Tuesday, September 27, 2005

Yay!!!! It's coming December 8



The Chronicles of Narnia
The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe

Monday, September 26, 2005

Dig In Your Toes

"Before we can walk on water, we need to learn how to walk on dry land."

I had heard this on the radio Sunday morning. How true it is!

During times of pain, sorrow, fear, anxiety and many more trials, where is our faith? These are the days that prepare us for what comes ahead. For disease, sickness, divorce, abuse and others will come against us. These things forge our faith to enable us to withstand the tempest of the tide.

How can we expect God to let us walk on the water or enjoy the good times when we aren't able to lean upon Him during the problems of a season.

Many times when you're suffering, it's easier to run to another person for assurance and comfort. Even if that person is another Christian, their faith cannot hold us up. We need to lean on the Everlasting Arms and know that whatever may come He is our strength and will carry us through.

Dry land also means times of without. Without money, food, health or even times of falling for satan's charms are when we should be looking to the Fountain of Refreshment for our parched lips.

Raise up your voice! Sing to the Lord a New Song of hope in Him! He is beside us at all times, waiting to hear from our tongue the hope and assurance that lies within us. He WILL answer for He alone is God.

Monday, September 19, 2005


The Lord is my refuge and strength.
Saves me from the flood.
Pulls me up from where I've fallen.
Carries me to safety.

The Lord is mercy and grace.
My sins, all behind me.
Never does He remind
Always leads me on.

The Lord is love.
Living within me.
Teaching compassion.
Granting forgiveness.

Wednesday, September 07, 2005

Summer's End

One by one they scurried, driving down the macadam road. They piled, fitted and angled their cars for just the perfect closest spot. In the distance, the young soccer players practiced on the fields. The soon-to-be-closed pool had a few stragglers.

A prelude to the three-day September fair, this last outdoor concert would be replete with empty stomachs and parched souls. Free food could be the biggest reason for the crowd but I would like to think the community needed this last lovely evening before fall chills would cut them short.

Most of the visitors brought their own folding chairs and 80% had graying heads. Everyone positioned themselves towards the pavilion where the band members arranged their instruments. Rectangular tables joined together held the contributed eats and volunteers organized the meats and drink.

The aromas filled the air, tempting our taste buds and rumbling our stomachs. Charcoal broiled burgers and hot dogs combined with the fresh breezes off the nearby river. Newly mown grass and rocks still warm from the sun offered seating for those without chairs.

The signal given, the herd (I mean people), approached the laden tables, filled their plates and returned to their seat. The air hummed with pleasant conversation, light joking and teasing.

Soon, everyone had their fill. Garbage collected, the crowd settled back for a tickling of their ears. A short speech from the town supervisor and the band started to play. A young dancer requested Riverdance and we were treated to a lovely performance of tap; gangling legs skipping and jumping to the beat. Bluegrass, country and a little lighthearted jingle were the mix.

The lead guitarist paused for a moment to dedicate a song to his recently deceased father. He related his hope in a future re-uniting with his father in heaven. The song he chose was "How Great Thou Art". As we swayed and sang, we couldn't help but feel that God looked down and smiled. What joy to express praise under a canopy of still green maples and the blue of grace sky!

We tasted a bit of heaven and harmony, forgetting the cares of the world and tribulations of life. Time stood still and blessings were counted. All else seemed naught but God's love surrounded. Another memory of this life, another glimpse of life to come.

Saturday, September 03, 2005

1971

Yep. The year I graduated, married, worked in a nursing home and moved to another state to follow my navy husband. And this played on the radio:

