The Fourth Day of Christmas....Sprite

Well as you can see, by this adorable picture, I am not talking about the soft drink here. And when I speak of Pepsi, I am not talking about the drink either. Pepsi is Sprites doggy friend adopted by the Levin family.

Pepsi and Sprite were inseparable and also, as many pets do, brought a whole family together, in love and togetherness. It was wonderful watching Sprite and Pepsi "grow" together. But when the time came, that happens to pets and humans alike, when the old body ages and decays, and it was time to put Sprite away, it left heartbreak and almost devastation, so close were this family, and Pepsi to Sprite.

But what happened AFTER Sprites death is the real inspiration. Sprites life brought a family together. His death brought a community together. I am enclosing some links here that will direct you to more information about this wonderful story.

The book is called Rescuing Sprite. The Levin family rescued Sprite, little did they know that later on, Sprite would return the favor from beyond the grave.

Sometimes we never know the influence we have on people. Sometimes we may NEVER know in this life. But I believe in heaven we will see people we did not expect, and they will say to us.. "YOU are the reason I am here. It was YOUR efforts and love, that led me to saving faith.

Never stop doing good. We never know who it will affect. I wonder if Sprite did.

The Third Day of Christmas... The kids are all right

On the third day of my Christmas, more stories of hope and encouragement, this time coming from the younger generation. Now when I was growing up, as well as today, the standard question from the "older" generation was always.."whats wrong with the kids today?" Well may I present to you some kids today who are providing inspiration, not only to their peers, but to most parents out there. I am talking about the young men and women whoare a part of True Love Waits, an offshoot of Lifeways Student ministries. these brave young people are flying in the face of peer pressure and cultural norms by taking vows of celibacy and purity until they are married. click here for the awesome pledge that they take.

In the 10 years that the organization has existed, over 4269 teens have taken this pledge, and this past year, over 350 teens have taken the pledge.

this is not an organization you hear too much about, because popular culture brands this as wierd. I mean after all, Abstinence and purity until marriage?? hogwash. everyone knows that CONDOMS are the answer, and every teen must have some free of charge from the schools.

I applaud these teens for what they are doing, and sticking to the high moral ground in giving their prospective spouse a gift they have been working on all their lives. mainly themselves.

I strongly advise a visit to thissite to find out more about these inspiring young people.

In the words of peter Townsend and The Who... the Kids are alright!!

The Second Day of Christmas.. Courage

In a day when movie stars, Athletes, and politicians are considered "heroes" by the sole means of their acting ability, their ability to catch or throw or hit balls, or their charisma, real heroes are all but left out of the spotlight. one of the most neglected bunch is our soldiers. Whether fighting wars abroad, or simply keeping us safe here, their selfless acts of courage touch individual lives, their deeds go unsung. So here is their song.

Paul Ray Smith was 33 when he was fatally wounded near Baghdad International Airport. Smith braved horrendous enemy fire to repel an attack by more than 100 heavily armed terrorists and saved the lives of dozens of his soldiers and buddies.

Jason Dunham was only 22 when on April 14th 2004 wile struggling with a suspected insurgent after an ambush. the terrorist released a hand grenade. Without thought, Dunham covered the grenade with his helmet and body and saved the lives of 2 of his fellow Marines.

There is no greater love than to lay ones life down for his friends. The hope and inspiration derived from these stories is that courage and honor still exist in this world, and whether fighting war, or just trying to keep peace in the family, doing the right thing even when no one will sing our praises for doing so, is the apex of honor and inspiration to those who will hear those stories.

The second day of Christmas, I salute the courage and honor of these men who made the ultimate sacrifice so that others may go on living.

The First Day of Christmas... John Gibbons

The San Diego Fires were a time of tragedy for sure. But as in all tragedies, heroes emerged. There were the brave firemen (aren't they all) , the people who live there and face this kind of problem regularly, and there is John Gibbons.

John lived with his 76 year old mother, and half-brother David in a trailer park located in a canyon so remote that cell phones do not even work there. It was not much, to be sure, but for them, it was home.

When the inevitable happened and the firefighters came to evacuate them, Johns mom refused. and refused. and refused. Finally the time came for them to forcible remove her from her only home, and relocating her,and her two sons to a friends home a couple of miles away. the sight of this woman was truly a tragic one, bleeding from the nose, and crying "I have no where else to go"

After an hour of this, John Gibbons could stand no more of this. He persuaded his friend to help him onto a motorcycle where he proceeded to head back to the mobile home, and the flames.

For two days he raced around the perimeter with his friend, frantically shoveling dirt on any small fires that were erupting on the property, as huge palm trees exploded nearby beside the propane tanks around them.

Finally after two days it was over. 80 per cent of the trailer park was gone. Moms trailer still stood. When asked why he did it, John said "Mom wanted to go home, and its all we got".. Nuff Ced.

