Eric's Last Wishes

Merry Christmas

Each December, I vowed to make Christmas a calm and peaceful experience. I had cut back on nonessential obligations -- extensive card writing, endless baking, decorating, and even overspending. Yet still, I found myself exhausted, unable to appreciate the precious family moments, and of course, the true meaning
of Christmas..

My son, Nicholas, was in kindergarten that year. It was an exciting season for a six-year-old. For weeks, he'd been memorizing songs for his school's "Winter Pageant."

I didn't have the heart to tell him I'd be working the night of the production. Unwilling to miss his shining moment, I spoke with his teacher. She assured me there'd be a dress rehearsal the morning of the presentation. All parents unable to attend that evening were welcome to come then. Fortunately, Nicholas seemed happy with the compromise. So, the morning of the dress rehearsal, I filed in ten minutes early, found a spot on the cafeteria floor and sat down. Around the room, I saw several other parents quietly scampering to their seats.

As I waited, the students were led into the room. Each class, accompanied by their teacher, sat cross-legged on the floor. Then, each group, one by one, rose to perform their song. Because the public school system had long stopped referring to the holiday as Christmas," I didn't expect anything other than fun, commercial entertainment - songs of reindeer, Santa Claus, snowflakes and good cheer.
So, when my son's class rose to sing, "Christmas Love," I was slightly taken aback by its bold title. Nicholas was aglow, as were all of his classmates, adorned in fuzzy mittens, red sweaters, and bright snowcaps upon their heads.

Those in the front row-center stage -- held up large letters, one by one, to spell out the title of the song. As the class would sing "C is for Christmas," a child would hold up the letter C. Then, "H is for Happy," and on and on, until each child holding up his portion had presented the complete message, "Christmas Love."

The performance was going smoothly, until suddenly, we noticed her; a small, quiet, girl in the front row holding the letter "M" upside down -- totally unaware her letter "M" appeared as a "W." The audience of 1st through 6th graders snickered at this little one's mistake. But she had no idea they were laughing at her, so she stood tall, proudly holding her "W."

Although many teachers tried to shush the children, the laughter continued until the last letter was raised, and we all saw it together. A hush came over the audience and eyes began to widen. In that instant, we understood the reason we were there, why we celebrated the holiday in the first place, why even in the chaos, there was a purpose for our festivities.

For when the last letter was held high, the message read loud and clear:

"C H R I S T W A S L O V E"

And, I believe, He still is.
Amazed in His presence...
Humbled by His love.

May each of you have a Merry Christmas as you reflect on His Amazing Love for us...

Have a blessed day! Happy Birthday Jesus !!!!!!!!

Snoopy vs The Red Baron - Merry Christmas

Christmas Food Court Flash Mob, Hallelujah Chorus

The Story Of Jonah

Tator People

Thank You For Serving!!!

Watch what took place at Macy's in Philadelphia: Hallelujah Chorus - COOL!

Amazing People

Cold Miners T -shirts

Honoring Our Troops!

U.S. Capitol Tour with David Barton

NEED WASHING?

NEED WASHING? A little girl had been shopping with her Mom in WalMart. She must have been 6 years old, this beautiful red haired, freckle faced image of innocence.



It was pouring outside. The kind of rain that gushes over the top of rain gutters, so much in a hurry to hit the earth it has no time to flow down the spout.. We all stood there, under the awning, just inside the door of the WalMart.
We waited, some patiently, others irritated because nature messed up their hurried day.


I am always mesmerized by rainfall. I got lost in the sound and sight of the heavens washing away the dirt and dust of the world. Memories of running, splashing so carefree as a child came pouring in as a welcome reprieve from the worries of my day.

Her little voice was so sweet as it broke the hypnotic trance we were all caught in, 'Mom let's run through the rain,'
She said.
'What?' Mom asked.

'Let's run through the rain!' She repeated.

'No, honey. We'll wait until it slows down a bit,' Mom replied.

This young child waited a minute and repeated: 'Mom, let's run through the rain..'

'We'll get soaked if we do,' Mom said.

'No, we won't, Mom. That's not what you said this morning,' the young girl said as she tugged at her Mom's arm.

'This morning? When did I say we could run through the rain and not get wet?'

'Don't you remember? When you were talking to Daddy about his cancer, you said, ' If God can get us through this, He can get us through anything! ' '

The entire crowd stopped dead silent.. I swear you couldn't hear anything but the rain.. We all stood silently. No one left. Mom paused and thought for a moment about what she would say.


Now some would laugh it off and scold her for being silly. Some might even ignore what was said. But this was a moment of affirmation in a young child's life. A time when innocent trust can be nurtured so that it will bloom into faith.

'Honey, you are absolutely right. Let's run through the rain. If GOD let's us get wet, well maybe we just need washing,' Mom said.

Then off they ran. We all stood watching, smiling and laughing as they darted past the cars and yes, through the puddles. They got soaked.


They were followed by a few who screamed and laughed like children all the way to their cars. And yes, I did.
I ran. I got wet. I needed washing.

Circumstances or people can take away your material possessions, they can take away your money, and they can take away your health. But no one can ever take away your precious memories...So, don't forget to make time and take the opportunities to make memories everyday.


To everything there is a season and a time to every purpose under heaven.
I HOPE YOU STILL TAKE THE TIME TO RUN THROUGH THE RAIN.

They say it takes a minute to find a special person, an hour to appreciate them, a day to love them, but then an entire life to forget them.


Take the time to live!!!

Keep in touch with your friends, you never know when you'll need each other --
And don't forget to run in the rain!

Kulula Airlines

Kulula is an Airline with head office situated in Johannesburg.

Kulula airline attendants make an effort to make the in-flight "safety lecture" and announcements a bit more entertaining. Here are some real examples that have been heard or reported:

-------------------------------------------- ------------------------

On a Kulula flight, (there is no assigned seating, you just sit where
you want) passengers were apparently having a hard time choosing, when a flight attendant announced, "People, people, we're not picking out furniture here, find a seat and get in it!"

---o0o---

On another flight with a very "senior" flight attendant crew, the pilot said, "Ladies and gentlemen, we've reached cruising altitude and will be turning down the cabin lights. This is for your comfort and to enhance the appearance of your flight attendants."

----o0o---

On landing, the stewardess said, "Please be sure to take all of your
belongings. If you're going to leave anything, please make sure it's
something we'd like to have."

----o0o---

"There may be 50 ways to leave your lover, but there are only 4 ways out of this airplane."

---o0o---

"Thank you for flying Kulula. We hope you enjoyed giving us the business as much as we enjoyed taking you for a ride."

---o0o---

As the plane landed and was coming to a stop at Durban Airport , a lone voice came over the loudspeaker: "Whoa, big fella. WHOA!"

---o0o---

After a particularly rough landing during thunderstorms in the Karoo, a flight attendant on a flight announced, "Please take care when opening the overhead compartments because, after a landing like that, sure as hell everything has shifted."

---o0o---
From a Kulula employee: " Welcome aboard Kulula 271 to Port Elizabeth. To operate your seat belt, insert the metal tab into the buckle, and pull tight. It works just like every other seat belt and, if you don't know how to operate one, you probably shouldn't be out in public unsupervised."


---o0o---

"In the event of a sudden loss of cabin pressure, masks will descend from the ceiling. Stop screaming, grab the mask, and pull it over your face. If you have a small child travelling with you, secure your mask before assisting with theirs. If you are travelling with more than one small child, pick your favourite."

---o0o---

"Weather at our destination is 50 degrees with some broken clouds, but we'll try to have them fixed before we arrive. Thank you, and remember, nobody loves you, or your money, more than Kulula Airlines."

----o0o---

"Your seats cushions can be used for flotation; and in the event of an emergency water landing, please paddle to shore and take them with our compliments."

---o0o---

"As you exit the plane, make sure to gather all of your belongings.
Anything left behind will be distributed evenly among the flight
attendants. Please do not leave children or spouses."

---o0o---

And from the pilot during his welcome message: "Kulula Airlines is pleased to announce that we have some of the best flight attendants in the industry. Unfortunately, none of them are on this flight!"

---o0o---
Heard on Kulula 255 just after a very hard landing in Cape Town: The flight attendant came on the intercom and said, "That was quite a bump and I know what y'all are thinking. I'm here to tell you it wasn't the airline's fault, it wasn't the pilot's fault, it wasn't the flight attendant's fault; it was the asphalt."


---o0o---

Overheard on a Kulula flight into Cape Town, on a particularly windy and bumpy day:
During the final approach, the Captain really had to fight it. After an extremely hard landing, the Flight Attendant said, "Ladies and Gentlemen, welcome to The Mother City. Please remain in your seats with your seat belts fastened while the Captain taxis what's left of our airplane to the gate!"

---o0o---

Another flight attendant's comment on a less than perfect landing:
"We ask you to please remain seated as Captain Kangaroo bounces us to the terminal."

---o0o---

An airline pilot wrote that on this particular flight he had hammered his ship into the runway really hard. The airline had a policy which required the first officer to stand at the door while the passengers exited, smile, and give them a, "Thanks for flying our airline."
He said that, in light of his bad landing, he had a hard time looking the passengers in the eye, thinking that someone would have a smart comment.
Finally everyone had gotten off except for a little old lady walking with a cane. She said, "Sir, do you mind if I ask you a question?"
"Why, no Ma'am," said the pilot. "What is it?"
The little old lady said,
"Did we land, or were we shot down?"

---o0o---

After a real crusher of a landing in Johannesburg , the attendant came on with, "Ladies and Gentlemen, please remain in your seats until Captain Crash and the Crew have brought the aircraft to a screeching halt against the gate. And, once the tire smoke has cleared and the warning bells are silenced, we will open the door and you can pick your way through the wreckage to the terminal."
---o0o---

Part of a flight attendant's arrival announcement: "We'd like to thank you folks for flying with us today. And, the next time you get the insane urge to go blasting through the skies in a pressurized metal tube, we hope you'll think of Kulula Airways."

---o0o---

Heard on a Kulula flight: "Ladies and gentlemen, if you wish to smoke, the smoking section on this airplane is on the wing. If you can light 'em, you can smoke 'em."

