AMY GRANT - Better Than A Hallelujah Lyrics

AMY GRANT - Better Than A Hallelujah Lyrics:

"God loves a lullaby
In a mothers tears in the dead of night
Better than a Hallelujah sometimes.
God loves a drunkards cry,
The soldiers plea not to let him die
Better than a Hallelujah sometimes.

We pour out our miseries
God just hears a melody
Beautiful the mess we are
The honest cries of breaking hearts
Are better than a Hallelujah

The woman holding on for life,
The dying man giving up the fight
Are better than a Hallelujah sometimes
The tears of shame for what's been done,
The silence when the words won't come
Are better than a Hallelujah sometimes.

We pour out our miseries
God just hears a melody
Find More lyrics at www.sweetslyrics.com
Beautiful the mess we are
The honest cries of breaking hearts
Are better than a Hallelujah

Better than a church bell ringing,
Better than a choir singing out,singing out.

We pour out our miseries
God just hears a melody
Beautiful the mess we are
The honest cries of breaking hearts
Are better than a Hallelujah


Repeat Chorus"

Basic Training

Well, I began my journey last Tuesday night into the world of EMT-ville. My classes began in which I am aspiring to pass this EMT-B class and be on my way to a possible career in medicine...the urgent kind! I met our instructor, Wes Thompson...he seems like a nice enough fella; ordered our shirts; got a TON of material in which I have 2 workbooks to complete, and in so doing it will equal to 1 major test grade of 100, which I may need as a grade to complete this course. I also found our last Thurday night that I am NOT the oldest in the class, which in itself gives me a mental victory at least! We will have about 5 spelling tests, which will total to equal 1 major test grade as well! I was always pretty good in spelling so this could be a boon for me (we have our first spelling test tonite!).

I do realize that this course will be monumental for me to pass because it is going to be really hard!!! Lots of information and things and procedures to learn and memorize!! We will have several all-day Saturdays to enjoy each others' company and to practice the skills that we will learn in class! Thursday nights' chapter will be on 'The Human Body', in which it details all the bone structure, heart, brain(ium), everything! PRAY that it will all soak into my own brainium so as to become ready to 'upload' when I need answers in class on test day! We get to learn how to extricate a patient from a vehicle on one Saturday, how to drive an ambulance one Saturday, there's a class to learn how to deliver a baby, millions of other important stuff to learn...all before June 10th!!!

Hepatitis B, Tuberculosis, triangulate, consent, DNR, HIPPA, trauma, AIDS, innoculation, on-line, off-line, CISM, stress, decontamination, hazardous, abandonment, confidentiality,scope of practice, duty to act, liability are ALL words I need to know!!

Our shirts are supposed to come tonite, I also have a MCC cap coming--hey, this IS my college course, so I should celebrate somehow, right??? Never a UNC t-shirt or anything so just a mere 35 years later I have delved into the world of education...so I at least deserve a cap don't I???

I think that this new profession (I AM trying to reinvent myself!!) will possibly allow me to honor ♥ Jesus ♥ in a new way and if I am able to witness or encourage one soul along the way it will be well worth the effort! ☺

If I Was God...

As I was reading my devotional this morning I got to thinking about this rediculous question: "What if I was God"??? What would I do differently than what the Creator of the universe do?? Well, for starters I wouldn't send my Son...my Only Son into the world to a small little nothing of a place like Bethlehem! Rome, maybe, but Bethlehem, never! What was the prestige of coming even TO a place so small and unimportant as Bethlehem?? Center of commerce?? Lots of important people living there?? Come on, even CNN wouldn't have been THERE! My Son would have deserved better than Bethlehem!! Lots of grandeur, lots of paparazzi, lots of very influential folks there to witness such as event!

And a stable? You have GOT to be kidding me!!! No room at the inn?? What kind of place is this anyway?? I'm sending God-Incarnate to the earth and I'm gonna send Him to be born around a bunch of cattle and stink and hay and cold...among lowly shepherds as the first visitors to such an occasion?? Come on, I have to have a better imagination than this!! This is appalling!!! Very UN-king-like, wouldn't you say?? And just who would believe such a story as this of the Messiah, the Christ-child which had been awaited for thousands of years!! And the Redeemer of Israel spent His first night on earth sleeping in a trough??? To even believe such a far-fetched story as this would take an enormous sense of faith, let alone to be a party to this and engage so as to bring gifts to the 'King'!!

Later this same Man would be taken captive in the middle of the night by a riotous mob that was bent on having Him killed--no not by their own hands but by the hands of the government! The Romans would do the dirty work, they would just submit the phony charges and accusations against this Jesus, Who is the Christ! If I was God, would I have allowed that??? Touch one hair on His head and it would have been over for the whole party of those who had come to dare take my Son into captivity for crimes that He had never committed!! I may have even killed all the people within a hundred miles of the Garden! Perfect, sinless, Holy and righteous!! He was beyond what any man could ever attain and yet he would be on 'trial' for what these men said was worthy of death. And try as they did, they were only able to find this last plea against Him...that He said He was God and King of the Jews...and a threat to the Roman king, Ceasar. The WHAT!!???

But you know what??? Of course you do, I am NOT God! Nor would my plan have been perfect! Even my reasoning here is VERY flawed!!! Reasonable in man's eyes maybe, but reasonable in the perfect plan of God, no way!! God's plans are not always our plans and His ways are not our ways, nor is His reasoning and understanding! Don't forget we are made in HIS image, not the other way around!! THANK GOD!!!!! What a mess I would have made of this Perfect Plan of Salvation!!! Perfect, absolutely perfect!!!

