SOMETHING NEW!

Just for fun and to see if I have an entreprenurial side other than running a daycare, I have decided to try my hand at something new. I will be having a little online business. I am an independent consultant for a small company called STUFFED WITH FLUFF.

What is Stuffed With Fluff, you may ask? It is similar to BUILD A BEAR except you may make purchases online. I will be selling stuffed animal kits, stuffed animal purses, recordable chips to record your voice to put inside the stuffed animal and clothing for the stuffed animal.

With Christmas fast approaching, I think these would make great gifts or stocking stuffers. It is a gift and an art project all rolled into one. Kids love them because they get to create them. I love the idea of the recordable chip. If you have a loved one who lives far away, you could make a stuffed animal for them, put your voice on the recordable chip and place it inside. Everytime your loved one squeezes the stuffed animal, they will hear your voice. What a wonderful keepsake!

If anybody wants to take a look, I will supply you with my personal link to my personal website. Please use this link only.... or I will not get credit from my clients for their purchases.

Thanks in advance to all of my family and friends for your support. Please share my link and pass it on to others.

http://stuffedwithfluff.com/store/aGo.asp?aff=141

FRIENDS!

How many of us have them?

I went back home to Los Angeles a few weeks ago for my nephew's graduation. Well, actually the graduation took place in San Diego. During the drive from L.A. to San D., my sister decided to play some oldies but goodies songs as well as raps on the car CD player just for kicks. Boy oh boy, were we laughing at how different the raps of yesterday sound compared to the junk (excuse me raps) of today.

My son was such a trooper because I know he was in the backseat suffering while we went on and on about how many of the songs and the raps of yesterday usually had positive messages. The ones that didn't have a positive message were just downright silly and pretty much harmless. "I said ah Hip- hop - duh hibby duh hibby hibby hip hip hop you don't stop to rocking to the bang bang boogie said up jump the boogie to the rhythm of the boogety beat". "Psycho-alpha-disco-beta-bio-aquadoodloop..the underwater boogie baby...yeah Oh". Harmless right? Nobody was getting shot, running from the police, selling drugs, saying every cuss word in the book, disrespecting their parents, calling women names that are degrading or any of that type of junk.

One of the raps that my sister had on the oldies but goodies CD was called "FRIENDS". Do you remember it? "Friends, how many of us have them.....Friends, ones we can depend on... Well I had totally forgotten that this song/rap even existed. But you know, it got me to thinking that having, or keeping even just one good friend in this crazy world we live in is as rare as finding a four leaf clover.

Today's blog is dedicated to friendship. If you have a good friend, husband, wife, girlfriend, boyfriend, Mom, Dad, brother, sister, son, daughter, cousin or anyone in your life who you think is special and they feel the same way about you, count yourself blessed. If you haven't come across a loyal person in your life yet that you can share your heart with, then pray and ask God to place that person in your path. God will do it. God never intended us to stand alone, hurt alone, or even laugh alone. This is why we email jokes to each other all the time. We don't want to laugh alone, we want to share the FUNNY! We all need each other. I heard a saying that goes " One of the strangest things about someone with definiteness of purpose, is the readiness at which the world steps aside & even helps them in their aim". This means that in order for us to accomplish our purpose, there will be others in our lives to help us along.

I began thinking, "how well do I really know my friends and how well do they really know me"? We rush through life from day to day investing ourselves into things that really don't even matter. What really matters is people, relationships and sharing the love of God with others. Everything else is just gravy.

One of my friends recently sent me a "Getting to know you" question and answer page. When I first saw it, I laughed because this particular friend has known me since the 5th grade. I won't tell you how many years it has been now since we have known one another because then that would give away my age.....but let's just say it has been a long, long time. Anyhoo, I filled out the page. I looked at her answer page too. It was then that I realized how you could know someone for forever and not even take the time to know them in depth. To tell you the truth, I didn't even know how to answer some of the questions for my own answer page, which means that I haven't taken the time to REALLY get to know myself. How sad but how true. You know, we can't even begin to be a good friend to someone else until we have learned how to be a good friend to ourselves.

Below, I will be giving you a FRIENDSHIP question and answer quiz. Take the time to answer these questions about yourself and then answer the same questions about a good friend of yours. See how much you really know about yourself and your friends. If you can't answer at least half of the questions correctly about a friend then it is time to stop watching TV and start prioritizing your friendships and relationships.

