Almost Home.

Well, the plan is for the group to get a little more sight seeing and then da plan. We all meet at "Seven Mile Beach" to finally see the "beach". Of course Libby and I had been there already but that was fine too. Looks like everybody is at the holiday celebration down town. They have some kind of holiday every month and this one was called "Heroes" holiday. There was no shortage of holidays and certainly no shortage of those who would celebrate. Well, after a nice walk on the beach and a few more purchases, right LIBBY! I did some interviews with my camera. BIG FUN! I did some with a big boat full of folk going snorkeling. The Cutie girl was from South Africa. Seeing the world going from place to place. She is coming to the USA next.



I checked out the people on the boat. These guys were from all over. Some from I don't know where because they would tell me in a language I could understand, how rude. There were some from a country known as "Peensyvania", never been there before, but it must have been very cold from what they said.



OK, load up and to da plane. Check in and customs was smooth and the duty free shops were interesting. Lunch was another island delight, HOT DOG! Good Grief! Anyway up and away to Atlanta USA. Right over Cuba, I asked. It made me want to good back and flush the toilet over Castro's house but I didn't. That reminds me of one big disappointment of the trip. I forgot to go to the air toilet. Never done that and who knows i may have missed out now. Libby says that I said I would go to New York on another mission trip, I'm not sure when I did that but I don't argue with the boss. That may give me another chance at the air toilet. Not that I could actually make a profession of faith there but I could at least take a look. Anyway, customs in Atlanta was much more interesting. especially since I had brought back some giant seed pods that came from Gram's yard. (Hey Gram) Not like the kind in those science fiction movies, but pretty big, like 18". I confessed to having them and therefore our bags were searched and the pods taken. I had an interesting talk with the ladies that did the searching and that was fun but lost my pods, right. NO! when I got home and unpacked there was one left. I know that sweet lady left me one, I just know it and come spring I will plant a tree in her honor and of course Gram's.

You notice I haven't mentioned the bump da dump any more. I are a "veteran plane rider" now and i hardly notice the dump da dump when we arrived to the "air plant" Jackson, Mississippi. Home but already missing Beth, Reggie, Max, Rico, and all my Caymanian Friends. Maybe God will allow me to go back some day and see them again. Maybe make a dive, who knows.

God bless those of the Cayman Islands and the Cayman Baptist Church. Thank you my friends. I've left a piece of my heart with you.

LOVE BIG BOB.

I can run but not hide.

Well, I think I have shared before that I suffer with depression. It's a disease. I haven't found a cure but I have tried to find some relief by reading and asking professionals questions. I take some medications but that is only a temporary thing. With depression you never know when things will change. You may be fine one minute and the next, well it is like driving late at night in an area where there are no lights. There is a little fog which puts you on alert but one minute your lights are reaching into the darkness and you feel confident about where you are going and then BAM! the fog gets heavy and a wall of white comes up in front of you. You know the road is there but for how far. That uneasiness sets in and doubts flood you entirely. It's not easy to describe depression because it affects folk differently.

I discovered that I had depression in 1993, when I was forced to be acting principal at Wingfield high school. For those of you that are that old or forgot, that is the school where the world thought Bishop Knox was suspended from duties for allowing the students to pray over the intercom when in all actuality he was suspended for not following directives from the superintendent. It was a very tough time and that is when I was diagnosed with depression and given medication to help. I realized at that time that I had experienced depression for a long time. I gave up a year of eligibility to play football at State because of depression. I had contemplated suicide when I was in college because of depression. I missed a lot of good relationships in college because of depression. There's this commercial on TV that says "who does depression hurt? Everybody." Just in the last year my thoughts of being worthless and a problem for my family lead to me making a plan and trying to follow through with that plan to end my life. I've hurt the ones I love most because of depression. I take medicines for depression. I go to a counselor, who has saved my life twice. I pray about my depression several times a day.

Now if there is a cure I haven't found it but the struggle goes on to live a life experiencing some joy and peace. My joy comes from doing good stuff and serving others but most from those who I love most in this world.