Was he a fool or a hero?? well I guess it depends on your take. If he and his friend would have died, people would have called them fools I guess, but in my opinion, a real man, a real hero will come to the aid of a woman in tears anytime. A fool to some, but a hero to others, and I hope a good story of inspiration for my first day of Christmas.

You can read the link here for more details.

MY 12 DAYS OF CHRISTMAS.

Twelve stories of hope and cheer

The Christmas season is here, and amidst the rush of last minute shopping, and the pressure to give gifts that are of equal or greater value of the ones we get. (why we do that, I will never know) And the general angst associated with people forgetting the real reason for Christmas, I have decided to post twelve real stories of love, sacrifice, and hope, performed by real people, real heroes. The first one is due shortly, so stay tuned. Enjoy and remember, the reason for Christmas is Joy indescribably, and Peace that can never be found anywhere.

Let's Save CHRISTmas

My birthday celebrations are over, its been great, and I thank my friends and you all for helping me celebrate it! What a wonderful time to have a birthday!. I am happy, healthy, and even lost 8 and a half pounds in the last two weeks. How did I do it?? well ask me, and Ill explain.

But now its back to my soapbox and a topic I am passionate about, and that is the attempt to steal away Christmas. this link shows the latest futile attempt to make Christmas extinct. From schools and workplaces disallowing us to even SAY the word "Christmas" to ne'er-do-wells trying to cancel Christmas parades and manger scenes, because they "offend" (get a life, all you people who are offended) to some schools even banning Christmas COLORS.

So now ABC news says that our Economy is causing us to perhaps cancel Christmas? or maybe making us spend less at Christmas (a.k.a "the holidays" for you easily offended folks)
Well who says that you HAVE to spend whole gobs of money for Christmas (a.k.a "the holidays for... oh skip it). Isn't Christmas supposed to be a celebration of Peace, Love, and Joy, a celebration of the birth of the baby who grew up to be the man who died on the cross for our sins? Is it about family and friends, and the joy of knowing there IS a real peace out there, and a real, lasting joy out there, and not an occasion to run yourself into debt, or eat till you explode (although that last part is fun).

So even if our economy is sagging (which it is not) lets do three things. First off, lets Celebrate CHRISTmas, and not be afraid to say it, sing it, pray it, and live it. bring on the manger scenes, and Santa Claus, and Carols, and the Green and Silver and Red, and the parades and pageants, and lets actually SAY "Merry CHRISTmas" to each other. Second, if money is tight, lets not think about it. Use Christmas to be the season that it is. Joyous, Happy and Wonderful!.

And lastly, pay no attention to people who want to steal this away from you. In fact, laugh at them because they are laughable. I mean really.... if Christmas, a season of real Love, real Peace, and real Joy offends them, what are they going to do when the REAL problems come up.

Probably leave .... oh well, Bon Voyage

THE LAKERS

Contrary to the Title, this is not an article about the Los Angeles basketball team. In fact, if the first thing that came to your mind was Kobe Bryant, then maybe you are not the person to read this post. I, like all other dwellers of the Great Lakes know that when we talk Lakers, we are talking about the great freighters that travail the lakes, and sometimes, end up under them.

And one of the best places to me for watching these great boats is Port Huron, Michigan, where Lake Huron pours into the St. Clair river. This visit was the conclusion of my birthday celebration, and I am sorry this post was so late in coming, but I have been battling some minor ailments which had me more worried than anything else.

But Port Huron is one of my favorite destinations, and I wanted to share this centerpiece of my celebration with you. I stayed at the Thomas Edison Inn, where they really do things right. From the maids (should we still call them "maids"?) to the receptionists, to the waitresses, everyone knows how to make a guest feel welcome. the rooms are great and the view is perfect, and the restaurant there is first rate (I love the lights that dim as the evening gets darker). You'll want to order the stuffed Portabella Mushroom with spinach and cheese.

The city itself is a normal city. Except for the location and the usual nautical themes that any Port City has, the city itself is OK. The usual Malls await you, and they also have a nifty little chicken place called "Chicken in the Rough" (kind of like a glorified KFC except you must eat with your hands unless you ASK for utensils.. it is after all, Chicken in the Rough)

For the history buffs, there is the train Depot where Thomas Edison himself got booted off the train when he was hawking newspapers. For more info on that story visit Greenfield Villiage.

A lovely long 50 minute walk awaits you on the boardwalk there that stretches well over a mile until you are underneath the Blue Water Bridge. Ah, but then you have to walk back to get the view from the other side.

Now this may be unimpressive to most people. but to me, its a perfect getaway. The weather may be a bit Raw, but if you live by the Great Lakes, ya gotta love it!!

And thanks to all who viewed my posts during this fun time. remember to leave comments! Don't leave me high and dry!

"Lake Huron Rolls, Superior sings
in the ruins of her ice water mansions
Old Michigan steams like a young mans dreams
the Islands and Bays are for sportsmen

And farther below, Lake Ontario
Takes in what Lake Erie can give her
And the iron boats go as the mariners all know
With the gales of November remembered"

From "The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald"