Monday

Hey, I'm not really going on a vacation - I am going to take a week off of writing blogs. I'm going to get refreshed. (My kids are going on vacation so I'm going to take the time to think and rejuvenate.) I may even redo some things on my blog itself.

I will be reading your blogs and I will be responding to emails. So I'm here, but not here.

Love,
Chatty

Sunday HAPPY FATHER'S DAY

I had to take the video off - because it plays automatically!


HAPPY FATHER'S DAY
Love,
Chatty

W O R D S . . .

The Power of Words.

Words work both ways -
words we speak to others -
and words others speak to us.

We need to think before we speak words some times.

And wouldn't it be nice if others thought before they spoke words to us?

Words are so incredibly powerful.

Hard words cut so deeply.

Soft words save.

Words create energy.

Kind words create warmth and make the heart soar.

Mean words cut to our soul.

Words inspire.

Words heal.

The words that you you write, the words that you speak, is what you become.

Choose your words carefully.

Words can be weapons.

Words can create beauty.

Your words, can make a difference.

What words are you going to use today?

There are words we want to say, but pride keeps us from it. Like I'm sorry.

I looked it up there are about a quarter of a million words in the Oxford Dictionary.

God gave you a gift of 86,400 seconds today. Have you used one to say "thank you?" ~William A. Ward Or what about I love you - I care - I'll pray for you - I miss you - Can I help you? - I'll be there - I'm listening - What do you need? - there are thousands and thousands of words.

What words are you going to say today and what words are being said to you this Saturday?

Are there ever times your want to say some words to someone and can't? You figure the words can't change anything?

Words can be frustrating - words can bring joy - words in the middle of the night can bring sorrow - and of course there are words that aren't said that should have been or maybe there are words that just can't be said.

And what about listening - do people hear your words? Is a word just a word or it is something huge?

What do YOU think about words?

Fun Friday with a little help from my friends...

Hope you can read - I had to expand it to get it big enough to read!

(Thank you Jerry!)

In 1986, Peter Davies was on holiday in Kenya after graduating from Northwestern University ..

On a hike through the bush, he came across a young bull elephant standing with one leg raised in the air.

The elephant seemed distressed, so Peter approached it very carefully.

He got down on one knee, inspected the elephants foot, and found a large piece of wood deeply embedded in it.

As carefully and as gently as he could, Peter worked the wood out with his knife,
after which the elephant gingerly put down its foot.

The elephant turned to face the man, and with a rather curious look on its face, stared at him for several tense moments.

Peter stood frozen, thinking of nothing else but being trampled.

Eventually the elephant trumpeted loudly, turned, and walked away.

Peter never forgot that elephant or the events of that day.

Twenty years later, Peter was walking through the Chicago Zoo with his teenage son.

As they approached the elephant enclosure, one of the creatures turned and
walked over to near where Peter and his son Cameron were standing.

The large bull elephant stared at Peter, lifted its front foot off the ground, then put it down.

The elephant did that several times then trumpeted loudly, all the while staring at the man.

Remembering the encounter in 1986, Peter could not help wondering if this was the same elephant.

Peter summoned up his courage, climbed over the railing, and made his way into the enclosure.

He walked right up to the elephant and stared back in wonder.

The elephant trumpeted again, wrapped its trunk around one of Peter legs
and slammed him against the railing, killing him instantly.

It wasn't the same elephant.

This is for everyone who sends me those heart-warming b-o-l-o-g-n-a stories. lol





(Thank you Sandra.)


It took me a second, but make sure you read the story under the picture.

Keep in mind this actually happened. This cake is for someone who was moving ...



Okay so this is how I imagine this conversation went:

Walmart Employee: 'Hello 'dis be Walmarts, how can I help you?'

Customer:' I would like to order a cake for a going away party this week.'

Walmart Employee: 'Lemme ax what you want on da cake?'

Customer:'Best Wishes Suzanne' and underneath that 'We will miss you'.



An older man, not in the best physical condition, asked the Trainer in the gym, "I want to impress that beautiful girl. Which machine should I use?"

