Where's the Jesus I once knew?

I've yet to find the Christmas spirit that I usually see this time of year> seems to me that something has happened. of course being held hostage in my office by a bunch of alternative school kids, I don't get much chance to bump shoulders with a lot of free folks. Just seems that this year is different. Is it the economy? The war? The election? Maybe it's everything. Seems that we, Christians, grow cold to the possibilities of what God has for us and the privileges offered to us as believers. Makes me sad to think that my family and good friends won't have all God has for them when life here is over. Also makes me sad to think that I might be a source that would keep them from those things. Easy for all to get caught up in lights, paper and cash flow of the "Xmas Season." Where's the Jesus I once knew? He is right where He was when His Spirit pulled at I my life the first time. He is right where He was when I first experience that special Spirit filled feeling at a retreat. I now know what the desire of my heart is. To know Christ in His fullness every minute of every day. Right where He is... in my heart. I desire to feel Him presence 24/7. I want to get it all. God will you help me with my desire and maybe share it with those around me. amen

FBI!

This is a follow up to the blog about the guy who was trying to scam me on a sale of a motor cycle sales. Remember I said he had messed with the wrong guy, FBI baby!!!! The real FBI is involved! It's the bomb to know those guys are on your side. FBI!!! Poor guy. Any way i thought you might want to get an idea of how I baited this guy so here some of the e-mails.

From: Damian Almeito [mailto:almeito@gmail.com]
Money gram is the only payment options for this transaction!!!!!
On Sat, Dec 13, 2008 at 5:28 AM, Bobby > wrote:
I just asked my dad if he could get Peterson to write a check. he was pissed cause i disturbed him grading test for that stupid class. He says that Mr. Peterson will be landing in Atlanta late tonight and was going to contact the man tomorrow or Monday. could you give me his phone number so i could contact him about the problem.
-----Original Message-----From: Damian Almeito [mailto:almeito@gmail.com]
Sent: Fri 12/12/2008 3:58 PMTo: Walden, BobbySubject: Re: the bike is mine!he will have to send the payment trough moneygram he can't pay cash!bye!

From: Damian Almeito
almeito@gmail.com
he will have to send the payment trough moneygram he can't pay cash!bye!
On Fri, Dec 12, 2008 at 11:14 PM, Bobby wrote:
Sorry I was playing games and didn't notice your e-mail.

I don't think it came through. Hope all is cool.

-----Original Message-----From: Damian Almeito Sent: Friday, December 12, 2008 3:12 PMTo: Walden, BobbySubject: Re: the bike is mine!

:))))
On Fri, Dec 12, 2008 at 7:35 PM, Bobby wrote:
I came by my Dad's office today at the school where he teaches a night class and he gave me the good news! He is sending one of his best agents to see Christopher Mendes in Atlanta Georgia. He is going to PAY HIM CASH!!!! So I should be riding my new bike Christmas morning!!! I never thought that my dad being with the FBI would come in handy, but mom said it would.


------ Forwarded MessageFrom: Damian Almeito
almeito@gmail.com Date: Wed, 3 Dec 2008 22:31:44 +0200To: Bobby >Subject: Re: 2004 Yamaha V Star 650 Custom XVS65 - $2850 (usa)I have started the Autotrader process!Autotrader have sent you a separate email confirmation with the payment instructions.If you haven't received it please check your Junk, Bulk or Spam email folder because this is a very secured email and your email server may reject it.Because completing the payment please move the Autotrader email in Inbox.Now go to a MoneyGram location and send the deposit on the Autotrader Agent name and address.

Payment address (Autotrader Agent name and address):First name: Christopher;Last name: Mendes;Address: 5775 Peachtree Dunwoody Road;City: Atlanta;State: Georgia;Zip: 30342;Country: United States; Now I'll wait your reply with the payment confirmation and please let me know if you have received the Autotrader confirmation!After you will send the payment please fax the Reference Number and the payment details from MoneyGram to the Autotrader center at: +1 (404) 601-9751 or +1 (770) 828-0698. Best regards!On Wed, Dec 3, 2008 at 3:54 AM, Bobby < href="http://picasaweb.google.com/erpechere/2004YamahaVStar650CustomXVS65?authkey=j-FztVPfOnc#slideshow">http://picasaweb.google.com/erpechere/2004YamahaVStar650CustomXVS65? Thank you,
Check out this site. Also checking on this scam. www.pirate4x4.com/forum/showthread
FBI BABY!!!! DON'T MESS WITH ME!!!!!!!!!!!

The Pickle Jar

Great story with even greater message.

The pickle jar as far back as I can remember sat on the floor beside the dresser in my parents' bedroom. When he got ready for bed, Dad would empty his pockets and toss his coins into the jar. As a small boy I was always fascinated at the sounds the coins made as they were dropped into the jar. They landed with a merry jingle when the jar was almost empty. Then the tones gradually muted to a dull thud as the jar was filled. I used to squat on the floor in front of the jar and admire the copper and silver circles that glinted like a pirate's treasure when the sun poured through the bedroom window. When the jar was filled, Dad would sit at the kitchen table and roll the coins before taking them to the bank. Taking the coins to the bank was always a big production. Stacked neatly in a small cardboard box, the coins were placed between Dad and me on the seat of his old truck. Each and every time, as we drove to the bank, Dad would look at me hopefully. 'Those coins are going to keep you out of the textile mill, son You're going to do better than me. This old mill town's not going to hold you back.' Also, each and every time, as he slid the box of rolled coins across the counter at the bank toward the cashier, he would grin proudly 'These are for my son's college fund. He'll never work at the mill all his life like me.' We would always celebrate each deposit by stopping for an ice cream cone. I always got chocolate. Dad always got vanilla. When the clerk at the ice cream parlor handed Dad his change, he would show me the few coins nestled in his palm. 'When we get home, we'll start filling the jar again.' He always let me drop the first coins into the empty jar. As they rattled around with a brief, happy jingle, we grinned at each other. 'You'll get to college on pennies, nickels, dimes and quarters,' he said. 'But you'll get there; I'll see to that.'No matter how rough things got a t home, Dad continued to doggedly drop his coins into the jar. Even the summer when Dad got laid off fro m the mill, and Mama had to serve dried beans several times a week, not a single dime was taken from the jar. To the contrary, as Dad looked across the table at me, pouring catsup over my beans to make them more palatable, he became more determined than ever to make a way out for me. 'When you finish college, Son,' he told me, his eyes glistening, 'You'll never have to eat beans again - unless you want to.' The years passed, and I finished college and took a job in another town. Once, while visiting my parents, I used the phone in their bedroom, and noticed that the pickle jar was gone. It had served its purpose and had been removed. A lump rose in my throat as I stared at the spot beside the dresser where the jar had always stood. My dad was a man of few words, and never lectured me on the values of determination, perseverance, and faith. The pickle jar had taught me all these virtues far more eloquently than the most flowery of words could have done. When I married, I told my wife Susan about the significant part the lowly pickle jar had played in my life as a boy. In my mind, it defined, more than anything else, how much my dad had loved me. The first Christmas after our daughter Jessica was born, we spent the holiday with my parents. After dinner, Mom and Dad sat next to each other on the sofa, taking turns cuddling their first grandchild. Jessica began to whimper softly, and Susan took her from Dad's arms. 'She probably needs to be changed,' she said, carrying the baby into my parents' bedroom to diaper her. When Susan came back into the living room, there was a strange mist in her eyes. She handed Jessica back to Dad before taking my hand and leading me into the room. 'Look,' she said softly, her eyes directing me to a spot on the floor beside the dresser. To my amazement, there, as if it had never been removed, stood the old pickle jar, the bottom already covered with coins. I walked over to the pickle jar, dug down into my pocket, and pulled out a fistful of coins. With a gamut of emotions choking me, I dropped the coins into the jar. I looked up and saw that Dad, carrying Jessica, had slipped quietly into the room. Our eyes locked, and I knew he was feeling the same emotions I felt. Neither one of us could speak. This truly touched my heart. I know it has yours as well. Sometimes we are so busy adding up our troubles that we forget to count our blessings. Never underestimate the power of your actions. With one small gesture, you can change a person's life, for better or for worse. God puts us all in each other's lives to impact one another in some way. Look for Good in others.