"For God so loved the world that He gave His Only begotten Son that whosoever believes in Him will not perish but have everlasting life"~ John 3:16

If I was God today, you wanna know what I would do about....

I can't stop myself ☺

Winter...My Perspective☺

Here it is, Feb. 4th and I'M READY for SPRING...already!!! What is going on in this time of 'Global Warming'??? What globe is Al Gore the Bore talking about?? We've had 2 pretty nice snows...in itself is a small wonder because here in this part of the globe (Statesville). They are calling on an ice/snow/freezing rain/rain mixture in the next 36 hours...I'm not even a FAN of cold weather! I had 'wished' to move to Alaska--the state once governed by Gov. Sarah Palin, the "Last Frontier"...but I think that I am going to have to recant that wish right now! What was I thinking???

Just let me rant just a minute (my space, right??). Just what do we pay the D.O.T. for anyway??? Are they a waste of $$$ here in Iredell County?? It snowed last Friday & Saturday here. They managed to scrap one side of Old Mountain Road pretty good and the other side was left to wear/melt as well as possible. As far as 'Secondary Roads' such as East Monbo, Pineville, Buffalo Shoals, Island Ford etc. have been left to melt as time passes. My real beef is why are all the DOT trucks on the roads...all over the county with their blades pulled up?? What do they think they are for?? Drop 'em and scrap the roads you're riding on already!! You see those guys crusing on the other roads...Don't have an 'order' to scrape a certain road?? Then why be on it?? I saw 2 trucks sitting at Kat's Patch parking lot the other day....I guess they were discussing the up-coming Super Bowl game or something. Why do they get paid to sit in a parking lot when there are roads all OVER the county that needs scraping. And if these morons that actually DO clean off a road (such as Old Mountain Road) would drive slower and safer, they wouldn't be knocking down all those mail boxes and newspaper boxes! If the driver themselves had to come back and fix this destruction, they might think again about flying up and down the road at 40 or 45 miles an hour while cleaning off the road!!

On a positive note, Christy and I have spent several days out taking pictures of the white fluffy stuff! Snow creates a totally different look for the world that we live in! We went out yesterday to North Iredell to snap a few (hundred) pics and it was SOOOOO beautiful! Even the cemetery there at Snow Creek looked extraordinary!!! Cattle feeding in the snow, horses grazing in pastures, barns varnished with the magical white, hills and valleys dressed in the satin sheen...ALL gifts from God for us that take our breath away!!

This is what I LOVE about winter...but the mess after it starts to melt, the difficulty that I/we have in motoring around in the unkept roads (see above!), driveways and parking lots that are problematic for our entry and getting about, the yard that poor Toby is reluctant to go out into to use the bathroom in (LOL), the chance of losing power during these storms--especially ice! All this makes spring look better and better!!

Besides--spring brings---YES....BASEBALL!!!!!!

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'Pants On the Ground'

Is there anyone who hasn't heard of Gen. Larry Platt's rendition of "Pants On The Ground"?? And the hilarity of the song is the truth that it states!!! I am ever amazed why today's young men...and some old(er) enough to KNOW better...that want to walk around and with every other step they wanna...no they HAVE to pull on their pants because they are about to fall down! I am at the edge of believing that they are just to sorry to wear a belt. Rebel...go against the flow...be different...make your own statment...be an individual....whatEVER... just pull your dang pants up you sorry thing!

That not only is disgusting but it is disrespectful...a word that probably has gone unknown and foreign to today's male population. I think it started in the 'gangsta'/getto neighborhood aka 'hood' but just get over yourself! I don't know of ANYONE who wants to see your nasty underwear...or anything else. If ya can't afford a belt, don't buy your pants fifteen sizes too big!!! STUPID!

"PANTS ON THE GROUND, PANTS ON THE GROUND! LOOKIN' LIKE A FOOL WITH YOUR PANTS ON THE GROUND!! HAT TURNED SIDEWAYS, GOLD IN YOUR MOUTH! LOOKIN' LIKE A FOOL WITH YOUR PANTS ON THE GROUND!!"

I applaud the General for taking a stand--probably a very unpopular stand with the brothas in the hood! He's a very wise man...and probably pretty wealthy too, now!

Like DeAngelo Williams of the Carolina Panthers version:

PULL 'EM UP, PULL 'EM UP, PULL 'EM UP!!!!!!!!!!!

Change

Do I ever hate change! It happens all the time! Yet, as I grow older I hate it more and more! At times, change is good and rarely do I ever agree with that until it is hindsight and I'm looking back instead of forward! And truth be told, change is the only constant in life! "What is changing?" you ask...

Well, we have changed into a new year...the old one was ok I guess but 22 days ago we bounced right into a new one, like it or not. With that comes new laws, another new tax year, something else to remember when writing checks etc. (I still catch myself writing 2009) and there's new opportunities... for service, for growth, for opportunity! Which of these will it be in 2010?? For me?? For you??

I began a journey on the 4th of Jan. to embark on a new career, or at least a new direction. I have registered for a EMT-B class, which will possibly enable me to become a EMT Basic and possibly and hopefully, a job with NuCare ambulance service! If not that, it will certainly open a few more doors of opportunity that right now does not exist for me. This training will also enable me to be more efficient while staying with my Mom, on the nights that my sister Sandy works for the County (EMS). I stay with Mom and due to her health issues at least I would have the skills to be of benefit! It will also help me maybe with my Dad, as he is still fighting off the death-grip of esophageal cancer and you never know what medical emergency he may require.

