one... I watch TV, play games on computer, type on Jackie's Blog, and write new posts here on my own blog. Yes, this is the type of retirement job everybody wants.

I do try to get up and walk around a bit, so I'm not sitting all the time. Don't need any knee problems ... just ask Jackie.

Thanks for the visit ... leave a post ... love to read your comments.

Reverse Mortgage...I did it and I'm glad!

2008-05-15T09:57:00.000-04:00

A few posts back in Jackie's blog I asked about those who might know anything about reverse mortgages. At that time I was considering it... well, after much background checking and pros and cons, I did it and I'm glad I did. While it's expensive to begin with, it's really no different than taking out an equity loan, or selling and buying again having to pay closing costs.

*This way I'm able to live in my home,
*I don't have to pay a mortgage payment (which means I will more than make up the cost of
closing on the reverse mortgage in the first year of not paying house payments),
*I still have equity in the house, which is enough to pay off this reverse mortgage if I ultimately
decide to sell, or if something happens to me,
*and, I also have a line of credit, above and beyond the equity in the house that is mine to spend
as I choose.

While this is an insured government program for senior citizens only, I have to say it is really a Godsend for me. My expenses were getting to be more than my income and now that's no longer the case. It'll also give me the opportunity to pay off credit cards with the line of credit. Credit cards that have a high rate of interest, even tho I'm a good payer. It will also give me the opportunity to quit one of my part time jobs. At 70 years of age, I think it's time I got a break and I've taken it.

I'm even thinking of doing some traveling... and vacationing which I haven't be able to do due to being a care giver to an old friend, who passed away recently. Maybe I will try to re-organize another "Jackie'sGetTogether" for those of us who would like to meet. Or maybe I'll just visit some of the various cities/states you all live in and you'll invite me to dinner. Yeah, I like that idea too. LOL.

I just feel really "free" right now guys. Haven't had that privilege for many years.

Have car...will travel!

Shamed Into New Post

2008-02-21T11:06:00.000-05:00

I realized that I haven't updated my blog since I first started it. Of course, I wouldn't have noticed if friend Syd hadn't left me a comment. I really do enjoy hearing from others, so feel free to comment whenever (if ever) you check into the site.

I'm in the throes of taking on another parttime job. I just can't seem to sit still. Hopefully it'll keep me young rather than "take me out". Two parttimes makes a fulltime job, right? ...the difference is that it won't get monotonous since it's two entirely different types of tasks. One is a sit-down office job and the other is outside/travel/visiting stores job. Hopefully the gas prices won't cause me to reconsider the latter, cause it sounds like it'll be interesting.

Now...writing children's books has been a long time dream of mine, and while I have written about five total, I've never submitted any for publishing. I personally think they're quite good, but I'm not knowledgeable enough to know how to go about submitting them to a publisher. I guess I could publish my own, but then that would cost a lot of $$, and I'm not that flush. Anybody out there got any ideas?

I would love to have you comment ... tell me about yourself. It's so much fun to read about other people. I feel like I know you... I just don't know about you. Leave me some info and I'll try to keep up on my posts more often.

Heat - What's that!

2007-12-19T11:42:00.000-05:00

What a time for my heater to act up. We've had 29 degree weather for the last two nights and us with no heat. I live with my daughter and three grandchildren, and they occupy the top two floors of our tri-plex (is that a word) home. I live down on the first level and love the fact that I can have that privacy...but, when we have no heat (and this is a first for this house) my kids have access to the oven to at least take the chill off, but I can't take advantage of that. My privacy includes a door which I keep closed due to my having a dog and they have cats and never the two shall meet. I couldn't find anyone to come for a repair until two days later, so it was a little cold to say the least...so I pulled out two electric blankets. I sat and watched TV with one over me in my recliner and the other went on the bed for sleeping. It probably worked better than their oven! Well except for my 70 pound dog who thinks he's a lap dog. He had to get under the blanket with me. That was especially fun.

Hope everyone is warm and toasty this wintry day!

Hi to all

2007-12-13T12:10:00.000-05:00

This is a new blog for me and a new experience.

Just want to give everyone an opportunity to tell me all about themselves and whatsnuwitu. Especially my fellow bloggers from Jackie's blog.

Give me your life's history without identifying yourself. I'll be writing something similar about myself shortly.

meb