The best and most beautiful things cannot be seen or touched - they must be felt with the heart ~ Helen Keller - Happy moments, praise God. - Difficult moments, seek God. - Quiet moments, worship God. - Painful moments, trust God. - Every moment, thank God.

BIGGEST LOSERS?!?!?!

I'm always looking for a better way to stay fit and drop some pounds. You might say the magic bullet. (NO SUCH THING FOR WEIGHT LOST OR FITNESS) Here are some great tips from the TV show Biggest Losers
How Big Losers Burn Fat
Find a good reason to lose. It took some time, but Ed Brantley finally realized he had a food addiction. "The cravings would come and I would be like, 'hey, let's get high,'" says Brantley. "I was literally hooked on the euphoria of eating." It didn't help that he and his wife, Heba, had a full social calendar with many an opportunity to wine and dine. "If we want to have children, and we do, we knew we had to change our lifestyle and take control of this," he says.
Brady Vilcan took a hard look at his life and realized he was setting a poor example for his two kids. "We rarely got a lunch break at CVS," says Vilcan, a pharmacist. "I'd often go all day without touching food. If Vicky cooked, I might have three large servings. But mostly, I'd pick up cheeseburgers or pizza." He would also bring candy home from the pharmacy for the family. While watching TV, he might have two or three bowls of ice cream. "My grandfather was heavy. I remember going to Weight Watchers with my mom when I was a kid. Now my 4-year-old daughter, Lucy, outweighs my 7-year-old son, Chance. We've got to break this chain."
Never skip a cheese stick. After six seasons with the show, nutritionist Cheryl Forberg, R.D., says the two most common mistakes made by nearly all the contestants who've passed through the ranch are skipping meals, particularly breakfast, and not consuming enough calcium. "They feel they don't have time to plan ahead, but skipping meals can lead to grabbing fast food and overeating because you're starving," she says. To keep their metabolism revving high, "Biggest Loser" contestants are trained to eat five or six times a day—breakfast, lunch, and dinner, small meals made up of high-water-volume vegetables and fruits, whole grains and lean protein, plus two or three snacks. "Most people don't get enough dairy products in their diet," Forberg says. "Men need 1,000 milligrams of calcium. You can achieve that through three servings of milk, yogurt, and/or cheese a day. We encourage a low-fat cheese stick with a piece of fruit for between-meal snacks."
Weigh your fillet. The first thing Vilcan did when he returned home from the ranch was buy a food scale. "Portion size can get away from you in a heartbeat," he says. "If you want to lose weight, you have to know what a serving is and how many calories are in it." Do you really need to order that 16-ounce fillet when the 8-ouncer will fill you up? Each "Biggest Loser" contestant's daily calorie limit is calculated using a formula that considers starting weight, body-fat percentage, activity level, and goal weight. For Vilcan, it's between 1,750 and 2,000 calories, depending on how much he's exercising. "Realizing how much exercise it takes to expend the calories in food really puts things into perspective," he says. "I mean, look at these cheese fries from Outback Steakhouse. They're 2,900 calories. No friggin' way am I gonna eat that."
Start with weights, finish with cardio. Strength training with weights creates an afterburn effect that keeps your body churning through calories at a higher rate, even at rest. And it's widely known that muscle is more metabolically active than fat. So "Biggest Loser" contestants pump weights about 2 hours a day. "In the beginning we focused a lot on weightlifting to build up the muscle," says Brantley. "Then we switched to more cardio to shed the pounds." The key with cardio is to find something you enjoy doing to beat boredom. "I hated the elliptical; it was too easy, I didn't feel like I was doing anything. Now the spinning cycle, that's fun, and it is a real workout. I'll do 2 hours a day on that."
Pig out once a week. One day a week at the "Biggest Loser" ranch is designated a high-calorie day, when contestants can go over their calorie limits. "We do it to make the point that this isn't going to be a life of deprivation," explains Harper. "You can't sustain that. You want to develop healthy habits you can live with."
The contestants typically choose to order out for burritos. "The next day, they really feel the effects of all the sugar and sodium-filled food," says Harper. "They feel like crap. They learn very quickly that a healthy body that's been exercising and eating right doesn't want all that fat and processed junk."
Book court time for 2015. The biggest lesson "Biggest Loser" contestants learn is that their healthy lifestyles don't end when the cameras stop. "There's no finish line. That's a big pill for people to swallow," says Harper. "Every single day for the rest of your life, you are going to have to make better food choices, and move around a bit more."
Michaels calls it "composing a life." "You use fitness to re-create a different set of experiences and attitudes: You go from past experiences of 'I'm a loser, I'm fat, I'm worthless' to 'I'm capable, I'm strong, I'm confident.'" Once you've made that paradigm shift, Harper and Michaels say, you've won.
Harper's secret weapons
Bob Harper, who was a trainer for 20 years prior to joining "The Biggest Loser," believes the brain is the most powerful muscle for weight loss. "I know that this struggle always has an emotional component," says Harper. "Losing the weight isn't all that hard; it's about understanding your relationship with food and taking control of your life." Here are his four top tips.
Ask yourself a question. "Are you ready to change your life? That's the first thing I ask my clients. They have to decide for themselves if they are serious about committing. They have to intellectualize it and see the path ahead of them as a long-term thing."
Treat calories like coin. "I'll limit a 400-pound guy to 2,200 calories a day. I tell him it's like you have a bank account with 2,200 calories in it. You can eat whatever you want; just don't go over the limit."
Eat to program your brain. "First thing I tell my people is that they've got to eat to lose weight. Eat every 4 hours. They know they have to eat within the first 30 minutes of getting up in the morning to set their clock accordingly. And that first meal has to have a good balance of protein, carbs, and good fats."
Learn to cook. "If you are cooking your own food, you know exactly what you're putting in your body and how proper fuel makes you feel," says Harper.

CHRISTMAS TIME!!! YES!!!

http://ecard.ashland.edu/index.php?ecardYear=2004adm

THIS WILL GET YOU IN THE SEASON.

No Pay No PLay?!?!?!?!?

Ok, first let me say I have been busy so I haven't been able to trill you with an entry, but it's not that a lot of people read my blog any way. I promise to do better but I also promise that I will get my Katie to show me how to make paragraphs and add pretty pictures and such so it may be a little more entertaining.

Tommy Tuberville, good grief! Let's consider... Tommy Tuberville was hired in 1999 and finished his Auburn career with a 85-40 record. His 85 wins are the fourth-most all-time among Auburn coaches and his nine seasons are tied for the fourth-most among Auburn coaches. Now I might question Tom's character and morals a little but as coaching success, PAH-LEASE !!!!!!!!! This has got to be a sign of the end of days because the game so close to my heart is becoming something that is a money making business from Satan. Consider Sylvester Croom... (OK, I'm fixing to turn loose so ask the little children leave the room) GOOD GRIEF! I don't care what race he is, where he went to school, what God he worships, or what kind of dog he has, the man is a GOOD MAN OF HIGH CHARACTER AND GREAT MORALS. Heavens forbid that we subject our young men to a man like that. Do we want them to turn out to be men of character, good citizens or do we care if they become a drain on the nation by fathering a bunch of kids, stealing, shooting, and not working. Not a hard decision for me. WE WANT "Ws" AND AN EGG BOWL TROPHY. Isn't it enough that a University can have a solid program that turns out young men with a full education and a promising future, which of course we will hear very little about, instead of those young men being on ESPN, we're going to hear about who shot themselves in the leg with a gun that they shouldn't have had in the first place. (Maybe they have poor aim?) Don't get me started about The Big Orange Volunteers. No matter who you were whenever you went to play the Vols you always had in the back of the mind that you were about to get the hell beat out of them. Well, let's not just look at what "mind farting" is gong on about coaching legends, let's consider where our real "heart" is. Out of respect for Sly and "the Orange" man I will leave them alone, but let us consider that Tuberville's contract was extended through 2013 and was worth $3.3 million annually. It also included a $6 million buyout if he was fired after this season. Well, even if it was cut down a little bet considering "time served" to $5,100,000 GOOD GRIEF! LET US CONSIDER A HIGHER CALLING TO THE STEWARDSHIP OF THE "AUBURN FAITHFUL". Consider the very large number of people who are dying in Africa from Cholera. One major factor contributing to this high number is the lack of "FRESH WATER". The non-profit organization 100Wells says that it takes $5,000 to place a producing fresh water well in strategic locations in an Africa nation. OK TOMMY, $1,00,000, less than 25% of you buy out equals 200 fresh water wells which would lead to saving hundred if not thousands of lives! HOW ABOUT IT TOMMY OR MAYBE I SHOULD BE SAYING HOW ABOUT IT "AUBURN FAITHFUL." The south being as it is in the "Bible belt" consider that our God is worthy of our offerings, our pledges, and our sacrifices to save the lost and meet the needs of all peoples of the world. Oh God, forgive us for replacing your missions for us with trivial things like college football. Forgive us for replacing our desire to serve a sovereign God with the desire to guarantee a number of football wins. "If my people will turn from their stupid misguided ways and begin to put their money where their heart should be then I will take care of them." WALDEN PARAPHRASE.