I'm a person of faith. I love Jesus Christ with my heart. I want more of Christ every day, but even that seems to be hindered by an emotional clamp. Depression can be a real "hell" in this world for anyone who experiencing it. It is one of those things that you can run from but you can't hide. It is a constant battle that has to be fought and the battles are filled with strategies to keep those that you love most from suffering along with you.

Comfort comes from those who love me and in my faith knowing that Christ is sufficient for all our needs.

Sunday Morning in the Caymans

Awake and ready for worship at the Caymans Baptist Church. We arrive early because the "One Voice" group had to practice some. I felt a little sad because this was a mission trip and I hadn't done anything that to me was "mission-like". I decided that if there was not anything else for me to do I could welcome people to church, so I did. Great time! met lots of folk and from all kind of places. South Africa, Canada, Philippines, Cuba, England, Missouri to name a few. Really fun. Now I hadn't counted on the temperature and the fancy pants I had on having a conflict but when i went bad into the church I had great big wet spots down my thighs. Good Grief! It looked like I'd had a wet baby on my lap! I could just imagine what I looked like from the back, which is where most folk could see me from. Good service, Chuck Kelly did the message. He's from the New Orleans Seminary. I gave him a 7.6 over all. The thing that impressed me most was the opening prayer that was given by a man known by all members and who was a founder. There was nothing special about his words but you could see this man's heart as he walked to the stage. One tear, then another came down his face and as he pray a blessing on that new building the tears rolled down his face. You could see the miracle in his face. GLORY! I tell you there was not a greater message given in word or song than the one that this man gave as he opened his heart up for all to see. WOW, GLORY TO GOD!

OK, off to lunch with Beth, our hostess, and "Gram" her mother. Such a sweet lady. You could see where Beth got her sweet spirit from. Lunch was dynamite. There wasn't anything that wasn't wonderful. Gram made real homemade mac and cheese! It was great. I hadn't had anything that good in a long time. Beth's brother and wife were there too and they are some fine folk. I tell you I haven't met anyone that was not a nice person and the love of that faith family was so strong and visible. After lunch Beth took us back to her house and we walked to "Seven Mile Beach." This beach had sand, well some sand and a whole bunch of native type people playing volley ball! at least 5 games going on at that one time. I walked out a ways in the water and COLD! well, not that cold. Probably 72 but wow beautiful water. If you stepped on the rock you knew it. Tough on the feet, real tough. On the way we saw a bright green iguana crossing the rode. I can't get over the iguanas and chichens that just wander around. They say you can eat both, both! Well, I guess if you put enough ketsup on something anyone will eat it, maybe not.

Back for the concert and it went well, but the Caymans Baptist Church is maintaining the baptist tradition of having most of the congregation staying home on sunday nights.

After the concert we were back at Beth's to enjoy more fellowship and to pack because tomorrow we would be headed back to the reality of Mississippi.

DAY TWO IN PARADISE?

With three vans we had thought that we would have three options to choose from for the day's activities. Snorkeling, sight seeing, eats, etc... Well, didn't work out the way I thought it would. I really wanted to make a dive. I love SCUBA. If not a dive then let's go snorkel with the "rays". I was the only one who wanted to do this. The only one! and of course that would create problems because there was not enough transport to carry everyone to the places they wanted to go and me to where I needed to go. Reluctantly I went with the crowd. First stop "St. Pedro's Castle". Early in the life of the island nation there were the "big houses" where the family live and managed there slaves. Kinda like a plantation in the south. Beautiful surroundings and it excited me to be standing where the few men made the plans for a new nation and were the proclamation was read to free all from slavery on the three islands. You almost loose the magic of the events because of the beauty of the flowers and unique plants. The man that shared the importance of each area of the house was a direct descendant of the first family on the island. Folk that live on the Caymans are called Caymanians. They are descendants of the families on the island or of a great importance that they are granted resident status. Every one else is either a tourist like me or a 7 year person. You can stay on the islands for 7 years but after that you have to leave for a year before you can return! Really. I met lots of folk that were due to rotate off the island. One poor English girl was going to leave in a few months but didn't want to go because she had gotten a dog as a pup and now was very close to him. Yes, she could take him with her when she left but it would cost $5,000! POOR GIRL! I tell you Randi would have a ticket right beside me on the plane. I couldn't and wouldn't leave my boy behind. Many of these folk are hired by some company and then when their time is up they send them home and hire some more. I met a bunch of guys from the Philippines. They had been hired to work at a restaurant and were about to go home.
Next we when to lunch at a place called the "light house." Right on the water, beautiful. We actually saw some turtles swimming in the surf.

