Honeybeehere's Xanga

Monday, June 07, 2004

Mon, 07 Jun 2004 03:28:15 GMT

Wow, it is hard to believe I have been away for so long. Have been living with my daughter for the past 5 1/2 months. Hope to have some repairs finished on my mobile home in near future so I may return to my own residence. There is no place like home.

The boys (grandsons 5 and 7) are out of school but have lots planned for them to keep them busy during the summer, such as newly acquire library cards, craft items, baseball equipment, swimming pool, education reviews and helping Nana get ready for a big yard sale. I believe there is more to life than the boob tube and video games ALL of the time.

Take care and have a great day.

Honeybee

Wednesday, April 09, 2003

Wed, 09 Apr 2003 18:38:12 GMT

Sorry for not being around this past week. There was a family crisis and some other "stuff". I'm coping as well as can be expected. I can't talk about it yet, but if you would please say a little prayer for my family I would be ever so grateful.

Sydney, that paragraph about falling out of stupid was received by me in my email. I am not married, I am a widow.

I promise to get caught up on my visiting real soon. Have a great day, all week, lol.

Hugs and smiles to all.

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"A m e r i c a"
Why I Love Her

You ask me Why I Love Her?
Well, give me time and I'll explain.
Have you seen a Kansas sunset
Or an Arizona rain?
Have you drifted on a bayou
Down Louisiana way?
Have you watched a cold fog drifting
Over San Francisco Bay?

Have you heard a bobwhite calling
In the Carolina pines,
Or heard the bellow of a diesel
At the Appalachia mines?
Does the call of Niagara thrill you
When you hear her waters roar?
Do you look with awe and wonder
At her Massachusetts shore,
Where men who braved a hard new world
First stepped on Plymouth's rock?

And do you think of them when you stroll
Along a New York City dock?
Have you seen a snowflake drifting
In the Rockies, way up high?
Have you seen the sun come blazing down
From a bright Nevada sky?
Do you hail to the Columbia
As she rushes to the sea,
Or bow your head at Gettysburg
At our struggle to be free?

Have you seen the mighty Tetons?
Have you watched an eagle soar?
Have you seen the Mississippi
Roll along Missouri's shore?
Have you felt a chill at Michigan
When on a winter's day
Her waters rage along the shore
In thunderous display?

Does the word "Aloha" make you warm?
Do you stare in disbelief
When you see the surf
Come roaring in at Waimea Reef?
From Alaska's cold to the Everglades,
From the Rio Grande to Maine,
My heart cries out, my pulse runs fast
At the might of her domain.

You ask me Why I Love Her?
I've a million reasons why:
My Beautiful America,
Beneath God's wide, wide sky.

Written by John Newman Mitchum (1973)
Music:Adaptation & Arrangement -Billy Liebert
Recited by John Wayne
in memory of John Newman Mitchum (1919-2001)

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A Hug

A Hug Is A Wonderful Gift To Share;
A Way To Show Each Other That We Care.
There Is So Much A Hug Is Able To Do,
When You Feel Those Arms, Holding You.

It Is A Place To Feel Safe And Warm;
A Comfort For A Sad Heart That Is Torn.
An Expression Of The Love In Our Heart,
For Ones Who We Wish, Never To Be Apart.

A Greeting When We Meet To Say Hello,
Or To Say Goodbye When We Have To Go.
It Can Hold Us Up When Life Gets Us Down,
And Make Us Smile, Instead Of Frown.

A Hug Can Be Given For No Reason At All,
And Given To Those, Both Big And Small.
We're Never Too Old To Feel The Joy It Brings,
As It Is One Of Life's, Most Pleasing Things.

And For All Of This Beauty, A Hug Is Free;
Costs Nothing, Yet Means So Much To Me.
We Should All Hug Another To Show We Care,
For To Feel A Warm Hug, Nothing Can Compare..

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Wednesday, April 02, 2003

Wed, 02 Apr 2003 12:49:26 GMT

Oh, the cold front has passed. Yippeeeeee!!! It was in the 70's yesterday and suppose to be in the 80's today. With the gentle breeze the weather is perfect. It could stay like this year round and I wouldn't complain. :) Not much news. Just trying to give a face lift to a group I am manager of on MSN, plus working on my PSP, so I'll cut this short and leave you a couple of things I hope you enjoy.

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A young couple decided to wed. As the big day approached, they grew apprehensive. Each had a problem they had never before shared with anyone, not even each other.
The Groom-to-be, overcoming his fear, decided to ask his father for advice. "Father," he said, "I am deeply concerned about the success of my marriage."

His father replied, "Don't you love this girl?"

"Oh yes, very much," he said," but you see, I have very smelly feet, and I'm afraid that my fiance will be put off by them."

