Thanksgiving. Day 12.

Today I am thankful for

Music

Music gets down into the soul of a person
and reaches places nothing else can.

Worship

Christmas

Rock

Blues

Jazz

just about any type of music – except country
{but even then there are a few songs & artists I like}

Music relaxes me, always has.

My favorite radio station is Air1 Radio. This is the one my car is tuned to nearly 99% of the time. The 1% being the times I am listening to Christmas CD’s.

Growing up, I was fortunate enough to participate in the

Grandest Band in ALL the Land
The Incomparable
Pride of Broken Arrow

Today I can look back at the shows we performed and see how far they’ve come and am so honored to have been a part of such a legacy. It was hard work getting there but it was well worth every bit.

 

 

When You Believe.

Whitney Houston - The Preacher's Wife

One of the most amazing voices in the music world is gone.

A tragic legacy left in her wake.

It amazes me somewhat, how very sad I am at her passing and, quite frankly, how ticked off I am at her as well. She had the resources and the support to get the help she so desperately needed these last few years. But, she didn’t. My mom summed it up best tonight when she said, “The heart loves who it loves” and, as saddened as I am, I see the truth in that statement.

Whitney Houston

There have been times in the past when I’ve wished I could be a person’s conscience. That voice of reasoning telling them right from wrong, and then consequently “forcing” that the correct choice be made. But I’m not. I’m no one’s conscience but my own. However, that thought gave me a distinct perspective.

Whitney Houston - The Bodyguard

God’s view.

God created us with free choice. He made us in His image but has allowed us to choose whether we follow the path He has marked out for us or a different path, made of more spontaneous, in-the-moment choices. I wonder sometimes if He sits there wishing, just like I have in the past, that He could “force” people into the right choices. But then the choice would not be freely made, and let’s face it, forcing people into worshiping something they didn’t choose is not the best way to get followers.

Whitney Houston

That is one of the best ways to make sure people resent you, forcing them to do something against their will.

Whitney Houston

I’ve also wondered at the heartbreak that would ensue with knowing beforehand the choices people will make, knowing their destinies could be changed at any moment.

Whitney Houston - The Artist

As much as I would like to be the one helping others choose the right choices, the fact of the matter is that none of us know what we would do in any given situation until we are actually staring it in the face. We all say, “I’d choose xxx decision” but reality is that we just don’t know.

Whitney Houston

Just like we don’t know the people we’ll touch.

Whitney Houston - The Artist

Just like we don’t know the days we’re allowed.

Whitney Houston - The Bodyguard

* * *

There are so many songs lyrics I could post that would be fitting for these circumstances but I believe these are the best. Whitney, you came into this world singing “Jesus Loves Me” almost from the time you could speak and you left his world singing “Jesus Loves Me”. I truly hope you are resting in Jesus’ loving arms.

Whitney Houston

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sfhb4S2tc1I

When You Believe

Many nights we’ve prayed
With no proof anyone could hear
In our hearts a hopeful song
We barely understood
Now we are not afraid
Although we know there’s much to fear
We were moving mountains
Long before we knew we could

There can be miracles
When you believe
Though hope is frail
It’s hard to kill
Who knows what miracles
You can achieve
When you believe
Somehow you will
You will when you believe

In this time of fear
When prayer so often proves in vain
Hope seemed like the summer birds
Too swiftly flown away
Yet now I’m standing here
My heart’s so full I can’t explain
Seeking faith and speaking words
I never thought I’d say

There can be miracles
When you believe
Though hope is frail
It’s hard to kill
Who knows what miracles
You can achieve
When you believe
Somehow you will
You will when you believe

They don’t always happen when you ask
And it’s easy to give in to your fear
But when you’re blinded by your pain
Can’t see your way safe through the rain
Thought of a still resilient voice
Says love is very near

There can be miracles
When you believe
Though hope is frail
It’s hard to kill
Who knows what miracles
You can achieve
When you believe
Somehow you will
Now you will
You will when you believe

You will when you believe
Just believe
Gotta believe
You will when you believe

(All images and lyrics found via internet searches utilizing the Google.)

A Thankful Heart | Day 4.

Friendship.

Something we all take lightly until we learn the true meaning of friendship and what it takes to be a real friend to those around us. I’ve had many friends throughout the years – as is evidenced by the number of friends currently listed on my Facebook page. However, it usually takes a personal tragedy in order for us to discover those we love enough to call friends.

I consider myself a pretty loyal person. It’s not easy for me to walk away from friendships or relationships but over the years I’ve developed a system of accomplishing exactly that. Basically if a person is a danger to themselves or a potential danger to my kids they’re gone – no questions asked.

There are very few people I trust enough to take care of my kids when I need help with them. Those are the ones I can go to about anything {positive or negative} AND they’re the ones I’m there for in good times or bad.

There’s a saying that goes

A friend is someone who knows the song in your heart and can sing it back to you when you have forgotten the words

I love that saying because it is so very true.

Today I’m thankful for my friends – you know who you are.

Where Were You?