---o0o---

A plane was taking off from Durban Airport. After it reached a
comfortable cruising altitude, the captain made an announcement over the intercom, "Ladies and gentlemen, this is your captain speaking. Welcome to Flight Number 293, non-stop from Durban to Cape Town, The weather ahead is good and, therefore, we should have a smooth and uneventful flight. Now sit back and relax. OH, MY GOODNESS!"
Silence followed, and after a few minutes, the captain came back on the intercom and said, "Ladies and Gentlemen, I am so sorry if I scared you earlier. While I was talking to you, the flight attendant accidentally spilled a cup of hot coffee in my lap. You should see the front of my pants!"
A passenger then yelled, "That's nothing. You should see the back of mine!"

MOM'S EMPTY CHAIR

MOM'S EMPTY CHAIR

A woman's daughter had asked the local minister to come and pray with her mother.

When the minister arrived,he found the woman lying in bed with her head propped up on two pillows.

An empty chair sat beside her bed.

The minister assumed that the woman had been informed of his visit...
'I guess you were expecting me, he said.

'No, who are you?' said the mother.

The minister told her his name and then remarked,
'I saw the empty chair and I figured you knew I was going to show up..'

'Oh yeah, the chair,' said the bedridden woman

'Would you mind closing the door?'

Puzzled, the minister shut the door.

'I have never told anyone this,not even my daughter,' said the woman.

'But all of my life I have never known how to pray.

At church I used to hear the pastor talk about prayer,
but it went right over my head...'

I abandoned any attempt at prayer,' the old woman continued, '

until one day four years ago, my best friend said to me,

' Prayer is just a simple matter of having a conversation with Jesus.

Here is what I suggest..

'Sit down in a chair; place an empty chair in front of you,
and in faith see Jesus on the chair.

It's not spooky because he promised,
'I will be with you always'..

'Then just speak to him in the same way
you're doing with me right now...'

'So, I tried it and I've liked it so much that I do it a couple of hours every day.

I'm careful though. If my daughter saw me talking to an empty chair, she'd either have a nervous breakdown or send me off to the funny farm.'

The minister was deeply moved by the story and encouraged the old woman to continue on the journey.

Then he prayed with her, anointed her with oil, and returned to the church.
Two nights later the daughter called to tell the minister that her mama
had died that afternoon.

Did she die in peace?' he asked.

Yes, when I left the house about two o'clock, she called me over to her bedside,
told me she loved me and kissed me on the cheek.

When I got back from the store an hour later, I found her.

But there was something strange about her death.

Apparently, just before Mom died,she leaned over and rested her head on the chair
beside the bed. What do you make of that?'

The minister wiped a tear from his eye and said, 'I wish we could all go like that.'

Prayer is one of the best free gifts we receive.

I asked God for water, He gave me an ocean.*

I asked God for a flower, He gave me a garden.*

I asked God for a friend, He gave me all of YOU...

If God brings you to it, He will bring you through it.

Happy moments, praise God.

Difficult moments, seek God.

Quiet moments, worship God

Painful moments, trust God.

Every moment, thank God.

Military Family Reunions

You have gotta see these....

The Lord's Prayer

God's Wings

God's Wings

After a forest fire in Yellowstone National Park , forest rangers began their trek up a mountain to assess the inferno's damage. One ranger found a bird literally petrified in ashes, perched statuesquely on the ground at the base of a tree.

Somewhat sickened by the eerie sight, he knocked over the bird with a stick. When he gently struck it, three tiny chicks scurried from under their dead mother's wings. The loving mother, keenly aware of impending disaster, had carried her offspring to the base of the tree and had gathered them under her wings, instinctively knowing that the toxic smoke would rise. She could have flown to safety but had refused to abandon her babies. Then the blaze had arrived and the heat had scorched her small body, the mother had remained steadfast....because she had been willing to die, so those under the cover of her wings would live.

'He will cover you with His feathers, And under His wings you will find refuge.'
(Psalm 91:4)

My instructions were to send this to people that I wanted God to bless and I picked you. Please pass this on to people you want to be blessed.

Time waits for no one. Treasure every moment you have. You will treasure it even more when you can share it with someone Special.

To realize the value of a Friend...lose one.