"No problem," said dad, "all you have to do is wash your feet as often as possible, and always wear socks, even to bed." Well, to him this seemed a workable solution.

The bride-to-be, overcoming her fear, decided to take her problem up with her mom." Mom," she said, "When I wake up in the morning my breath is truly awful."

"Honey," her mother consoled, "everyone has bad breath in the morning."

"No, you don't understand,. My morning breath is so bad, I'm afraid that my fiance will not want to sleep in the same room with me."

Her mother said simply, "Try this. In the morning, get straight out of bed, and head for the bathroom and brush your teeth. The key is to not to say a word until you've brushed your teeth."

"I shouldn't say good morning or anything?" the daughter asked.

"Not a word," her mother affirmed.

"Well, it's certainly worth a try," she thought.

The loving couple were finally married. Not forgetting the advice each had received, he with his perpetual socks and she with her morning silence, they managed quite well. That is, until about six months later. Shortly before dawn one morning, the husband woke with a start to find that one of his socks had come off. Fearful of the consequences, he frantically searched the bed. This, of course, woke his bride and without thinking, she asked, "What on earth are you doing?"

"Oh, my God," he replied, "you've swallowed my sock!

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One day, while a woodcutter was cutting a branch of a tree above a river, his axe fell into the river.
When he cried out, the Lord appeared and asked, "Why are you crying?"

The woodcutter replied that his axe has fallen into water.

The Lord went down into the water and reappeared with a golden axe. "Is this your axe?" the Lord asked.
The woodcutter replied, "No."

The Lord again went down and came up with a silver axe. "Is this your axe?" the Lord asked.

Again, the woodcutter replied, "No."

The Lord went down again and came up with an iron axe. "Is this your axe?" the Lord asked.

The woodcutter replied, "Yes."

The Lord was pleased with the man's honesty and gave him all three axes to keep, and the woodcutter went home happily.

One day while he was walking with his wife along the riverbank, the woodcutter's wife fell into the river. When he cried out, the Lord again appeared and asked him, "Why are you crying?"

"Oh Lord, my wife has fallen into the water!"

The Lord went down into the water and came up with Jennifer Lopez. "Is this your wife?" the Lord asked.

"Yes," cried the woodcutter.

The Lord was furious. "You cheat! That is an untruth!"

The woodcutter replied, "Oh, forgive me, my Lord. It is a misunderstanding. You see, if I said 'no' to Jennifer Lopez, You will
come up with Catherine Zeta-Jones. Then if I also say 'no' to her, You will thirdly come up with my wife, and I will say 'yes,' and then all three will be given to me. But Lord, I am a poor man and I will not be able to take care of all three wives, so *that's* why I said yes this time."

The moral of the story is whenever a man lies it is for an honorable and useful reason.

Yeah, right!!!!

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Stupid Forever

During a friendly argument, my husband asked me why I married him in the first place. "I was just stupid," I teased. When he said he was happy to hear that, I requested an explanation.

"People get divorced all the time because they fall out of love," he said. "But I've never heard of anybody falling out of stupid."

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Have a wonderful day. Hugs and smiles to all.

Friday, March 28, 2003

Fri, 28 Mar 2003 13:44:17 GMT

Hello. Yesterday the wind just blew and blew, getting stronger as the day passed and then last night as the cold front came in the wind was horrendous. I could hear the shingles literally being ripped off my roof. At the rate it is going I won't have any left by the time I can reroof my double-wide mobile home with a pitched roof. The high today is only suppose to be mid 50's. Big change from mid to upper 70's. And the low will be down in low 30's. No wonder ppl can't get well. I want my spring back. :(

I finally found where all of my subscribers are listed, so I want to take this opportunity to thank each and every one of them for subscribing and the nice comments they leave for me.

Geri, Mrs. Ann A, CoalMinersDaughter, lili, Nance1, crazybear, Tooty, debi, Starwolf, crzylady, and my newest NCqponmom.

Hope you enjoy some of the following today.

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Put the Glass Down

A lecturer was giving a lecture to his student on stress management.

He raised a glass of water and asked the audience, "How heavy do you think this glass of water is?"

The students' answers ranged from 20g to 500gm.

"It does not matter on the absolute weight. It depends on how long you hold it.

If I hold it for a minute, it is OK.

If I hold it for an hour, I will have an ache in my right arm.

If I hold it for a day, you will have to call an ambulance.

It is the exact same weight, but the longer I hold it, the heavier it becomes."

"If we carry our burdens all the time, sooner or later, we will not be able to carry on, the burden becoming increasingly heavier."

"What you have to do is to put the glass down, rest for a while before holding it up again."

We have to put down the burden periodically, so that we can be refreshed and are able to carry on.

So before you return home from work tonight, put the burden of work down. Don't carry it back home. You can pick it up tomorrow.