As a child my first desire was to become a doctor. When reality set in and I determined that I wasn't going to make the kind of grades and have the money for med school, I quickly sought a new life desire: Paleontologist. And after that followed a dream to become a Major League Baseball player-- a dream that I only recently gave up on as a 50+ year old rookie might not have a very good chance to hit a 90 mile an hour fastball--or pitch one!

So it's kindof funny the irony of this EMT class!!

Other changes that have recently occured in my life has been my stepping down as PowerPoint person at Grace. The itch is still there to be honest because I do enjoy 'creating' stuff on the computer, as witnessed by my websites and other adventures here on the web...but the decision to begin using the Easy Worship program and by my helpers desiring more and more Sundays-- it became clear that this would be a pretty good time to step aside. I have done PowerPoint for several years, to be honest I don't remember how long exactly! I know that Pastor Greg had asked me to help out Lorri, who was the PPT. queen! She is super smart and everything that I did RIGHT is because of Lorri and everything that I messed up on was all my own doing! At the time I was helping Lorri and Bev....when Bev left I was Lorri's backup and when Lorri left I was up. The PPT. 'job' was a stressful and rewarding one for sure--stressful b/c of the songs...always the songs. When Jim was the Worship Leader the songs were pretty much a 'piece of cake' but after he left it seems that the stress bagan. 'They' say that the Easy Worship is much easier than PPT. and easier to go between verse and chorus etc. Maybe. Two monitors and two open programs doesn't seem easier to me but...it gives opportunity to my replacements!

And the rewarding thing was on that rare occasion when I didn't make any mistakes, when the colors and the text all looked great, the song slides were all in sequence and I had all the announcement slides up-to-date! PowerPoint really looked good on those huge moniters on the wall!!

I have gone back to going to church with Denise, it just seems to make sense. As I begin this new challenge of 'the class' I just think I need to shed all the stress that I possibly can and even in that there is new opportunities and open doors. I'm not gonna talk about that right now...just stuff on the back burner...but we'll see how those things go in the future. It is kindof nice to go to church with Denise and to see some of the old friends from my (Christian) childhood and new friends too!

I'm not sure of the other changes that are in store for this new year. I know that somehow I'm gonna need to find a job...like about 20 million of my closest friends, so we'll see how that all plays out too...

Let's see....the arm bone connected to the hand bone...the hand bone connected (or disconnected......) ☺

End Of Year Analysis~2009

This year is almost gone and it seems like it has just began...plenty of ups and downs...time spins on like a top that's just been released...

This past January Denise broke her knee and we rehabed for a spell following surgery--BTW, K-Mart refused to pay for any of the hospital bills etc. Spring brought both sadness and joy...Meggie our longtime dog died in April and in May we were introduced to Toby, who has been a little bundle of joy...spring also brought a new year's garden, only to be drowned by a wet spring and a 6" deluge in June that left us with our first season without many of the prize tomatoes of past summers. A real disappointment for me since I have this thing with trying to grown huge tomatoes to then give most of them away...but, there's 'always next year!!" ♥

One of my bestest friends went on to be with Jesus this year and I am still catching myself trying to send JoAnn e-mails...I can't bring myself to delete her from my address book so I continue to just go past her when it's time to send another funny or good story...she was such a sweet and inspiring friend and I still miss her a lot.

In August my Dad found out that his cancer had returned, this time in his esophagas. We went to Chapel Hill Hospital and they pretty much told him that there was nothing they could do for him besides try to keep his throat as clear as possible and they were even talking about calling in hospice for him at a pretty early stage...he went to Baptist Hospital in Winston-Salem and they gave him some hope with 28 radiation treatments and 2 different rounds of chemo of 120 hours each, which required week-long stays in the hospital. He still is not able to eat hardly any food but he is still with us and today I went up to see him and he is doing pretty good and his color is coming back to him as well! ☺

My Mom had to have gall bladder surgery in May as well and for a while she was doing pretty good but her health has been declining for several years and she is having a lot of trouble with her leg these days and having a good bit of pain there as well. The surgery helped with some of her issues but she still has bouts with her stomach from time-to-time and it seems like she hasn't gotten a lot of relief from that. But the good news is that they are both still here with us as well as Denise's Mom so we have been Blessed in that area for sure!

My Caridnals won their division by a good bit but they then lost in the first round of the playoffs so they were 3 and out! Jeff Gordon finished 3rd in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series and Kyle failed to make the Chase...but he DID win the Nationwide Series Championship so it wasn't a total waste for my drivers. I have recently added a third driver to my 'favorites' corral and that is Ryan Newman, who I met in Mooresville a few weeks ago at the 'Stock For Tots' thing where various drivers were signing (I also met Ray Evernham (among others) who was Jeff's Crew Cheif for a long time during his glory years of the 1990's!!).

The Panthers had a dismal year this year with almost half of the team (??) on the IR so they are currently at 7-8 with one game to go...no hopes of the playoffs this year but Matt Moore has really looked good at QB so big Jake may have some compitition next year altho his future is a bit uncernain right now...

All this stuff IS a part of my year--BTW!!!

Christy and I have taken a few 'Road Safaris' this year in which we took a few (thousand) pictures...and we are planning one tomorrow too!~ We went up to the ParkWay and to Doughton Park which was a great place to walk and take pictures--we first went in September right as the colors began, I hope to go up there in the spring too! Several close, day trips which have included Spencer to see the trains and several parks seeking deer and other wildlife! I got a new Kodak camera for Christmas so I am going to try to take even MORE pics in the future--it's my 'portable cam'!!! LOL!!