The trainer replied, "Use the ATM machine outside the gym!"
(Thanks again Jerry.)



The secret to long life...


A doctor on his morning walk, noticed the old lady pictured above, sitting on her front step smoking a cigar, so he walked up to her and said, "I couldn't help but notice how happy you look! What is your secret?"

"I smoke ten cigars a day," she said. "Before I go to bed, I smoke a nice big joint.
Apart from that, I drink a whole bottle of Jack Daniels every week, and eat only junk food.
On weekends, I pop pills, get laid, and don't exercise at all."

"That is absolutely amazing! How old are you?"

"Forty," she replied.



I haven't checked ' Snoops.Com ' to see if this actually works or not . . . but they say:

If you ever get the sudden URGE to run around naked,

You should sniff some Windex first.

It'll keep you from streaking.

Oh, Come On ......Lighten UP !!!! Have a Great Day! (Thank you Linda!)



Whoever is happy will make others happy, too.
-- Mark Twain

Thursday - You're Never To Old to find your Mojo!

Remember, "we are all in the gutter, but some of us are looking at the stars!"
(Oscar Wilde).

(Thanks "ThisIsMe - Diane" - I borrowed that quote from your blog.)



I'm not going to give up on looking for my Mojo. I know I have it somewhere and one day I will lost weight!!! I see too I am not alone. We will all find it!

When you encounter difficulties and contradictions, do not try to break them, but bend them with gentleness and time.

- St. Francis de Sales

YOU GUYS ARE MY BELL AND I HOPE I'M YOURS!

Two Horses
Author Unknown

Just up the road from my home is a field, with two horses in it.

From a distance, each horse looks like any other horse.
But if you stop your car, or are walking by, you will notice something quite amazing....



Looking into the eyes of one horse will disclose that he is blind. His owner has chosen not to have him put down, but has made a good home for him.

This alone is amazing. If you stand nearby and listen, you will hear the sound of a bell. Looking around for the source of the sound, you will see that it comes from the smaller horse in the field.



Attached to the horse's halter is a small bell. It lets the blind friend know where the other horse is, so he can follow.

As you stand and watch these two friends, you'll see that the horse with the bell is always checking on the blind horse, and that the blind horse will listen for the bell and then slowly walk to where the other horse is, trusting that he will not be led astray.
When the horse with the bell returns to the shelter of the barn each evening, it stops occasionally and looks back, Making sure that the blind friend isn't too far behind to hear the bell.

Like the owners of these two horses, God does not throw us away just because we are not perfect or because we have problems or challenges. (Or if we are too heavy and can't find out MOJO yet)

He watches over us and even brings others into our lives to help us when we are in need..

Sometimes we are the blind horse being guided by the little ringing bell of those who God places in our lives.

Other times we are the guide horse, helping others to find their way....


Good friends are like that... You may not always see them, but you know they are always there..

Please listen for my bell and I'll listen for yours, and remember...

Be kinder than necessary-
Everyone you meet is fighting
Some kind of battle.

Live simply,
Love generously,
Care deeply,
Speak kindly.......

And leave the rest to God!

FOR WE WALK BY FAITH AND NOT BY SIGHT

Show and Tail! with Angela at West Virginia's Treasures

Please join Angela at Show and Tail Tuesday.
Every Tuesday she has us tell a story about our pet, a pet story, or an interesting story about pets or animals.

(Today this video was sent to me from Jerry who it was sent to by Ann.) I just thought this was so great and so interesting!



I ran into this quote - "Be like a postage stamp. Stick to one thing until you get there." - Josh Billings

Now I was thinking (lol - like when do I stop) - anyhow - think about that quote - how long do you think the man above stuck to training that shark? A day, a month, a year? I bet years and years and years!

I think about my grandson's black belt and took 4 1/2 years.

I thought about school - and basically we go about 19 years plus.

Becoming a Christian might take a second - but years of being faithful.

Learning a musical instrument, dancing, etc.

I think when something is important it takes time.

My biggest problem is my diet. I want to go on one. Yet my mojo is just not there yet! You know when someone all of a sudden goes on a diet and they do it! Nothing can stop them. Something has clicked for them. What is it?