Whatever burdens you are having now on your shoulders, let it down for a moment if you can.

Pick it up again later when you have rested...

Rest and relax.

Life is short, enjoy it!!

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The Secret of Life

The secret of life is to make the best
of whatever comes along,
Make every day fresh and new,
Go in search of knowledge and experience.

Let your questions and
your answers reconcile.
Do your best to remember
that the best kind of learning curve
is an educated smile.

Share your magic with the people
who share your memories.
Let your feelings run deep.

Be in touch with the people
who live in your heart.
Be a caring person who plays for keeps.

To really know what success means, earn it.
Don't rely on some elevator to get you there.
The higher the floor you want to reach,
the more important it is to take the stairs.

The easiest lessons to remember
are the ones you learn the hard way!

Appreciate the little things
that make each day
unique and special.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Our faith in God is easy when the Waters 'round are stilled,

When the voyage undertaken finds Our dreams and hopes

fulfilled.

But holding on to God is hard when wrestling with our doubt,

And when the storms are fiercest, and our boat is tossed about.

It's then our Faith is shaken, when the Master's sound

asleep, not knowing we are sinking, and the waters 'round

are deep.

We wonder then how He, Who's Lord of all the land and sea,

could seem to be so unaware of our catastrophe.

It's when our faith seems weakest, God will calm the sea and soul,

and when we are most broken that He'll touch,

and make us whole.

(Author Unknown)

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Now for a bit of humor.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Charlie wakes up at home with a huge hangover. He forces himself to open his eyes, and the first thing he sees is a couple of aspirins and a glass of water on the side table. He sits down and sees his clothing in front of him, all clean and pressed. Charlie looks around the room and sees that it is in a perfect order, spotless, clean. So's the rest of the house! He takes the aspirins and notices a note on the table "Honey, breakfast is on the stove, I left early to go shopping. Love you." So he goes to the kitchen and sure enough there is a hot break- fast and the morning newspaper. His son is also at the table, eating.

Charlie asks, "Son, what happened last night?"

His son says, "Well, you came home after 3 A.M., drunk and delirious. Broke some furniture, puked in the hallway, and gave yourself a black eye when you stumbled into the door."

Confused, Charlie asks, "So, why is everything in order and so clean, and breakfast is on the table waiting for me?"

His son replies, "Oh that! Mom dragged you to the bedroom, and when she tried to take your pants off, you said, "Lady, leave me alone, I'm married'!"

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Have a wonderful day today and weekend to come. Hopefully I will be just about well by Mon.

Hugs and smiles to all.

Wednesday, March 26, 2003

Wed, 26 Mar 2003 12:33:54 GMT

Good Morning. Feeling kinda puny here. Went all winter and managed to stay well, and now that it is getting warmer what happens?........but I get sick. Usually a cold turns to bronchitis on me within a matter of hours and I think it is here. That in turn causes breathing problems so I am back on my oxygen. Have started on some medicine so I hope it is short lived.

My sick car is still sick. Seems it is not the timing chain after all, but possibly the valves. I believe I really got rooked by the car lot in Dec. (Got it Dec. 6, and it broke down Jan. 7.) They wouldn't even give me 30 day warranty since it was under $1,000. I really needed a car at the time and took the first one that seemed ok and within my price range. I'll never do business with them again!!!

