Inner Life

Most true happiness comes from one's inner life, from the disposition of the mind and soul. Admittedly, a good inner life is hard to achieve, especially in these trying times. It takes reflection and contemplation and self-discipline.- W. L. Shirer

"A good inner life..." Now that rings true. If the inside is good, it will take care of the outside.

Camp Time

We arrived safely at camp and I am ready to sleep for a couple days! LOL I will try to post some comments and pics soon. In the meantime, enjoy the quote below.

Who is the happiest of men? He who values the merits of others, and in their pleasure takes joy, even as though t'were his own.- Johann von Goethe

Go For It

A great pleasure in life is doing what people say you cannot do.- Walter Bagehot

Starbucks Part II

Some of you offered your favorite drink, so I thought I would let you know what my family likes at Starbucks.

Brian likes it all but his two favorite hot drinks are:
Cinnamon Dolce Latte or Sugar Free Vanilla Breve Latte and his favorite cold drink is Passion Tea Lemonade.

Bryce loves hot Decaf Peppermint White Mocha's and cold Passion Tea (no water 14 pumps of classic).

Blake likes hot chocolate at 135 degrees or a Mocha Syrup Cream Frapp with only 1/2 pump of mocha no whip and a M & M Rice Krispy.

Bryn likes hot chocolate at 135 degrees, or a Mocha Syrup Cream Frapp with only 1/2 pump mocha and lots of whip cream, or a Strawberries & Cream Frapp add vanilla bean powder.

My favorite is Mocha Syrup Cream Frapp with only 1/2 pump of mocha but I also like peppermint hot chocolate, black or white tea - hot or cold.

Bryn also likes the Rice Krispy's and sometimes wants to share a turkey sandwich with me. I like the old-fashioned chocolate donuts, too.

Brian and I love to have the breakfast sandwiches if we are traveling early in the morning.

Now it's your turn to tell your favorite things at Starbucks.

It's Here!!!

It's really here!!! Our little, tiny, town, (that's what people think it is although we are the second largest city in Kern County) now has a Starbucks. Brian and I couldn't resist. We were there for the 5 AM opening. About 9:30 AM, after taking our German Shepard to the vet, Brian and Bryce stopped by and then Brian and I helped "close" the store about 10 PM making it third-time-charm for Brian. Guess this lets you know we are Starbucks fan. Now we have to plan a week-end for Mark and Debbie to come and celebrate. They are our Starbucks partners. LOL

Rambling - Hurrying To Catch Up! LOL

Time is running away from me! When I think I will have a few minutes to post, those minutes escape to jobs that must get done. The past week has been full of doctor appointments, going to the lab, arranging Bryce's fall quarter schedule (just six more classes to complete his credential), preparing for the children's Jump-A-Thon award ceremony (which is tonight), finding Blake new clothes since he has now grown out of everything (and he doesn't wear uniforms at his new school), getting Bryn new school uniforms, and finding shoes to accommodate her fast growing feet! She skipped an entire size! Blake is only 11 years old and I had to buy his pants, 31 x 30, in the mens department. By the way, Sam's Club has great Calvin Klein jeans for $14 and another brand, Plugg, for $12. I got Blake three pair to start the school year but first, we go to camp next Sunday. When I get home from camp, I think I will start shooting pictures of a huge stack of Bryn and Blake's outgrown clothes I need to put on E-Bay! Tomorrow is back to the doctor for some reports and I also start a new heart medicine tomorrow. My system is so sensitive to many drugs and I am always apprehensive when I start something new. Please say a prayer this medicine works without any side effects. A recent holter test showed my average heart rate is 94 bpm and this new medicine will hopefully slow my hyper heart. I still have a leaking valve even though the enlarged heart has reduced and we are still in the process of determining treatment. So much for all this rambling! Hopefully, I will have some pics to post of the award ceremony next time I check in. Have a blessed day!

