True meaning of Memorial Day

Today is Memorial Day. We need to take time out of our day if your barbequing, or having a a family picnic, or spending the day at the beach. To many it is a vacation day, but the real meaning of today is to remember all those service men and women who have fought in wars and lost their lives to keep your freedom in this country.
Please take time to say a prayer or however you choose to remember them and honor them because they knew going into war that this possibility could happen, but probably never expected it.
If you are camping or vacationing, enjoy the day. Many of you will head home today or to be ready to go back to the old grind of work tomorrow. So be careful out there today and please don't drink and drive. If you feel you must drink, have a sober person drive your car for you. It is not worth it! The life you save may be my own.
So enjoy your Memorial Day and give thanks where it is due! Take care of yourselves.

Mike

American Idol winner show not fair & other things

Tonight, David Cook was announced the winner of the latest American Idol program. I personally thought the other David (Archuletta) had a better voice and is a much better singer, but that's my opinion. There seems to be something wrong here. The other night, all three judges implied that David Archuletta should probably be the winner. America's viewers disagree with me. But that's okay. I have a few problems with this show, so I will mention just a few here. First of all the word Idol is described by Websters as "a representation or symbol of an object of worship: a false God." God commands in His word you shall have no other God's before me. They really should change the name of the show. During auditions, these poor kids get their hopes up, hoping to be selected, and when they are denied, some of them are just devastated and moved to tears. This shouldn't happen. Another point I'd like to make is the age limit by the producers. Folks, there are many, many talented people out there that can really sing, and some are senior citizens. This is discriminatory. Going back to the auditions, I can't believe that some of this contestants actually believe that they can carry a tune, only to be ridiculed by the judges when they are told that they are awful. You would think that their friends would be honest with them and let them know that they really can't sing. And then there is Simon Cowell, whose nasty comments are just too much to handle. I am so glad I don't follow this show weekly. I have viewed it from time to time just to see who can really sing. That's why I liked the show Americas Got Talent. At least they put people of all ages on televison and showed people with real talent! I don't even know if this show is still on the air. Anway, in my humble opinion, Fox should either revamp this show with new rules or just cancel the series. But as long as there are young teens nationwide wanting a hero today, this dreadful show will continue. In other news, looks like Obama is going to win the Democratic nomination, but you have to give it to Hillary for hanging in there even though she knows she doesn't stand a chance. I hope you all had a great day today, at least it's cooler weather wise in Ventura this week.
Gas is going to reach $4.00 a gallon very soon, and the oil companies today in Washington say that they are not to blame. Yeah right! Food prices continue to increase. I did shop at my local 99 cents store tonight for some things that I needed. I was surprised to find some items that I usually buy at the supermarket at a much higher prices, so I feel good about saving quite a bit of money tonight. Other than that, things are about the same. My pain level has been about the same. I keep during the day by reading, and then doing some writing including this blog. I have nothing planned for Memorial Day. I don't BBQ or go to the beach. Just going to be another day at home. How boring, huh? Until next time, take care.

Mike

McCain & Huckabee ticket

I just finished watching Meet the Press on tv. The guest including Mike Huckabee, were discussing Obama and McCain differences. I voted for Mike Huckabee, who I still believe would be the best next President. John McCain should ask this man to run as his vice-president. I don't see Hillary Clinton in this race. And Barack Obama does not have the leadership needed to run this country. People keep writing about how old John McCain looks. Remember, with age comes wisdom. President Reagan was seventy when he won the Presidency in 1981, and he was a great President. I see a future with John McCain as our next President. Of course, things will continue to go bad for a while as we are in a recession, but McCain is the man who can help to get this country back on track. We need to remain in Iraq despite what others beleive. We cannot allow terrorist to run wild and destory others nations including any damage they may want to inflict on the United State. John McCain can and will fight them and defend this wonderful country of ours.