From time to time we all complain about different things. It is human nature. I ran across this piece and wanted to share it with all of you.

~~~~~~~~~~~~

I AM THANKFUL FOR THE WIFE WHO SAYS IT'S HOT DOGS
TONIGHT BECAUSE SHE IS HOME WITH ME, NOT WITH SOMEONE ELSE.

FOR THE HUSBAND WHO IS ON THE SOFA WHO IS BEING A
COUCH POTATO BECAUSE HE IS HOME WITH ME AND NOT OUT AT THE BARS.

FOR THE TEENAGER WHO IS COMPLAINING ABOUT DOING
DISHES, BECAUSE THAT MEANS SHE IS AT HOME, NOT ON THE STREETS.

FOR THE TAXES THAT I PAY, BECAUSE IT MEANS THAT I AM EMPLOYED.

FOR THE MESS TO CLEAN AFTER A PARTY, BECAUSE IT MEANS THAT I HAVE BEEN SURROUNDED BY FRIENDS.

FOR THE CLOTHES THAT FIT A LITTLE TOO SNUG, BECAUSE IT MEANS I HAVE ENOUGH TO EAT.

FOR MY SHADOW THAT WATCHES ME WORK, BECAUSE IT MEANS I AM OUT IN THE SUNSHINE.

FOR A LAWN THAT NEEDS MOWING, WINDOWS THAT NEED CLEANING, AND GUTTERS THAT NEED FIXING, BECAUSE IT MEANS I HAVE A HOME.

FOR ALL THE COMPLAINING I HEAR ABOUT THE GOVERNMENT, BECAUSE IT MEANS THAT WE HAVE FREEDOM OF SPEECH.

FOR THE PARKING SPOT I FIND AT THE FAR END OF THE PARKING LOT, BECAUSE IT MEANS I AM CAPABLE OF WALKING AND THAT I HAVE BEEN BLESSED WITH TRANSPORTATION.

FOR MY HUGE HEATING BILL, BECAUSE IT MEANS I AM WARM.

FOR THE LADY BEHIND ME IN CHURCH THAT SINGS OFF KEY, BECAUSE IT MEANS THAT I CAN HEAR.

FOR THE PILE OF LAUNDRY AND IRONING, BECAUSE IT MEANS I HAVE CLOTHES TO WEAR.

FOR WEARINESS AND ACHING MUSCLES AT THE END OF THE DAY, BECAUSE IT MEANS I HAVE BEEN CAPABLE OF WORKING HARD.

FOR THE ALARM THAT GOES OFF IN THE EARLY MORNING HOURS, BECAUSE IT MEANS THAT I AM ALIVE.

AND FINALLY...FOR TOO MUCH E-MAIL, BECAUSE IT MEANS I HAVE FRIENDS WHO ARE THINKING OF ME.

SEND THIS TO SOMEONE YOU CARE ABOUT.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

For those of you who asked about the young man's address and didn't see my reply, that is his complete address to my knowledge. Here it is again.

Lonnie J. Lewis

Navy corpsman

C Co. 1/4 WPN PLT

UIC 39726

FPO AP 966139726

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I believe I saw on someone's site that they are going to be grandparents. :) You might enjoy this next piece.

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If you are not a grandmother yet,just look forward to it.

What is a Grandmother?

(taken from papers written by a class of 8 year olds)

A grandmother is a lady who has no little children of her own. She likes other peoples. A grandfather is a man grandmother. Grandmothers don't have to do anything except be there when we come to see them. They are so old they shouldn't play hard or run. It is good if they drive us to the store and have lots of quarters for us. When they take us for walks, they slow down past things like pretty leaves and caterpillars.

They show us and talk to us about the color of the flowers and also don't step on "cracks." They don't say, "Hurry up." Usually grandmothers are fat, but not too fat to tie your shoes. They wear glasses and funny underwear. They can take their teeth and gums out. Grandmothers don't have to be smart. They have to answer questions like "why isn't God married?" and "How come dogs chase cats?".

When they read to us, they don't skip. They don't mind if we ask for the same story over again. Everybody should try to have a grandmother, especially if you don't have television, because they are the only grown ups who like to spend time with us. They know we should have snack-time before bedtime and they say prayers with us every time, and kiss us even when we've acted bad.

Pass this along to another Grandmother.
It will make "Her" day!

Truly out of the mouths of babes, hahaha.

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Here's a rib tickler.

This guy went to see a highly recommend psychiatrist. The doctor showed the man an inkblot and asked, "What does this remind you of?"

The guy replied, "A naked woman."

Then the shrink showed the man another inkblot and asked the guy the same question. The guy responded, "A naked woman on a bed."

This went on and on, inkblot after inkblot. The psychiatrist finally said to the guy, "You are a sick pervert."

The guy replied, "I'm not the pervert here. You're the one who keeps showing me all those dirty pictures."

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Have a great day. Hugs and smiles to all.

Friday, March 21, 2003

Fri, 21 Mar 2003 12:41:10 GMT

Hello again. I received this in email and wanted to share with you. I'm sure you have heard the old saying, if you want to know something go to the horse's mouth. Well, in my opinion this is straight from the horse's mouth, and he did a good job telling it too.

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Subject: Letter from Kuwait

A California mother whose son is now in Kuwait wrote her son asking how he would feel if she joined other relatives of service members in an anti-war demonstration in Hollywood last month. After reading her son's response, she elected not to participate.

LETTER TO MOM

Dear Mom,

It's really your decision to march if you want to or not. You are the one who has to decide if what we are doing out here is right or not.

My opinion is not yours.

I do, however, have things I would like for you and Grandma and everyone else at home to know.

I am a United States soldier. I was sworn to defend my country against all enemies, foreign and domestic. People may not agree with the things we are ordered to do. I would like to address those people by telling them that terrorism is not only a threat to us as Americans, but to many other innocent people in the world.

What type of country would we be if we didn't defend the rights and freedoms of others, not because they're Americans, but how about just because they're human?

We live in a country where people feel secure with their daily lives. They do business like usual and don't worry about the thought of terrorism actually happening to them.