Morro Bay - Part II

For those who have never been to Morro Bay, below the picture I am adding some info about Morro Rock. When I was a little girl, we would look for the "three pipes" (from an energy plant) and the peak of "the rock" as we neared the town. Upon seeing the rock or the pipes, we would squeal with excitement knowing we were almost there. Occasionally the misty flog would cloud our view but that made us happy too. If there was misty fog we knew we had escaped the valley heat and entered cool weather. There were a few things we had to do each time we went to Morro Bay. Those were: for dinner eat fish and chips at Bob's Seafood topped with a chocolate frosty from Foster's Freeze, drive to the top of Black Mountain above the golf course to see the view, visit the fish market for a fresh shrimp cocktail, walk onto the small pier and see the U.S. Coast Guard boats (which we got to tour a few times), get fresh, saltwater taffy, walk on the beach and pick up rocks, visit the aquarium and feed the seals, have one morning breakfast at Dorn's overlooking the water, drive through the Eucalyptus trees and breathe, watch the golfers, and get chocolate teddy bear cookies from the bakery.“Morro” is the Spanish name for crown. Named “El Morro” by Portuguese Explorer Juan Rodriguez Cabrillo in 1542. Morro Rock State Historic Landmark was formed about 23 million years ago from the plugs of long-extinct volcanoes. Member of the “Nine Sisters” of volcanic plugs. Home of nesting Peregrine Falcons. Closed to any climbing or disturbance. Morro Rock was an important navigational aid for mariners for over 300 years as it height of 576 feet made it the most visible in a chain of nine peaks. Portuguese explorer Juan Rodriguez Cabrillo named the rock “El Morro” in 1542. In Spanish "Morro" means crown shaped hill.
Morro Rock, sometimes called the “Gibraltor of the Pacific,” is the last peak which extends from San Luis Obispo to Morro Bay. Read More The rock itself was mined on and off until 1963. Morro Rock provided material for the break water of Morro Bay and Port San Luis Harbor. In 1966 a bill was introduced which transferred the full title to the State of California. Later the San Luis Obispo County Historical Society and the City of Morro Bay succeeded in getting the Morro Rock declared as California Registered Historical Landmark #821. Morro Rock also became State Landmark #801 in 1968. The rock has since been designated a bird sanctuary for the Peregrine Falcon and other bird species.

Morro Bay

The Bakersfield Californian posted a multi-media slide show of my favorite coastal town. Morro Bay is located on the Central Coast of California and is a quite fishing village. When I was just a young girl, my family would vacation at Morro Bay State Park each summer. My mom would fry fish, make fish gravy, and all the trimmings. Riding bikes, exploring the nearby golf course, and roasting marshmallows was my entertainment. The weather was always perfect and, if I sit back and close my eyes for a minute, I can almost smell the Eucalyptus trees. When in Morro Bay, the Galley Seafood Grill and Bar is my favorite place to eat Halibut steak while watching the sunset on the bay. We would always reserve a window table and would usually spot a sea otter or two swimming in the bay. There was also the nose-diving Pelicans. The restaurant was closed for a couple years during an extensive remodeling. It re-opened in February 2008 and now features the attached Anderson Inn with rooms looking over the harbor. I haven't had the chance to visit since the remodel and when I saw the pictures at the link below, I felt a tug to get away for a couple nights. Think I better start saving all my pennies, nickels, dimes, and quarters.

http://www.bakersfield.net/photography/slideshows/morrobay_cc/

Dream

A person is only as big as the dream they dare to live.
- - Unknown

"...all I have to do is dream,

dream, dream, dream,

dream..."

Now live it!

MAXINE FOR PRESIDENT

It's Monday so I thought I would post something from the controversial cartoon character Maxine.

Maxine On Relevant 'Logic' (TIC)
EDIT @ 11:46 PM TIC means "tongue-in-cheek"

Everyone concentrates on the problems we're having in this country lately; illegal immigration, hurricane recovery, alligators attacking people in Florida. Not me. I concentrate on solutions for the problems. It's a win-win situation.

1 Dig a moat the length of the Mexican border.
2 Send the dirt to New Orleans to raise the level of the levies.
3 Put the Florida alligators in the moat along the Mexican border.