So do you have anything you've done that takes time? Do you have something you want to do and can't get your mojo up? Or tell me what made you click!

Good Morning and Happy Monday World!

I want to share something I heard on the radio today - I love Country Music and was listening to kicks 101.5 my favorite station here in Georgia.

They were talking about last weeks Country Fair in Nashville where the starts actually take not only the time to put on a show - but they have greet and meets for their fans. Now who else does this?

Shaina Twain was there. She has sold the most albums of any one else - 76 million I believe they said. She had a back ground of abuse - and actually raised her siblings. Quite an interesting story if you want to look her up.

She wrote and a sang a new song - about her journey. Her husband was having an affair with her secretary I believe. They divorced a few years back. She quit singing and was just concentrate on taking care of her son. She is now remarried and ready to sing again.

Tug - one of the commentators who was there last week commented on her. Said she was wonderful - she was surprised her fans still loved and accepted her - and he also said - you can tell one someone is just not quite sure of themselves - (from past wounds - I say), and he was surprised with all her wealth, fame, and money she had these little insecurities.

It goes back to what I believe - when there has been abuse - you do get over it - but the scars remain - and the scars can be in the shape of insecurities.

Now I believe this is true too - she wrote the song for HERSELF - so she could get her own words and feelings written out on paper - then every time she sings it - it is self talk to her. She did it so that she could grow and learn every single day. A while back I wrote about self talking to yourself and she did that exact thing.

Here is her new song: TODAY IS YOUR DAY



and here is her interview if you have time - I believe it was a year or two ago and there is a short commercial, but it's interesting.



"Worry is pulling tomorrow's clouds over today's sunshine."


Let's go girls - today is our day!

Sunday's Thought to you . . .

You know the value of prayer: it is precious beyond all price. Never, never neglect it.

- Sir Thomas Buxton

Praying will change your life! Chatty Crone

Something to think about . . .

"The secret of a happy life is to accept change gracefully." ~ Jimmy Stewart

I loved Jimmy Stewart - he was a role model for me. Did you know he also had a noted military career and was a World War II and Vietnam War veteran, who rose to the rank of Brigadier General in the United States Air Force Reserve. (Wikipedia)

He wanted to be a pilot. Married for oodles of years to the same women. Had adopted children that never wrote tale all books about him. His dad didn't want him to be a star - never thought it was good enough. Respected his dad - but did it anyway.

So do you accept change gracefully? I have learned to accept change gracefully in many ways - in some things - accepting change gracefully is much harder.

Mine was the loss of my best friend a year ago. Still hard for me to accept. To change plans - no problem. To grow old - hmm, so far so good, but 60 is looming up soon . . .

What about you?

Fun Friday with a little help from my friends...

How many horses in this picture?

No. 5 Bus

A married couple trying to live up to a snobbish lifestyle went to a party. The conversation turned to Mozart. "Absolutely brilliant, magnificent, a genius!"

The woman, wanting to join in the conversation, remarked casually, "Ah, Mozart. You're so right. I love him. Only this morning I saw him getting on the No. 5 bus going to Coney Island."

There was a sudden hush, and everyone looked at her. Her husband was mortified. He pulled her away and whispered, "We're leaving right now. Get your coat and let's get out of here."

As they drove home, he kept muttering to himself. Finally his wife turned to him. "You're angry about something."

"Oh really? You noticed?" he sneered. "I've never been so embarrassed in my life! You saw Mozart take the No. 5 bus to Coney Island? You goober! Don't you know the No. 5 bus doesn't go out to Coney Island?"



Riding Lawn Mower - FOR SALE !!!

My Wife always wanted a riding lawn mower.

She works all day and was always tired when she came home from work and thought that a riding lawn mower would help her get the yard work done quicker so she would have more time for the chores inside the house.

SO, being the handy sort of guy that I am, I made her a riding lawn mower. I guess I thought she would squeal with delight or something and give me a big hug.



To this day I have never been able to understand why are some women are so hard to please !