The people of 9-11 thought the same thing. We now know that it can happen to anyone at any time.

Yet as Americans we're afraid of losing our soldiers to defend our security. I can only speak for myself when I say that my life is an easy expense to ensure that my family and friends can live in peace.

I strongly believe in what we are doing and wish you were here to see for yourselves the honor and privilege that American soldiers aboard this ship are feeling, knowing that we are going to be a part of something so strong and so meaningful to the safety of our loved ones.

Then you would know what this potential war is about.

We will stand tall in front of terrorism and defeat it. We as soldiers are not afraid of what may happen. We are only afraid of Americans not being able to understand why we are here.

I ask for your courage as Americans to be strong for us; I ask for your understanding in what we believe is right. I ask for your support in what we are sworn to do: defend our country and the life of all.

We will succeed in our task and will end the threat of terrorism in our back yard. We will also end the threat of terrorism in our neighbors'.

We have to remind ourselves of what this country stands for: life, liberty and justice for all. In order to maintain those rights we have to stop the threat of terrorism.

I am proud to be here. I will be coming home, but not until I know that it's going to be safe for all Americans and for everyone I love.

My family is first. My country is where they live. I will defend it.

Lonnie J. Lewis

Navy corpsman

C Co. 1/4 WPN PLT

UIC 39726

FPO AP 966139726

P.S. Mom, please send this to everyone who has a hard time understanding why we are here. Ask the paper to put what I've said in a column so that others will know why we are here and what we are here for.

I love you all and will be home soon. I left my address so that if anyone feels like writing to let me know how they feel, they can.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Hugs and smiles.

Friday, March 21, 2003

Fri, 21 Mar 2003 12:31:45 GMT

Good morning. I feel like such a dunce today!!! Where's my hat? I am still exploring Xanga and learning but I also have to explain that I am not the kind of person who just starts clicking on stuff to see what happens, lol. I called myself reading all of the info sent to me in my email from Xanga, but I either missed something or read it in my sleep. And I am a very busy individual even though I don't work at a "regular" job. Therefore, I have been trying to "share" my time between all my activities. I kept seeing comments from ppl about others subscribing to their sites and wondered, "How do they know who subscribes?", but figured it was something offered on the premium accounts. Also I had been going to each and every site I read to see if they had posted a blog that day. Well, I finally discovered the link under read for sites I read, and low and behold was I surprised, roflmao. Go ahead and laugh. A big ole belly laugh. I deserve it. Duh, here's your sign. lolllllll. Anyway, even though this is belated I want to thank each and every one of you who subscribe to my site.

This weekend is going to be another busy one. I must shop for birthday gifts, 3 from today until next Fri. which sure is hard on an already tight budget, but it is my own fault. I've had my mind out in left field and didn't check my calendar ahead of time. I have a b/d party tomorrow for a child, and my PSP class online at 7, plus my PSP homework I haven't done yet. Right now I think cloning would be kinda nice. Just kidding, not serious.

Everybody have a great weekend. Keep smiling, it causes ppl to wonder what you have been up to. :)

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

He who angers you, controls you.

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Subject: The Center of the Bible
This is pretty strange or odd how it worked out this way. Even if you are not religious you should read this.

What is the shortest chapter in the Bible? Answer - Psalms 117

What is the longest chapter in the Bible? Answer - Psalms 119

Which chapter is in the center of the Bible? Answer - Psalms 118

Fact: There are 594 chapters before Psalms 118

Fact: There are 594 chapters after Psalms 118

Add these numbers up and you get 1188

What is the center verse in the Bible? Answer - Psalms 118:8

Does this verse say something significant about God's perfect will for our
lives? The next time someone says they would like to find God's perfect will for their lives and that they want to be in the center of His will, just send them to the center of His Word!

Psalms 118:8 (NKJV) "It is better to trust in the LORD than to put
confidence in man."

Now isn't that odd how this worked out (or was God in the center of it)?

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The doctor told me "Physical exercise is good for you." I know that I should do it, but my body is out of shape, so I have worked out this easy daily program I can do right at work:

Monday:
Beat around the bush. Jump to conclusions. Climb the walls. Wade through paperwork.

Tuesday:
Drag my heels. Push my luck. Make mountains out of molehills. Hit the nail on the head.

Wednesday:
Bend over backwards. Jump on the bandwagon. Balance the books. Run around in circles.

Thursday:
Toot my own horn. Climb the ladder of success. Pull out the stops. Add fuel to the fire.

Friday:
Open a can of worms. Put my foot in my mouth. Start the ball rolling. Go over the edge.

Saturday:
Pick up the pieces. Throw in the towel. Whew! What a workout!

Sunday:
Kneel in prayer. Rise in praise. Let go, Let God. Decide to go to God first, so next week will be different!

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Don't Be Afraid