The Friendship Quiz

1. Favorite color

2. Favorite food

3. Favorite animal

4. Favorite song

5. Favorite season (winter, summer, fall, spring)

6. Favorite holiday

7. Vacation: skiing in the mountains / relaxing on a tropical beach

8. Watching TV / Reading a good book

9. Popcorn / Peanuts

10. Cake / Pie

11. A big party with lots of people / a small party with close friends

12. Sports car / SUV

13. Romantic date: casual picnic on the beach / fancy candle-lit dinner

14. Disneyland / Six Flags

15. Clothing preference: Dressy / Casual

16. Iced Tea / Lemonade

17 Favorite ice cream flavor

18. Cat / Dog

19. Bird / Fish

20. Favorite car color

21. Name a hobby

22. Name a talent

23. Funny, loud or outgoing / Quiet, shy, laid back / Perfect mix

24. Favorite scripture

25. Favorite candy

Now, if you have answered at least half of these correctly, then you are well on your way to being a good and interested friend. Here is one more question. See if you can answer it. Who is your very best friend....he sticks closer than any brother...he gave his life for you....he loves you more than you love yourself? Did you guess? That's right! JESUS!

P.S. Make sure you Click it or Ticket so that I will know that you took the quiz!

BREAKING NEWS!!!!!

THIS JUST IN!!!!!

Okay folks, I know my blog title has the word "happy" in it but right at this moment, I am NOT a "HAPPY CAMPER". I am mad! MAD AT THE DEVIL! Mad enough to start a prayer chain that will stomp the devil's ugly BOO-TAY back to the pit.

Anyone who knows me, knows that I have a great love for children. Children are near and dear to my heart. I pray for them and stand in the gap for them all the time. I don't think there is any way to get me more fired up than to tell me that a child has been harmed or wronged in any way. I will pray and go to bat for them with everything I have within me.

Well, now it is time for me to pray and I am asking all of you to join your faith with mine in agreement. Let's agree that our children will seek after righteousness. Let's not be ashamed to tell everyone we know that Jesus is the real deal and satan is a cheap counterfeit.

I know that there are many people (including some Christians) who won't agree with me....BUT THIS IS MY BLOG AND I WILL WRITE WHATEVER I WANT TO. I have heard arguments from every angle and the only thing I will agree with is THE WORD OF GOD. So here goes...

I just found out that Universal Studios park in Florida is scheduled to open a HARRY POTTER WIZARDRY WORLD. They are hoping to have it opened for 2009. WHY, WHY, WHY? Why.....because the devil is after the children of this generation like no other generation before. First it was the books, then the movies and now this. They plan on making the Hogwart's School (Witchcraft School) the centerpoint of the theme area. This will be the focal point much like Cinderella's and Sleeping Beauty's castles at the Disney theme parks. There will be rides and shops all based on the places, things and people (witches, warlocks, demons) that were in the books and movies so that kids and adults can live out the experience.

"Oh you are being ridiculous" I can hear some people saying. "This is just some harmless fantasy for the kids". "Gee whiz, let's not go making big deal out of this". WELL TOO BAD....I am making a big deal. The devil is after our kids. What starts off as harmless fantasy fun can end up in total immersion in witchcraft and all things satanic.

In Toys R Us, I have seen the Harry Potter dress up outfits, the cauldrons and games. The bible tells us that by our words we are justified or condemned. Wouldn't the devil love the kids to put on the Harry Potter outfit and pretend to summon up some pretend demons and such....only to end up really summoning them. Devil.....you ain't slick......we see what you are up to and we aren't having it. Wouldn't the devil love the kids to imagine that they could really levitate while they ride on one of the rides in the amusement park. Why?.....to wet their appetite to really want to levitate. To seek and search out how this can really be possible. I heard some kids on a news program being interviewed and the kids were talking about how "COOL" it would be to be able to cast spells and have the power to make others do what they wanted them to do. In the bookstore in my local mall the witchcraft section has almost become as large as the Christian section. Something is wrong with this picture.

I read an article that said that the Harry Potter books and movies have done more to promote witchcraft to children and adults than the promotion of witchcraft by true witches could have ever done. Children and adults alike are hitting the internet and bookshops to learn more about witchcraft and how they too can become a witch, have power, learn how to cast spells and control others. I did some internet research. There are bunches of Harry Potter websites that allow children to VIRTUALLY attend the Hogwarts (witchraft) school. The children can actually do assignments and turn them in online. There were many subjects for the children to learn including divination, horoscopes, sorcery, potions and spells. I also saw a dictionary on the the H.P. web page for kids to learn the definition and pronunciation of many terms used in witchcraft.....then some of the words had side notes to let you know how to apply them in witchcraft. From these websites, there are links that can lead you to REAL witches websites where among other things, they sell authentic wands with crystals and other precious stones on the tips of them for casting spells, potions, powders, spell books and the list goes on. Harmless, right? NO WAY!!!! We know that this is all tied to spirits of rebellion, manipulation and control. God is not pleased and it is time for those of us who know what is right to stop twiddling our thumbs and start praying for our young'uns. The only power we need is the power IN THE NAME OF JESUS. With this power, the devil is subject to us. We can cast him out and he has got to go.