Any other problems you would like for me to solve today?

Singing OUR National Anthem in Spanish? I'm sorry, but after hearing they want to sing OUR National Anthem in Spanish - enough is too much! NEVER did they sing it in Italian, Japanese, Polish, Irish-Celtic, German, Portuguese, Greek, French, or any other language because of immigration. It was written by Francis Scott Key and should be sung word for word the way it was written. The news broadcasts gave a translation that's NOT even close. Sorry if this offends anyone, THIS IS MY COUNTRY! Do YOU sing MY National Anthem in YOUR COUNTRY IN ENGLISH ? ? ? And, because I make this statement DOES NOT mean I'm against immigration!!! YOU ARE WELCOME HERE IN MY COUNTRY. Welcome to come through like everyone else has. Get a sponsor! Get a place to lay your head! Get a job! Live by OUR rules! Pay YOUR taxes! And...LEARN THE LANGUAGE LIKE ALL OTHER IMMIGRANTS HAVE IN THE PAST!!! AND PLEASE DON'T DEMAND THAT WE HAND OVER OUR LIFETIME SAVINGS OF SOCIAL SECURITY FUNDS TO YOU TO MAKE UP FOR ''YOUR'' LOSSES. When will AMERICANS STOP giving away THEIR RIGHTS??? We've gone so far the other way, bent over backwards not to offend anyone but it seems no one cares about the AMERICAN that's being offended!

WAKE UP America!!!

1,000 Tears

prayer before the concert in TulareI "borrowed" this picture from Sheramy's blog, a WAY Choir member. (You can get to her blog from the WAY Choir blog site.) When I saw this picture, I felt like crying, at the same time felt pride, and knew this picture was worth a 1,000 words or more like a 1,000 tears. Because I see Bryce's devotion to God on a daily basis and realize the sincerity of his walk with God, I should expect to see such a picture. I guess it just caught me off-guard and I had an overwhelming emotional moment. My heart is full of pride everytime I hear Bryce sing but knowing He loves to commune with God means more to me than any song he sings. My prayer is, "God keep Bryce in Your perfect will, let his heart always be tender towards You, and keep him safe in Your care."

Video Link of WAY Choir & freeWAY

The following link will take you to the archived video of freeWAY and W.A.Y. Choir at their last concert of their 2008 tour which was at Apostolic Tabernacle in Merced, California.

Friends and Family Day Service

Forward the video to 1 hour 30 minutes to hear freeWAY and WAY Choir. Please bear in mind the kids were exhausted, voices tired, and there were a few technical difficulties. You can see Natalie play her violin but the sound isn't up enough. Also, you can see and hear Michael sing "Moving Forward." I blogged about him and how he was like a sponge soaking in everything he could learn. I'll let you judge how well he learned "stage presence." The choir and freeWAY sang about 35 minutes and then Pastor Emory gave a short message. Of course, WAY Choir enjoyed hearing the Merced Mass Choir. Those people can rip! If you have time, watch the whole service. The sign team is at about 45 minutes into the video and the Mass Choir is at about an hour. Pastor and Sis. Emory are excellent leaders and I am honored to count them as friends. Of course, no one directs music like Mark Yandris. Apostolic Tabernacle should be proud of their leadership. I love, love, love the Emory's. In fact my niece Sara has made an agreement if anything were to happen to her parents, she would live with the Emory's.

Shared E-Mail

This came in a forwarded e-mail to me and it has a certain amount of sense and reason. Do you believe this is fair? I believe it is a viable argument.

THE JOB - URINE TEST
Like a lot of folks in this state, I have a job. I work, they pay me. I pay my taxes and the government distributes my taxes as it sees fit. In order to get that paycheck, I am required to pass a random urine test with which I have no problem. What I do have a problem with is the distribution of my taxes to people who don't have to pass a urine test.