A sick man turned to his doctor, as he was preparing to leave the examination room and said, "Doctor, I am afraid to die. Tell me what lies on the other side."

Very quietly, the doctor said, "I don't know."

"You don't know? You, a Christian man, do not know what is on the other side?"

The doctor was holding the handle of the door; on the other side of which came a sound of scratching and whining, and as he opened the door, a dog sprang into the room and leaped on him with an eager show of gladness.

Turning to the patient, the doctor said, "Did you notice my dog? He's never been in this room before. He didn't know what was inside. He knew nothing except that his master was here, and when the door opened, he sprang in without fear. I know little of what is on the other side of death, but I do know one thing...I know my Master is there and that is enough.."

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Hugs and smiles to everyone.

Wednesday, March 19, 2003

Wed, 19 Mar 2003 12:40:19 GMT

Good Morning. Almost afternoon, but still morning, lol. I have been out of pocket most of the time for the last several days and if I haven't made it to all the sites I visit yet, I plan on doing that very thing today.

As with most ppl the upcoming deadline for Saddam Hussein is ever present on my mind. I don't relish the idea of war any more than the next fella, but our backs are against the wall if he (S.H.) chooses to continue to snub his nose at the President and this country. Terrorism has to stop or it just keeps growing.

The following might hold some interest for you.

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BRITISH EDITORIAL

No matter what your views on Bush this, from an English journalist, is very interesting.
For those of you not familiar with the UK's Daily Mirror, this is a notoriously left-wing daily that is normally not supportive of the Colonials across the Atlantic.

Tony Parsons Daily Mirror

One year ago, the world witnessed a unique kind of broadcasting -- the mass murder of thousands, live on television. As a lesson in the pitiless cruelty of the human race, September 11 was up there, with Pol Pot's mountain of skulls in Cambodia, or the skeletal bodies stacked like garbage in the Nazi concentration camps. An unspeakable act so cruel, so calculated and so utterly merciless that surely the world could agree on one thing--- nobody deserves this fate.

Surely there could be consensus: the victims were truly innocent, the perpetrators truly evil. But to the world's eternal shame, 9/11 is increasingly seen as America's comeuppance. Incredibly, anti-Americanism has increased over the last year.

There has always been a simmering resentment to the USA in this country too loud, too rich, too full of themselves and so much happier than Europeans - - But it has become an epidemic. And it seems incredible to me. More than that, it turns my stomach.

America is this country's greatest friend and our staunchest ally. We are bonded to the US by culture, language and blood. A little over half a century ago, around half a million Americans died for our freedoms, as well as their own. Have we forgotten so soon? And exactly a year ago, thousands of ordinary men, women and children -- not just Americans, but from dozens of countries -- were butchered by a small group of religious fanatics. Are we so quick to betray them?

What touched the heart about those who died in the twin towers and on the planes was that we recognized them. Young fathers and mothers, somebody's son and somebody's daughter, husbands and wives, and children, some unborn. And these people brought it on themselves? And their Nation is to blame for their meticulously planned slaughter?

These days you don't have to be some dust-encrusted nut job in Kabul or Karachi or Finsbury Park or Delhito see America as the Great Satan. The anti-American alliance is made up of self-loathing liberals who blame the Americans for every ill in the Third World, and conservatives suffering from power-envy, bitter that the world's only Superpower can do what it likes without having to ask permission.

The truth is that America has behaved with enormous restraint since September 11.
Remember, remember. Remember the gut-wrenching tapes of weeping men phoning their wives to say, "I love you," before they were burned alive. Remember those people leaping to their deaths from the top of burning skyscrapers. Remember the hundreds of firemen buried alive. Remember the smiling face of that beautiful little girl who was on one of the planes with her Mum.

Remember, remember -- and realize that America has never retaliated for 9/11 in anything like the way it could have. So a few al-Qaeda tourists got locked without a trial in Camp X-ray? Pass the Kleenex... Please. So some Afghan wedding receptions were shot up after they merrily fired their semi-automatics in a sky full of American planes? A shame, but maybe next time they should stick to confetti.

AMERICA could have turned a large chunk of the world into a parking lot. That it didn't is a sign of strength. American voices are already being raised against attacking Iraq-That's what a Democracy is for.

How many in the Islamic world will have a minute's silence for the slaughtered innocents of 9/11? How many Islamic leaders will have the guts to say that the mass murder of 9/11 was an abomination?

When the news of 9/11 broke on the West Bank, those freedom-loving Palestinians were dancing in the street. America watched all of that and didn't push the button.
We should thank the stars that America is the most powerful nation in the world. I still find it incredible that 9/11 did not provoke all-out war. Not just a "war on terrorism." A real war.

The fundamentalist dudes are talking about "opening the gates of hell," if America attacks Iraq. Well, America could have opened the gates of hell like you wouldn't believe.