BIKE UPDATE

WELL, I HEARD BACK FROM THE GUY WHO WAS TRYING TO SCAM ME. I ASK FOR HIM TO SEND ME HIS PHONE NUMBER SO WE COULD GET THE DEAL GOING. THIS IS WHAT HE REPLIED.

I suffered an accident and I'm deaf of both ears.I'm glad that you are interested...please provide me the requested details (complete shipping address) and you will be informed by Autotrader during the next hours with details about your purchase.You will find 90% of answers in that notification from them.

You Messed Where the Big Dawg!!!! Dude....

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DON'T MESS WITH ME BECAUSE I WILL HAVE TO MESS WITH YOU.
Not to long ago I was confronted by an angry person. Not my fault I guess he was just having a bad life that day. Now in my business you can be seem as the man or as the guy who want others to think he is the man. Trust me the first is the best. You can influence a lot of folk if they know you are the man and experience is the key. Well anyway, things had gotten out of hand between a young man and some one who should have known better professionally. Who comes to the rescue but... TA Daaaaaaaaaaaa... ME. Where is security when you need them. I found myself willingly in the middle of something that was getting worst real fast. Here's is where experience comes in. I looked into the young man's eyes and asked him this, "Are you going to kill me?" Well that got his attention as well as the attention of everyone around including the security that had arrived. He couldn't speak, wonder why? I continued with this, "If you are planning on killing me go ahead and get started, but if you start something then you better be prepared to kill me or be killed." Well that sounds pretty harsh but I've never had someone take me up on it. Especially when I have 6 security guards that are retired cops behind me. You see, I think that most folk just loose control of themselves and are afraid to face that they screwed up. When two kids would get in a fight we used to say that they weren't fight but one was scared and the other was glad of it.
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BUT, there are those who mess with folk and deserve to be messed with. Now I can't tell you the rest of the story but I'm going to share with you over the next few days how some people need to be careful of WHO THEY MESS WITH. WHAT GOES AROUND COMES AROUND.
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This is going to be great!!!

THERE AREN'T TO BE A LAW

It hasn't been a long time that I have been "making groceries." That means gong to the Walmart or Krogers for groceries for some of you. Any way, I decided to participate in the ritual years back because I discovered that I could save money by not getting the name brand and getting the store brand. It's the same, right.  It can be fun sometimes but I kinda lost track with it when I was loosing weight but now I have taken it on again.  Yesterday I went to get groceries.  The only way to describe it was "hell." Why is it that folk cannot be curious. good grief, how about moving that darn cart out of the way so some of the 6 folks wanting to get through can get through. There is only so much a person can read off the soup cans! I mean I'm not expecting you to move completely out of the isle, just move to the side for a split second to allow the growing crowd to move through. GOOD GRIEF! Just take a nap or something why don't you, take one of each and keep what you want and leave the rest at the check out!  How bout the wider isles. WIDER???? good grief you can get one cart in there but two? Sure you can if you wedge them together and there not kid in in the cart. I believe we should start issuing grocery cart license before you can shop with anything on 4 wheels. All children should not be allowed to select a toy and carrying it throughout the store until they get tired of it and then leave it where someone has to go over or around it but cannot, should not move it out of the way because  it would be wrong to give someone an opportunity to get to the check out before you. Maybe we should put up stop and go lights. Let's limit the use of those little electric tricycles to those with handicap stickers. We need to issue fines for those who open the freezer doors and fog up the window so you can't see in. I think that the best thing to do is make groceries early in the morning, say 2:00 AM. At least the kids won't be there.

A NEW IDEA FOR CHRISTMAS!!!

One of the things I hate about Christmas is the buying of the gifts. With Thanksgiving coming up everyone will be looking for the "Black Friday Lists" to get the best prices on "STUFF". I hate the crowds but you gotta do what you gotta do. Every year I "pine" over the what should I get this and that person at work and how much should I spend. OK, so I came up with this idea. I'm going to make the suggestion that no one give anything to any one else FOR CHRISTMAS.. Wait! I'm not suffering from a case of "Scrooge." I think we should have a "GIVE FOR CHRISTMAS CHRISTMAS." This is how is will work: instead of spending money on gifts we will give the money we would spend to purchase food for two local groups that feed those who are hungry and in need. We will produce a list of items and the cost of each, like a gallon can of beans is $2.89. instead of buying a gift you put the money in an envelope with a Christmas card. We open the envelope and keep the money. We put the cards on a tree for all to see. Wam Bam!!!! Killing two birds with one stone!!! We don't have to sweat the purchases and we all do something good for those who are needy. Evan the BOSSES DON"T GET GIFTS. OPPS! Maybe I should think about that. YES evan no gifts for the Boss. So I'll let you know if folk go for it. I THINK IT IS THE BOMB!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

"I didn't know that..."

Recently I've heard several reports on TV that might indicate the President elect Obama might see some thing differently now that he has been briefed on some of those things the only "presidential folk" know. Maybe but i do know this, There are all kind of things being said that are not only stupid but straight out stupid. I over heard someone at work today say "... president Obama is going to do that for us and he wants to do it before Christmas." Well, good luck. Just because somebody thinks that Obama said it and it sounds good for you, doesn't mean that Obama said it or will do it. Poor Obama, stupid folk saying stupid things that would be great for some but impossible for all. Well, they voted with these miracles in their minds and now they expect the miracles. Good Grief! Give the man a chance before you start asking him to part the waters. If i were the president elect the first thing i would check into would be the Roswell thing and that area 54 stuff. OH YEA! There's got to be a lot of neat stuff about that. Then I would want to see the stuff about the killing of JFK and Bobbie Kennedy. Oh well, Obama is and I'm not so, good luck in putting out all the fires created by those stupid folk that didn't hear with their ears but heard what other folk thought they hear from a friend of a friend of a friend.

Say No Once... it will make a difference.

I hate it when people ask me to donate to their cause or buy something for their kids fund raiser, I HATE IT. OK, I feel a little guilty but it really adds up when you have 30 plus staff members and they all have kids or grand kid. II really hate it when the boss ask you for something. It's like they really say, "I'm the boss so come up with the cash." More that a few years ago I decided to say NO and let folk talk about me and talk about me they did, like a "dawg." It was like I had an abundance of money to give away. I made a pledge that I would not ask them for any money if they did not ask me. The word kinda gets out and you don't have the constant digging at you. I'd say "just say NO to fund raisers." Most people respect that. OK, I know what you are saying and no I don't have my first penny, but I will go to the trouble to pick one up. God has blessed me with great abundance and allows me to help finance a lot of causes. See Libby, the most wonderful wife on earth, and I tithe our funds to our church with the trust that those funds go to the right things. Based on what our church does for many, it is money well spent. We don't have to give to the church but we do because we feel it is right. The church is God's organization. If we didn't tithe we wouldn't go to hell or something like that but we tithe because Christ loves us and we honor that love with our giving. We don't boast about our giving but we have given more every year we have been married that the year before. That's with two daughters to take care and send to college too. Why if we didn't tithe I'd have a boat, a big motorcycle, a recumbent trike, and a bunch of other stuff. We give and the amount is not important. What lives in our heart governs what we spend our money on or where we spend our time or... i think you get the idea. Any way I don't put a lot into fund raisers but I do put a lot of what God provides into other sources. That's how they provides for a lot of people.