I was sent an email by a member of my Children's Church team. The email talked about how high the percentage is of people accepting Christ in their youth compared to the low percentage of people in their teenage and adult years. This is a huge reason why the devil likes to target the children and it is also the reason why WE MUST value and go full force with Children's ministry. It is important for us to plant the Love of God in their hearts early. Let's each make it a goal to tell a child how much Jesus already loves them....before they learn how to cast a LOVE SPELL on somebody to try and make someone love them.

Deuteronomy 18: 10-13 (New International Version)

Let no one be found among you who sacrifices his son or daughter in the fire, who practices divination or sorcery, interprets omens, engages in witchcraft, or casts spells, or who is a medium or spiritist or consults the dead. Anyone who does these things is detestable to the Lord and the Lord your God will drive out those nations before you. You must be blameless before the Lord your God.

If you have participated in the reading of these books, seeing the movies, playing the games, or any other form of witchcraft....etc., and you were unaware that these things were destestable to God and you would like to repent (turn away from such things) and accept Jesus as Lord, then today is a happy day for you.

Pray now.......Dear God, I admit that I am a sinner and today I repent and choose to turn away from anything that displeases you. I am saying with my mouth and I believe with my heart that you sent your son Jesus to shed his blood, die for my sins and that he rose up from the dead just for me. Today I choose to live for you Lord, and I know that if I sin, you are ready to forgive me if I ask you to. In Jesus Name Amen.

Romans 10:9 John 3:16

If you just prayed that prayer, then the BREAKING NEWS is that you just got SAVED!

NOW I AM A HAPPY!

Click It or Ticket

Hey guys and gals, first let me start off by saying have a safe and happy Memorial Day weekend. We usually hear the term "Click it or Ticket" around this time because it is the start of the Summer holidays, parties, gatherings and road trips. The Po Po (5-O', cops, police) tell us to click on those seatbelts to help keep us safe from all of the drunk drivers on the road. So please be aware of this. This is no small thing. Of course, it is always good to pray and ask God to send angels of protection to camp around and about you......but YOU also need to use wisdom so buckle up. OKAY?

I am aware that 95% of my readers ARE NOT BLOGGERS and do not have access to the blog to leave comments. So many of you have e-mailed comments to me saying that you were happy I was blogging again. I just wanted to let all of you know that your comments were very appreciated. Feel free to e-mail your comments anytime. (Phito, I did receive your comment that you went back and re-read all of the archives again just for laughs)....that was so sweet. Another way you all can let me know that you stopped by, is by CLICKING onto my profile page. NO, YOU DO NOT HAVE TO READ MY PROFILE PAGE EVER AGAIN! But if you CLICK it, the number in the bottom left hand corner will go up and I will know that you stopped by to read the latest. So do me a favor everytime you stop by to read.....CLICK IT or get a TICKET!

P.S. Um, Hell'er (hello) Please don't make me have to send Ma'Dear up to the front door of your house or come up to your job with your TICKET and her PIECE OF STEEL. Do yourself a favor and just CLICK IT!

MOVIE REVIEW

Well, I may be on the late freight because I didn't see this movie on opening weekend but I think it is worth a mention. I am not into comic books or action figure type movies but due to all the hype, I saw Spiderman 3.

I saw Spiderman 1 and I thought it was okay as those type of movies go but it was not great enough to send me rushing into the theater for Spiderman 2. I did however love Spiderman 3 and I wasn't even trying to.

The special effects were great as usual but what most impressed me was the storyline. The storyline held my attention throughout the movie and it kept my attention way after I got over the special effects.

If you haven't seen the movie yet or you are simply waiting until it comes out on DVD, I won't ruin it for you. I will say that I saw many biblical principals applied within the storyline dealing with love, friendships, betrayal, selfishness, selflessness and most importantly learning how to forgive and what happens when you don't.

I will definitely be using this movie as a guideline for one of my Sunday School teaching lessons. I am sure any child's ears will perk up when I talk about Spiderman....then I will hit 'em with the biblical principal concerning unforgiveness. It's not just for kids though. Learning how to forgive frees us all to be what God intended us to be.

Who would have ever thought Spiderman could be the subject of a Sunday School lesson? So kiddos and grown folks, grab a box of popcorn and a drink and see this movie if you haven't already.

Oh, and make sure you don't ever get tangled in a WEB of UNFORGIVENESS! It can become a sticky situation.

HEY, EVERYBODY... I'M BACK !

Writing is such a wonderful outlet for me but when life seems to get going in full swing, it is often hard to make or take the time to write. I just recently took a couple of trips. One to New Orleans, my husbands hometown and one to Los Angeles, my hometown. It was really good to see family and friends that I had not seen in a while. During my mini Vacays, I was encouraged by many of you to continue writing as a way of staying connected. So at your request, I'm back.

