Ending The Year of 2003

As we finish out the next few day of 2003....there is a time of mixed-emotions.
All of the excitement of Christmas is still surrounding us yet we know that we will have to 'let go' and move on to a completely New Year.
We really have no choice in the matter...WE HAVE TO....LET GO!
Our faith kicks in and tells us that.....next year will be....EVEN BETTER!!!
Does this mean that we will not have problems, pain, hard decisions and choices?
Absolutely NOT!
You can bet we will....and maybe even things will happen that we can not now....even imagine!
Yet I expect the year of 2004 to be a good and wonderful year for me and my family.....even better than 2003....
Simply because we continue to learn and grow every single day in our life's experiences.
Yes, some people must learn...'the hard way'....but learn we will as long as we breathe on planet earth!
Our choice is to decide if we will live life with.....a good attitude or.....a bad attitude.
Whichever we choose....will deternime our outcome...
I choose....The Good Life for 2004.....and More to Come!
I also pray, that you, too, welcome The Good Life for 2004!
Be Blessed is my prayer for....Y O U!!!!

Christmas Day 2003

Today was a wonderful day with our family.
There was so much excitement in the air that it was hard to settle down and 'be serious' at any given moment....
We did have a very serious moment though....
Matthew proposed to Ashley in front of all the family....
He actually got down on his knees and asked her to marry him...producing a very beautiful ring as 'proof' of his seriousness.
We all held our breath....then she said "Yes!"
Everybody went....WILD!!!
See pictures on Link#1.....A Christmas Blessing Album....
We really did begin to celebrate Jesus's Birthday then....
Too bad Lynn didn't win the DVD player that was given away as a prize in the game produced by Brian and Brittney....She tried so hard....interrupted so much....that we had to call in the "Marine" on duty to forcibly remove her from the game area....
And a good time was had by all.....

Merry CHRISTmas......

Just received a e-mail from Brian....that suggested going to the link below in order to read a ‘politically correct’ invite for Christmas...in Bay City, Michigan.....they sure have a sense of humor in Bay City!!!

Try it......"http://www.mybaycity.com/scripts/Article_View.cfm?ArticleID=338"

Cut and paste if you want to....

Anyway, this is just about what our society has ‘watered down’ Christmas into........
I refuse to accept anything but the true fact that Christmas is absolutely a celebration of .....the birth of Christ.....
Being a Christian.....I know the true meaning of Christmas and the slogan...
.....“Jesus is the Reason for the Season“....
But what I find wildly amusing is that.....even unbelievers in Jesus Christ.....don’t ‘just skip’ Christmas!
Why not just ‘ignore’ the birth of someone that you don’t believe ever existed.....or has no meaning to you or your life?
I, as a Christian, would not ever entertain the idea of celebrating ...or acknowledging, the birth of Buddha...or Mohammed....or Joseph Smith etc....
Yet.....the world stands still.....for a moment in time.....for this Season that is rightly called.......CHRISTmas!
In addition......the end of the year changes numbers....IN REFERENCE TO HIM....2004 A.D.....
Yes, B.C. and A.D. is in reference to Jesus Christ’s birth and death on planet earth!
God must be smiling indulgently at we ‘mortals’ who think we know so much...and strut around on planet earth speaking this foreign language called....a ’politically correct agenda’ for....CHRISTmas...
As for me and my family.....my house..... we have a real....Happy Birthday, Jesus, CHRISTmas Party!
We truly celebrate the birth of Christ who is the author of .....
....The Good Life!
May you and yours have a wonderful Merry “Jesus” CHRISTmas Day!!!

Give the Gift of.....Yourself!