My biggest surprise came in August when I won 3rd place in the Our State Magazine Photo Contest. My b&w picture of 'The Depot' up in Dobson, NC which I took in Nov. 2008. I was also interviewed by the Statesville Record & Landmark for a front page articel talking about my picture in Our State! I am already at work trying to figure out which entries to send for the 2010 Photo Contest! Christy & I entered pics in the Iredell County Fair in September and we both won a few ribbons and $$--Denise won 1st Place for her excellent salsa!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I was sooo proud of her!!!! ☺

Of course, I could have done all this if not for my lay off from Eagle International last Nov. I'm still unemployed but I am hoping to get to go to school and take a EMT Course that starts in Febuary. I go next Monday for my Entrance Exam to see if I can get some financial aid with the class b/c just the class alone costs $175. I haven't taken a test in about...whew.....many years so I hope that I can get my brain to kick in gear one more time!!!

I saw Ricky a few times in recent months altho not lately but at least we are in contact...Betsy, Genie & Kim, not-so-much.

God has been good and He always is!!! We have been going back to Fellowship Baptist Church in recent months, altho I still do PowerPoint at Grace once or twice a month, so I'm not too sure what will happen with either of those 2 opportunities but we have met some new friends at Fellowship and renewed old friendships there so we will see what our Father has in store for us in 2010!

Is that 'TwoThousand Ten' or 'Twenty-Ten'??? ☺

I'll be writing.....♥

What Do I Know???

I was out raking leaves a little bit ago and thinking about how differently I look at this meanial task this year. Maybe it's because of my love of photography and thinking back to all the pictures that I've taken this year of leaves and how much I have enjoyed the fall season! The colors have been wonderful and until just recently, they have lasted for a good while! Actually, just a few days ago we were admiring a young maple tree in the woods behind the house and the spectacular yellow color that it still held!

I have lived thru a very interesting year...with plenty of ups and downs thrown in there too! It started in January with Denise tripping and faloling aas we were going in to K-Mart and breaking her kneecap. Also in January, BS-Obama took over and in his almost 11 months in office has done a tremendous job at trying to ruin this country and put us into a position in which we will never recover! Never in my most horrible nightmares have I ever dreamed that a Muslim, who among other things is a two-faced liar would become leader of the free world. I know it is all a part of God's Master Plan, one in which we as mortals are just clueless as to His methods but not the OUTCOME! Barack's arrogance and indifference is what really puts me over the edge...but, I'm not here to write about his arrogant self, I am writing about my own adventure in 2009...

In May my Mom had her gall bladder removed and for a while she did really well with it and for the past few months it seems like she is again bothered by sporadic sickness. In August we found out that my Dad has had a reoccurance of his cancer, this time in his esophagas. The first prognosis was terminal so he got a second opinion at Baptist Hospital and for the past couple of months he has undergone treatment there, both radiation and chemo. He is presently at Baptist after having his feeding tube slip somehow and rip a hole in his stomach. In about 6 weeks, they will do some more tests to see if the radiation and chemo have been successful in slowing down or killing this tumor. I have helped drive him and my Step Mom back and forth and I have been very Blessed to have this opportunity to help them during this difficult time in their lives.

In the process of this, I have had the opportunity to begin a relationship with my brother Rick, who is 3 years older than I am. I am hoping that this will develop into a lasting friendship at least! It has been weird knowing that I have a brother that I hardly know but maybe this door will open into a growing relationship with him!

I am looking at maybe taking an EMT Basic course beginning in February to perhaps open a door of opportunity to work at NuCare. I have discovered in the past year that I am going to have to reinvent myself to make me attractive to a prospective employer and I'm afraid that the furniture industry is a dying machine. Hopefully I will be able to absorb all the information that will come my way if that is the direction that God is leading me into...and if it is, I will be successful! ☺

When I think back on this year I can't help but wonder what God is up to as far as where He would have Denise and I to go to church. I have had two people to come on board to help me with PowerPoint at Grace Covenant, so that has opened a door for me to go with Denise to Fellowship, where she has been playing piano since about April of this year. We have some good friends at each church and it has been impossible for me to choose where to go. It's a bit unfair to be torn between the two, as Denise and I have no hard feelings whatsoever at Grace but God opened this door for her to go to Fellowship and in the process my Mom has started to go back there as well.

But do you know what I've discovered during this whole time??? What do I know????????? ♥♥

Digitography

A new word from me, combining digital (camera) and photography, thus: digitography!! I have created a few words before but not-so-much creating one that described me, or should I say what I like to do. I enjoy the 'art' of photography and with digital, it can make even the most lame 'dummy' like myself, look like I know what it is that I'm doing!

We have gone thru several digital cameras, a HP that is about the size of the old Kodak; and then we got a new HP, a little smaller and it takes some really good pictures! Then when Christy got her new camera from her Dad, she passed her old camera to me, which is a Fuji 5200 point-and-shoot! It takes some really nice pictures, even the one that netted me 3rd place in Our State Magazine this past August!

All this to say that digitography is an important science and not one to be taken lightly! I have read a few books trying to hone my limited skills in this area and hopefully I will land in another issue sometime!!

I enjoy shooting mostly landscapes and clouds, nature stuff... but in October when Susan & Bryan got married I took a couple of hundred shots of them and discovered that with the right subjects and so many shots to choose from that my camera can make some pretty good images! I don't know if anything will ever happen with this 'gift' but I do enjoy doing it...along with probably a couple hundred million other folks too!!

Digitography--hopefully here to stay!!!!!! Be lookin' for you thru my lens......:O)

See Ya Later JoAnn!!

Again I am faced with writing about a friend who has gone Home. We got word this morning that our dear friend, JoAnn Fulp was gone to be with Jesus! This is not necessarily bad news but it is painful to those of us who loved JoAnn. She had surgery last Friday and due to some complications she did not get to go back to her earthly home but on to her Heavenly home. But she was ready to go!