RayStevens - The Global Warming Song

Find a penny, pick it up, and THINK

> Find a penny, pick it up, and THINK
>
> You always hear the usual stories of pennies on the sidewalk being
> good luck, gifts from angels, etc. This is the first time I've ever
> heard this twist on the story. Gives you something to think about.
>
> Several years ago, a friend of mine and her husband were invited to
> spend the weekend at the home of her husband's employer.
>
> My friend, Arlene, was nervous about the weekend. The boss was very
> wealthy, with a fine home on the waterway, and cars costing more than
> her house.
>
> The first day and evening went well, and Arlene was delighted to have
> this rare glimpse into how the very wealthy live. Her husband's
> employer was quite generous as a host, and took them to the finest
> restaurants. Arlene knew she would never have the opportunity to
> indulge in this kind of extravagance again, so was enjoying herself
> immensely.
>
> As the three of them were about to enter an exclusive restaurant one
> evening, the boss was
> walking slightly ahead of Arlene and her husband. He stopped
> suddenly, looking down on
> the pavement for a long, silent moment. Arlene wondered if she was supposed
> to pass him. There was nothing on the ground except a single darkened
> penny that someone had dropped, and a few cigarette butts. Still
> silent, the man reached down and picked up the
> penny. He held it up and smiled, then put it in his pocket as if he
> had found a great
> treasure.
> How absurd! What need did this man have for a single penny? Why would
> he even take the time to stop nd pick it up?
>
> Throughout
> dinner, the entire scene nagged at her. Finally, she could stand it
> no longer. She casually
> mentioned that her daughter once had a coin collection, and asked if
> the penny he had found
> had been of some value.
>
> A
> smile crept across the man's face as he reached into his pocket for
> the penny and held it out
> for her to see. She had seen many pennies before! What was the point of this?
>
> "Look at it," he said. "Read what it says."
> She read the words, " United States of America."
> "No, not that. Read further."
>
> "One cent?"
> "No, keep reading."
> "In God we Trust?"
> "Yes!"
> "And?."
>
> "And
> if I trust in God, the name of God is holy, even on a coin. Whenever
> I find a coin, I see that
> inscription. It is written on every single United States coin, but we
> never seem to notice
> it! God drops a message right in front of me telling me to trust
> Him. Who am I to pass it by?
> When I see a coin, I pray. I stop to see if my trust IS in God at
> that moment. I pick the coin
> up as a response to God; that I do trust in Him. For a short time,
> at least, I cherish it as if
> it were gold. I think it is God's way of starting a conversation
> with me. Lucky for me,
> God is patient and pennies are plentiful!"
>
> When I was out shopping today, I found a penny on the sidewalk. I
> stopped and picked it up, and realized that I had been worrying and
> fretting in my mind about
> things I cannot change. I read the words, "In God We Trust," and had
> to laugh. "Yes, God, I
> get the message!"
>
> It seems that I have been finding an inordinate number of pennies in
> the last few months, but
> then, pennies are plentiful! And, God is patient.
>
> Thought for the Day:
>
> If God had a refrigerator, your picture would be on it.
>
> If He had a wallet, your photo would be in it.
>
> He sends you flowers every spring.
>
> He sends you a sunrise every morning.
> Face it, friend - He is crazy about you!
>
> Send this to every beautiful person you wish to bless.
>
> God didn't promise days without pain, laughter without sorrow,sun
> without rain, but He did promise strength for the day, comfort for
> the tears, and light for
> the way.
>
> Read this line very slowly and let it sink in.
>
> If God brings you to it, He will bring you through it.

REALLY SPECIAL!

Subject: REALLY SPECIAL!


This is one of the kindest things you may ever see.

It is not known who replied, but there is a beautiful soul
working in the dead letter office of the US postal service.




Our 14 year old dog, Abbey, died last month. The day after she died, my 4 year old daughter Meredith was crying and talking about how much she missed Abbey. She asked if we could write a letter to God so that when Abbey got to heaven, God would recognize her. I told her that I thought we could so she dictated these words:

Dear God,
Will you please take care of my dog? She died yesterday and is with you in heaven. I miss her very much. I am happy that you let me have her as my dog even though she got sick.

I hope you will play with her. She likes to play with balls and to swim. I am sending a picture of her so when you see her You will know that she is my dog. I really miss her.

Love, Meredith

We put the letter in an envelope with a picture of Abbey and Meredith and addressed it to God/Heaven. We put our return address on it. Then Meredith pasted several stamps on the front of the envelope because she said it would take lots of stamps to get the letter all the way to heaven. That afternoon she dropped it into the letter box at the post office.

A few days later, she asked if God had gotten the letter yet. I told her that I thought He had.

Yesterday, there was a package wrapped in gold paper on our front porch addressed, 'To Meredith' in an unfamiliar hand. Meredith opened it. Inside was a book by Mr. Rogers called, 'When a Pet Dies.'

Taped to the inside front cover was the letter we had written to God in its opened envelope. On the opposite page was the picture of Abbey & Meredith and this note:


Dear Meredith,

Abbey arrived safely in heaven. Having the picture was a big help. I recognized Abbey right away.

Abbey isn't sick anymore. Her spirit is here with me just like it stays in your heart. Abbey loved being your dog.

Since we don't need our bodies in heaven, I don't have any pockets to keep your picture in, so I am sending it back to you in this little book for you to keep and have something to remember Abbey by.

Thank you for the beautiful letter and thank your mother for helping you write it and sending it to me. What a wonderful mother you have. I picked her especially for you.

I send my blessings every day and remember that I love you very much. By the way, I'm easy to find, I am wherever there is love.

Love,
God

Life Without Limbs : Nick Vujicic

Marine that stunned a 'Tea Party'

Below is a link to a video of a Marine that stunned a ‘Tea Party’ gathering by singing the fourth verse of the Star Spangled Banner.

Almost nobody knows that verse today yet it says more about our foundation, as a nation, than all the confusion over the ‘separation of church and state’ than all the modern day arguments (foolishness), for there is only one God…under whom we have always trusted.

This is the “Star Spangled Banner” that should be sung at every event in our nation.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I0fQd858cRc&playnext_from=TL&videos=cWNozAevym8&feature=sub

LYRICS LINK:
http://www.usa-flag-site.org/song-lyrics/star-spangled-banner.shtml

Nashville Flood 2010

The Story of Zac Smith

"Come to the U.S.A."

Amazing Grace

Amazing Grace sung by a 7 year old girl.