I was recently reading an article (by: Jane Haas, Calif.)....where she was describing her mother....and I thought...”This applies to many people....and perhaps someone could say the same about US!”
Jane said this.....”My mother wasn’t one to talk much about her emotions. She wasn’t a ‘hugger.’ She measured her praise so you knew that when she told you ‘good job’...she really meant it. But in the years since her death, I realize there is so much about my mother that I don’t know and don’t understand. I wish she had shared more of herself...
Let me inside.
Described her triumphs and her disappointments....
I wish she had opened a window to her soul!
My mother was a product of her time and of her own mother, a woman who never talked about how she felt but instructed her children to always “do right”......
That is why I suggest to YOU.....When you give the gift of YOURSELF....it is PRICELESS!
Let me challenge you to.....create your own priceless gift....
Make no mistake: creating your ‘soul’s/heart gift’ in writing is not a quick fix or a Sunday afternoon undertaking. It can produce a life-changing experience even as you are in the ‘writing’ process.
This ‘writing of you’ is beyond genealogy, scrap booking, family history and memoirs...It is the answer to this question....
If you could gather your past and your present in one place and pass your heart and spiritual legacy as a contribution to the future.... what would you say? Who most dear to your heart....would you say it to?
The best way to do this is inside what I call a....”legacy circle”.......
What you believe has made a difference in your life....who was partially responsible for life-changing events....when you ‘blew it’ and what you learned from it.......what wisdom you have gained, good and bad, as a result of all your life’s experience until now.....what values you would like to pass on to others in your ‘legacy circle’.....
You’re greatest blessings of life.....comes from your heart!
Giving the blessing of YOURSELF....will leave you feeling full and complete and......abundant....that is a PROMISE!
And one day, your descendants will hold your legacy in their hands and know who you were, what mattered to you and what of value you contributed to the world....They will have a tangible part of....YOU!
One philosophy of life that my own mother lived by was this.....
“You should NEVER take more than you give - in the
........Circle of Life!”
Think I heard this in a song, once!
Anyway now you know WHY I write!
All of my blogs are saved on a CD-Rom as part of my ‘legacy circle’!
When I receive words from the heart from a family member.....it always makes me cry because it is so....sacred....to me! (Yo, Britt)
I never... ever.... take it lightly because it is one of the most precious gifts that exist.....
Make someone else’s Christmas this year......
Give the true, real gift of.....YOU!
It is something that money can NOT buy but will be a continuous gift of Love ......
Remember this.....your family had rather have YOU......than gifts!
Getting more of YOU......truly IS a wonderful gift.....
I’m reminded of what my daughter, Lynn, said at her dear Granny’s memorial service....
She said....”I do not have to read Granny’s will in order to see what she left to me.....I know she left me a faith so fine that I want it for my own, her sense of humor, her sense of ‘right over wrong’, her desire to help others always, and her great love for her family.”
This is what I mean about the ‘legacy circle’.....
We all complete our own.....for others.....
Put it in writing this Christmas....I DARE YOU!!!

Ready or Not....Here It Comes!!!

In the midst of all the preparation for Christmas....a few instances stand out as being.....exceptional!
One being.....taking my sister, Shyrl, who is basically home-bound....to breakfast as part of our Christmas ritual.
Shyrl lives 1 1/2 hrs. drive away from me. Early on Saturday morning Charlie, Lynn, Chad, Brian and I arrived at her back door in a Lexus SUV that was already packed.
Transporting two coolers of frozen food for her ’nutritional’ use was part of her gifts. Shyrl had previously been required, for health reasons; to have 2/3 of her stomach removed due to bleeding ulcers. Eating a little, often and nutritional at that.... is a new challenge for her..
Her usual breakfast of Pepsi and a donut just wouldn’t cut it!
Adding Shyrl to our transportation vehicle required that someone had to sit in the rear cargo area..I.e. VIP passenger seat....Some win....some loose!
We went to our usual.... local....really Southern cooking....restaurant for breakfast!
My menu choice was...country-fried steak with gravy, two eggs, grits, biscuit, coffee and juice.....Lynn ordered the same but she ordered a side dish of...‘1 pancake please! ‘
This was to be really a ‘brunch’ since it was a little after 10:00 a.m. by this time....
Lo and behold, when our breakfast arrived, Lynn’s ‘little’ pancake was astonishing! You have to see the picture to believe it!
Link #1...A Christmas Blessing Album
Sometime I want to return there in order to just eat....pancakes!~
Needless to say, we all had a great time.
We left the guys at Shyrl’s apt. to install a computer and printer which Chad was giving her and we girls went to Nursing Home to see our Mom’s best friend, Mrs. Veal.
The guys called saying they could not find the power cord. We turned the SUV upside down looking for that silly power cord....WHICH WAS NO WHERE TO BE FOUND!
Cutting our visit short.....we returned to Shyrl’s, loaded up the computer, again, ....and headed back to the ’West Coast’ . Everybody complained all the way home about...”Being soooo full!”...Will return with the computer...and power cord....at a later date.
Ready or not....(and we were NOT)....Merry Christmas is on the way!