Wish I were there, MAYBE.

When I was a kid the neighborhood gangs would play "war" with sticks for guns. I loved it and could play till dark any day. I thought of being in the army some day because I had played so much "war" that I had to be good at it.

War didn't seem a serious thing because the only real war to me was the WWII and it had been glorified so much by my uncles and dad. It was like being a part of the boy scouts.


Veterans Day seems to take on more and more for me each year. My Uncles were all in WWII and my dad was there too. My dad would tell me stories when I was growing up and we would watch War Stories on TV together. It was bigger than life for me but... then I went to high school and began to hear of VietNam or just plain "Nam", stories became bad dreams of my friends who had been drafted or stupid enough to join up. The stories I got then were from the guys who were friends of friends who had survived, if you can say that, and made it home to live another day made the Viet Nam War real life. Viet Nam seemed like the other side of the world till someone brought it home to you. The movie dramatics seemed all to real after hearing someone confess to you the real thing. Things like not being able to tell who was the enemy, "Charlie", and who the friendly folk were because it seems that it was like everybody in the entire country was kin or looked kin. Stories of weapons that didn't just kill, they'd just screw you up big time and then you were mostly dead and/or just waiting to die.

VietNam, a different war than the one my dad and uncles were in. Nam had helicopters to get you any place, "Napom" that didn't just burn the enemy but stuck to him like burning glue, wow what a way to die. My uncle told me once that the forests of Germany looked just like those in Tishimigo County, but you couldn't say anything like that about VietNam.

Now I know that there have been other wars since then but Viet Nam will be my war. The one that affected me the most. The one that brings tears to me any time some one talks about it. The one that burns in my heart because of the hurt that it caused.

So I'd like to say thanks to John David Crow, a friend, Robert Smith, CHS class of 67 and a Football Tiger, Jeff, Bill, Earny, Jeno, Derek,... and many more whose names I'd rather not write but are listed on the VietNam Memorial in Washington. I honor you with this short posting but carry memories in my teary eyes. To those who went on to not just play war, I'm sorry I wasn't there for you but I'm not sure I could have made it.

WHO AM I?

Seems that there have been several times in my life that I have asked this question. Who am I? Paul from the Bible makes an unforgettable statement when he says "I want to do right but when I try to do right I surely do wrong..."(Walden Paraphrase). Believe it or not I was at one time a sorta famous person. Playing football in college, setting records in track during high school, and championship coach. I remember once when I was playing softball on a church team we had a young guy come and join us. Now, it was only a couple of years after I got out of college and i was the bomb, the big stick, the oh no not him guy. This team had decided to embrace others who did not know Christ to be apart of our team as a means to lead them to Christ. This guy was a little wild and the coach thought it would make him feel more apart of the team by letting him play some. So who does he want him to play for????? ME. THe big boy, the rampster maniac. It was like the coach had gone nuts but was saying I'm sorry, but do you think it would be OK if I let this boy play in your spot. Well I didn't think much of it but the coach was kinda blown back when I told him it was fine because I had had my day in the sun. After the game the coach came back to me and asked what I meant by that. See, the coach had never been on Memorial Field, never had thousands of people yelling for him, never had newspaper articles written about him, never received trophies. I guess I was different from most but that stuff never impressed me a whole big bunch. When I explained to him that there are bigger and better things in life than showing out in front of a handful of girls and old folk at a softball game, he still didn't understand. I was just different than most guys I guess. There was another time this was in college when I spent a lot of time dating. I know you don't find that funny, seeing I was a star football player and not bad looking. It was the number of girls and the particular girls I dated that might have shocked you. These girls were not knock out beautiful looking peopleor the soroity girl types. They had two things going for them. One was that knew my LORD and Two they were nice girls that didn't get to go out a lot. Best times I had in college was spending time with the Christian sisters. NO smacky mouth or huggy bear just FUN FUN FUN. Most guys thought that was pretty stupid but I was different from most and i didn't miss many date nights. I'm still close friends with some of those girls. Once I had an opportunity to help at a local church's sports camp. Jay Barker, Alabama QB was going to be there and I thought it would be nice to meet him and spend some time with him. The Chief of that camp was a guy that I could not tell you his name for anything. He seemed OK but he had that swollen head problem. Oh yes, he was a Christian brother but the way he behaved gave me pause not to spend a lot of time with him. I've always stuck out in a crowd but I'm 6'4", this guy had to be the center of attention and I didn't know anything but his accomplishments in life. Don't take me wrong, he had purpose. Heck, he was planning on taking a group to China. A Christian Basketball team. The guy even asked me to go along. I didn't have the several grand to "PAY" him and didn't think it was for me. I hate basketball. I guess I was different from him in a lot of ways, different in most ways. My point is this." I urge you brothers and sisters to not be like the world wants you to be but be the man or woman God's wants you to be. Don't follow the world's way but let God's Spirit work in you to make you like Christ in EVERY WAY." ROMANS 12:1,2 (Walden Paraphrase). Man, the world offers a lot of stuff but God offers the best and that means that waiting for the best, no matter what it is will be worth it. Buying or getting something may just cost you a lot of cash. It maycost you a lot of time and effort and you just get something of lower quality that what you really deserve. I'm kinda different than most. I don't buy a lot of stuff. I see the value of others having and getting because it makes them "happy" or "safe" or maybe even "fulfilled". It don't take much to make me feel fulfilled. " They that wait on the LORD will mount up with wings like eagles... they will run and not be weary, they will walk and not POOP out... " Isa. 40 (Walden's Paraphrase of course.)

I guess I'm really trying to say BE YOURSELF, but remember whose you are, what you are inside, and how silly you look when you mess up but even then laugh at yourself.

Andy says best!

Andy Rooney said on '60 Minutes' a few weeks back: I don't think being a minority makes you a victim of anything except numbers.. The only things I can think of that are truly discriminatory are things like the United Negro College Fund, Jet Magazine, Black Entertainment Television, and Miss Black America. Try to have things like the United Caucasian College Fund, Cloud Magazine, White Entertainment Television, or Miss White America; and see what happens...Jesse Jackson will be knocking down your door. Guns do not make you a killer. I think killing makes you a killer. You can kill someone with a baseball bat or a car, but no one is trying to ban you from driving to the ball game. I believe they are called the Boy Scouts for a reason, which is why there are no girls allowed. Girls belong in the Girl Scouts! ARE YOU LISTENING MARTHA BURKE ? I think that if you feel homosexuality is wrong, it is not a phobia, it is an opinion. I have the right 'NOT' to be tolerant of others because they are different,weird, or tick me off. When 70% of the people who get arrested are black, in cities where 70% of the population is black, that is not racial profiling; it is the Law of Probability. I believe that if you are selling me a milkshake, a pack of cigarettes, a newspaper or a hotel room, you must do it in English! As a matter of fact, if you want to be an American citizen, you should have to speak English! My father and grandfather didn't die in vain so you can leave the countries you were born in to come over and disrespect ours. I think the police should have every right to shoot you if you threaten them after they tell you to stop. If you can't understand the word 'freeze' or 'stop' in English, see the above lines. I don't think just because you were not born in this country, you are qualified for any special loan programs, government sponsored bank loans or tax breaks, etc., so you can open a hotel, coffee shop, trinket store, or any other business. We did not go to the aid of certain foreign countries and risk our lives in wars to defend their freedoms, so that decades later they could come over here and tell us our constitution is a living document; and open to their interpretations. I don't hate the rich I don't pity the poor I know pro wrestling is fake, but so are movies and television. That doesn't stop you from watching them. I think Bill Gates has every right to keep every penny he made and continue to make more. If it ticks you off, go and invent the next operating system that's better, and put your name on the building. It doesn't take a whole village to raise a child right, but it does take apparent to stand up to the kid; and smack their little behinds when necessary,and say 'NO!' I think tattoos and piercing are fine if you want them, but please don't pretend they are a political statement. And, please, stay home until that new lip ring heals. I don't want to look at your ugly infected mouth as you serve me French fries! I am sick of 'Political Correctness.' I know a lot of black people, and not a single one of them was born in Africa ; so how can they be 'African-Americans'? Besides, Africa is a continent. I don't go around saying I am a European-American because my great, great, great, great, great, great grandfather was from Europe. I am proud to be from America and nowhere else And if you don't like my point of view, tough... I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG, OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA , AND TO THE REPUBLIC, FOR WHICH IT STANDS, ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE, WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL! I was asked to send this on if I agree or delete if I don't. It is said that86% of Americans believe in God.. Therefore I have a very hard time understanding why there is such a problem in having 'In God We Trust' on our money and having 'God' in the Pledge of Allegiance. Why don't we just tell the 14% to BE QUIET!!!