Let me tell you first a little about JoAnn. We met JoAnn several years ago at Monticello United Methodist Church when they were having what they called "Saturday Night Real Life" At the time the pastor there was Jeff Coppley and he too became very good friends of ours! JoAnn & Robert were there many of the Saturday nights and JoAnn was a worshipper! Not only did she worship in a group setting but she also was a worshipper in her personal life, when no one was watching except for the One to Whom she worshipped. And 'how do I know this' you ask???

JoAnn not only 'talked the talk' but she also 'walked the walk'! We became instant friends and we kept in touch thru e-mail almost daily! She was an encourager and a freind who was there, in joy and in sadness. She probably told me a hundred times that she was praying for me/us and she is one of those who I believe did just that! And again I'm sure that you are asking 'how do I know that??'

JoAnn was a person who could pick you up when you were down and she had a contagious laugh that I will always remember! You could see Jesus in her eyes and on her face! You could see Him! If you know Jesus you will know what I am talking about because you can recognize Him in others around you who are truly of Him! And let me tell you that that is a rare quality indeed!! The Holy Spirit will reveal Himself to you if you desire and He will also let you know when you see 'the real deal'!! Don't even think about telling me that the Holy Spirit lies because God cannot lie and the Holy Spirit is sent from God to us to reveal truth and lead us in our daily walk!

I am so thankful to have known JoAnn and my life has been richer because of her! God knows I will miss her terribly--every e-mail I send to anyone goes to JoAnn as well! There are a very few people that I send EVERYthing to and she is one of them! Funny stuff, serious stuff, personal stuff, political stuff, dumb stuff, neat stuff--ALL of it goes to JoAnn too! Why? Because she has been a friend and a special person who has done the same for me as well! I know I got all her 'stuff' and she told me once that she sends my stuff on too! I even sent her a computer virus one time that put her out of commission for a time--ooopps!!! It's gonna be a hard habit to break to keep from 'copying' to her...I'm gonna miss her so much!!

I wish that I could be the kind of friend to others that JoAnn has been to me thru the years! Always there, always there, always there! She sent me an e-mail just last week telling me about her upcoming surgery and here is an exerpt from that e-mail:

"I will have 2 human doctors because Dr. Robinson will be working with Dr. Foxworthy. and they area the best in town!
But I know the Great Healer in control of EVERYTHING! God knows my will is to always be in His will ,and Jesus loves me.

I've been told I will feel better, breath better and have some energy. If that is what my Father wants for me, so be it. I am His child and I know He cares for me. "

She also spoke about my Dad who has cancer and that she hoped he continues to improve... always concerned about the well-being of others! She introduced me to her sister, Sylvia, several years ago and she too is that same kind of special person! JoAnn & Robert and Denise and myself got together a few times and enjoyed each other's company so much! JoAnn loved music and she loved to write, which she did often. She wrote poetry as well as life stories of herself. She was an inspiration to me in my own (lame) writing but she encouraged me to write for a while for her church on-line newsletter in an article called "Thursday Thoughts", which for a time I wrote e-mails with the same title.

I could go on and on and on about JoAnn but the bottom line of her life is that she loved Jesus and she talked about Him often! That's how I knew!! She talked about Him and her trust in Him and in Him alone for her well being and for her life!! I look forward to seeing her again in Heaven one day and I feel that Jesus is just ABOUT to come back for His own--REALLY SOON! JoAnn just beat the rest of us there!!

PLEASE pray for her husband Robert and for her family as well as they try to continue their lives without our dear friend, wife, mother and sister!!

I Love you JoAnn!! See you soon!!

Innocent Until PROVEN Guilty

Just as it says: "Innocent until proven guilty'. It is not just a statement, but it is how the law that covers all Americans per the U.S. Constitution. For the past 2 weeks I have been serving on jury duty to determine whether a certain man was guilty of first degree murder. This man is not a 'choir boy' to begin with, which the evidence pointed to his past involvment and him currently serving time on drug charges.

The Assistant District Attorney tried to link the accused to the victim thru a managerie of testimony regarding the original crime of burglary and kidnapping and then retaliation for the robbery which led to the murder. He had witnesses who were serving time or had served time to come forward and try to link the accused to the victim, but their testimony was questionable given their sentences were shortened by their willingness to testify and some contradiction to each others memory.

I have been torn during the process as to which of these witnesses to believe and whether to believe thier words at all but the underlying thing was some of their testimony seemed to not be very believable. I must admit however, I was one of three which were not so sure that we were making a correct decision in acquitting Mr. B. of this crime. He is currently serving a 33 year sentence for the drug issues he was involved in before, so he won't be getting out any time soon.

After the verdict was read, Mr. B. seemed to say "Thank You Jesus" and look up toward heaven, and he had a smile and tears in his eyes too. I hope that he does, in fact, know Jesus and it would be a real Blessing to believe that maybe he has come to know Him during his time in prison!

This has all been a very difficult time in my life seeing how these young men could commit such a violent crime and how human life is so cheapened by society today. We no longer value the life of others, whether it be the unborn or the unloved or misfits who cannot fit in to society without surrounding themselves with other 'characters' who they hang with to makes themselves feel some sort of worth or value. And many times these 'characters' are more known for the crimes they commit and the lifestyle that they live rather than who they really are as a person who is loved by God, which we all are! But God gave His ONLY Son for people like Mr. B and the victim, 'Marty' as well all those involved and the one who actually pulled the trigger--"For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son..." John 3:16

I am not sure whether Mr. B. is innocent of this killing, but the state did not prove that he did do it either. The burden of proof was on the state and he is innocent until proven guilty.

