blood bought

being a covenant woman, i understand the value of things that are purchased with blood. therefore i do not take lightly the freedoms i have in this country. i have the freedom to live where i choose, to speak my mind, and to worship God openly. i have the freedom to get any education i can afford or qualify for. i have the freedom to pursue my interests, live in any financial status i can achieve, and choose what i do for a living. i have the freedom to complain about the things i dont like, and make a stab at changing them if i feel so inclined. i even have the freedom to leave this country, if i chose to.

the blood that purchased these freedoms, and the blood that spills to defend them, is precious to me. and the families of those who shed that blood are precious to me.

though we set one day aside to honor those beloved soldiers nationally, as the mother of a marine i remember them all year long. i remember too, those who were wounded, and those who gave their time and their sweat away from their families, suffering the horrors and rigors of war, who came home but left something of themselves behind.

i may not speak of it much, but i carry them in my heart always.

google Tags: memorial day,blood,soldiers

absinth

i love the word. it has such an exotic sound. such an old world sound. though i probably wouldnt be that interested in drinking absinth, i like the nickname it has. the green fairy. something kind of magical about that.

of course i love green.

green rain

green fire

green eyes

green ice

green flowers

green tea

and trees

maybe it comes from being scots irish, but i doubt it. i think it comes from growing up among the evergreens, not far from the ocean. ah, my beloved ocean. green is such a quietly strong color.

google Tags: green

B-52

today i am 18, with 34 years experience. i be 52.

B-52 Stratofortress – United States Nuclear Forces

Air Combat Command’s B-52 is a long-range, heavy bomber that can perform a variety of missions. The bomber is capable of flying at high subsonic speeds at altitudes up to 50,000 feet (15,166.6 meters). It can carry nuclear or precision guided conventional ordnance with worldwide precision navigation capability.

Welcome to B-52 Guitar Amplification

B-52 Professional’s Mobile Systems are award-winning, dependable and are built using the highest-quality of componenents. Our active subwoofers are fast becoming the standard-bearer for powered systems.

The B-52 Architectural Series is a complete solution for all permanent installation applications – from the largest of concert or disco applications to small coffee shop hang-outs or restaurants.
All speakers within this series are Built in the USA, constructed with 13-ply Baltic birch, the highest quality components and are backed by our world famous, marketing-leading warranty.
The Achitectural Series is divided in several key areas – all found through our B-52 Product Finder – or by clicking on the links any of the links below

How to: tips and tricks: How to make a Flaming B52 Shot

HOW TO MAKE A FLAMING B52: SHOT RECIPE
A B52 is a great shooter to drink on a winters afternoon – it warms the belly and puts fire in your heart! This shot is very easy to make once you learn how to properly layer the liquids.
B52 Shot Ingredients
- 10 ml Kahlua coffee liqueur
- 10 ml Irish cream liqueur
- 10 ml Grand Marnier
- Layer in the order given in shot glass.
Step 1
Pour the Kahlua into a shot glass
Step 2
Gently pour the Baileys over the back of a teaspoon to form a layer on top of the Kahlua – this is your classic B52
Step 3
To make a Flaming B52, add to the shot by pouring Grand Marnier over the back of a teaspoon to form a layer on top of the Baileys
Step 4
Turn off the lights and light the shot
Step 5
Serve immediately

52 —

52 weeks in a year

52 cards in a deck, plus a joker

52 white keys on a piano

A comic series from DC Comics entitled 52

atomic number of tellurium

 

google Tags: birthdays

Report: Tornado kills 15 in Oklahoma – Weather- msnbc.com

its that time again … 

Report: Tornado kills 15 in Oklahoma – Weather- msnbc.com

around here

roy fits in pretty well. he likes the cats, but doesnt bother them much. he loves cinnamon, and follows her around pestering her and trying to play. he really likes a lot of attention, and wants to be in the middle of everything we’re doing.

he only has one major issue. he likes to tear things up. he has plenty of toys to play with, and he doesnt seem to get bored. i had barricaded him and cinnamon in the den during the day while we were at work, and cinnamon still got out and urinated on the floor after the postman had been there. roy did ok. so when we went to a movie one saturday, i made a better barricade, and cinnamon still got out, and roy emptied the contents of my little lunch bag that i keep a few things in that i like to have with me at work, that i dont want in my purse. he chewed up one of two pill bottles, but didnt ingest any. then a few nights later he tore up a couple of select books from the book shelf. both were old medical books, one was from the 1800s. the pages werent that bad, but the covers were shredded, and there are a few red stains on the carpet. the beau was not pleased. roy has also showed an interest in my shoes. so on days they cant be outside, they are both in crates, and roy is in his crate at night. perhaps we can come up with a better plan, but this will have to do for now.

the other day at work there was an escapee from the nearby mental health facility in handcuffs on the ground, surrounded by police and EMSA workers. seems he climbed into a small truck as it was going down the street toward the main road. that would not happen to me, because i drive to fast to allow access, and i keep my doors locked. no one was hurt, and he was returned to the facility. i dont know anymore about it than that.