He wasn't so bad!

The Treatment of Bush Has Been a Disgrace

What must our enemies be thinking?
By JEFFREY SCOTT SHAPIRO

Mr. Shapiro is an investigative reporter and lawyer who previously interned with John F. Kerry's legal team during the presidential election in 2004.
Earlier this year, 12,000 people in San Francisco signed a petition in support of a proposition on a local ballot to rename an Oceanside sewage plant after George W. Bush. The proposition is only one example of the classless disrespect many Americans have shown the president.
According to recent Gallup polls, the president's average approval rating is below 30% -- down from his 90% approval in the wake of 9/11. Mr. Bush has endured relentless attacks from the left while facing abandonment from the right.
This is the price Mr. Bush is paying for trying to work with both Democrats and Republicans. During his 2004 victory speech, the president reached out to voters who supported his opponent, John Kerry, and said, "Today, I want to speak to every person who voted for my opponent. To make this nation stronger and better, I will need your support, and I will work to earn it. I will do all I can do to deserve your trust."
Those bipartisan efforts have been met with crushing resistance from both political parties.
The president's original Supreme Court choice of Harriet Miers alarmed Republicans, while his final nomination of Samuel Alito angered Democrats. His solutions to reform the immigration system alienated traditional conservatives, while his refusal to retreat in Iraq has enraged liberals who have unrealistic expectations about the challenges we face there.
It seems that no matter what Mr. Bush does, he is blamed for everything. He remains despised by the left while continuously disappointing the right.
Yet it should seem obvious that many of our country's current problems either existed long before Mr. Bush ever came to office, or are beyond his control. Perhaps if Americans stopped being so divisive, and congressional leaders came together to work with the president on some of these problems, he would actually have had a fighting chance of solving them.
Like the president said in his 2004 victory speech, "We have one country, one Constitution and one future that binds us. And when we come together and work together, there is no limit to the greatness of America."
To be sure, Mr. Bush is not completely alone. His low approval ratings put him in the good company of former Democratic President Harry S. Truman, whose own approval rating sank to 22% shortly before he left office. Despite Mr. Truman's low numbers, a 2005 Wall Street Journal poll found that he was ranked the seventh most popular president in history.
Just as Americans have gained perspective on how challenging Truman's presidency was in the wake of World War II, our country will recognize the hardship President Bush faced these past eight years -- and how extraordinary it was that he accomplished what he did in the wake of the September 11 attacks.
The treatment President Bush has received from this country is nothing less than a disgrace. The attacks launched against him have been cruel and slanderous, proving to the world what little character and resolve we have. The president is not to blame for all these problems. He never lost faith in America or her people, and has tried his hardest to continue leading our nation during a very difficult time.
Our failure to stand by the one person who continued to stand by us has not gone unnoticed by our enemies. It has shown to the world how disloyal we can be when our president needed loyalty -- a shameful display of arrogance and weakness that will haunt this nation long after Mr. Bush has left the White House.

Look into my eyes

The picture of the dog above is a special pup new on the seen. He has the ability to get your attention with his unusual eyes. He has the ability to say things with those eyes that may not be totally true but cause you to want to see his thoughts as absolutely the truth. The thing you need to understand is that no matter what his eyes say he is still a dog and has the potential to pee on the carpet just because he can. His name is Obama.

One Baby or Two??? Your Choice?

Got this from a friend. It tells a truth with a strong mental picture. Think through it as you read, maybe even put yourself in the lady's position. I think the doctor's name was Dr. Solomon


A worried woman went to her gynecologist and said: 'Doctor, I have a serious problem and desperately need your help! My baby is not even 1 yr. old and I'm pregnant again. I don't want kids so close together.'

So the doctor said: 'Ok, and what do you want me to do?'

She said: 'I want you to end my pregnancy, and I'm counting on your help with this.'

The doctor thought for a little, and after some silence he said to the lady: 'I think I have a better solution for your problem. It's less dangerous for you too.'She smiled, thinking that the doctor was going to accept her request. Then he continued: 'You see, in order for you not to have to take care of 2 babies at the same time, let's kill the one in your arms. This way, you could rest some before the other one is born. If we're going to kill one of them, it doesn't matter which one it is. There would be no risk for your body if you chose the one in your arms.

The lady was horrified and said: 'No doctor! How terrible! It's a crime to kill a child!'

'I agree', the doctor replied. 'But you seemed to be ok with it, so I thought maybe that was the best solution. The doctor smiled, realizing that he had made his point.

లుక్ నతో మై ఎఎస్

లుక్ ఇంతో మై ఎఎస్

వెన్ ఐ స్క్రెవ్ అప్ ఐ రియల్లీ స్క్రెవ్ అప్. ఐ పోస్తేడ పిచ్తురె అఫ్ అ డాగ్ విత్ , లేట్'స సి హుంతింగ్ ఎఎస్. సీంస్ లికె ది ఎఎస్ అఫ్ సోమేఒనే వ్హో'స నేమ్ ఇస్ బరాక్ ఒబామా. ఐ సి సొమెథింగ్ ఇన్ తోసే ఎఎస్ ఐ డాన్'త లికె సో ఐ ప్రి ఒబామా దోఎస్ నాట్ గెట్ ఎలెచ్తెద్. గ్లోరీ తో గాడ్ బెకాఉసే హి ఇస్ ది ఓన్లీ ఒనె తాత ఇస్ ఇన్ కంట్రోల్.

Radical dreams or Radical living.

"Radical dreams make us radically dependent. When we are engaged in what God has called us to do, every part of our spiritual life comes alive. There's a reason to grow, we have a compelling reason to pray, to stay in close contact with our Leader and Guide when we walk unfamiliar, threatening paths. There's a strong drive for fellowship, allies, and friends, close at hand because what God calls us to do we can't do alone. There's an undeniable need for worship, a clear vision of who God is and His commitment to meet our every need as we walk with Him into the future. Dreams make us aware of resources. We discover resources we may not have known we had." When we find our "true north", the "stirring of God", the “desire of our heart,” our "why", our "truest desire and created intension" our spiritual life comes alive. We become very needy in an exciting way. I have heard some say that only going to God when you need Him is self-centered and immature. But, the core issue is not the frequency of going to God, rather our frequency of needing God. Too many of us live God-less lives, lives that do not require God in any way. That kind of life makes Him optional. There are two types of lives: a dull, mundane life and a transcendent special life. These two types of lives have nothing to do with the family we where brought into, nor the education we received, nor the situation we find our self in. It has to do with the story we believe is going on around us. When we refer to life as being mundane we see it as being ordinary and meaningless. The word mundane means worldly, common, unimaginative and in a way, all of life can seem like that. After all, what have we done or are we doing that has not been done before? Transcendent or special means "going beyond ordinary limits; beyond the ordinary range of perception." In other words, there is more going on than we pick up on and our actions are more meaningful, more important than we understand at the moment. Having the perception that your life is mundane will kill you; it will dull your heart. We will be counted among those that Jesus described, "You will keep on hearing, but will not understand; You will keep on seeing, but will not perceive; For the heart of this people has become dull." (Matt. 13:14, 15) On the other hand, we will not lose heart if "we do not look for things that can be seen but for things that cannot be seen. For things that can be seen are temporary, but things that cannot be seen are eternal." 2 Cor. 4:18 (ISV) There is nothing like perceiving the important realities of your life and understanding that the glory of your life goes beyond ordinary limits. Every action in your life has an effect on everything else, an effect on things unseen. This is why the daily consecration of our life is essential. Consecration means to set something apart for divine purposes. In other words, we declare that everything we do this day, every decision we make, every action we take, every conversation we have, every thought we think, everything we offer is solely for the purpose of God. This is a life of transcendence, a special life. When we live this way we have taken the first step in discovering and understanding our calling, our unique glory, our place in The Story. Then we joyfully and unapologetically go to God throughout the day because we need and want Him. "There's a reason to grow, we have a compelling reason to pray, to stay in close contact with our Leader and Guide when we walk unfamiliar, threatening paths." "There's a strong drive for fellowship, allies, and friends, close at hand, because what God calls us to do we can't do alone." "There's an undeniable need for worship, a clear vision of who God is and His commitment to meet our every need as we walk with Him into the future." And He meets those every needs because He loves you.