The PERFECT Job!!!

As many of you know (maybe) I have been unemployed for almost a year now--technically since the middle of December last year...but I have found the perfect job! Tony LaRussa, the manager of the St. Louis Cardinals for several years now...and he usually signs a one-year contract with the Cards each year...but so far he is undecided about next year as far as returning for another year or retiring. He is 65 years old...there could be an opportunity there!!!

I, of course, would speak on my own behalf and be my own agent in any negatiations with the Cardinals but I'm pretty sure we could hammer out a deal within a few hours of intense negotiations. My expertise and loyalty should be considered in the deal and I've been there for them thru some good years and some pretty lean years! They have the makings of a pretty big winner, I just believe that a new skipper with one goal of winning the World Series and bringing that Championship trophy back to St. Louis would be a determing factor in any deal that we could make.

Of course, if they balk in the negotiations I may determine to go after another coveted position that may be opening soon: radio broadcaster. Mike Shannon is getting close to retirement age as well so there could be an opening in the Cardinals radio network that broadcasts all their games...both spring training and during the season too! I must admit that my experience may be limited in the airwaves field but I do have the face for radio!!

I'll be working on my resume.....

Will I May

Denise and I had a conversation yesterday that made me do some thinking and altho I have no root answers, I have given it some thought! What to do about it is obvious, but but therein lies the complexity of it. What to do with all my stuff!!??

As persons who have passed the age of 50 we are realizing how stupid it is to not have a will. Along with the fact that there will never be any $$$ money to squabble about because even now there is never enough even in the good times and that is even magnified during these "difficult financial times", which is 'Demo-eze' for recession, which equals no jobs, which equals no money $$$! I can make light of this in that I am in my second...yes second major lay-off in four years and after having worked for the past 31 years without much incident, it qualms at the shock of having to go thru this yet again!

It has however come at a interesting time given the fact that my Dad has esophageal cancer and his lifespan looks to be shorter than longer. I am Blessed and fortunate to have this opportunity to be 'off' to at least be available to be there and spend some time with him, since I didn't as a youth, but that is for another story. The story now is: will I??!

It's a sad story too as I realize that two of my children have absolutely no dealings with me whatsoever and there are two who are on the fringes, who are there when convenient and it pleases them. Ok, I can deal with that sortof...it is what it is and truth in relationships has long been not-so-much in my family for gemerations now so it is basically par for the course! One has already gone home to be with Jesus so he has no need for 'stuff' anymore and there is one who is likely the only one who will be there till the end! Toche!

In that I have stuff that will have no face value to any one after I am gone for much of my stuff has been around for a lot of my life. Baseball cards that were worth anything have long ago been sold and the sheer numbers of those 'left behind' is enormous if not lucrative! Baseball, NASCAR, and few football which mostly consists of Carolina Panthers and an assortment of those whom I really don't know the value...which in these 'difficult financial times' cards are NOT a priority in any person's imagination, even my own! As a long-time collector I have gone high and low to collect those that I had and have, but today the collection is all but worthless. My Lou Brock cards (he has been my lifetime favorite player for the St. Louis Cardinals!!) remain my all-time favorites, and in the Beckett his cards are fairly expensive...the truth is that a person would never get out of them what I have put into them!

A will, a will....hmmm what I mostly leave behind besides stuff is a legacy of what?? Broken relationships, forgotten promises, burned bridges, backward thinking, do I need to go on?? My hope would be to leave behind at least this: the absolute importance of finding and having a relationship with Jesus Christ and to know Him as Lord and Savior and having a lasting relationship with Him. That would be what I would want to leave behind--not so much by my own example but because of His Gift to us!

Will I may...

Growing Old (er)

Yesterday I reached a new milestone-52 years old! "Blessed with the joy of living" is what local radio host Pat Shannon says daily on his 'Home Ad' show when someone asks him how he is doing...And I am as well! God has been good to me these 52 years and I have to proclaim His goodness to all! That's not to say that life has been a 'box of chocolates either, but in the grand scheme of things life has been good!

Christy and I took a "Day-cation" on Wednesday to commerate the beginning of my 'Birthday Celebration", which is a month-long (at least) observance of the passing of time--at least I celebrate that long!!! We drove up to the Parkway and went to Doughton Park (where we had about a 6 mile hike)and on to The Cascades (which was beautiful!), both of which can be easily accessed by going up Hwy. 21 to right above Roaring Gap. It was a GORGEOUS day, chilly and windy but an awesome day of hiking and scenic photography! I took 561 pictures(!) of which a few came out to look pretty nice, but it was a great way to start the festivities!! We are definitely going to return there again!! BTW--I took an even 1800 pictures last month!!!! Definitely a record!!!!!

We are hoping to go to Horse & Mule Days in Denton next weekend for another opportunity to add to the collection of pictures that we are taking!! Our State and other magazines are awaiting our entries!!

I've had a short vacation away from my duties at Grace in the past 2 weeks as well and with a couple of Homecomings to maybe attend, I may have a couple more weeks 'off'. I enjoy doing the PowerPoint there at church but I have two capable assistants and I need to 'grow my team' so this gives tham an opportunity to bloom as well!!