Prayer Girls Christmas Party...

Yesterday we four ‘prayer girls’ had our Christmas exchange and lunch.
Abby volunteered to have it at her beautiful home instead of the Don Cesar Resort as was last year.
This was even better.....
Abby’s home was decorated as you see in Currier & Ivys...to perfection!
She served Tiana, Nancy, guest Seisha and I with much class and good humor. Shrimp salad, bean butt salad, awesome green salad, miniature pastels, croissants, and the ’to die for’ dessert of Flan cheesecake.
She presented the ’Spirit of Christ in Christmas’ as a gift of labor and love to we busy ‘family caretakers’.....We were blessed!
You would have to know Abby to understand that she does not ever portray a ‘stereotype image’ of a .....holy and spiritual ‘missionary’ Godly woman!
Yet....that she is truly in every ounce of her being....
Ask God.....HE knows the TRUTH!
Our Abby was ‘created’ with a delightful and hilarious sense of humor!
She makes us all feel....normal....when we take ourselves too seriously...
But ‘serious she is’ in reality as she is a major part of the caretaking of her four beautiful grandchildren ....their ages being 5 to almost 16.
But Abby is so youthful (and she IS young!) you would swear that she is NOT a grandmother at all!
Combined with all of this is her devotion to her husband , Al.....whom she loves and adores.....and exasperates to no end!
In addition, she is a wonderful, fun leader to her 20 women golf group and finds time to create the Christmas trappings of class to their Holiday lunch menu etc.
Abby is a very unique and creative.....woman of....EXCELLENCE!
May God Bless her truly....for all of her....Christ-like....giving!

P.S. Her bean butt salad happens to have garbanzos in it which she thinks looks like ‘little bitty butts’.....her idea....not mine!!!
See pictures....Link #1....A Christmas Blessing - Prayer Girls Album

God Bless America!

I am guilty of being....very patriotic!
I love my country....I love my family....I love my friends.....
As you can probably tell.....what I love...I love....what I hate...I hate!
Hate is a strong word for me....
When our children were small, ‘that’ word was not allowed in their vocabulary. Yet as time goes on...I do find that there are some things that I can say truthfully.....I REALLY HATE!!!
One of those things I hate.....is people using, abusing, and taking for granted the freedom and ‘bounty’ of this wonderful nation....America.
‘Tis disgraceful to me.....
Another thing I hate.....is indifference!
Being removed, emotionally, from freely expressing love, joy, anger, disappointment and healthy disagreement.....in a non-threatening way!
Why live a......dead life?
Another thing I hate.......dishonesty, pretense, falseness!
I do NOT hate the people or persons who choose this in life.....I hate the results of their choice. What a waste of good energy that could be used in a positive and meaningful way!
I also hate to see family members and friends who are so very blessed and yet somehow refuse to ‘be grateful’ for the very good life they have!
Traveling to other countries is often a ‘quick fix’ for being an ‘ungrateful American’!
Actually I much rather think and talk and write about what I LOVE!
That is why I have always been a simple minded writer in our family and for friends. Writing about what I love.....is endless!
I Love...beauty...
little children...books...seas....butterflies....smiles....laughs....fun....kindness....
good food....truthfulness....music....rainbows....good jokes....rainy days....
fires in our fireplace....snow skiing....surprises....relaxing in the pool....hearing someone say, “I love you” to me over the phone....boating with my brothers....chatting with my sisters....unexpected lunch with my family, shopping bargains .....e-mails from special people.....people of integrity....church...walking in the rain.... etc., etc. etc.....
I love God......I love my country....I love my family....I love my friends.....
And as I said in the beginning....you can probably tell.....what I love...I love....what I hate...I hate!
God Bless America.....in 2004!