There are many infamous days in our history.

JFK’s assassination.

Pearl Harbor.

The OKC bombing.

Just to name a few. These are days that regardless of everything else we remember every detail of where we were and what we were doing at that exact moment.

9/11 is one of those days we will always remember every detail.

I was asleep when my mom called from South Dakota and told me to turn on the tv, to any news channel. Normally I would have said, “later” and gone back to sleep but she had that tone of voice that you don’t argue with. I turned the television on to see the smoke billowing from the first tower and just in time to watch the second tower get hit.

My initial reaction and the first thing I remember asking my mom is, “What’s gonna happen to my brother?” There was never a question of whether he would go. It was a matter of when. Just a few years earlier my brother had enlisted in the National Guard. By a fluke of accidental miracles he was never deployed.

 

 

 

Later that morning I headed to work. First day out of training at a new job. I remember people calling in and complaining about President Bush preempting everything. Eight hours later I was so drained from watching the events of the day and dealing with people’s selfishness. I know more than once I reminded people how we felt when the OCK bombing happened and that the attacks on the World Trade Centers, the Pentagon, and the crash in Pennsylvania were much worse than anything we’ve encountered before. They didn’t want to hear it. In the days following, however, things changed. The overall attitude of customers was one of ‘how can I make this better?’ instead of ‘it’s all about me’.

Life changed in that moment.

For thousands of people, lives were flipped upside down. The people lost were mothers, fathers, daughters, sisters, sons, brothers, aunts, uncles, cousins, and friends. Each person has a face, a story, a life that was cut short.

To the Soldiers, EMTs, Firefighters, PD’s, other public service agents I’ve not mentioned – thank you for your time and your sacrifice to help those in need. You are true heroes.

What’s in a Name?

Before you even go there – NO! I’m NOT pregnant. However, many of my friends are which means that at some point during conversations the topic of baby names will come up.

I’m always amused at the methods people use to search for their child’s name. Some use family names – for obvious reasons. Some follow the trends – how many Nevaeh’s and Maddox’s, and Shiloh’s are there now?! Some have friends send them names to pull from a hat. On rare occasion, there are babies who go without a name for days, weeks, even years because the parents want to see “who” the baby is first (a la Lauren Hill of Sister Act 2 fame). Others still look for a deeper meaning in what their child will be called. I fall in this latter category. I prefer to know that what I call my children has a deeper meaning.

I am friends with one couple who gives each child 3 names but they search and pray and give them names that have very deep meanings. Even going so far as to “make up
a name by combining two family names. They also wait to reveal their chosen names til birth that way they’re not swayed by other people’s opinions.  I find this tradition of theirs very refreshing because it shows that there are still people who care more than to just follow the trends of the Hollywood groupies.

In light of this topic I’m posting my favorite baby names and in the event someone asks me my opinion, I will gladly direct them here, to my blog.

Here are some of my favorites:

Addison: Child of Adam {English} – Technically speaking we are all children of Adam in the sense that Adam was the first person God created in His image. I know both men and women with this name and it truly fits either gender.

Adonai: God is my Lord {Hebrew} – This is a boys name by the way but I could totally see it as a girls name.

Amelia: To Strive or Excel or Rival {Latin} – I’m going for the Excel part of this meaning. Image that with the middle name Grace – the meaning would be “to excel in grace”. Just a thought.

Anastacia: Resurrection {Spanish}

Arwynn: A Friend of the People {English} - Reminiscent of Princess Diana and how she was the epitome of the People’s Princess. Also, in the event you have a Live Journal account you can find me under this name but it’s been years since I’ve updated it.

Cadence: Rhythm {Latin}

Cady: Pure {American}

Charlotte: Free {English}

Eden: Paradise {Hebrew}

Hudson: Son of Hudd {English} – Just for the record Hudd means “Brave Ruler”.

Isabella: God is my Oath {Italian}

Lilianna: Combination of Lily and Anna {English} – So Lily means Lily – like the flower. And Anna means Gracious, Merciful. So together something akin to “a gracious, merciful lily”. Perhaps.

Logan: From the Hollow {Irish} – Logan to me sounds like a very strong name for a boy.

Lyric: Words of a Song {English} – What parent doesn’t feel as if their child gives song to the words of their heart with their every thought or movement?

Paul: A Small or Humble Man {Latin} – While being a small man can have it good points along with the not so good, being a humble man has no downside. Read Paul’s story in the Bible.

Piper: Flute Player {English} – I was a flute player so this one’s kind of sentimental to me.

Selah: Rock {Hebrew} – This is also a phrase meaning, “to stop and think on/about”.

Sonnet: 14 line poem or verse {English} – Okay, while not overly deep in its technical meaning, how many sonnets have you read/heard that invoke some pretty intense imagery and emotion. This is also a name that can be male or female but I prefer female.

Tikvah: Hope {Hebrew}

Victoria: Winner, Conquerer {Latin} – This is a girl’s name for all of the competitive dad’s out there!

Vivienne: Alive {French}