I'm still unemployed (obviously!) but it has come at a very good time for me considering the declining health of my Dad, who has Esophaegal Cancer, which they have determined to be terminal. Of course, man cannot make that declaration, only God can make such a claim, but as far as man goes his time on this side of eternity is seemingly short. We all "like grass wither away" and it is "appointed man once to die" as I myself must face one day if not for the Rapture first but it is a difficult time to watch him grow increasingly more taken by this dreaded disease. Who would think that a condition that multiplies cells within your body could have such a horrible effect on your health?? An almost silent killer, at least there is no visible signs of it, but one that has taken more loved ones than I care to even say! Even now, we have another dear friend who is fighting off this growing fire within. When will it stop... and WILL it before Jesus comes??

Growing older has other issues too as our own health may be in question and countless other 'bumps in the raod' happen as time marches on. But you know, the neat thing about it is.....God's ALREADY there!!

Who Then Should Go?

In the past 2 days I have heard 3 sermons that pretty much say the same thing and has spoken directly to me. That's not to say that I am doing what was therein, but it is to say that it is imperative and commanded by God in His Word. The Word is this:

"But how can they call on him to save them unless they believe in him? And how can they believe in him if they have never heard about him? And how can they hear about him unless someone tells them?"- Romans 10:14 NLT

Actually I got the text from Pastor Greg Laurie this morning and in each message the word was the same and that is to tell others about Jesus! Whether at work or play, in the marketplace or the home place, day or night, in the mood to or not but we are to share Jesus wherever we go.

Pastor Greg also shared a story that hit really close to me as well! 'What if we knew of an absolute cure for cancer and all we had to do was to tell someone about it. And we even knew someone who had cancer and was needing that cure. Whether we felt that we could speak the cure correctly or not, wouldn't we feel compelled to share the cure with this person? How much more so should we share Jesus with a lost and dying world???'

"What, after all, is Apollos? And what is Paul? Only servants, through whom you came to believe—as the Lord has assigned to each his task. I planted the seed, Apollos watered it, but God made it grow. So neither he who plants nor he who waters is anything, but only God, who makes things grow. The man who plants and the man who waters have one purpose, and each will be rewarded according to his own labor. For we are God's fellow workers; you are God's field, God's building."

-1 Corinthians 3:5-9

Which is more important, a person's physical well-being or a person's eternal soul?

It's Been A Interesting Month!

It was an interesting month of August to be sure! I've written about my Dad and his struggles with esophagas cancer. But some neat stuff has happened as well, or at least I think it was pretty cool! Last April I entered some pictures into the "Our State" magazine's yearly photo contest which is published in August. I sent pictures in all of the categories in hopes of at least getting an 'honorable mention' in one of them and my pic published, but in the last part of July I received a letter from them stating that I had won THIRD place in the black and white entry that I sent in, which was taken in Dobson, NC at 'The Depot' restaurant last November! I was shocked to say the least!

They sent me a copy of 'Our State' and a gold ornament of the State Seal of North Carolina. And about a week later, I got a call from the Statesville Record & Landmark and they wanted to do an interview and story about the picture. They had received a press release of the photo and my name but no details on how to contact me. I went on a Wednesday afternoon for the interview with Jim McNally (who is a really nice guy there at the paper) and my story was in the Thursday paper on the FRONT page!!! You can imagine my surprise when I saw that and since then a lot of people, even people that I don't know(!) have spoken to me about the article!

I write about this NOT for self-glory but just to proclaim the goodness and love of God! He knew even then that my world was getting ready to be turned upside down with the news about my Dad and our Father showed kindness to me by having this neat thing come along first, which He knew was pretty important to me!

I have been wonderfully Blessed in recent months with my layoff and subsequent ability to draw unemployment and have this 'window of time' to get to spent some time with my Dad and Uncle Glenn as well. Uncle Glenn is 88 years old and his time may be short as well and with my storied past (http://www.worldofdanny.com/ 'My Journey: The Antics of A Pilgrim') growing up not knowing one side of my family, it has been a real delight to have this second chance at restoration with my Dad and that side of the family! Actually, I hope in the near future to be able to have the time to add a chapter to my attempt at writting an autobiography of sorts.

And now for the rest of the story...I am going to enter some pictures into the Iredell County fair and also maybe some in a contest in the 'Wildlife In North Carolina' magazine as well, if I can make the deadline, which is the 15th! I seem to have a growing number of pictures in my 'library of pics' and maybe it's not too self-promoting to put some of my stuff 'out there' for some other folks to enjoy too! I really do enjoy taking pictures, am I a 'photographer'??? I would need to hone my skills quite a bit before taking on that sort of title, but I do have one award for such!

Time To Grow, Or Time to Grow Old??

As I was walking this morning a thought hit me again, that I have encountered many times, and it is this: isn't it funny how when we were young, we couldn't wait to get to be an adult and as an adult, how often we wish for the time when we were young and carefree! As an adult we make decisions every day, some seemingly trivial and others that are life-and-death decisions; whether we are driving and pull out in traffic or must make life-decisions for aging parents. I imagine that the human condition is one that we are never truly satisfied!

I would think that God could get so fed-up with us, as we are always complaining and wanting more and more and just how thankful are we before we begin again our/my incessant want and desire! As a child I remember a fairly happy childhood. I did have a lot of things going on and change seemed to be a constant as I look back but those days weren't actually so terrible. I grew up in a broken home, my Mom & Dad separated when I was 22 months old, so I don't have any memorances of my real Dad as a child and my Step-Dad and I got along pretty good. I wasn't abused or treated badly in any sense of the word and even tho my parents squabbled some, and when they did oftentimes there were days or weeks of silence, I still think I had a pretty good childhood, all-in-all.

As an adult, I have had some moments I guess. I got married right out of high school and we had three girls within 8 years. Looking back, I think that kids should grow up some before having children of their own but when actually would we start then? I'm reminded quite often that I haven't grown up even yet! LOL! I've had two marriages that didn't last and Denise and I have been married almost 16 years (in Nov.), so it must be true that the couple that has God in the center in much more likely to last! I am thankful for her and for our devotion to each other and to our God!

