Funday Monday - Said By Grandson

Silent Sunday - Julia Is Anything But Silent

Kids From Outer Space

Or else.....................They are just two little hamsters, having fun, peeking out at us, from inside their Habitrail. It is really a play area in a Topps Supermarket, near East Aurora NY. I guess Julia and Joey wanted to play in there a bit, so of course their mom had to snap a pic.

Name This Photo

I actually got this photo of of a friends page on Facebook. This dog and kitten apparently live together. They do have a lot of fun, running and chasing each other around their home. I thought it might be kind of fun to come up with a caption for it. So think away everyone, and let me know your ideas. The winning caption (my choice), will be posted at a later date.

The Sparrow At Starbucks

To all my very special readers, I recieved this in an E-Mail recently, and wanted to share it with whom ever I could. I appolige for not being able to set it up better.



> The SPARROW at STARBUCKS> The song that silenced the cappuccino machine>> It was chilly in Manhattan but warm inside the> Starbucks shop on 51st Street and Broadway, just a skip> up from Times Square .> Early November weather in New York City holds only the> slightest hint of the> bitter chill of late December and January, but it's> enough to send the masses> crowding indoors to vie for available space and warmth.> For a musician,> it's the most lucrative Starbucks location in the> world, I'm told, and> consequently, the tips can be substantial if you play> your tunes right.> Apparently, we were striking all the right chords that> night, because our> basket was almost overflowing.> It was a fun, low-pressure gig - I was> playing keyboard and singing backup for my friend who> also added rhythm with> an arsenal of percussion instruments. We mostly did pop> songs from the '40s to> the '90s with a few original tunes thrown in. During> our emotional rendition> of the classic, "If You Don't Know Me by> Now," I noticed a lady sitting in one> of the lounge chairs across from me. She was swaying to> the beat and singing> along.> After the tune was over, she approached me. "I> apologize for singing> along on that song. Did it bother you?" she asked.> "No," I replied. "We> love it when the audience joins in. Would you like to> sing up front on the> next selection?"> To my delight, she accepted my invitation. "You> choose," I> said. "What are you in the mood to sing?"> "Well. ... do you know any> hymns?"> Hymns? This woman didn't know who she was dealing with.> I cut my> teeth on hymns. Before I was even born, I was going to> church. I gave our> guest singer a knowing look. "Name one."> "Oh, I don't know. There are so> many good ones. You pick one."> "Okay," I replied. "How about 'His Eye> is on> the Sparrow'?"> My new friend was silent, her eyes averted. Then she fixed> her eyes on mine again and said, "Yeah. Let's do> that one."> She slowly> nodded her head, put down her purse, straightened her> jacket and faced the> center of the shop. With my two-bar setup, she began to> sing.> Why should I be> discouraged?> Why should the shadows come?> The audience of coffee drinkers> was transfixed. Even> the gurgling noises of the cappuccino machine ceased as> the employees stopped> what they were doing to listen. The song rose to its> conclusion.> I sing because I'm happy;> I sing because I'm> free.> For His eye is on the sparrow> And I know He watches> me.> When> the last> note was sung, the applause crescendoed to a deafening> roar that would have> rivaled a sold-out crowd at Carnegie Hall. Embarrassed,> the woman tried to> shout over the din, "Oh, y'all go back to your> coffee! I didn't come in here> to do a concert! I just came in here to get somethin'> to drink, just like> you!" But the ovation continued. I embraced my new> friend. "You, my dear, have> made my whole year! That was beautiful!"> "Well, it's funny that you picked> that particular hymn," she said.> "Why is that?"> "Well . .." she> hesitated again, "that was my daughter's> favorite song."> "Really!" I> exclaimed.> "Yes," she said, and then grabbed my hands. By> this time, the> applause had subsided and it was business as usual..> "She was 16. She died of> a brain tumor last week."> I said the first thing that found its way through> my stunned silence. "Are you going to be> okay?"> She smiled through> tear-filled eyes and squeezed my hands. "I'm> gonna be okay. I've just got to> keep trusting the Lord and singing his songs, and> everything's gonna be just> fine." She picked up her bag, gave me her card, and> then she was gone.> Was> it just a coincidence that we happened to be singing in> that particular coffee> shop on that particular November night? Coincidence that> this wonderful lady> just happened to walk into that particular shop?> Coincidence that of all the> hymns to choose from, I just happened to pick the very> hymn that was the> favorite of her daughter, who had died just the week> before? I refuse to> believe it.> God has been arranging encounters in human history since> the> beginning of time, and it's no stretch for me to> imagine that he could reach> into a coffee shop in midtown Manhattan and turn an> ordinary gig into a> revival. It was a great reminder that if we keep trusting> him and singing his> songs, everything's gonna be okay.> The next time you feel like GOD can't> use YOU, just remember...> ·> ·> Abraham was too> old> ·> Isaac was a> daydreamer> ·> Jacob was a> liar> ·> Leah was> ugly> ·> Joseph was> abused> ·> Moses had a> stuttering problem> ·> Gideon was> afraid> ·> Sampson had long> hair and was a womanizer> ·> Rahab was a> prostitute> ·> Jeremiah and> Timothy were too young> ·> David had an> affair and was a murderer> ·> Elijah was> suicidal> ·> > ·> Jonah ran from> God> ·> Naomi was a> widow> ·> Job went> bankrupt> ·> John the Baptist> ate bugs> ·> Peter denied> Christ> ·> The Disciples fell> asleep while praying> ·> Martha worried> about everything> ·> The Samaritan> woman was divorced, more than once> ·> Zaccheus was too> small> ·> Paul was too> religious> ·> Timothy had an> ulcer> ·> Lazarus was> dead!>>>

No more excuses now!!> God can use you to your full> potential. Besides you aren't the message, you are> just the messenger. God> bless> Author: John Thomas Oaks

I Miss NY & MA & NH

Why do you ask? Because I REALLY DO miss trudging through the snow, like my daughter, Jennifer, and grandson, Joey. I REALLY DO miss the thrill of a sled ride down a hill. I REALLY DO miss the cold wind at my face early in the morning. I REALLY DO miss walking Billy in the dark evenings. I REALLY DO miss wearing heavy clothing in order to keep warm. I REALLY DO miss my wood stoves, just blaring with heat. Most of all, I REALLY DO miss my four children and three grandchildren, that live in the colder climates! On the other hand, I REALLY DON'T miss, digging my car out of heavy wet snow, and scraping the ice off of the windows! And.............I REALLY DON'T miss falling down in the ice and snow, and getting my BUT ALL WET! Moral of this post??????? There is JUST NO PLEASING A WOMAN!

Am I Real?

YOU TELL ME!

Funday Monday - Buying New Clothes

200th and Loving The Snow

I wanted to do something special for my 200th post. So since I really miss the weather up north, I thought this would "fill the bill". This pic of me was actually taken two yrs ago............wonder if I should go back to the short hair?
imikimi - sharing creativity

Not My Tree :(

I sure wish this was in my yard though! Courtesy of a friend in Western NY.