Good grief, I just couldn't get use to everyone driving on the wrong side of the road. Last night, dark dark dark, when we were driven home I sat in the front seat and was about to mess myself! Cars coming at me and those round-abouts LORD watch over me. I finally closed my eyes. Libby thought it was funny. Ha Ha Libby Ha Ha.

Anyway after lunch we went to the botanical gardens and oh my, beautiful flowers everywhere! I mean every where. All colors, all sizes, vines, trees, shrub, in the water, on a tree, coming out of a rock everywhere. Blue Iguana, big lizard animals, are found only on this island and we werelucky to see several of different size and color. Very cool. Quite a hike, ha ha Libby ha ha. Libby thought we were lost. Ha ha. Anyway we finally made it back to the visitor center 15 minutes before we were told to be back but all the others were ready to go or gone.

Shopping time. One place that was recommended was like they had everything that was made in China and Mexico. OK, not all but it looked that way. Another place was supposed to be a special place for black coral jewelry. The guy that ran it was called "Dr. Love". It was a shack with hundreds of pairs of panties hanging from the ceiling. Someone asked him what kind of doctor he was. His answer was "LOVE." Believe me, this guy was doctor of love. His claim to fame was jars of marbles on selves and the panties hanging from the ceiling. Poor guy. Well he did have some black coral jewelry. He said before it was outlawed to harvest the Black Coral he dove off the reef and collected enough for the next 15 years. OK...

OK back to the house for dinner. A fine meal that our hostess prepared. We always had fresh fruit. Wonderful fresh fruit so full of flavor that you could make a whole meal from the fruit. WOW what a meal, what a hostess. During and after the meal wonderful conversation was wonderful. We Libby and I learned more about Beth and her family. Beth is a Caymanian.

Any way, I came here on mission and I haven't found it yet. Maybe tomorrow as the Group sings in worship time.

Pearls

I must share a bit off the subject of the Great Caymans, but one of my coaches used to say to me, "Walden share a pearl of wisdom with the group." of course at that point in my life I din't have any wisdom so he would be qick to give us a lesson in life, one of his pearls of wisdom.

Take Spelling for an example. Spelling is highly over rated unless someone reads your stuff and says "good grief and he's in education!" Well, yes I am but I work in life acts and not in just words. Today was a successful day if not for only one thing, William "the 4th grader." This is William's second day as the alternative school. Yesterday he didn't get to school till after 10:00 Am because it took the police that long to catch him. Yep, he was run run running. When they finally got him they put him on a bus and brought him to me. William is about 4'8" but at least 100 pounds. Now I don't know what that says about the Jackson Police who were chasing him, but if he trips he has a good roll ahead of him before he stops. Could not get him to go to class. Just wouldn't and I ended up cuffing him to a pole in the gym, "the guest house." He really wasn't a problem but i couldn't take a chance that he would run off and get hurt. Today he came in around 9:00 AM and I sent him to the social workers. Hopefully one of those ladies who take him on as child of theirs for the time he would be with us and all would be fine. NOPE! NOPE! NOPE!! Less than an hour latter security brought him to me because he wouldn't go to class. Now get this picture. I'm sitting at my desk, William is standing in front of my desk, security has the handcuffs out ready to apply some loving on him, and two social workers are standing in the door, I guess to see what i would do. The air was tense and I began to beg William to please not make me do to him what i was going to have to do to him. "please don't make me be that other person, that has to handle problems in ways I don't like." You can read into that what ever you want, but I played the Daddy card. You know the one where you act loving till you have to beat the hell out of them card. Thank God I haven't gotten to that point yet but I do have a way of leaving an impression. "Let's make a deal. Just go to class and be good till lunch and then you can come back to see me and we'll talk." OK, lunch is about 2 1/2 hours away and then 4th graders go to gym. So I figured William would make it till lunch and then want to go to PE and by that time he would have made a friend and be OK for the rest of the day. Now I should have sold tickets to this because we have move from big assistant principal vs little round 4th grader to yes sir and no sir! The three people around the two of us were catching flies with their open mouths and I know one of them was in attend hoping I would fell with William.