Remembering the bravest person I know

Today is a special day of rememberance for me. My daughter Christina who suffered from fibromyalgia and acute sleep apena would have been twenty-seven today. Not one day goes by that I don't think about her. But I am glad that she is in a better place (heaven), where there is no pain, or heartache, but only happiness and love.
With eveything that my daughter endured in her life, I have never met another person so brave in my life. With all that she had to go through, she did her best to keep a smile on her face. Even during the last months of her life, she continued to make friends of the nurses and doctors taking care of her. She went on the be with the Lord on Oct 31, 2005. Christina would have been twenty-seven today. When I stop and think about that, I don't think, gee, I'm getting old, but it would have been nice to see her turn thirty. But not if it meant being in pain twenty-four hours a day, so I am glad she is in a better place. So here it to you my darling, you made the best of a tough painful life that you didn't ask for. With everything that she had to deal with, she made the most of time that she was given. She was an example to others who were sick and in pain, including myself. What an awesome role model. I've done okay this week with my pain, but I still have hope that one day the Lord will remove this from me and that I can live a normal life. If not, I will continue serving Him and doing His will until he calls me home. The reunion with my daughter and mother will be awesome!!

Good Friends

Tonight I met with a group of three very good friends of mine. I came home thinking how blessed I am just to know these guys. We just enjoy being in each other's company and talking about how things are going in our lives. Don't take for granted your friends, especially the ones that know everything about you, both good and bad, and yet still remain friends with you! It's not easy to open up to strangers, but it's even harder to open up to someone who knows about your faults, bad habits, etc.
We all need one another on this planet. A basic human desire is to be wanted and to know that you "fit in" with your peers. Until next time, count your blessings!
Mike

MTV's Real World has no value

I'm watching MTV's Real World on tv as I write this. In this episode, Joey apparently got drunk and the other roommates were scared for their lives. DUH! MTV has a bad habit of putting young adults together to live in a house together and see what happens. The problem with this show is the first thing that these young men and women do is to go out and get drunk. They set themselves up for problems from day one. Shame on MTV. They have a responsibility as do all other program on tv to show positive good things for young adults, and not negative, and sometimes dangerous activites. Young people who watch this show (ages 12 and up) get the impression that going bar hopping and drinking alcohol is fun, it is not! Parents, if your reading this, please don't let your kids watch programs like this. Your children are impressionable and you cannot let them learn the ungodly things of this world.
Joey knew better and I blame him for putting himself in the house knowing that this would happen. It's not only the drinking, but the sex from day one. Dave and one of the girls in the home had sex on the first night. This also is so wrong. Unmarried pre-marital sex. MTV STOP pushing all these wrong, ungodly, and dangerous ideas among our young people! Forget about the ratings, and show responsible TV. Please don't watch or support this show. I only tuned in to see if they had changed, and sadly they have not.

Not much new

Today is Friday, May 2, 2008. It is the beginning of a new month. Not much happened today. I slept in for some reason. Woke up at noon. I did get some great emails from my good friends Steve Wilson and Bob Blackford. Bob has written a book, " Heaven's Back Row." If you get a chance to read it I encourage you to. He opens up about living with a secret which he is later forced to admit to those he loves, including his wife. Look, we all make mistakes, but I love Bob for opening up when he didn't have to. I'm glad he wrote this book and hope that others can learn from it.
I received a FED X envelope today at 3pm. It contains the official paperwork that I have to sign and return to the promotional department that is handling the contest for Time Warner Cable. I entered and won their sweepstakes and I'm hoping to receive my new, FREE 42 inch HD TV. I am very excited! Going to enjoy it. Other than that, not much happening. I spent the day thinking about how blessed I am to have such good friends. Everyone needs friends on this planet. You cannot live alone, man is not designed to do so. We need one another and can offer each other many things including advice and friendship. Have to keep working on my short story. I want to get it done and out there for publication! Until next time, hang in there and be nice to one another. Peace, Mike.