Shouldn't one have to pass a urine test to get a welfare check because I have to pass one to earn it for them? Please understand, I have no problem with helping people get back on their feet. I do, on the other hand, have a problem with helping someone sitting on their backside, doing drugs, while I work. . . . Can you imagine how much money the state would save if people had to pass a urine test to get a public assistance check?

Power In Prayer

Every Monday evening, our church has prayer from 7:00 - 8:00 PM. Last week, my brother-in-law, Mike, was praying in the seat next to me and I heard him ask the Lord, "Help us, God, to leave our petty things outside." Just a few moments later, Pastor addressed those in attendance and said, "The church doors are open for those who need salvation and we need to leave our petty things outside." (I may not have their comments verbatim, but this is my close interpretation.) It struck me at how God speaks to us in matters great and small. During this same prayer meeting, Mike felt God told him something great was going to happen at the next prayer meeting. During praise and worship in the following Wednesday night service, Mike shared this with the congregation. Last night, when everyone arrived at prayer meeting, there was a feeling of expectancy in the air and anticipation for what God was going to do. As most of you know, prayer meeting is the least attended "service." Last night there was about 100 people there and the power of prayer was strongly in the house. (I feel sorry for the ones who have not learned the value of attending prayer meeting and they are short-changing themselves.) Well, back to the story. There were four men, a young boy, and a young girl who experienced the power of the Holy Spirit as spoke of in Acts chapter two. Something great did happen. Thank you, Jesus.

Sparkles

She came to us unexpected but we sure are having fun. Sparkles, as Bryn named her, is growing, becoming more spoiled, and can't seem to get enough play or love. Her fur is so soft, I had a girl from WAY Choir ask me, "Did you buy her that way?" LOL Nope. She came that way - with fine, soft, fur. Her name fits her character to a "T" but I think her name could also be Spoiled. My niece so wanted a boy puppy that she was calling her "Spike" without checking to see if she was a boy or girl. So, adding to the name Sparkles is Spike Heel and Spoiled. Check Blake's blog for pictures of Sparkles in her stroller. http://www.blakeallard.blogspot.com/ (Pictured above sleeping on "Daddy's" arm.)

freeWAY and WAY Choir

freeWAY and WAY Choir
Nicole and Keith
Coryna and Tyler

Another song that was one of my favorites during WAY Choir tour, was a medley of two songs "Matchless Name" and "There Is A Name." It started with freeWAY singing a beautiful quartet arrangement then the choir joined followed by a duet with Keith (of freeWAY) and Nicole Vitale. The conclusion of the song had two more solo parts featuring Tyler (of freeWAY) and Coryna Pinon. The song was so dynamic and became a favored finale. Below are lyrics to the first song of the medley. It is not your typical "youth" song, but it was absolutely beautiful and reeked of talent.

Matchless Name
Terry Wilbanks Singers

Vs. 1: That matchless Name, is to be praised
That Holy Lamb, for sinners slain
That Righteous One, who sits, upon the throne
He is worthy, to be praised, He is worthy, to be praised

Cho.: Precious Jesus, Precious Savior
He is worthy to be praised
Hope of glory, my Redeemer
He is worthy to be praised, He is worthy to be praised

Vs. 2: When I'm afraid, when I'm in need
On Him I call, He rescues me
Jehovah Jireh, my Provider
He is worthy to be praised, He is worthy to be praised

Ending: He is worthy, to be praised, He is worthy, to be praised
He is worthy, to be praised, He is worthy, to be praised
Ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh, Ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh,
Ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh, Ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh,

Ending Part 2: His Name is Jesus, Oh how sweet the Name
His Name is Jesus, no other can compare
In my darkest hour, and with my highest praise
On this wonderful Name of Jesus, I will call

freeWAY Singing "I Still Believe In America"

WAY Choir 2008

A common site on WAY Choir tour, is young people praying. All the young people have fun and lots of laughter, but my heart is most thrilled when I see a young person having an intimate moment with God. These young people will be the next pastors, missionaries, music directors, pastor's wife, teacher, etc. I feel very confident in the upcoming leadership. You can find more pics at www.waychoir.blogspot.com.