P.S. I can see out of my left eye pretty good now and should be able to take the patch off some time next week!
Thanks Jerry


Thanks Marydon!



Cancel your credit card before you die.......... .(hilarious! – and yet so sad…)

Now some people are really stupid!!!!
Be sure and cancel your credit cards before you die.

This is so priceless, and so, so easy to see happening, customer service being what it is today..

A lady died this past January, and Citibank billed her for February and March for their annual service charges on her credit card, and added late fees and interest on the monthly charge. The balance had been $0.00 when she died, but now somewhere around $60.00. A family member placed a call to Citibank.

Here is the exchange :

Family Member: 'I am calling to tell you she died back in January.'

Citibank: 'The account was never closed and the late fees and charges still apply.'

Family Member: 'Maybe, you should turn it over to collections. '

Citibank: 'Since it is two months past due, it already has been.'

Family Member: So, what will they do when they find out she is dead?'

Citibank: 'Either report her account to frauds division or report her to the credit bureau, maybe both!'

Family Member: 'Do you think God will be mad at her?'

Citibank: 'Excuse me?'

Family Member: 'Did you just get what I was telling you - the part about her being dead?'

Citibank: 'Sir, you'll have to speak to my supervisor'


Supervisor gets on the phone:

Family Member: 'I'm calling to tell you, she died back in January with a $0 balance.'

Citibank: 'The account was never closed and late fees and charges still apply.'

Family Member: 'You mean you want to collect from her estate?'

Citibank: (Stammer) 'Are you her lawyer?'

Family Member: 'No, I'm her great nephew.' (Lawyer info was given)

Citibank: 'Could you fax us a certificate of death?'

Family Member: 'Sure.' (Fax number was given )

After they get the fax :

Citibank: 'Our system just isn't setup for death.. I don't know what more I can do to help.'

Family Member: 'Well, if you figure it out, great! If not, you could just keep billing her. She won't care.'

Citibank: 'Well, the late fees and charges will still apply

(What is wrong with these people?!?)

Family Member: 'Would you like her new billing address?'

Citibank: 'That might help....'

Family Member: ' Odessa Memorial Cemetery , Highway 129, Plot Number 69.'

Citibank: 'Sir, that's a cemetery!'

Family Member: 'And what do you do with dead people on your planet???'

(Priceless!! )
You wondered why Citibank is going broke and need the feds to bail them out!!

Thanks Linda





Monkey Kick Off - help him get the ball to the village.

http://www.bing.com/games/online/bing/julodg/default/en-us

Love and have a great Friday - Chatty

Thursday - eating a rainbow

Every one including myself is into good eating these days. I read an article that seemed interesting and easy - the way I like things and I thought I'd share it with my buds...



Eating the Rainbow for Good Nutrition

One of the simplest tricks to good nutrition is to eat a variety of colors. Here's how you can get the most from your fruits and vegetables.
By Wyatt Myers
Medically reviewed by Lindsey Marcellin, MD, MPH

Getting the maximum amount of vitamins and minerals from your diet just got a little easier.

Simply focus on picking a “rainbow” of different colors of fruits and vegetables — from dark leafy greens to bright citrus fruits.

“As the American Cancer Society says, each of the colors usually represents different nutrients,” says Kathy Taylor, RD, director of nutrition at Grady Memorial Hospital in Atlanta. “Eating from the rainbow ensures that you will be receiving a variety of nutrients.”

If you find yourself always choosing the same fruits and vegetables, open your mind to new flavors. For instance, if you’re an orange and apple fan, try peaches and plums. If iceberg lettuce or romaine are your salad mainstays, switch to dark leafy greens such as spinach or arugula.
Another strategy is to try new cuisines, especially Asian or Middle Eastern ones that use vegetables in flavorful ways in salads, soups, stews, and main dishes.