Top 100 Hits of 1971 / Top 100 Songs of 1971
1. Joy To The World, Three Dog Night - Best dancing song
2. Maggie May / (Find A) Reason To Believe, Rod Stewart - one of those you can't get out of your head songs
3. It's Too Late / I Feel The Earth Move, Carole King - AWESOME SINGER
4. One Bad Apple, Osmonds - NOPE
5. How Can You Mend A Broken Heart, Bee Gees - So sad!
6. Indian Reservation, Raiders - Excellent beat
7. Go Away Little Girl, Donny Osmond - Too cutsie
8. Take Me Home, Country Roads, John Denver - Learning to play on my mandolin
9. Just My Imagination (Running Away With Me), Temptations - Don't remember
10. Knock Three Times, Pawn - Silly song
11. Me And Bobby Mcgee, Janis Joplin - Oh, yeah!
12. Tired Of Being Alone, Al Green - nope
13. Want Ads, Honey Cone - nope
14. Smiling Faces Sometimes, Undisputed Truth - okaaaaay
15. Treat Her Like A Lady, Cornelius Brothers and Sister Rose - I remember
16. You've Got A Friend, James Taylor - A classic
17. Mr. Big Stuff, Jean Knight
18. Brown Sugar, Rolling Stones
19. Do You Know What I Mean, Lee Michaels
20. The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down, Joan Baez
21. What's Going On, Marvin Gaye
22. Uncle Albert-Admiral Halsey, Paul McCartney
23. Aint No Sunshine, Bill Withers
24. Signs, Five Man Electrical Band
25. She's A Lady, Tom Jones
26. Superstar, Murray Head and The Trinidad Singers
27. I Found Someone Of My Own, Free Movement
28. Amos Moses, Jerry Reed
29. Temptation Eyes, The Grass Roots
30. Superstar, Carpenters
31. My Sweet Lord / Isn't It A Pity, George Harrison
32. Sweet And Innocent, Donny Osmond
33. Put Your Hand In The Hand, Ocean
34. Chick-a-boom, Daddy Dewdrop
35. For All We Know, Carpenters
36. Help Me Make It Through The Night, Sammi Smith
37. Rainy Days And Mondays, Carpenters
38. If You Could Read My Mind, Gordon Lightfoot
39. Gypsy, Tramps And Thieves, Cher
40. Never Can Say Goodbye, Jackson 5
41. Rose Garden, Lynn Anderson
42. Don't Pull Your Love, Hamilton, Joe Frank and Reynolds
43. It Don't Come Easy, Ringo Starr
44. Mr. Bojangles, Nitty Gritty Dirt Band
45. I Love You For All Seasons, Fuzz
46. Whatcha See Is Whatcha Get, Dramatics
47. That's The Way I've Always Heard It Should Be, Carly Simon
48. If You Really Love Me, Stevie Wonder
49. Spanish Harlem, Aretha Franklin
50. I Don't Know How To Love Him, Helen Reddy
51. Yo-yo, Osmonds
52. Bridge Over Troubled Water, Aretha Franklin
53. Doesn't Somebody Want To Be Wanted, Partridge Family
54. Draggin' The Line, Tommy James
55. Proud Mary, Ike and Tina Turner
56. Beginnings / Color My World, Chicago
57. Stay Awhile, Bells
58. Sweet City Woman, Stampeders
59. Me And You And A Dog Named Boo, Lobo
60. Another Day / Oh Woman, Oh Why, Paul McCartney
61. If, Bread
62. Mercy Mercy Me (The Ecology), Marvin Gaye
63. One Toke Over The Line, Brewer and Shipley
64. She's Not Just Another Woman, 8th Day
65. Bring The Boys Home, Freda Payne
66. I Just Want To Celebrate, Rare Earth
67. Never Ending Song Of Love, Delaney and Bonnie and Friends
68. Easy Loving, Freddy Hart
69. Liar, Three Dog Night
70. Stick-up, Honey Cone
71. Chirpy Chirpy Cheep Cheep, Mac and Katie Kissoon
72. Love Story (Where Do I Begin), Andy Williams
73. Wild World, Cat Stevens
74. When You're Hot, You're Hot, Jerry Reed
75. Funky Nassau, Beginning Of The End
76. If Not For You, Olivia Newton-John
77. Groove Me, King Floyd
78. Watching Scotty Grow, Bobby Goldsboro
79. Woodstock, Matthews' Southern Comfort
80. Amazing Grace, Judy Collins
81. I Hear You Knocking, Dave Edmunds
82. Lonely Days, Bee Gees
83. Here Comes That Rainy Day Feeling Again, Fortunes
84. Won't Get Fooled Again, Who
85. Trapped By A Thing Called Love, Denise Lasalle
86. Mama's Pearl, Jackson 5
87. Timothy, Buoys
88. I Woke Up In Love This Morning, Partridge Family
89. Theme From "Shaft", Isaac Hayes
90. If I Were Your Woman, Gladys Knight and The Pips
91. I Am...I Said, Neil Diamond
92. Wedding Song (There Is Love), Paul Stookey
93. Don't Knock My Love, Pt. 1, Wilson Pickett
94. Love Her Madly, The Doors
95. Here Comes The Sun, Richie Havens
96. Sweet Mary, Wadsworth Mansion
97. Right On The Tip Of My Tongue, Brenda and The Tabulations
98. One Less Bell To Answer, Fifth Dimension
99. Riders On The Storm, The Doors
100. It's Impossible, Perry Como