The US is the most militarily powerful nation that has ever strode the face of the earth. The campaign in Afghanistan may have been less than perfect and the planned war on Iraq may be misconceived. But don't blame America for not bringing peace and light to these wretched countries.

How many democracies are there in the Middle East, or in the Muslim world? You can count them on the fingers of one hand assuming you haven't had any chopped off for minor shoplifting.

I love America, yet America is hated. I guess that makes me Bush's or I should say America's poodle. But I would rather be a dog in New York City than a Prince in Riyadh.

Above all, America is hated because it is what every country wants to be -- rich, free, strong, open, optimistic. Not ground down by the past, or religion, or some caste system. America is the best friend this country ever had and we should start remembering that.

Or do you really think the USA is the root of all evil? Tell it to the loved ones of the men and women who leaped to their death from the burning towers. Tell it to the nursing mothers whose husbands died on one of the hijacked planes, or were ripped apart in a collapsing skyscraper. And tell it to the hundreds of young widows whose husbands worked for the New York City Fire Department.

To our shame, George Bush gets a worse press than Saddam Hussein. Once we were told that Saddam gassed the Kurds, tortured his own people and set up rape-camps in Kuwait. Now we are told he likes Quality Street.

Remember, remember, September 11. One of the greatest atrocities in human history was committed against America. No, do more than remember.

Never, Never Forget.
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A Little Advice on Peace and War from an Israeli
By Naomi Ragen
NaomiRagen.com | March 7, 2003

For all those of you who think that only war poses risks for innocent people, I would like to tell you of our experiences here in Israel.

Nine years ago, we in Israel, encouraged by our own Peace-Nowers, signed a Peace Accord with a known terrorist, pulled our army out, handed him land and then sat around singing songs and painting doves because we were tired of fighting. And this is what happened: he brought in thousands of weapons, taught children to kill and be killed, set up bomb factories, and encouraged religious leaders to preach suicide bombing as a way to reach paradise. And we looked on and said: He doesn't mean it. It's just talk. And anyone who said out loud: 'There is no peace, just preparation for war from one side,' was drowned out and vilified, called a war-monger and a traitor, told they had killed Yitzchak Rabin and told to shut up and let the party continue.

And then our buses started blowing up, and our discos, and our wedding halls, and our Seder nights, and our Bar Mitzvahs and restaurants. Babies were blown up or shot in their carriages along with their grandmothers. Our country dug hundreds of graves. Thousands wound up injured, crippled for life, sitting in wheelchairs, and burn units, brain damaged on life-support; their lives destroyed.

And still the peace-nowers continued to preach: War is not the answer. There is no military solution.

At that point, we understood we'd been had. We started to speak out against them, to vote them out, to pick up our guns, and retake the areas we'd left, uproot the arms caches, the bomb factories, hunt down the terrorists...And then the bombings got less...and less...and less. Every day, our soldiers fought the war, and every single day, new innocent lives were saved.

But because we didn't have courage to speak out at the beginning, our lives were forever changed. Every place we go is now under armed guards. Half our restaurants closed down. The center of Jerusalem is like a ghost town. Our people are unemployed. No tourists come. Our children live with fears no child should have to endure. Thousands of families are in mourning. All because we listened to the appeasers, the peace-nowers. All because we let ourselves be intimidated.

We let them make us think we were wrong, and they were right, because we let them hijack the word 'Peace" until it became meaningless. Ten million British citizens signed a petition for 'peace' in 1941. As a result Neville Chamberlain signed a pact with Hitler. He declared it meant "Peace in our time." And ten million people turned out to be wrongheaded idiots. And these ten million idiots brought disaster down not only on the heads of their own children but also on the heads of children whose parents understood the truth, but had lacked the courage to fight for it.

And this is what I learned from living in Israel and I would like to share with you, to prevent your countries from suffering as mine has:

Anyone who tries to prevent a just war against terrorism, is on the side of the terrorists, an accomplice. No, they don't have an opinion that needs to be respected. No, they don't have an equally valuable point of view. No, no, no. They are as dangerous as the terrorists themselves, and will get you and your children killed just as fast.

As for the morality of war, the Bible tells us when someone comes to kill you, rise up and kill him first. As King Solomon said: " To every thing, there is a season, a time for peace, and a time for war."

And one more piece of wisdom. Those who condemn the war against terror aren't in favor of peace. They are in favor of a one-sided war in which the innocent can't defend themselves cleverly enough to win.

Naomi Ragen is a well-known author and playwright. Visit her website at www.NaomiRagen.com <http://www.NaomiRagen.com>.
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Have a great day. Hugs and smiles.

Monday, March 17, 2003

Mon, 17 Mar 2003 14:38:40 GMT

Well, I said I couldn't concentrate today, lollllllllll.

An Irish Blessing

May your neighbors respect you,
Your trouble neglect you,
The angels protect you,
And heaven accept you.

May the Irish hills caress you.