Today success was not measured in whether a noun matched a verb or if "i" came before "e" but in a small change in a little 4th grader and a little patience. Jesus had a special place in his heart for the little children. For me success today was getting to be Jesus like for a few minutes with William. AND THAT MY FRIENDS IS THE BOTTOM LINE AND A MOST ASTONISHING MIRACULOUS THING.

(By the way you don't have to check the spelling on those two words.)

Land There?!?!

BUMP! DA DUMP!!! OK, landing gear down and I look out the window. Where are we landing! All I see is water! Lots of water! and then there it is. The Grand Cayman Island comes into view and I think to my self, "Land there! Where?! is there enough room for a plane to land there?! Ok. it was one of the smaller of the three islands but let me tell you the "grand" in Grand Cayman doesn't refer to the size of the Island. Texas it ain't! There was no turning back now. I was planted on a 22 mile by 2 mile island for the next few days.

Now things get good. First thing I notice when we land is the temp, 72 degrees, mighty fine, and there is a constant breeze. The little airport is not very busy but as I walked down the steps from the plane I had flash backs to "Boss, de plane, de plane". There were two guys playing that Caribbean music! Unreal, "mon".

OK, check through customs was like locker check at school. If you wanted to get it in, "no problem mon." Now things really get tasty. We stand around for a while waiting for the vans they have been rented for us to get around in. I'm still going in and out of sleep city, remember the pill/s but I'm eyeing the vehicles. Funny looking vehicles. Squirrel cars! I could see me getting almost in most of them. Then our vans arrived and although they were "different" we did fit and we headed to the church. GOOD GRIEF!! everybody is driving on the wrong side of the street!!! Except us!!! I was very glad I wasn't driving and that I was in the back where I couldn't see the on coming traffic.

Very nice church . (I'll post pictures when I can down load them.) Met some people and then decide to eat. YES! Restaurant, fine food, and tropic atmosphere, right? WE WENT TO A GROCERY STORE! Yes, they had a deli. All kinds of funny foods. Funny looking, funny smelling, but I, brave soul that I am, had grilled fish and BBQ chicken. They were putting out fresh bread like our sliced bread in the plastic bags but this was HOT bread, fresh from the bakery.

We left there and went to the beach to eat. WOW! not what I expected. No sand, just rock! volcanic rock. The whole island is the tip off a volcano and that was the bases for the entire island. Now I like rocks, always have so I was excited to see this. There was a walkway over the rock to the eating area and yes I made Libby mad by getting down from the walkway and looking at the "beach". FANTASTIC!!!! chunks of the reef coral were every where. Even Brain coral! Yes I did collect some and yes they did make it back to Madison MS. The water is crystal clear, like I mean super clear. I'm sure I could see the objects on bottom clearly at 4-5 feet depth. The diver in me was crying out, "no matter the cost I gots to get in this!!" Beautiful, beautiful and the best was that I was sharing it with my wonderful best friend and wife. She never looked better in our lives. Thank you LORD!

OK, left there and went to a couple of other spots. I discovered that some places do have sand but it appears more like ground up reef, of course, that was what it was. BEAUTIFUL WATER.

Back to the church for supper where we had that famous Grand Cayman dish spaghetti and garlic bread. I was pretty good to but not as good as the people of the church that served us. Wonderful Christian brothers and sisters.

Well, needless to say we all were pooped out and ready to get to our homes and find a bed. I really wasn't expecting much but Libby and I were delivered to this beautiful home on a bay. Beth, our hostess was a most wonderful person and we grew close to one another quickly. She shared openly of her life and the lives of those around her. She had lost her husband not to long ago. He sounded like a real man of God that was a leader to this community. Living with her was Matty her 21 year old son, Reggie her "poodle?", Max the golden retriever who has thyroid problems, and a parrot. As i entered the bed room my faith in a loving God was reinforced with the presence of a king size bed!!!!! WOW WHAT A GOD!