The Vitamins and Minerals of the Color Wheel

The nutrients in fruits and vegetables can often be categorized by their colors. Here are the vitamins and minerals you can expect to find in each:

Red. In fruits and vegetables, red is usually a sign of vitamin A (beta carotene) and vitamin C.Typically, red produce are also high in manganese and fiber. Choose red bell peppers, tomatoes, cherries, cranberries, raspberries, rhubarb, pomegranates, and beets. Red apples also contain quercetin, a compound that seems to fight colds, the flu, and allergies. Tomatoes, watermelon, and red grapefruit are loaded with lycopene, a compound that appears to have cancer-fighting properties.

Orange. Just a shade away from red, orange in fruits and vegetables signifies a similar vitamin and mineral profile. You’ll get vitamins C, A, and B6, potassium, and fiber in choices such as butternut squash, carrots, sweet potatoes, cantaloupes, oranges, pumpkins, orange peppers, nectarines, and peaches.

Yellow. Banana is probably the first yellow fruit that comes to mind — and it delivers potassium and fiber. You will also find potassium and fiber plus manganese, vitamin A, and magnesium in other yellow produce, such as spaghetti squash, summer squash, and yellow bell peppers.

Green. Dark leafy greens are packed with nutrients, and Taylor recommends adding a variety to your diet — this group offers far more vitamins and minerals than iceberg lettuce. Taylor’s favorite dark leafy green is spinach because of its rich lutein content, which aids eyesight, and folate, which supports cell reproduction. Broccoli and asparagus also contain these compounds.

Blue. Think blue, and you’re most likely picturing a bowl of blueberries, one of nature’s most powerful antioxidants. They are also loaded with fiber and make an incredibly versatile addition to your diet — eat them by the handful, sprinkle them on cereal, or add them to salads for a different and delicious taste, says Sylvia Melendez-Klinger, RD, founder of Hispanic Food Communications.

Purple. This group includes vegetables like red onions and eggplant, and fruits such as blackberries, Concord grapes, currants, and plums. Purple indicates the presence of anthocyanins, powerful antioxidants that protect blood vessels and preserve healthy skin. You can also find vitamin A and flavonoids in purple vegetables like radicchio, purple cabbage, purple potatoes, and purple carrots.

White. (?) White may not be much of a color, but white vegetables, such as cauliflower, rutabagas, and parsnips, still shine with vitamins and minerals like vitamins C, K, and folate, and they contain fiber. Don’t forget onions and garlic, which have a compound called allicin that seems to protect the heart and blood vessels from damage.

If your fruit and vegetable basket has been limited to carrots and apples, exploring the rainbow of choices available at your local farmers’ market or produce department will reward you with a bounty of vitamins and minerals as well as delicious meals.

♥
Did you also hear not to drink from soda type of cans without washing it first. This is true. Where is has been stored - probably has tat urine on it - which is poison to us - sorry - but I am trying to help you here. (Thanks Linda).

♥

Check the expiration dates on packages like pancakes and cake mixes that have yeast which over time develop spores. Apparently, the mold that forms in old mixes can be toxic! Throw away outdated pancake mix, Bisquick, brownie mixes etc. IF IT has mold in it or anything that looks like mold.

"Age is just a matter of the mind...if you don't mind....it don't matter!"

WORDSS HURT - THE VALUE OF A POSITIVE ATTITUDE

WORDS HURT

January 20, 2009 (okay this is a couple years old - but it's still true today).

The Value of a Positive Attitude
by Charles R. Swindoll

Philippians 2:3-5

Several years ago I determined to deal with my attitude. I found myself getting pretty testy, even argumentative at times. Our children were young and often had needs that required my time and attention. More often than I'd like to admit, that irritated me---to the point where my wife said I needed to think about how negative I was becoming, and then I needed to do something about it!

At first, like most husbands would, I resisted her words, but after giving them further thought, I realized that what she was observing was painfully true. To use a popular expression, I was in need of a serious attitude adjustment! I knew that if some of my emotional outbursts didn't stop, I'd not only alienate all four of my children, I would become a lonely, bitter, and crotchety old man. The realization of all that led me to come to terms with my negative attitude.