Joy Child Birthday Celebration...

Our Britt just turned 20!
We celebrated for a week....on Sunday afternoon we all gathered in the private party room at Hops. This was a time of nostalgia since it was in this very room that we had celebrated her 16th birthday.
Seemed like yesterday!
But Joshua is proof that it was not!
Since this is the time of year that we are celebrating the birth of our...
Joy To The World....Jesus child.....we were aglow with happiness and family blessings.....This year we especially celebrate Brittney.
Brittney is our ‘good cheer’ girl.
Her attitude of life is always positive, fun, peppy, and light-hearted.
Yet she is a tribute to her Great-Grandmother’s influence....her authentically Southern roots of love. Brittney lovingly refers to ‘Granny’ from time to time as saying.....”Granny would like so and so...”
Most of all.....as we had some question and answer time....(foolishness abounded!)....it was evident that Brittney’s role in the future of the family is much the same as her dear “Granny’s was.....Family should be kept together at all costs....
We celebrate Brittney.....being borned to our family....she is definitely a major contribution to it being A Good Life for all of us....
God Bless her....daily...

See Birthday Pictures Link #1.....Birthday Album
Be sure to click on pictures in album in order to enlarge them for viewing!
Otherwise you need a magnifying glass:)

“We’ve Got HIM!”

Yesterday morning, December 14th....our son, Chad, calls around 6:15 a.m. saying....”Turn on to Fox News quick. They’ve caught Saddam Hussein!”
What a thrill it was to experience this answer to prayer of...”Good over Evil” in this land of Iraq.
A Miracle took place for sure...not a shot was fired....Saddam did not ‘fight for his country’....or give his life as he required of his followers.
He succumbed to the ‘powers that be’....the powers that stood for good over evil....the powers that believe in ‘righting the wrongs’ of mankind.
Much blood has been shed for this righteous conviction.....
As I picked up my Bible to read from the book of Isaiah I was transfixed by the words of old that was stated in reference to Israelis and their enemies...
.....In Bible times Babylon.....which is in Iraq...still lies in utter ruin today....
This is what Isaiah 14 says.....and is very relevant to today’s happening!
....”But the Lord will have mercy on the Israelis; they are His special ones.
He will bring them back to settle once again the land of Israel. And many nationalities will come and join them there and be their loyal allies. The nations of the world will help them to return, and those coming to live in their land. Those enslaving Israel will be enslaved - - Israel shall rule her enemies! In the wonderful day when the Lord gives His people rest from sorrow and fear, from slavery and bondage,
you will jeer at the King of Babylon and say, “You bully, you!
At last you have what was coming to you!
For the Lord has crushed your wicked power, and broken your evil rule!
You persecuted people with unceasing blows of rage and held the nations in your angry grip.
You were unrestrained in tyranny.
But at last the whole earth is at rest and is quiet!
All the world begins to sing!
“Your power is broken; “....With one voice they all cry out...
“Now you are weak.
Your might and power are gone....
All the pleasant music in your palace has ceased;
Now maggots are your sheet and worms your blanket”....
...Yuk...Yuk...Yuk! What a terrible end for anyone....and so ...unnecessary!
Yes, Good does overcome evil....TRUTH must bring accountability in order for JUSTICE to be served....
As President George Bush said and is actually our heart’s prayer.....
“God Bless the people of Iraq.....and God Bless America!”

Remember my quote from Blake....was a prophetic word.....
"In the end, you're measured not by how much you undertake but by what you finally accomplish."
Quote of the day....from Blake....

"In the end, you're measured not by how much you undertake but by what you finally accomplish."
Quote of the day....from Blake....

Too Emotional!