Tamara Lowe

Kings Firecrackers13

The Bible

Easter

An Evangelistic Slam Dunk

An Evangelistic Slam Dunk

The Roots of Basketball

April 7, 2010

It was the basketball game for the ages. On Monday night, the Duke University Blue Devils survived a desperate, last-second shot by the underdog Butler University Bulldogs to win the NCAA men’s basketball championship.

It was a great game—a classic “David and Goliath” matchup, given that Duke has appeared in eight championship games under head coach Mike Krzyzewski, and that Butler had never even made it to the Final Four.

You may hear folks talking about the game for some time. When you do, you can add to the conversation by revealing an interesting fact: Basketball was invented more than 100 years ago by a Christian theologian as an evangelical outreach tool.

In a recent Wall Street Journal article, one of our Centurions, John Murray, recalled the story of the game’s founding. The inventor of basketball, James Naismith, became convinced that he stood a better chance of exemplifying the Christian life through sports rather than through preaching. So he took a job as a physical education instructor at the YMCA’s International Training School for Christian Workers in Springfield, Massachusetts. Naismith’s vision was “to win men for the Master through the gym.”

In 1891, Naismith set out to invent a new indoor game that students could play during winter. He spent weeks testing various games, including versions of soccer, football, and lacrosse, to no avail. “Finally,” Murray writes, “Naismith decided to draw from all of these sports: with a ball that could be easily handled, play that involved running and passing with no tackling, and a goal at each end of the floor.” In short, he came up with basketball.

From the beginning, Naismith and his athletic director, Luther Gulick, held the players to a high standard. As Gulick wrote in 1897, “The game must be kept clean.” A Christian college cannot tolerate “not merely ungentlemanly treatment of guests, but slugging and that which violates the elementary principles of morals.” He recommended that a coach should “excuse for the rest of the year any player who is not clean in his play.”

Basketball served as an important evangelical tool during the next 50 years, Murray noted. In 1941, Naismith wrote that “whenever I witness games in a church league, I feel that my vision, almost half a century ago, of the time when the Christian people would recognize the true value of athletics, has become a reality.”

In the last 100 years, we’ve seen no shortage of Christian athletes who use their skill, self-discipline, and sportsmanship as a witness to Christ—from Olympic runner Eric Liddel in the 1920s, to football player Tim Tebow in our own generation.
In fact, so many athletes give the glory to God after a game that sportswriters sometimes get irritated with them. To which I respond: Which would you prefer—players known for their faith and good sportsmanship, or players who are arrested for assault or drug use?

If you have a young basketball fan in your family, tell him or her the story of how basketball was invented. And pray for Christian players who can use the public’s love of sports the way Naismith envisioned when he invented basketball—as a witnessing tool to “win men for the Master through the gym.”

Bud Abbott and Lou Costello Today

If Bud Abbott and Lou Costello were alive today, their infamous sketch,
'Who's on First?' might have turned out something like this:


COSTELLO CALLS TO BUY A COMPUTER FROM ABBOTT
ABBOTT:Super Duper computer store. Can I help you?

COSTELLO:Thanks I'm setting up an office in my den and I'm thinking
about buying a computer.

ABBOTT:Mac?

COSTELLO:No, the name's Lou.

ABBOTT:Your computer?

COSTELLO: I don't own a computer. I want to buy one.

ABBOTT:Mac?

COSTELLO:I told you, my name's Lou.

ABBOTT:What about Windows?

COSTELLO:Why? Will it get stuffy in here?

ABBOTT:Do you want a computer with Windows?

COSTELLO:I don't know. What will I see when I look at the windows?

ABBOTT:Wallpaper.

COSTELLO:Never mind the windows. I need a computer and software.

ABBOTT:Software for Windows?

COSTELLO:No. On the computer! I need something I can use to write
proposals, track expenses and run my business. What do you have?

ABBOTT:Office.

COSTELLO:Yeah, for my office. Can you recommend anything?

ABBOTT:I just did.

COSTELLO:You just did what?

ABBOTT:Recommend something.

COSTELLO:You recommended something?

ABBOTT:Yes.

COSTELLO:For my office?

ABBOTT:Yes.

COSTELLO:OK, what did you recommend for my office?

ABBOTT:Office.

COSTELLO:Yes, for my office!

ABBOTT:I recommend Office with Windows.

COSTELLO:I already have an office with windows! OK, let's just say I'm
sitting at my computer and I want to type a proposal. What do I need?

ABBOTT:Word.

COSTELLO:What word?

ABBOTT:Word in Office.

COSTELLO:The only word in office is office.

ABBOTT:The Word in Office for Windows.

COSTELLO:Which word in office for windows?

ABBOTT:The Word you get when you click the blue 'W'.

COSTELLO:I'm going to click your blue 'w' if you don't start with some
straight answers. What about financial bookkeeping? You have anything I
can track my money with?

ABBOTT:Money.

COSTELLO:That's right. What do you have?

ABBOTT:Money.

COSTELLO:I need money to track my money?

ABBOTT:It comes bundled with your computer.

COSTELLO:What's bundled with my computer?

ABBOTT:Money.

COSTELLO:Money comes with my computer?

ABBOTT:Yes. No extra charge.

COSTELLO:I get a bundle of money with my computer? How much?

ABBOTT:One copy.

COSTELLO:Isn't it illegal to copy money?

ABBOTT:Microsoft gave us a license to copy Money.

COSTELLO:They can give you a license to copy money?