I am so grateful I did! Among other things, it led me to sit down and write out a carefully worded statement on the importance of choosing the right attitude every single day. I had no idea how God would use it in the lives of people around the world. I've come across it in the most amazing places---and I've had friends tell me of their seeing it in such places as restaurant menus and hanging on walls in machine shops and hearing it quoted in sales conferences, memorized by cadets preparing to be highway patrolmen, and learned by students in school. Here it is:

“Attitudes”

Words can never adequately convey the incredible impact of our attitude toward life. The longer I live the more convinced I become that life is 10 percent what happens to us and 90 percent how we respond to it.

I believe the single most significant decision I can make on a day-to-day basis is my choice of attitude. It is more important than my past, my education, my bankroll, my successes or failures, fame or pain, what other people think of me or say about me, my circumstances, or my position. Attitude keeps me going or cripples my progress. It alone fuels my fire or assaults my hope. When my attitudes are right, there's no barrier too high, no valley too deep, no dream too extreme, no challenge too great for me.

I share this with you in hopes that it will help you as much as it has helped so many others, including me. Thankfully, I'm a different man today because I came to terms with my attitude a number of years ago. And because I did, as I grow older, I've became a lot easier to live with. Just ask my wife . . . and our kids . . . and their kids!

Copyright © 2006 by Charles R. Swindoll, Inc. All rights reserved worldwide.

Have you 'come to terms with your attitude'? I believe you have, but do you know anyone who has not? How does it feel to be around them? What do you think about them? Do they look anything like this?



We cannot hold a torch to light another persons path without brightening our own.
- Ben Sweetland

Audrey Hepburn's Beauty Tips

For attractive lips, speak words of kindness.

For lovely eyes, seek out the good in people.

For a slim figure, share your food with the hungry.

For beautiful hair, let a child run his or her fingers through it once a day.

For poise, walk with the knowledge you'll never walk alone.

People, even more than things, have to be restored, renewed, revived, reclaimed, and redeemed; Never throw out anybody.

Remember, If you ever need a helping hand, you'll find one at the end of your arm.

As you grow older, you will discover that you have two hands, one for helping yourself, the other for helping others.

The beauty of a woman is not in the clothes she wears, the figure that she carries, or the way she combs her hair. The beauty of a woman must be seen from in her eyes, because that is the doorway to her heart, the place where love resides.

The beauty of a woman is not in a facial mole, but true beauty in a woman is reflected in her soul. It is the caring that she lovingly gives, the passion that she shows, and the beauty of a woman with passing years only grows!

Sam Levenson (Posted October 1999)

Contrary to what some may think, Audrey Hepburn did not write this beautiful poem, Sam Levenson did. Levenson wrote "Time Tested Beauty Tips" for his grandchild, and it just so happened to be one of Audrey's favorite poems. She read it to her children on the very last Christmas Eve she spent with us here on Earth.

Special thanks to Nicholas Darrell for author information.

It's a choice - ugly or pretty?

Receiving a black belt...

My grandson's belt has been hanging in this spot for about 2 1/2 years. They start out in a white coat and when they make a decision to go all the way to black belt their coat changes to red - The Black Belt Club and they get their black belt and it hangs there for them to see their goal.



This is how they do it - they call up all the people getting belts from white senior - today someone got their second degree black belt. So near the end the brown belt senior is called. Their were two who made it. They say of 100 starting - two will finish - here they are.


Next they turn away from the flags to do any belt adjustments - out of respect.


They turn around and then the black belt will be tied.


The man tying the belt on is one of the Masters Of Choi Kwang Do - he is 5th degree black belt.



He is now an official black belt given to him by a Grand Master.



Out of all the past belts and all the degrees he may get - the first black belt - is the biggest deal. Because you never go to color again. And they made a big deal out of it.


This is his family of black belts and instructors that helped him a long the way.

He has earned the title of being called SIR - not here though - lol - just on the DoJo.

Thanks so much for letting me brag on him a few days. I'm done. He starts training tonight for his 2nd degree black belt - it will take around 27 months. And out of the 100 that start one will go this far!

"You gain strength, courage and confidence by every experience in which you really stop to look fear in the face."
– Elanor Roosevelt

I really like her - bet we could have been blog buddies too.