Day one ends quickly.

4:00 AM!!! DAY ONE PART ONE

OK, I'm up but running on two hours sleep. Rookie world traveler that I am, I guess if this is the way it's supposed to be this might be the last time for this. I can't imagine why anyone would want to get up this early. Any way after checking one more time to see if I've got the required, remember, we're off. I have hard time understanding how my Libby can look so good this early n the morning. She has some powerful muscles in her face to smile that much.

Airport time. No problems right, all early in all no problems. GOOD GRIEF!!! electronic check in! Good grief! who's job was this? Aaaaa a human of the female kind. "Good morning. Sweetheart can you help me I haven't been through this course yet and at this time of the morning I don't imagine I'll do very well on the exam." I don't know what it is but that sweet lady got me ready to go and it was to the plane we go. row 25 seat A&B. OK, 16,17 man these seats look close together. 20,21 are they getting closer or is it me? 23,24 oh no, 25. GOOD GRIEF!!!!!! we're on a little people plane! Oh no and Troy, one of the nice members of the choir that happening to be pretty large is in 25C! LET US PRAY!!! Thank you LORD, Troy is allowed to move to another section that allowed him to have more room, about three times as much as I had planned to give him. I really wasn't feeling to well and I had decided to take a pill to settle me down, OK I decided on two. After all I never pay much attention to that droosey woosey warning. WE ARE OFF, HOLY ---- WE ARE OFF THE GROUND!!!! GOT TO BE MOVING AT MACH 1 I'M COMING TO SEE YOU HONEY, but wait there's my honey right next to me. Enjoying the view! Good grief woman don't you realize that we are leaving this world!!! Oh course she was looking fine as usual and yes it did have a calming affect on me. of course I was able to let go the vise-grip hold on the arms of my seat now. Seems to me that if we can send a man to the moon we could find a way to silence those banging sounds made by the landing gear when it closes or at less give those of us that would want some warning a little notice. You'd think I would sleep all the way to Atlanta, but Ok, almost because that pill, sorry, those pills kicked in and I went down. DEEP sleep from those pills too, but when your connecting flight is loading and you have to go way long way to get to it, you wake up pretty good.

Short ride from Jackson to Atlanta but to Caymans nearly 3 hours. OK this part is pretty foggy, remember the pill, oops pills. I do remember that the seats were not any bigger if not they were smaller, but as luck would have it there were some empty seats and good old Troy move again and we had plenty of room.  So soon after that bump from the landing gear coming up I was gone. I figured that was fine since I wouldn't have to stare out the window. I awakened to see land out the window and went i checked my watch I knew we weren't close to the Caymans. CUBA??? Yep.  Anyway after a while, one diet coke, two little bags of peanuts, and that bump of the landing gear going down we were in the Caymans "Mon".  

OK, enough for the first part of the first day.  More tomorrow.

ON MISSION, SUFFERING FOR JESUS: T Minus one day

One Voice is a musical group that my sweet wife sing with. They were invited to a church that the group went to several years back when the Baptist convention planted a church. So we committed to go back to sorta celebrate the opening of the new buildings. I usually don't make trips with the group but I promised my sweetie that I would go this time. So I'm going to try and blog my way through this mission so you can relate. I'm also going to provide you with words of wisdom related to "traveling" and "missioning."