May her lakes and rivers bless you.
May the luck of the Irish enfold you.
May the blessings of Saint
Patrick behold you.

Here’s to you and yours,
And to mine and ours,
And if mine and ours ever come
Across you and yours,
I hope you and yours will do
As much for mine and ours,
As mine and ours have done
For you and yours.

Happy St. Patrick's Day
Best Of Luck To You And Yours

Hugs and Smiles

Monday, March 17, 2003

Mon, 17 Mar 2003 14:21:32 GMT

How to Pray: Don't give God instructions - just report for duty!

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Hello. Hope everyone had a great weekend. We got some much needed rain Fri. night but the rest of the weekend was sunny and warm.

Can't really concentrate today so am going to make this short and put on some pieces I hope you enjoy.

Take care, have a wonderful day and keep smiling.

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Ever wonder about the abbreviation

A.S.A.P.?

Generally we think of it in terms of even more
hurry and stress in our lives.
(As Soon As Possible)

If we think of this abbreviation in a different manner,
we may begin to find a new way
to deal with our rough times.

A. S. A. P.

Always Say A Prayer!

by Lisa Engelhardt

There's work to do, deadlines to meet.
You have no time to spare.
But as you hurry and scurry...
Always Say A Prayer.

In the midst of family chaos,
"quality time" is rare.
Do your best; let God do the rest.
Always Say A Prayer.

It may seem like your worries
are more than you can bear.
Slow down and take a breather...
Always Say A Prayer.

God knows how stressful life can be,
and he wants to ease your cares.
He'll respond to all your needs...
Always Say A Prayer.

Today I'm saying a little prayer
that God will send a smile to you
and send you special blessings
through everything you do.

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HOW DO THESE PEOPLE SURVIVE?

Recently, when I went to McDonald's I saw on the menu that you could have an order of 6, 9 or 12 Chicken McNuggets. I asked for a half dozen nuggets.

"We don't have half dozen nuggets," said the teenager at the counter.

"You don't?" I replied. "We only have six, nine, or twelve," was the reply. "So I can't order a half-dozen nuggets, but I can order six?" "That's right." So I shook my head and ordered six McNuggets.

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The paragraph above doesn't amaze me because of what happened a couple of months ago. I was checking out at the local Foodland with just a few items and the lady behind me put her things on the belt close to mine. I picked up one of those "Dividers" that they keep by the cash register and placed it between our things so they wouldn't get mixed. After the girl had scanned all of my items, she picked up the "Divider" looking it all over for the bar code so she could scan it. Not finding the bar code she said to me "Do you know how much this is?" and I said to her "I've changed my mind, I don't think I'll buy that today." She said "OK" and I paid her for the things and left. She had no clue to what had just happened.....

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A lady at work was seen putting a credit card into her floppy drive and pulling it out very quickly. When inquired as to what she was doing, she said she was shopping on the Internet and they kept asking for a credit card number, so she was using the ATM "thingy".

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I recently saw a distraught young lady weeping beside her car. Do you need some help?" I asked. She replied, "I knew I should have replaced the battery to this remote door unlocker. Now I can't get into my car. Do you think they (pointing to a distant convenient store) would have a battery to fit! this?" "Hmmm, I dunno. Do you have an alarm too?" I asked. "No, just this remote thingy," she answered, handing it and the car keys to me. As I took the key and manually unlocked the door, I replied, "Why don't you drive over there and check about the batteries. It's a long walk.

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Several years ago, we had an Intern who was none too swift. One day she was typing and turned to a secretary and said, "I'm almost out of typing paper. What do I do?" "Just use copier machine paper," the secretary told her. With that, the intern took her last remaining blank piece of paper, put it on the photocopier and proceeded to make five "blank" copies.

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IDIOTS AT WORK... Sign in a gas station: Coke -- 49 cents. Two for a dollar.

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IDIOTS & COMPUTERS... My neighbor works in the operations department in the central office of a large bank. Employees in the field call him when they have problems with their computers. One night he got a call from a woman in one of the branch banks who had this question: "I've got smoke coming from the back of my terminal. Do you guys have a fire downtown?"

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IDIOTS ARE EASY TO PLEASE: I was sitting in my science class, when the teacher commented that the next day would be the shortest day of the year. My lab partner became visibly excited, cheering and clapping. I explained to her that the amount of daylight changes, not the actual amount of time. Needless to say, she was very disappointed.

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Police in Radnor, Pennsylvania, interrogated a suspect by placing a metal colander on his head and connecting it with wires to a photocopy machine. The message "He's lying" was placed in the copier, and police pressed the copy button each time they thought the suspect wasn't telling the truth. Believing the "lie detector" was working, the suspect confessed.

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Hugs and smiles to everybody. :):):):)