I do suppose that all of us are being caught up in the many emotions of this Holiday Season.
Excitement, joy, sharing, giving, fun, love, .....sadness, pain, emotional turmoil, alienations from love ones, loneliness, etc.
Emotions, good and bad, are certainly...... heightened.
Shopping can be a real display of emotions.....try standing in front of a store at opening time....with an advertised special of $69.95 for a 20” TV with 30 other people.....Then the door opens only to discover that the limited quantity (in small print of course) means that only 15 are ‘available’!...Happened to me this week!
Emotions are evident in men and women alike....
Last night I went to the movies with my friend, Nancy, and her two daughters, 15yr. old Seisha and 5 yr. old, Sierra...
We saw the movie, The Gospel of John.
The final theme of this portion of the life of Jesus brought the emotional elements of forgiveness and LOVE.
If ‘emotions’ are hard for you to handle....you are certainly in trouble this time of year! Just view the children’s ‘delight’ in the simple process of looking at the lights on decorated houses as they ride through a neighborhood. Our families children always refers to it as ’driving through fairy land’....and they still do!
Watch the face of a ’giver’ on Christmas morn as they ’watch the face’ of one they love as they open a ’special-thought-out’ gift!
Anticipation is a marvel to behold!
Seems that the human race “needs “ this time of year....to feel and act...thoroughly human!
The passion of life is displayed for all to see.....as the heart delivers its contents through the forum of.....emotions.
Feel free to be.....YOU!
Enjoy life today....January and the bills and weight loss and tax time and the ’problems of everyday life’ can be put on hold for just this short space of time..... ENJOY LIFE TO THE FULLEST....CELEBRATE FAMILY, FRIENDS, FAITH AND....THE EMOTIONS OF YOUR HEART!
.........”Tis the Season to be Jolly.....to enjoy The Good Life....
and Yes.... Jesus IS the reason for The Season !
Happy Birthday, Jesus! We ‘party’ with YOU!

Photo Reminder

If you are viewing my photo page periodically (Link #1)...you will find that in the last couple of days that my server...Yahoo Photos... has given itself a facelift.... As a result the format is different....Yahoo also has placed some of their own 'photo ads' but that is separate from my Photo Album page which I use and pay a fee to use...
Upon opening a particular album, you will find all the pictures are shown with a small thumbnail sketch of the posted picture. Click on the first small picture and it will enlarge for viewing with a ‘Next’ choice up above for going through the entire album or the choice of it being automatic under the ’slideshow’ choice.
It should be a little easier once we all get used to it...
Are you thoroughly confused now?
Believe me...it is easier to do THAN TO DESCRIBE!
Try it and let me hear from you.....Link #2
Happy Holidays from sunny ’down south’!

Way Down Upon The Suwannee....

Yesterday I went with my son, Chad, up to north Florida to Live Oak which is about 3 hours away.
Family roots and history are entwined from the area and we had a purpose in our trip. The Family Community Church Cemetery needed to be checked for maintenance since it has seen two long years of neglect on my part.
Our parents, grandparents and great-grandparents to Chad ....plots were in fairly good shape.
My family...to be used in the future....plots were covered with grassy weeds and growth.
The Family Bench had to be repaired, repainted and in general given a facelift. A sacred, time capsule note written by Matthew when he was 12 or so (is 21 now)....which was under the family bench....
had to be removed because its cover had fallen apart .
We called Matt (Thank God for cell phones)and he said to bring it back in order for him to package it in
a more permanent way.
Chad and I drove to the Advent Retirement Village at Dowling Park on the Suwannee River to a Country Store there in order to buy some ‘round up’ for the massive amount of weeds.
Amazingly enough....Chad and I were filled with a great deal of JOY all the time we were working and reminiscing. The strong ties with our family of ancestors were very much alive in our heart throughout the day.
‘Twas a real and genuine....Labor of Love!
Our beloved ’Granny’ had a great deal of respect for the care of all the families ’final resting place’.....and instilled this ’noble idea’ into her children, grandchildren and great- grandchildren.
Sensed her ’approval’ and ’admonishment’ alike.....while Chad and I stood quietly in prayer.....in the sacredness of the moment....
Coming apart from a busy world....being reminded of the ‘things that really matter’.....can be a ‘round up weed removal’ in a very personal way!
I know....it happened to me!
See Link #1.... Album Rest In Peace!