T-Minus one day: I have not packed one thing but I have thought about what I will take. of course that doesn't mean that my sweetie will allow me to take the stuff I pack and certainly means that I will be taking stuff I don't think I will need that my sweetie says, so nicely, you're not going to wear that! get this! I'm only 56 years old. I'm so glad that I have some one to help me choose my clothes. TRAVEL POINT ONE: ALL YOU REALLY NEED IS #1. 2 PAIRS OF UNDERWEAR (ONE FOR WEARING AND ONE TO CHANGE INTO WHILE YOU WASH THE OTHER), #2. ONE PAIR DRESS PANTS, #3. ONE PAIR OF OTHER PANTS (OTHER PANTS CAN BE WHAT EVER YOU WANT, AS LONG AS YOUR SWEETIE DOESN KNOW), #4 A BUTTON UP SHIRT (I suggest white cause it can be dress or casual), #5. 2 T-SHIRTS (UNDER SHIRTS), #6. A COUPLE OF "SHORTS" (* VERY IMPORTANT BECAUSE YOU NEVER KNOW WHAT MAY PRESENT ITSELF (I suggest nylon gym short KINDA shorts, one of man's greatest inventions) #7. SMEAKERS, #8 ANOTHER PAIR OF SHOES (you know the ones that are comfortable but folks go "hmmmmmmmmm those might be dress shoes"). Now as far as clothes you should be set. Of coourse most places will have a Wal-mart some place if you decide you need something. *Remember this does not include the stuff your sweetie pack without you knowing it. That's why you had to pay extra for your bagage.

Now the hard part is over as far as packing because you know the other stuff are for survival. Bic Lighter (if you crash on and island you'll need to be able to make fire without lookingl ike a fool who has never watched LOST), I-Pod, computer, Bible, cameras, batteries, books, SNACKS! (remember LOST) etc...

OK, maybe more later but for now... Oh I didn't tell you where I'll be suffering and please pray for me because it's a small group of islands in the Carebean. Some place called Grand Caymon.

When in doubt, blame someone else.

I'm just trying to do my job. Been at it for 35 years now and I should write a book. There are principles and principals in education and then there are "parents." Now understand me, real parents were serious about kids before they were just an idea in their mind. Then there are "parents" that are on the wrong end of the... well they won't accept any responsibility for the development of a citizen that is not a drain on the tax paying good folk. At this point I want to make the point that Education is not day care or baby sitting. Educators are paid to educate not train a child to be obedient and courteous to those who have authority over them. So for all the true educators, not those who just pull a pay check, I'd like to say to all those people who talk down to teachers and principals like it is our fault your kids can't read or write when you don't check their homework, provide them proper materials, or behave like a mature adult in front of them. To you I want to say... "FORGET YOU!"

ALIENS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

From the L. A. Times
1. 40% of all workers in L. A. County ( L. A. County has 10.2 million people) are working for cash and not paying taxes. This is because they are predominantly illegal immigrants working without a green card.
2. 95% of warrants for murder in Los Angeles are for illegal aliens.
3. 75% of people on the most wanted list in Los Angeles are illegal aliens.
4. Over 2/3 of all births in Los Angeles County are to illegal alien Mexicans on Medi-Cal , whose births were paid for by taxpayers.
5. Nearly 35% of all inmates in California detention centers are Mexican nationals here illegally
6. Over 300,000 illegal aliens in Los Angeles County are living in garages.
7. The FBI reports half of all gang members in Los Angeles are most likely illegal aliens from south of the border.
8. Nearly 60% of all occupants of HUD properties are illegal.
9. 21 radio stations in L. A. are Spanish speaking.
10. In L. A. County 5.1 million people speak English, 3.9 million speak Spanish. (There are 10.2 million people in L. A. County . )

(All 10 of the above are from the Los Angeles Times)
Less than 2% of illegal aliens are picking our crops, but 29% are on welfare. Over 70% of the United States ' annual population growth (and over 90% of California , Florida , and New York ) results from immigration. 29% of inmates in federal prisons are illegal aliens.

Control yourself! Please!

We all have been there. Some person cuts you off in traffic, is going so slow that they may get a ticket for going slow, or the person who's on the cell and not paying any attention to what is going on around him.

Just want to say "HEY STUPID!!"

Well I have had all of the above today. and let me tell you i didn't just say HEY STUPID! shame on me but shouldn't people be aware that they live in a world with some other human beings. It could be like those two girls n day of the comet who drove all over as fast as they wanted without worrying about somebody stopping them. Last two chicks left on earth. No sweat, no one but you around. kinda like skinny dipping in Black Creek. no body else around right. Never mind those girl scouts on their canoe trip, OPPS. Any way you are not alone so give those of us who are impatient and do have other things to do beside riding in the car a break.