there was a truck driver here in town whose load, some big metal thing, got snagged on a cable line. he got out of his truck, climbed up and attempted to unhook it from his load. as he did, the cable touched a close power line,and he was electrocuted. sad he didnt just call for help. now he is beyond it.

we have had in one week a range in temperatures from 16º on monday to over 75º on friday. but the wind blows on and on.

today we are going to see ‘coralline’ in 3D. it will be my second ever 3D movie. i went to see ‘my bloody valentine’ in 3D with some coworkers last month. it was fun.

that about sums up the last few weeks around here.

google Tags: daily life,dogs,accidents,3D movies

roy

last week roy came to live with us.

it was saturday, and the beau was out front doing a few things around the house, and getting ready to wash out the cats litter boxes, when a big chocolate lab came up to say hello. he had a collar, and sweet golden brown eyes. and he was very interested in everything the beau was doing. the beef jerky in the open garage as well, which the beau gave him a piece of. they started getting along right off.

he hung around for two days, staying in our yard. he liked cinnamon, who he could see through the glass front door. the cats actually didnt freak out over his presence on the porch. i was trying to get over a respiratory problem, and came home from work early on monday, to be greeted by the big brown dog, still here. my neighbor across the street put him in her back yard to keep him from getting hit by a car or something, and put an ad in the paper for found dog. no one came to claim him.

so we took possession of him, and took him to the vet for shots, and got him a new collar and a crate. and named him roy.

he is a very well mannered dog, although he has a lot of energy. he likes to please, and already is crate trained, house broken (except he tried to mark the cat room), and walks well on a lead. he already sits, lays down, and stays – sort of. he learned to shake in one day. and cinnamon is showing him how to play tug. they eat together, and sleep together, although for now he sleeps in his crate. he loves the kitties, and they are tolerant of him. actually, thor is in love with him. thor always loves our dogs.

so i finally got that companion i wanted for cinnamon.

google Tags: dogs,labs

2009 and the mirror of God

there is something psychological about new years day. realistically, its no different than the day before. but being the first day in a new calendar year gives it an almost magical quality, making it a portal into a new world. the possibilities for change, for breakthroughs, for victories, for new exploits, are endless.

this year im not making the conventional resolutions. i dont want to make a list of things i want to accomplish this year. a year can be a long time, and resolutions fade quickly as events take place. lists are lost or forgotten. or abandoned.

instead, i am focusing on who i am in Christ. there are two sides to who we are. status, or where we stand in regard to God, and identity, or who we are inside. i am a covenant woman, and a child of the Living God, with firstborn status. however that is just the beginning of it.

i desire to really see who i am. that may sound unreligious when so many preach against ‘i’. but the new testament says to put on the new man, created in the image of Christ, and that requires some focus on ‘i’. its kind of a paradox, because it also requires focus on Christ, since the new me is created in His image. the Lord showed me something a long time ago about mirrors, that taught me how to look at myself. sometimes i forget to do it, and thats when i lose sight. this year i am going to stare into the mirror.

1 corinthians 3:18 

But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord.

what do you see when you look into a mirror? you see your reflection. you see what you look like. imagine a man blind from birth. he may have an idea from feeling what his appearance is, but he has never seen his own face. conversely, that same blind man would recognize someone he knew by their voice and their manner. the mirror of  God reflects the nature and character, rather than the external appearance. ‘as beholding in a glass the glory of the Lord’. it gets really good when when you look up the meaning of glory.

 

so thats what im doing this year. im looking into the mirror of God.

google Tags: mirror,glory of God,new years day

like a bandit

i certainly got some nice stuff this year. the beau rather showered me with gifts. a beautiful little glass dragon to go with my growing collection, and a beanie baby zebra (the character from ‘madagascar’) to add to my zebra collection. a new bottle of esté lauder spellbound, my favorite and signature scent. yet another gaming system, a ninetento ds. my mother sent me a black velvet cape with a red velvet lining. and a co worker of the beaus gave us a set of mel brooks classics and a couple of games for the beaus psp. what spoils!

i always feel i little twinge when i am so blessed with things, i think of the the people i share this planet with who dont have. im not being all righteous, and i dont feel guilty for being blessed. i would just like to bring everyone into my blessed state. there is more than enough to go around, and always has been. the God who created this planet is the God of more than enough, the God of abundance.

now today we have a forecast of 71º and thunderstorms. crazy weather pattern this year. i put our turtle outside. he has been spending time in a box because the beau likes to keep a turtle in the yard during the warm months. kramer, who we had for over ten years, and who died during the ice storm last year even though he was inside in a cage, was our resident turtle before. he had such personality, and was mostly friendly. this crazy ninja turtle is a different kind, and has a cranky temperament. we still like him, but we dont try to pet his head. we like our fingers too.

so i think we will be staying in today, most likely playing video games. did i mention i got two more games for ps3? the new prince of persia, and dead space. good thing i dont have to do homework anymore. id never get it done. have to tell the teacher i lost in space, or a sand monster got it …. never mind.