Thanksgiving Pig Roast

Well it certainly has been a long time since I’ve sit here at the computer to write my ‘blog’. Have received quite a bit of ‘teasing’....in a well meaning way. While having lunch with some family members they kept playing a guilt game with me saying that I should be home writing ‘log-blogs’ instead of out enjoying myself! Can you imagine that?
I have to LIVE The Good Life in order to write about it don’t I?
Was just getting a little research in while ‘tasting’ The Great Wall of Chocolate!
In any event, we had a wonderful....but absolutely CRAZY... Thanksgiving.
We did a Family Pig Roast which was a full two days event.
Matt, Britt and Joshua came a day in advance and we prepared mountains of Chex Party Mix, stuffed a turkey with adobo and ordered pizza. Pipo and Vinnie also came a day in advance to help prepare the pig and dig the pit. Chad helped build the steel bar holder for the pit. At night we watched the video.... Bruce Almighty....everyone slept wherever they wanted to....Vinnie got stepped on in the middle of the night....and just grunted and rolled over!
The overnighters had to arise at 5:00 a.m. in order to get the fire going early. The hard core workers were ...Matt, Vinnie and Pops!
NOTHING WOULD HAVE BEEN ACCOMPLISHED WITHOUT....POPS! He taught them all the tricks of the trade, the Spanish way!....Matt will know it all in the future...Vinnie is his consultant!
These three lasted day and night for two full days and early morning duty as well....Others came and went, horsed around, poked fun, drank gallons of liquids and ate mountains of snacks...
Joshua(2 1/2 yr.old) loved everything....Chad told Joshua that we were roasting a Dolphin....Dolphin’s are Joshua’s favorite fun water pet!
Everybody admonished Chad for such a sac religious suggestion!
Matt sit at one end of the pit, Joshua at the other end....as Matt slowly turned the pole, Joshua was trying hard and thought he was doing it!
Saying, “Maw, Maw, I do it!” He never knew his Uncle Matt was ‘helping him’....Long family traditions is still.....ongoing!
I can still hear Uncle Vic at a Family Pig Roast saying, “Sweetie it IS a Good Life!”...and MORE TO COME!
I agree!
See pictures...Link #1 ...click on Thanksgiving Pig Roast Album..enlarge thumbnail print...


DAY AFTER THANKSGIVING SHOPPING....

Our annual shopping marathon was a FUN event....this year....
My sister, Joyce, niece, Cindy, prayer partner, Nancy, nautical friend, Melissa, and Lynn as our designated driver participated.
We started out early Friday morning with all the sales ads.....for our shopping spree...along with 5 million other crazy people.
It was a successful event....we ’almost’ went broke....saving money!
We did stop around 2:00 p.m. for a lunch break and harassed the young waiter who served us....You know how six guys can tease a young lady who is serving them....well we had the opposite.!
To our young man’s dismay ( he was a great sport!)after finding out that he was 22 years old and we had a 36 yr. old single mother among us....he was asked the foolish question of....”What age women do you date?’
Saying “Usually my age or younger“....you could hear them groan!
It was all in good clean fun....and we laughed our heads off at each other’s silly antics.
Some of the girls went home early....5:00 p.m. or so but others, like me.... had to return to the BX at MacDill in order to fulfill our list with the 10% off coupon which we still had from early morning....Couldn’t let a bargain go by even though night had fallen!
During the day we made several trips back to my house to ‘drop off the goods’ because we constantly run out of room in our Explorer!
All in all.....the day was a complete success....Christmas morning will be a blast for our family and friends.....because their gifts were purchased by someone with a generous heart of love and fun....
I know....I was there....doing my research for The Good Life blog....

See Link #1 photos....Thanksgiving Family Pig Roast and Shopping Spree