An Honest Dollar For A Honest Day's Labor

An honest dollar for an honest day's labor? When does that happen? Maybe where you work but I don't see it in many folk. It appears that we should ask employees if they are willing to take "this much" to do "this." Why not say if you get this job this is what we expect from you. When did we cross the line where we have to tell some one what the minimum we expect from them. If you want the job then do the job. Do what you are getting paid for. Don't say stuff like "I don't do that." Don't challenge authority, good grief! It's a question of doing what is right.
Jesus was questioned about paying taxes once. He asked for a coin and ask whose picture was on it. The people answered Ceasar's. Jesus told them "then give to Ceasar what is Ceasar is due but give to God what God is due (the Walden translation)." The way I see it Jesus' way is the "RIGHT" way, so don't short those who have authority over you on the "job".

It's not a money thing, it's an honor and an acceptance of authority thing. So read into that this, if you aren't going to do your job after you are given the job then I will question your "honor" and certainly your "character."

If you don't mind people thinking that way about you, then short cut your boss and the organization you work for.

"Character is hard to hide."

Charles Stanley Speaks Out, GO CHARLIE GO!!!!

This is a note that i got from a friend that was written by Charles Stanley.

"I was very dismayed when recently a member of my Church said to me with great resignation that she was afraid Obama will take the presidency. These words came from someone that in the past has been a great prayer warrior. What is happening was my question??? Why are we Christians settling for the loss of our Christian heritage, not issuing a battle cry and falling to our knees and taking our country back? We allow ourselves to be stripped of the right to pray at school functions and in school, we have the Ten Commandments removed from government places and are told we cannot pray publicly or proclaim Christian principles, all the while providing public prayer places for Muslims. We allow Muslim mosques to operate in America funded by Saudi Arabia, and proclaim anti-American, anti-Christian threats and terrorism. What in the world is going on and why are we being so apathetic? Why aren't we praying? Our God is an Almighty God who is waiting patiently for us to raise our voices to heaven to stop the tide of the anti-Christian actions in our world today. Now we have a charismatic, albeit inexperienced, candidate for president that does not respect our flag and ref uses to wear one on his lapel except when it becomes politically expedient, and whose own wife and pastor that he loves profess to have strong anti-white feelings, and we sit back and say 'it is a given, we can do nothing???' There has never been a time in 2000 years that we can do nothing, never a time that we must sit back and allow the evil in men's and women's hearts to take over our world! We should be afraid, very afraid because our apathy is leading us to perdition. It is time for all Christian Americans to raise the battle cry and take our nation back! Maybe McCain on his own cannot defeat Obama, but our God can and He will if we take to our knees in prayer and raise a mighty cry to t he heavens to 'Save us O Lord'. We have God's promises in 2 Chronicles 7:14, 'If my people who are called by my name humble themselves, pray, seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land.' We have the power to change the course of this election and to keep a man as suspect as Barak Obama from leading our country to who knows where with his message of 'change'; a change which I fear will be away from our Christian ideals, and away from Christ, and further away from one nation under God to one nation under Allah. We are great at passing stories and pictures around the internet but where are our prayers and prayer warriors praying to stop this tide of Barak Obama? God parted the Red Sea, Jesus was raised from the dead, and we can bring our country back to its Christian roots and stop the undermining of our country by Muslims. We can stop our country from being 'under Allah' but we must begin to pray, to pray as our country and our lives depended on it because they do. We can stop all these atrocities against God's commands that have taken root in our country through something as simple as sincere prayer, a call to God to deliver us, to forgive us our sins of apathy and to protect us from the evil that is upon us. Okay prayer warriors, here is your challenge, start those prayer chains. Get the spiritual power working on our behalf and stop Barak Obama the proper way, by calling on our God to save us from the deception that charismatic preaching is using to lead us on the wrong path. Stop those who would take God out of our country and our government. Raise up good men to lead us and protect us. George Bush is being buffeted because he has fought a holy war against the evils that attack us ... and we should not be surprised because a prophet is not honored in his own country. But we should not rest on our laurels and allow ourselves to be taken further off the path of Christianity and to have God removed from our presence in our schools, courts, government and businesses. Invite God into the fray. Ask that His power rest upon us and give us the victory. Ask him to raise up a mighty army t o defend us and to protect our country as he did in days of old. Let us be victorious beginning NOW. The battle is His but we must call on Him without ceasing and unite our voices and hearts in prayer and fasting.

911 OR 411

We are so quick to call 911 to get help and of course there are times when you need to dial 911 with out delay. I've heard some of those calls on the TV sometimes or read them on the net where some idiot has called 911 for some stupid reasons. There's this one where a girl (I'm sure she is a blonde, she's got to be) any way, she is inside her car and has called 911 because her battery has run down and she is panicing because her doors are locked. You guessed it, power door locks. The operator asks if she could pull the door lock knob on the door up. Of course she could and you can hear her blushing. Daaaaaaaaaaaaaa!

We are like that in our relationship with God. When we think we are in trouble we "911" Him to answer our prayers and get us out of trouble. So much do we do this that we loose sight that He is always there and loves us so much that He tells us he will provide for our everything. That is where 411 comes in. We need to be "411ing" God regularly to get what we need to handle the "911" situations.

There's a lot in His WORD that can prepare us for any and all situations but unless we have dug into what He has said "WE DON'T KNOW." We don't have it. "You have not because you ask not." I like to say if you want to know what God's will is then you will have to know WHAT GOD WOULD WILL. Now, that will sneak up on you so you need to read it again. If you want to know God's will, you need to know what God would will.

We need to dial "411" more so we don't need "911" so much.

Where dat money gone?

Boy, was I confused. I have been hammered with the propaganda that it is the Iraq war and the war on terror that is bankrupting us. I now find that to be RIDICULOUS.

I hope the following 14 reasons help you understand a little bet better about where the money is going. The URL's for verification is included.

1. $11 Billion to $22 billion is spent on welfare to illegal aliens each year by state governments.
Verify at:
http://tinyurl.com/zob77

2. $2.2 Billion dollars a year is spent on food assistance programs such as food stamps, WIC, and free school lunches for illegal aliens.
Verify at:
http://www.cis.org/articles/2004/fiscalexec.html

3. $2.5 Billion dollars a year is spent on Medicaid for illegal aliens.
Verify at:
http://www.cis.org/articles/2004/fiscalexec.html

4. $12 Billion dollars a year is spent on primary and secondary school education for children here illegally and they cannot speak a word of English!
Verify at: http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0604/01/ldt.0.html

5. $17 Billion dollars a year is spent for education for the American-born children of illegal aliens, known as anchor babies.
Verify at:
http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0604/01/ldt.01.html

6. $3 Million Dollars a DAY is spent to incarcerate illegal aliens.
Verify at:
http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0604/01/ldt.01.html

7. 30% percent of all Federal Prison inmates are illegal aliens.
Verify at:
http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0604/01/ldt.01.html

8. $90 Billion Dollars a year is spent on illegal aliens for Welfare & social services by the American taxpayers.
Verify at:

http://premium.cnn.com/TRANSCIPTS/0610/29/ldt.01.html

9. $200 Billion dollars a year in suppressed American wages are caused by the illegal aliens.
Verify at:
http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0604/01/ldt.01.html

10.The illegal aliens in the United States have a crime rate that's two and a half times that of white non-illegal aliens. In particular, their children are going to make a huge additional crime problem in the US.
Verify at:
http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0606/12/ldt.01.html

11.During the year of 2005 there were 4 to 10 MILLION illegal aliens that crossed our Southern Border also, as many as 19,500 illegal aliens from Terrorist Countries. Millions of pounds of drugs, cocaine, meth, heroin and marijuana, crossed into the U. S from the Southern border.
Verify at:
Homeland Security Report, http://tinyurl.com/t9sht

12.The National policy Institute, ‘estimated that the total cost of mass deportation would be between $206 and $230 billion or an average cost of between $41 and $46 billion annually over a five year period.
Verify at:
http://www.nationalpolicyinstitute.org/pdf/deportation.pdf

13. In 2006 illegal aliens sent home $45 BILLION in remittances to their countries of origin.
Verify at:
http://www.rense.com/general75/niht.htm

14. The Dark Side of Illegal Immigration: Nearly One million sex crimes Committed by Illegal Immigrants In The United States.’
Verify at:
www.drdsk.com/articleshtml

The total cost is a whopping $ 338.3 BILLION DOLLARS A YEAR.

Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm. I see now.

Homecoming ghosts?

Last night I attended the final night of a homing coming revival at Daniel Memorial Baptist Church. It has become a tradition in for this church have this type of event yearly. I think they first started this to try to get some folk who had left this "faith family" to return and maybe to show some people that they still existed.

This is the church I grew up in and my children grew up in so for me this church means a lot. The family of faith is filled with people who were heroes to me because of their examples and their friendship. It provided opportunities to minister to those of need inside and outside to a yong guy that desired to be of service for Christ. Lots of great memories of successes for Christ and wonderful people.

As my Libby began to sing, which always brings a joy to my heart, I began to cry. Yep, I mean the wet kinda crying, that outside, people looking at you kind of crying. Oh, the song was great, better than great, and as she stood at the Holy desk I began to see and feel ghosts of people like Johnny "Kornflakes" Wharton, Cliff Wilson, H L Hutchinson. All great examples for a young guy to model his life after. In front of all those great men was the ghost of a chubby man with silver hair wearing wing tip shoes and thin nylon socks. This guy had on a smile that you could not forget and when he spoke it was a rarity that the topic didn't contain some spiritual lesson or truth that could make life in this world more barable. As my Libby continued to sing those guys began to gather together and while smiling a smile that shown clear of love and admiration they began hug each other. Finally the silver headed guy with the front porch hair style pointed his finger one more time at those who had come to worship. Hemoved that finger across the entire room as to say "see, I told you all this was a special place that God would use."

The song ended and once again the words of a Malone began to bless those who had come out leaving their TVs to worship together and hopefully to see an old friend that they hadn't seem in a long time. This time it was the son of that silver haired man stood to proclaim the gospel. The impact of a father was very evident.

I miss that guy. My best of "friends", my brother, my mentor, my hero. I called him my "Heavy." This world was a much better place when he was in it.

Diabetes? Just for you.

Good day and good numbers to all my diabetic friends. I've got some good news for you. Is your meter old or just to big to tote around? Check out the One Touch UltraMini. Go to www.TryOneTouch.com and you can get a new meter FREE! It's a cutie too. I got the green one only because they don't have a glow in the dark one.


Really it is FREE! Enter this code DM_SAV01 and it's free. Now don't ever say i didn't do something for you. Get it! IT IS FREE!!

What would MLK say?

Sorry but i can't help but share things that i fine important for everyone to hear. Martin Luther King Jr. is a strong figure in our history that made a large difference in many mnay peoples lives. His legency continues today to all young people, not only children of color. I have a high respect for what he accomplished and think if he had not been killed we would all be better off.
this article speaks alot to how he might see things now.


What would MLK say?
by Marcia Segelstein Visit Marcia Segelstein's blog
The candidacy of Barack Obama cast a spotlight on his pastor and mentor, the Rev. Jeremiah Wright. Seeing and hearing some of what Rev. Wright preached from his pulpit was a revelation of sorts to me. Call me naïve, but I was unaware of the undercurrent of anti-white sentiment that ran through churches like Trinity, and found voice in ministers like Wright.

Throughout history, much evil has been perpetrated in the name of Christianity. And there is no denying the racism and hatred that black people have suffered at the hands of whites in the past and in my lifetime. Nonetheless I was shocked that in 21st-century America people who called themselves Christians could act in such a way and expect to get away with it. White racists like David Duke are duly villified by the media. Black racists – well, there aren't any I guess. In Denver this year, we watched as a black man accepted the Democratic Party's nomination for the presidency. And while I don't agree with Senator Obama's political views or his stand on virtually every social issue, it was a moment of historic significance. It was a moment that should have made all Americans – black and white – proud.


Denver was host to another historic convention back in 1956. That year, the Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr. delivered a sermon at the National Baptist Convention there which, according to eyewitness accounts, gripped the crowd of thousands. The sermon was called "Paul's Letter to American Christians," and King would deliver it again a few months later from his pulpit at the Dexter Avenue Baptist Church nine days before the Supreme Court declared Alabama bus segregation unconstitutional. In this sermon, King reads an imaginary letter from the Apostle Paul written to Christians in America. Here is a portion of it:
"There is another thing that disturbs me to no end about the American church. You have a white church and you have a Negro church. You have allowed segregation to creep into the doors of the church. How can such a division exist in the true Body of Christ? You must face the tragic fact that when you stand at eleven o'clock on Sunday morning to sing 'All Hail the Power of Jesus' Name' and 'Dear Lord and Father of All Mankind,' you stand in the most segregated hour of Christian America. They tell me that there is more integration in the entertaining world and other secular agencies than there is in the Christian church. How appalling that is."
He goes on:
"So I would urge each of you to plead patiently with your brothers, and tell them this isn't the way. With understanding goodwill, you are obligated to seek to change their attitudes....Always be sure that you struggle with Christian methods and Christian weapons. Never succumb to the temptation of becoming bitter. As you press on for justice, be sure to move with dignity and discipline, using only the weapon of love. Let no man pull you so low as to hate him."
The Rev. Jeremiah Wright's preaching bears little resemblance to the Christian message King was preaching during much more difficult times for blacks in this country. Wright preaches that "white man's greed runs a world in need." Wright preaches that "the government gives them [blacks] the drugs, builds bigger prisons, passes a three-strike law [and] then wants us to sing 'God Bless America.' No, no, no. Not God Bless America, God d--- America!" Wright declares from the pulpit, "Who cares about what a poor black man has to face every day in a country and a culture controlled by rich white people....Jesus was a poor black man who lived in a country and who lived in a culture that was controlled by rich white people. The Romans were rich. The Romans were Italians, which means they were European which means they were white!" After the attacks of September 11, Wright preached that "America's chickens are coming home to roost," because "we have supported state terrorism against the Palestinians and black South Africans" and "the stuff we have done overseas is now brought right back into our own front yard." We brought it on ourselves. Wright gives a lifetime achievement award to Louis Farrakhan, who openly proclaims his anti-Semitism, calling Judaism a "gutter religion" and Hitler "a very great man." Martin Luther King stood up for blacks, fought against racism and segregation, and ultimately gave his life for those causes. He also preached the gospel of Jesus Christ, not a gospel of victimhood and hatred. I cannot say what he might think of Jeremiah Wright. But there is no denying what he preached. This is from one of King's sermons called "Rediscovering Lost Values":
"[W]e have adopted a sort of pragmatic test for right and wrong – whatever works is right....No matter what you do, just do it with a bit of finesse. You know, a sort of attitude of the survival of the slickest....It's all right to lie, but lie with dignity. It's all right to steal and to rob and extort, but do it with a bit of finesse. It's even all right to hate, but just dress your hate up in the garments of love and make it appear that you are loving when you are actually hating."

The New Improved USA?

It seems to me that this election will prove in time to be the turning point for us all. If McCain is elected, no matter what his beliefs and policies, will the Democratic congress work with him or stone wall tell another election. Is it a thing of "if we can't do it my way i take my ball and go home." now i realize that today most people can't understand that analogy because today there are lots of folk that make balls of all kind and there are more folk that will give other a ball "just cause." Maybe they think that if they give you A ball then you'll owe them something. Who knows where we are headed. If Obama is elected does that mean that we are all "saved." Does what he say mean that we are just a heart beat away from peace and tranquility. I got this email today and it speaks volumes.

"Should We Pull Out Of Chicago?