And as time passes on and we grow older, it seems really difficult to watch our parents grow older as well and to see their health deteriorate thru the years. I have written before about my Dad and how his cancer has returned after several years (12) of remission. I am truly thankful for this time of remission because we have gotten to know each other in recent years and as much as possible, catch up on life, past and present. He has brought a lot of awakening into my life as far as an appreciation of things past, whether the hard life of those who lived those times, or past ways of doing life in the day-to-day struggles growing thru the depression years and the years that followed! I love old buildings and old tractors and just the old ways. My uncle lives in an old house that was built around 100 years ago and even tho it is pretty dismal in that it has seen better days, the house itself is like a walk back into time and I cherish being in and seeing the 'old home place'.

I will truly miss the growing times spent with my Dad in the past few years when this cancer takes him Home and away from us here left behind. His has not been a perfect life, nor mine either, but the time we have had has been interesting and priceless. I think his life has affected many people around him, some good and some not so good, and I take that into consideration every time I see him. But as far as myself, it has been a good time. Good memories, the bad stuff kindof flows away and if I try to look at him thru the loving eyes of my Father in Heaven, I must with compassion forget and forgive.

I am no one's judge, including my own. I leave judgment to God Almighty and in His power and might will I/we live to see this thru until Heaven!

I sure do miss the simple days of youth...

For more info you can go to: http://www.worldofdanny.com/ and read my story at "My Journey, The Life of a Pilgrim' which is my on-going autobiography.

Cancer...Again!

What exactly is cancer??? "Cancer is not just one disease, but a large group of almost one hundred diseases. Its two main characteristics are uncontrolled growth of the cells in the human body and the ability of these cells to migrate from the original site and spread to distant sites. If the spread is not controlled, cancer can result in death." Why is it when we hear this word we tend to tremble at its implications??!

Last week, we took my Dad to the doctor for what I thought would be a fairly routine procedure but instead we heard the word 'cancer'. He had a bout with the dreaded disease back in 1997 and lost a lung which the doctors told him there at Chapel Hill was due to smoking for 40+ years. After removal of his lung and extensive radiation, he had recovered enough to live a pretty full life since, altho slowed by its effects.

What lies ahead we will not fully know until more tests are run on Wednesday at the new cancer facility there at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. They open this new wing today (Aug. 17th) and he will be one of the first to be touched by its wide and various arrays of medical technology! We are praying for God's intervention and mercy in this very difficult season in his life. His spirits are fairly high considering the seriousness of this and he is encouraged by all the prayers of folks whom he doesn't even know and also being able to see a couple of the doctors who treated him before!

Our God is the Great Physician and it will be Him Who will either bring healing or not, but in the end it is Heaven which we all as Believers desire in our future and I am sure that is my Dad's desire as well! He is a Believer and has been for a lot of years and has traveled a long and winding road in this thing called life. 82 years have been allowed him and he has seen many changes and wonders in those years. I'm afraid that as the older generation passes from this life to the next, many memories and secrets of survival will pass along as well. I enjoy listening as he tells of days from the Depression Era and the family's determination to make it thru to the other side even among some severe hardships. I also notice a hint of longing for those 'good old days' even tho they were as difficult as any in America's past!

I know he is not perfect, neither am I by a long shot, but getting to know him in recent years has been a good memory that I will remember all of my days. I did not spend my growing up years with him and my brothers,and I actually 'met' him for the 'first time' of my memorance when I was 17 years old. We had a shaky beginning to a relationship which was broken for another 20 years or so and have actually only in the past 5 years or so, been able to overcome some of the mistakes of the past. In fact, we still have some 'differences' of sorts between us, but I realize that he is 82 years old and not likely to change much on this side of heaven, so I take him as he is and I go on, much like people have to take me and do the same.

I, myself, am not perfect and I have many rough edges to both my character and countenance of which I am not necessarily proud nor would wish for any of my children to inherit, but I am 51 years old and not likely to change much either. I'm sure that I have some folks in my 'world' who would agree that I am a difficult one to be around and most obnoxious at times too. I could tell some stories of my '&%%#' character but I'll leave it just to say that being around me is not a like 'box of chocolates' and I give a lot of credit to Denise for loving me anyway!

I would apprecate all your prayers for him and my step-Mom, Helen. We also have a friend, Ann Simpson, who is battling breast cancer now too and I ask that you please pray for her also! The enemy of our soul, satan, is having a big time right now with the Saints of God, but his time is short and he knows it! There are those who believe that God gives us various diseases and ailments but I tend to believe that God allows these things to come upon us, to test and strengthen our faith and keep our eyes on Him.

Regardless of why this cancer has come from and its intent, it is my prayer and desire to see it extinguished and defeated. I hope too, that in the near future there will be a cure 'found' (given by God) that will forever keep families from having to deal with the horrors of this word 'cancer'!

To be continued...

Heritage Means Everything!

I want to talk about my Great-Great Grandmother Mahala Massey! Born Feb. 11. 1810 and she died on Feb. 8 1902. She was full-blooded Cherokee indian! She also lived to be just 3 days from being 92 years old!! Her headstone is located at New Bethany Baptist Church. I wish I could have known her!

She was from my Dad's Mother's side of the family.

His Mom was Bertie Lee Massey Shook and her Mom was Lily Clodfelter Massey and her Dad Joseph E. Massey Jr. . His Mom was then my Great-Great Grandmother, Mahala Massey.