ABBOTT:Why not? THEY OWN IT!

(A few days later)

ABBOTT:Super Duper computer store. Can I help you?

COSTELLO:How do I turn my computer off?

ABBOTT:Click on 'START'..... ........

Big Tom Movie

St. Patrick

In honor of St. Patrick's Day, here is a little backstory on Saint Patrick himself.

At the age of 16, Saint Patrick was captured by Irish raiders and taken to Ireland where he became a slave to the chieftain of Ulster. One night, after six years of slavery, Saint Patrick heard a voice, "Behold, thy ship is ready." He traveled two hundred miles on foot to a place where he knew no one and had never been. He wrote in his autobiographical account, "After this I took flight, and left the man with whom I had been six years; and I came in the strength of the Lord, who directed my way for good; and I feared nothing till I arrived at the ship. And on that same day on which I arrived, the ship moved out of its place."

Patrick made his way back to Britain, found his family, and could have lived out the rest of his life in relative comfort in the land of freedom. But in 432 AD, he had another vision. He saw a man coming to him from Ireland carrying innumerable letters. "And I read the beginning of the letter containing 'The voice of the Irish.' And while I was reading aloud the beginning of the letters, I myself thought indeed in my mind that I heard the voice of those who were near the wood of Foclut, which is close by the Western Sea. And they cried out thus as if with one voice, "We entreat thee, holy youth, that thou come, and henceforth walk among us." And I was deeply moved in my heart, and could read no further; and so I woke."

Saint Patrick went back to Ireland as a missionary. No outside religion had penetrated Ireland in a thousand years. Saint Patrick founded more than 300 churches and baptized more than 120,000 people. His ministry was so influential that he came to be known as the one who "found Ireland all heathen and left it all Christian."

Space Station Growth

Space Station Growth

Look at what happened from 1998 until 2008. In just ten years it has grown and grown.

Watch the pieces come together as they are sent up from Earth. This is the International Space Station (ISS) Assembly diagram, piece by piece.

I had no idea the Space Station had grown to this size. This is really amazing.....

What a piece of engineering! Could they have grown it to this size and capability if it were spin stabilized?

All I can say is “Go, Toyota!” 

Click below:

http://i.usatoday.net/tech/graphics/iss_timeline/flash.htm

Some Airline Captain

My lead flight attendant came to me and said, "We have an H.R. on
this flight."
(H.R. stands for human remains.) "Are they military?" I asked.

'Yes', she said.

'Is there an escort?' I asked.

'Yes, I already assigned him a seat'.

'Would you please tell him to come to the flight deck.

You can board him early," I said..


A short while later, a young army sergeant entered the flight deck.
He was the image of the perfectly dressed soldier. He introduced
himself and I asked him about his soldier. The escorts of these
fallen soldiers talk about them as if they are still alive and still
with us.

'My soldier is on his way back to Virginia ', he said. He
proceeded to answer my questions, but offered no words on his own..

I asked him if there was anything I could do for him and he said
no. I told him that he had the toughest job in the military and
that I appreciated the work that he does for the families of our
fallen soldiers. The first officer and I got up out of our seats to
shake his hand. He left the flight deck to find his seat.

We completed our preflight checks, pushed back and performed an
uneventful departure. About 30 minutes into our flight I received a
call from the lead flight attendant in the cabin. 'I just found out
the family of the soldier we are carrying, is on board', he said. He
then proceeded to tell me that the father, mother, wife and 2 - year
old daughter were escorting their son, husband, and father home. The
family was upset because they were unable to see the container that
the soldier was in before we left. We were on our way to a major hub
at which the family was going to wait four hours for the connecting
flight home to Virginia .

The father of the soldier told the flight attendant that knowing
his son was below him in the cargo compartment and being unable to
see him was too much for him and the family to bear. He had asked the
flight attendant if there was anything that could be done to allow
them to see him upon our arrival. The family wanted to be outside by
the cargo door to watch the soldier being taken off the airplane.. I
could hear the desperation in the flight attendants voice when he
asked me if there was anything I could do..
'I'm on it', I said. I told him that I would get back to him.

Airborne communication with my company normally occurs in the
form of e - mail like messages. I decided to bypass this system and
contact my flight dispatcher directly on a secondary radio. There is
a radio operator in the operations control center who connects you
to the telephone of the dispatcher. I was in direct contact with the
dispatcher.. I explained the situation I had on board with the
family and what it was the family wanted. He said he understood
and that he would get back to me.

Two hours went by and I had not heard from the dispatcher. We
were going to get busy soon and I needed to know what to tell the
family. I sent a text message asking for an update. I saved the
return message from the dispatcher and this following is the text:

'Captain, sorry it has taken so long to get back to you. There is
policy on this now and I had to check on a few things. Upon your
arrival a dedicated escort team will meet the aircraft. The team
will escort the family to the ramp and plane side. A van will be
used to load the remains with a secondary van for the family. The
family will be taken to their departure area and escorted into the
terminal where the remains can be seen on the ramp. It is a
private area for the family only. When the connecting aircraft
arrives, the family will be escorted onto the ramp and plane side to
watch the remains being loaded for the final leg home. Captain,
most of us here in flight control are veterans. Please pass our
condolences on to the family. Thanks.'