Just in case that doesn't work, "HEY STU-STU-STUPID. GET A LIFE!!!"

I didn't do it!

I didn't do nothing. A statement I hear many times a day. I didn't hit him, I didn't say that, I didn't do nothing.

It never stops! it seems to be the same old story from every one. Just once i want one of of the members of munchin land to say yes I did it and I'm prepared for the consequence. Just once would be nice. I think I would have to say go my son and sin no more. Or maybe I could say "how bout we let your parent take the consequence and maybe pay a fine." I'm sure it would be fine with the kid but mom or dad or pseudo- mom or pseudo-dad. Good grief! Who is in control of the youth today. Good question, right? Who wants to be? Obama maybe. Clearly the Government hands its claws in them. Here a check there a check.

I have a 16 year old girl with three children! What is up with that?! Where was mom and dad when that was "a happening." Why should I have to wonder about my future when I have gotten a check for nothing and where do you get those $100 jeans with somebody's face inked into them that don't fit!

It's not a race thing, but it is a responsibility thing. God tells us to take care of the sick, dying, and poor. Absolutely but there reaches a point that those who make out like they are sick, those who act like they are dying and those that are poor because they don't try to work need to be facing the "man."

I tell people all the time that there is no such thing as something being fair in this world, but there is the principle of justice. this thing that folk say, "you give me respect and I'll give you respect" is a bunch of stink. If you are respected then that is just the way it is. People are respected not for what they do for you but what they do that is real for you.

So let me say this, if you didn't do it then good but if you did then good. BUT what ever happens, happens whether you did it or not. Respect me, ok or not. God is God and we are not.

Choose to rejoice and other stuff too.

One of my favorite authors is Henry Blackaby, you know the Experiencing God guy. Thought i'd share a little something that speaks loudly to our opportunity to make a choice.

CHOOSE TO REJOICE
“But at midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing
hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them.” Acts 16:25


Your joy as a Christian should not depend on your circumstances. Joy comes from God, and therefore it cannot be affected by what is outside of you. Don’t be fooled by letting the actions of others determine your joy. True joy comes from knowing that God Himself lives within you and has fellowship with you, regardless of your environment. Real joy lies in the knowledge that holy God has completely forgiven you of every sin, and even now, He has a home prepared in heaven where you can spend eternity with him. (John 14:3). The circumstances of your life cannot change these truths!

Paul and Silas faced some of the most difficult circumstances imaginable. They were falsely accused, arrested, and imprisoned. They were beaten and shackled in the darkest, coldest, section of the prison. But they refused to allow their horrific situation to dampen their joy! They did not blame God for allowing these things to happen to them. Instead, they praised Him for His goodness! In the darkness of the night, they prayed and they sang. God brought a miracle that released them from their chains, but perhaps the greater miracle was that His Holy Spirit could so fill them that even in their painful imprisonment they could overflow with joy!

Do not allow difficult events to cancel the joy of knowing you are a child of God. Choose to allow God’s Spirit to fill you with His unquenchable joy, and your life will be a miracle to those who watch you face the trials that come.

Source: “Experiencing God Day-By-Day Devotional” by Henry T. Blackaby and Richard Blackaby

Never to late to find out who you are.

It is never to late to discover what you are here for.

As a matter of fact it takes quite a while for many of us to gain the knowledge we need to recognize we need a change and it MIGHT BE time for that change. You see I believe I feel into the teaching/coaching profession because I didn't have anything else to do. Over the many years I've learned how to teach and how to coach and gained in wisdom of who needs me more than others. That's why I felt like I was a good teacher and a pretty good coach. The key element for me was "caring" and the primary force behind that was Jesus Christ. The closer I get to him the more I could recognize what I was here for.

I want to encourage anyone who might read this, all one of you, to look inside before you look "for". What you really are is what is inside you. Not you abilities but your beliefs and your heart. Abilities can always be developed but the heart, well that's far above human production by efforts. WOW, that was deep.

Anyway, today my God, the God of second chances, says to you and to me "go ahead, try again. Seek, I'm still here and I will give you the desires of your heart."

Ain't it so.


GLORY, GLORY, GLORY.

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.