Thanks for your interest and thanks for wanting to hear all the ridiculous things I have to say. I can sure come up with some INTERESTING TID BITS if for no other reason than to entertain myself. I am a strong believer in laughter. As I have stated in previous posts, I make it a goal to get in my 13 laugh quota each day. The thing is, life is so funny that I really don't have to make anything up. You know what I am talking about.

p.s. The pictures above are of the Grove in Los Angeles and Rivers Restaurant in New Orleans.

One Year Later

It is so hard to believe that Hurricane Katrina happened just about one year ago. I have personally seen the affects of the Hurricane. It was just about one year ago that I noticed a news report stating that Katrina would most probably hit New Orleans and that people should begin evacuating. I have lived in Los Angeles all of my life but I recently moved to the Houston Texas area. My husband is a native of New Orleans and many of his family members were still residing there at the time of Katrina. Knowing the proximity between Houston and New Orleans, I began tidying up my guest room because I knew that my in-laws were most probably on the way to Houston in the evacuation process......and they were. As we were glued to the TV and watched the news unfold day after day, it was not only heart-wrenching to see what was going on in New Orleans but it was very painful to witness the emotions of uncertainty of the future and loss of the past life that my in-laws knew may be gone for good. I prayed a lot during those days. I thanked God that I had a home to make available to some of them until they were able to get back on their feet.

All of my husband's family was accounted for except for one elderly uncle who refused to leave. I am sorry to say that he perished in the flood waters that rose into his home but everyone else did evacuate and are still in the process of trying to rebuild their lives. Some have moved to Houston permanently. Some moved to Dallas and others have gone back to New Orleans to see if they could try and salvage some of the life they once knew. Things will never ever be the same again for them. The rich culture that made the city of New Orleans unique, vanished overnight. To me, New Orleans was like no place else on earth. They called it "The Big Easy". The theme was "Let the good times roll". The music, the food, the language and the people had their own flavor....much like the Gumbo dish that they are so famous for. The first time I visited New Orleans, I was taken by surprise. You must remember that I was coming from Los Angeles where strangers rarely speak to you or look you in the eye as they pass you on the street. Everywhere I went in New Orleans, I was genuinely and whole-heartedly greeted like a long lost cousin. I can't begin to tell you how many times I was offered to partake in the culinary offerings of others. I quickly found out that to decline was almost darn near offensive. The folks of New Orleans take great pride in their cooking. It is almost like a secret contest. Who makes the best Gumbo or Pralines? Whoever is offering you some at the time!

The architecture is simply fabulous in New Orleans and the French Quarter. There are beautiful Victiorian homes, Acadian styled homes, Gothic looking homes and an exquisite host of other types. There are houses with ornate wrought iron railings going around wrap-around porches and galleries. There are beautiful gardens to accompany these homes, especially on Magazine Street. I just loved going down St. Charles Street on my visits to the French Quarter. I would see the lovely mansions with their gas-light lamps as I viewed the quaint street car (trolly) making its way down the street and I would be immediately transported to a different place and time. It was almost like getting a brief glimpse into history. There is the mixture of Spanish, French, African and Indian influence in the region. The language spoken in New Orleans is English of course but it is the most interesting use of the English language I have ever heard. I just love it. I have secretly practiced it and I generously use it whenever I am repeating something that has been told to me by my in-laws. Once again, it is a Gumbo melting pot of all of these backgrounds mixed together and the dialect reflects this. I am curious though.....now that so many New Orleanians have moved to Texas, will the New Orleans dialect mix with the Texas drawl and form a whole new way of talking. We'll just have to wait and find out. My brother in law is a die hard New Orleans type of guy. He has New Orleans in his blood but when he came to Houston, he purchased a cowboy hat. I have since named him "The Crawfish Cowboy". The other funny thing about New Orleans is that they had drive-thru Daquiri shops. That really goes against the don't drink and drive slogan, huh? But I guess it goes with the "Let the good times roll" theme". New Orleanians love a good party. The whole world knows about Mardi Gras but does the whole world know that they will pretty much have a party for any reason. I am told that they used to have Hurricane Parties. They are also the only people that I know who literally will turn a funeral (which is supposed to be a sad event, right?) into party and a joyous occasion.

There is something to be said for people with this type of resiliency. I believe that their optimism will see them through their challenges and difficulties. Yes, It is one year later since Hurricane Katrina struck. Not much has been accomplished or rectified but I am praying for the people of New Orleans. I am praying for all of those who are still destitute...those who have lost loved ones.... and those who feel lost and alone and displaced. I am praying that those who don't know God yet will come to know him and that those who do know God will have their faith strengthened and renewed. Prayer changes things! Won't you please take some time this week and join me in prayer for the people of New Orleans, Mississippi, Florida, Texas and all those who have been affected by Hurricanes Katrina and Rita? They thank you and so do I.