I sent a message back telling flight control thanks for a good
job. I printed out the message and gave it to the lead flight
attendant to pass on to the father. The lead flight attendant was
very thankful and told me, 'You have no idea how much this will
mean to them.'

Things started getting busy for the descent, approach and
landing. After landing, we cleared the runway and taxied to the
ramp area. The ramp is huge with 15 gates on either side of the
alleyway. It is always a busy area with aircraft maneuvering every
which way to enter and exit. When we entered the ramp and checked
in with the ramp controller, we were told that all traffic was
being held for us..

'There is a team in place to meet the aircraft', we were told.
It looked like it was all coming together, then I realized that once
we turned the seat belt sign off, everyone would stand up at once
and delay the family from getting off the airplane. As we
approached our gate, I asked the copilot to tell the ramp
controller we were going to stop short of the gate to make an
announcement to the passengers. He did that and the ramp controller
said, 'Take your time.'

I stopped the aircraft and set the parking brake. I pushed the
public address button and said, 'Ladies and gentleman, this is your
Captain speaking I have stopped short of our gate to make a special
announcement. We have a passenger on board who deserves our honor
and respect. His Name is Private XXXXXX, a soldier who recently
lost his life. Private XXXXXX is under your feet in the cargo
hold. Escorting him today is Army Sergeant XXXXXXX.. Also, on
board are his father, mother, wife, and daughter. Your entire
flight crew is asking for all passengers to remain in their seats to
allow the family to exit the aircraft first. Thank you.'

We continued the turn to the gate, came to a stop and started our
shutdown procedures. A couple of minutes later I opened the
cockpit door. I found the two forward flight attendants crying,
something you just do not see. I was told that after we came to a
stop, every passenger on the aircraft stayed in their seats, waiting
for the family to exit the aircraft.

When the family got up and gathered their things, a passenger
slowly started to clap his hands.. Moments later more passengers
joined in and soon the entire aircraft was clapping. Words of 'God
Bless You', I'm sorry, thank you, be proud, and other kind words
were uttered to the family as they made their way down the aisle and
out of the airplane. They were escorted down to the ramp to finally
be with their loved one.

Many of the passengers disembarking thanked me for the
announcement I had made. They were just words, I told them, I
could say them over and over again, but nothing I say will bring
back that brave soldier.

I respectfully ask that all of you reflect on this event and the
sacrifices that millions of our men and women have made to ensure
our freedom and safety in these United States of AMERICA .

Footnote:

As a Veteran I can only think of all the veterans including the
ones that rode below the deck on their way home and how they we were
treated. When I read things like this I am proud that our country has
not turned their backs on our soldiers returning from the various war
zones today and give them the respect they so deserve.

I know every veteran who reads this will has tears in their eyes
Including me.

You don't have to be a Vet to have tears in your eyes while reading
this. Thank You to all who have served and are still serving. A
Grateful Nation. God Bless the USA .

Dr. Update

Here is a quick update from my ColoRectal specialist visit today. Dr. Schuval took a “quick” look at my colon and said it looked pretty good. He showed me my pre / post procedure pictures again. He did see a couple minor red spots which he applied some more medication to. He said I should be good. When I mentioned my “frequency” issue, he suggested that I take Imodium to control that. So, I am hoping this will take care of all of my issues.

Perks Of Being Over 60

01. Kidnappers are not very interested in you.

02. In a hostage situation you are likely to be released first.

03. No one expects you to run--anywhere.

04. People call at 9 pm and ask, did I wake you?

05. People no longer view you as a hypochondriac.

06. There is nothing left to learn the hard way.

07. Things you buy now won't wear out.

08. You can eat supper at 4 pm.

09. You can live without sex but not your glasses.

10. You get into heated arguments about pension plans.

11. You no longer think of speed limits as a challenge.

12. You quit trying to hold your stomach in no matter who walks into the room.

13. You sing along with elevator music.

14. Your eyes won't get much worse.

15. Your investment in health insurance is finally beginning to pay off.

16. Your joints are more accurate meteorologists than the national weather service.

17. Your secrets are safe with your friends because they can't remember them either.

18. Your supply of brain cells is finally down to manageable size.

19. You can't remember who sent you this list.

And you notice these are all in Big Print for your convenience.

Never, under any circumstances, take a sleeping pill and a laxative on the same night.

Newspaper Map - Amazing

Health Update

On Friday, January 29, I had a doctor’s appointment as a follow-up to my bloody stole issue and also to do a cholesterol check. I told my doctor that I was having a procedure to take care of my stole issue. I got the results back from my blood work and my cholesterol looks ok and my PSA was point 4 (.40) which was a little lower than my last reading.

On Wednesday, February 3, I had a colonoscopy and a treatment to cauterize some of my blood vessels that were "leaking" into my colon and causing some blood in my stole. I am still recovering from that but my doctor showed me some before and after photos and said he blasted that area pretty good so I should not have any more issues. So, I will be monitoring that for the next couple weeks.

As post-op restrictions, they said I could not do any heavy lifting or vigorous exercise. I asked if that included vacuuming!  Also, right before my procedure, I was chatting with my doctor and asking him where he was going the next weekend as I heard he would be out of town. During my prepping, I asked him how he liked working with a _ _-holes all day! That was the last thing I remember! 

How Great Is Our God!

