CRITICISM

It's easy enough to pick out flaws
In the work that others have done,
To pint out errors that others have made
When your task you haven't begun.

"It's easy enough to fuss and find fault,
When other s are doing their best.
To sneer at the little that they have achieved
When you have done nothing but rest.

It's easy enough to cavail and carp,
To criticise, scoff and deride,
For few if ever have done perfect work
No matter how hard they have tried.

It is easy enough not to speak of the best
And to dwell all the time on the worst,
And perhaps it is proper sometimes to find fault,
But be sure you have don something first."

Author Unknown

HAPPY JUNETEENTH, JUNE19

..."Juneteenth is a day for celebration of freedom and family, but also a day that calls us all to rededicate ourselves to the convictions at the heart of our American experiment. It reminds us that with the work of each successive generation, we come closer to the realization of that more perfect union."
President Barack Obama

“Until the lion writes his own story, the tale of the hunt
Will always glorify the hunter.”
African proverb

Juneteenth is the oldest known celebration of the ending of slavery. June 19, 1865, union soldiers, led by General Gordon Granger, landed at Galveston, Texas with 2000 Federal troops to issue the order hat the Civil War had ended and that all slaves were free. This was two and half years after President Abraham Lincoln signed the Emancipation Proclamation that had become official on January 1, 1863.

PENSACOLA

I recently got to go to a wonderful workshop, "Combat Stress and Working with the Military and the Their Families." It was in beautiful Pensacola, FL. I am grateful for the military, their service and their sacrifice. I didn't have a clue about all that goes on with them and their families. We should never say or do anything degratory when it comes to these brave men and women.

TIDES OF PROVIDENCE

It's not what you gather, but what you sow, that gives the heart a warming glow.
It's not what you get, but what you give, decides the kind of life you live.
It's not what you have, but what you spare. It's not what you take, but what you share that pays the greater dividend and makes you richer in the end. It's not what you spend upon yourself or hide away upon a shelf, that brings a blessing for the day.
It's what you scatter by the way. A wasted effort it may seem. But what you cast upon the stream comes back to you recompense upon the tides of providence.
(Curtain)

My friend, Miss Marjorie shared this in a presentation to a group, the Christian Workers. I do not know the author. But the prose is beautiful.

SUSAN BOYLE HAS HER DREAM!!!

I don't watch the local news, but I tune in daily to C-Span. I just watched a soundbite about the newest person on the scene, Susan Boyle. I cried when I listened to her sing on youtube.com. Her presence and voice were beautiful. I cried as I listened to her sing that song from the depths of her heart. She only wanted to sing. Singers must sing. She shared on another interview that she had vowed to her mother before she passed that she'd perform on the Britan's Got Talent Show. And she kept her word. I liked her unprentiousness, her realness. She shared that she had never been kissed. Her transparency was precious, but I pray that she will also be cautious as those who seek to manipulate and make money from her God-given talents are lurking toward her at a great speed.

After hearing her sing, I called a friend, Marcia. I said, "We speak the same language. I had to call and talk about this lady."

What do we know about this Susan Boyle? We know that she is 47 years old, single, was made fun of as a child because of her learning disabilities which was caused by oxygen deprivation that she suffered as a childed. Susan is the youngest of nine children. Susan said that she wanted to be professional singer like Elaine Paige. She cared for her before she passed 2007. Susan is a volunteer at her church, sings in the choir, and is unemployed. Boyle is the youngest of nine children and lives in Blackburn with her ten-year-old cat, Pebbles.

I was totally inspired. Watching and hearing Susan Boyle is that I know there are destiny moments for us all. We, who in the midlife phase, should always go after our dreams. And at least, we should continue to have some dreams and live our lives out loud.

I don't want to take any of my dreams to the grave. Thanks for sharing your voice and your love to express yourself fully, Ms. Susan Boyle.

TODAY IS YOUR DAY

"Today is your day and mine, the only day we have, the day in which we play our part. What our part may signify in the great whole we may not understand; but we are here to play it, and now is our time. This we know : it is a part of action, not of whining. It is a part of love, not cynicism. It is for us to express love in terms of human helpfulness." David Starr Jordan.

faculty.evansville.edu/ck6/bstud/jordan.html

The source of this thought was the Elbert Hubbards's Scrap Book. It was first printed in 1923. It was a book "containing the inspired and inspiring selections gathered during a life time of discriminating reading for his own use."

CELEBRATE!

There's an African proverb that says, "Anticipate the good, so when it comes, you can enjoy it." I like that saying very much. We do need to think about something good and enjoy it when it comes.

Monday, I completed a manuscript that I had been working on for over 2 1/2 years. The story came to me as I purposely turned to drive down a road that I had never driven on before. It started as a short story. I can't believe that I was able to come up with more ideas to expand the story. I didn't. It was God who helped me to tap in to those crevices of my mind. I tell people that if you have a mind that kind of runs on by itself, then you might be one who could weave an interesting story. Creative writing could become your forte.

Anyway, I am proud that I could release the story. I took a writing class and received instruction and mentoring from a seasoned professional writer. And the next step is for me to find a publisher and see what happens down that road. The thing I know for sure is that God knows the outcome of all of that.

So, to celebrate, I am making a batch of old fashioned sugar cookies that have lemon zest and juice in them. These cookies are symbolic way to toasting my completion of the work. The story centers around cookies.

I praise God for His breath in my lungs and how He knitted me in my mother's womb. I praise Him in advance that when the book is published, by me or someone else, that some one's soul will be touched.