and just so you know, i havent lost the meaning of Christmas just because i revel in all my stuff. quite the contrary. i revel in the abundance of blessings that are mine through the covenant i have with God. these blessings came at a high price to Him, and reach far beyond the tangible items i enjoy. they also include health, protection, peace, and joy (which is my strength). they include a security in my ultimate future as well as my temporal present. these are things that carry me through the hard times when i face trials. the stuff can come and go, and there is always more where they came from. but the intangible things i never lose, and are the reason i have access to the stuff.

now let me leave you with a thought. God has given us great prosperity as part of the covenant. but no one said you have to keep it all.

google Tags: Christmas,weather,turtles,covenant

december 13

Ice storm leaves 1.2 million waiting for power – Weather- msnbc.com

this time last year we were in the dark and cold. i think the whole state was iced over. i had heat from a gas fireplace, and hot water from a gas heated water tank, so we were better off than many. my granddaughter sienna was born today last year. i certainly feel blessed not to be in the throws of an ice storm this time. i can appreciate what those in new england are experiencing, having been through it myself now. there was such a storm one year in portland, when i was a child, but i wasnt so bothered by it, seeing it through a childs eyes. i remember the frozen drifts of snow that covered cars and buried the city, solid enough to walk on – and talking my little dog out in the back and sliding him all over the ice hills in the yard. im sure he laughed when i slipped and hit my chin on the same ice. he was more a little brother than a pet.

this time, all i see are leaves blowing madly along the street, across the dry yards, and in mindless circles in the air. as much as i love winter, it isnt pretty here. but then, it isnt ever pretty here to me. many of the trees still have broken limbs from last years ice, because they often arent cared for unless they pose a hazard. there is much litter, and because it is often very windy here, and the land is rolling but flattish, trash is always blowing around. as is dust. ah how i long for the evergreen forests that cover the coastal mountains. the wind blows there as well, but the trees provide cover, and the mountains break the straight lines. the people there are more likely to secure their trash cans, so that they and the trash they hold arent strewn about haphazardly. one drives down the street in ones own neighborhood here, and has to dodge the big green bins rolling around in the way.

can you tell im homesick?

Technorati Tags: weather,ice storm

google Tags: weather,ice storm

the thanksgiving that was

thanksgiving day has come and gone, but i remain thankful in my heart for the gift God has given me. to think, i had my son and his family in my house for thanksgiving. there we were, three generations that started with me. it was something i wasnt sure would ever happen when i gave him up so long ago. but then, God is good, and does far above all we can ask or think.

we picked them up at the airport just after nine wednesday night. the beau saw to it we had a rental SUV for the visit, which was much easier to do things in, what with a car seat and all the gear one takes with a baby. my son gave me such a hug at the airport, i felt truly like a mom. i also felt kind of short, even with all my five feet and eight inches, because he is 6′2″ and she is 5′11″. im not used to being short.

thanksgiving morning i started early and got the turkey going, and made my stuffing with pepperidge farm cornbread stuffing, celery, apples, and black walnuts. i tried adding whole cranberries too. hmmm, kind of tart they are. it was still good. she made green bean casserole, and i made pumpkin pie with graham cracker crust, from scratch. all in all, it turned out to be a pretty good meal, even with out the yams and the potatoes. oh well. it was still too much food, and just good to be with them.

the beau had to work friday, so i took them out for breakfast, which turned out to be lunch because we got out late. then it was on to the mall for some black friday marathon shopping for baby shoes. i think the beau was glad to be bored at work instead of with us for that. but it was more about them than me, so it was ok. i enjoyed it in some aspects, even though we were there much longer than i thought we would be.

it was fun having sienna here. she was a bit fussy, but she is just learning to walk, and really doesnt like being in a playpen or a spinner seat anymore. she is acquiring a little autonomy, and with it just a little independence. she kept us very busy in the evening, trying to keep her from getting hurt or into things not for baby. sigh. still, she is a happy baby, and not cranky. i was just amazed to see the offspring of my offspring.

saturday i took them to the airport for their 6:35 flight out. all the flights to the west coast are 6am or 6:35 am from tulsa. my boy sent a text when they arrived in california. he will be in camp pendleton a bit longer because he re-upped for another four years just before thanksgiving. he wont be going to iraq again,  however. that was a stipulation of re enlisting. he will go to okinawa for eight months instead. he still plans to enter law enforcement, but it takes longer than he expected to get through all the exams and entry processes, so re enlisting will keep him till then. i think its a good plan. he took my zune with him, to load music on it for me from his. he has hundreds of songs and videos. he is good with that sort of thing, and we like much of the same music. fancy that. its nice to have something he can do for his mom. nice for me too. *big smile*

it was a little stressful, even though i loved having them here, but only because its a challenge for me to tolerate other peoples little habits and and ways of doing things, especially in the kitchen. if i wasnt so picky it wouldnt be such an ordeal for me. but i tried not to show it, since it was only for two days, and now everything it back to normal. small price to pay for the pleasure of having my children here with me. had i raised him myself, i might not have become so anal about my environment. they had a good time, and thats what matters. the beau isnt used to company either, and im sure he had to make allowances too. he was really sweet to them, though, and didnt seem uncomfortable at all.

all in all, it was a good few days. i look forward to many more days spent with them.

google Tags: holidays,thanksgiving,family