This is an amazing video about God and creation.

Larry's proverbs....

Larry's proverbs....

1. A day without sunshine is like night.

2. On the other hand, you have different fingers.

3. 42.7 percent of all statistics are made up on the spot.

4. 99 percent of lawyers give the rest a bad name.

5. Remember, half the people you know are below average.

6. He who laughs last, thinks slowest.

7. Depression is merely anger without enthusiasm.

8. The early bird may get the worm, but the second mouse gets the cheese in the trap.

9. Support bacteria. They're the only culture most people have.

10. A clear conscience is usually the sign of a bad memory.

11. Change is inevitable, except from vending machines.

12. If you think nobody cares, try missing a couple of payments.

13. How many of you believe in psycho kinesis? Raise my hand.

14. OK, so what's the speed of dark?

15. When everything is coming your way, you're in the wrong lane.

16. Hard work pays off in the future… Laziness pays off now.

17. How much deeper would the ocean be without sponges?

18. Eagles may soar, but weasels don't get sucked into jet engines.

19. What happens if you get scared half to death, twice?

20. Why do psychics have to ask you your name?

21. Inside every older person is a younger person wondering, 'What the heck happened?'

22. Just remember -- if the world didn't suck, we would all fall off.

23. Light travels faster than sound. That's why some people appear bright until you hear them speak.

24. Life isn't like a box of chocolates. It's more like a jar of jalapeno's. What you do today, might burn your butt tomorrow.

God Bless America!

At a time when our president and other politicians tend to apologize for our country's prior actions, here's a refresher on how some of our former patriots handled negative comments about our country. These stories are good reminders of how proud and thankful we should always be as Americans

JFK'S Secretary of State, Dean Rusk,was in France in the early 60's when
DeGaule decided to pull out of NATO. DeGaule said he wanted all US military out of France as soon as possible.

Rusk responded, "Does that include those who are buried here?"

DeGuale did not respond. You could have heard a pin drop.

When in England, at a fairly large conference, Colin Powell was asked by the
Archbishop of Canterbury if our plans for Iraq were just an example of
'empire building' by George Bush.

He answered by saying, "Over the years, the United States has sent many of
its fine young men and women into great peril to fight for freedom
beyond our borders. The only amount of land we have ever asked for
in return is enough to bury those that did not return."

You could have heard a pin drop.

There was a conference in France where a number of international engineers
were taking part, including French and American. During a break,
one of the French engineers came back into the room saying, "Have you
heard the latest dumb stunt Bush has done? He has sent an aircraft
carrier to Indonesia to help the tsunami victims. What does he
intend to do, bomb them?"


A Boeing engineer stood up and replied quietly: "Our carriers have three
hospitals on board that can treat several hundred people; they are
nuclear powered and can supply emergency electrical power to
shore facilities; they have three cafeterias with the capacity to
feed 3,000 people three meals a day, they can produce several thousand
gallons of fresh water from sea water each day, and they carry half a
dozen helicopters for use in transporting victims and injured to and
from their flight deck. We have eleven such ships; how many does France have?"

You could have heard a pin drop.


A U.S. Navy Admiral was attending a naval conference that included
Admirals from the U.S. , English, Canadian, Australian and French
Navies. At a cocktail reception, he found himself standing with a large
group of officers that included personnel from most of those countries.
Everyone was chatting away in English as they sipped their drinks but a
French admiral suddenly complained that, whereas Europeans learn many
languages, Americans learn only English. He then asked, "Why is it that
we always have to speak English in these conferences rather than
speaking French?"

Without hesitating, the American Admiral replied, "Maybe it's because the
Brit's, Canadians, Aussie's and Americans arranged it so you wouldn't
have to speak German."


You could have heard a pin drop.


Robert Whiting, an elderly gentleman of 83, arrived in Paris by plane.
At French Customs, he took a few minutes to locate his passport in his carry on.

"You have been to France before, monsieur?" the customs officer asked
sarcastically.

Mr. Whiting admitted that he had been to France previously.

"Then you should know enough to have your passport ready."


The American said, "The last time I was here, I didn't have to show it."

"Impossible. Americans always have to show their passports on arrival in France !"

The American senior gave the Frenchman a long hard look. Then he
quietly explained, ''Well, when I came ashore at Omaha Beach on D-Day in
1944 to help liberate this country, I couldn't find a single Frenchmen
to show a passport to."

You could have heard a pin drop.

Poof! The light is on

Poof! The light is on

An 80-year-old man went for a physical. All of his tests come back with normal results. The doctor says, "George, everything looks great. How are you doing mentally and emotionally? Are you at peace with God?"

George replied, "God and I are tight. He knows I have poor eyesight, so he's fixed it so when I get up in the middle of the night to go to the bathroom, poof! The light goes on. When I'm done, poof! The light goes off."

"Wow, that's incredible," the doctor said.

A little later in the day, the doctor calls George's wife. "Ethel," he said, "George is doing fine! But I had to call you because I'm in awe of his relationship with God. Is it true that he gets up during the night and poof! the light goes on in the bathroom, and when he's done, poof! The light goes off?"

"Oh my Lord!" Ethel exclaimed. "He's peeing in the refrigerator again

A Great Haiti Story

Born Again American!

Ray Stevens - We The People

Here's to the Heroes: A Military Tribute