A little ACORN can grow into a rotting tree.Perhaps the U.S. should pull out of Chicago!Body count in the last six months:292 killed (murdered) in Chicago; 221 in Baghdad.Chicago? Who runs it?Senators: Barack Obama & Dick Durbin,Rep: Jesse Jackson Jr.Illinois Gov: Rod Blogojevich,Illinois House leader Mike Madigan,Illinois Atty. Gen. Lisa Madigan (daughter of Mike),Chicago Mayor Richard M. Daley (son of Mayor Richard J.Daley).Our leadership in Illinois.....all Democrats.Thank you for the combat zone in Chicago. Of course they are all blaming each other!Can't blame Republicans; there aren't any!State pension fund $44 Billion in debt, worst in country.Cook County (Chicago) sales tax 10.25% highest in country.(Look 'em up if you want).Chicago school system rated one of the worst in the country.This is the political culture that Obama comes from in Illinois and he's gonna 'fix' Washington politics for us!"

Good grief! that's pretty extreme. Yes I did say it. I don't think it it's Obama's fault that Chicago is the way it is, but it also speaks to his representation and leadership in that state.

GET OUT AND VOTE AND THEN SHUT YO MOUTH AND SUPPORT THE RED, WHITE AND BLUE, NOT THE JACK ASS OR ELEPHANT AND NOT THE BLACK OR WHITE.

MOST IMPORTANT ELECTION IN HISTORY

The point in my history that I remember most vivid would be when JFK was shot and killed. I know right where I was standing when my elementary teacher told my class. I didn't understand the gravity of what had happened until I was in high school and signed up for "the draft". I lost several friends in Vietnam an didn't want to go and die in some foreign land but I was willing. Lucky for me that Johnson screw us and tied our military's hands so there was nothing else to do but take a knee. If JFK had not been killed I'm convinced that things in "NAM" would have gone different and things would be much different today. This time in our history is an extremely important time for us. It is a point that will determine where our future will go, left or right. Now I'm more of a middle person, the middle being what is right to do. Our elected officials today, in my opinion, do not speak for the people but for their personal beliefs. Where is the will of the people gone??

I would like to share part of an article that i received today that speaks very loud to my "personal" thoughts on this election.

"The upcoming election is the most critical election in the history of our nation. The very future of our nation’s foundation is at stake. Every person will be affected. If the liberals win, then our foundation will no longer be based on the traditional Judeo-Christian morality. It will gradually but assuredly be based on an ever shifting, ever moving foundation. If the liberals win, the damage can’t be stopped with elections two, four or forty years from now. America will forever be changed. We will keep seeing a gradual and growing hostility toward people of faith, especially Christians. The morals of our nation will continue to decline. Our children and grandchildren will pay the price.
In case you may think I’m a “the sky is falling” type of person, you should know: When it comes to predictions, I am a very reserved person. But not on this one. I cannot overstate the damage a liberal victory will do to our country. The upcoming election is the most important in the history of our nation. Yes, if the liberals win you will lose some of your religious freedoms and free speech rights. Churches and pastors will not be exempt. You will not be allowed to say certain things about a particular group. Every item of the homosexual agenda will be approved. All the laws protecting the unborn will be wiped away.
I cannot overemphasize the importance of the Nov. 4 election. That is why I urge you to vote and encourage your family members, friends, Sunday School class and church members to vote. America’s future – the future of your children and grandchildren – is at stake.

You must make your own decision but I have made my decision and will be voting for McCain. Although I do not agree with everything that Mr. McCain says I can not take a chance on my grand child, William the Great's, future being filled with a lot of anti Christian "stuff" that will only create a more sinful nation lost in misdirection by a person who associates with those in the world that are evil. I don't think he will have to live off the nation and I don't want him to have to pay for a bunch of light weight people who are brought up to think that the nation is going to take care of them no matter what. I want those people to get up off their mostly fat butts and work. I work for me and mine, how about you.

GO VOTE, LET'S MAKE A CHANGE BUT THE RIGHT ONE!

ABOUT THE PICTURE

THIS IS MY BOY SPECK. Speck was a pup from my "Cleo", a most wonderful Basset Hound. Speck had quite a few brothers and sisters, all of which went to good homes but not speck. Speck was pushed back by his mother because he had "somethings" wrong with him. You'd never know it by looking at him and not just being left pawed I found him where she had left him to die. Speck was a very good friend of mine and we shared many good times laying on the floor watching TV together. He was a vey good listener. I could share my feeling when i was depressed and afraid to tell anyone else. Speck went blind late in life. You can see the right eye in the picture is cloudy. This picture was taken in our back yard. Soon after this time I determined that Speck was blind in both eyes. I selfishly did not put him to sleep because he was giving me so much love and time. Speck learned to make it around the house and yard with no problem. He was still able to live a good live and we gave him plenty of love. I told you he was special. You can see too that he had some trouble with his back. The day came when his back got to bad and he couldn't get up so that morning I took him to a "Vet" and allowed him to move on. I will see you again my friend Speck. I love you and honor you with this posting of your picture. I miss that "big ole nose".

Obama & McCain...What's you Say?!?!

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Time for another falsehood?

I received another e-mail today about Mr. Obama but this one has "stuff" about Mr. McCain also. YOU NEED TO SEE THIS.

OK, I must confess this comes from one of those radical groups, The American Family Association.

http://www.afa.net/pdfs/08VG_print.pdf

NOBAMA

I had forgotten that I had posted a little thing about Mr. Obama relating to his relationship to law enforcement and folks in uniform but I was reminded of it today when I received a comment from an anonymous commenter. "The Commenter" states "you should be ashamed at yourself for reproducing it."

Now you have to get the full picture so let me give it to you. This is what "the Commenter" has to say: Blog entitled Obama in Battle Creek or something like that if you care to go back and read it, I didn't.
"This would be almost believable if the author didn't know that the third word in the name of the organization is "Officers", not "Officer's". (no possessive!)So let Jason Kern come forth - MTOA has no record of him and this is not reproduced on the MTOA website! Another fiction aimed at Obama - you should be ashamed at yourself for reproducing it. Why not go back to the old rumor about McCain's out-of-wedlock black child from 2000 in South Carolina? Spread courtesy of W.'s henchmen, of course! "

Well "the commenter" let me say this to you and any others that feel that they need to comment. PLEASE DO! That's what America is all about. Look, this is politics if you didn't care to pull you head out to see. There's no real place for you or me because we don't have the money to pay our way into office and why would we. Somebody has to work! It is not about one person either, whether it is Obama or McCain. It is about the People of the United States of America. The ones that are alive and the ones who are dead, dead, dead. The ones like my Dad, who is dead now but gave time and sacrifice in Europe to fight the Germans. The ones like my uncle who died in a forest in Germany. His body still lies on a hill in France, far far away from his home and family in Tishimingo County Mississippi. Yep, small town folk, the backbone of our nation.

It is no secret that I will be voting for someone different than Mr. Obama, but it won't be because of his race, his relationship with the military or any person in uniform, not because of his association with a certain "pastor" that preaches hate or even his Muslim background. Not even because of his lack of experience or shady associations with people outside the USA. I could and it might be easy for many to select any one of these things to use as justification to vote for another person instead of Mr. Obama but I simply choose to vote the way I think is best and let others do the same. It is no one else's business. I CAN NOT BE BOUGHT AND MY MIND IS MINE TO USE AS I HAVE TRANSFORMED IT BY THE RENEWING OF IT DAILY IN A WALK WITH THE GOD OF THE UNIVERSE, THE CREATOR. Christ was once confronted by a certain leader about his power. Christ statement to him was "You have power because God allows you to have power." Who ever wins the office of President of the United States of America will have assume power and authority but it will all have come from the all powerful God of the universe. If it were me I would be careful how I used it and I would make sure as my friend "Reverend Platt" of the Church of Brookhills in B'Ham AL might say "feed the poor and cloth the needy or something bad might happen to ya."

By the way, "the commenter" if I come up with some other titbits to post related to Mr. Obama, be ready for them and I'll be ready for your comments.

Oh, one more thing please excuse my grammar and spelling. Sometimes I get excited and hit the wrong key or something. You might want to check your writting too because I think it should say "you should be ashamed "of" and "at". Of course I'm just splitting hairs now, aren't I.