thehereandafter

We all know why this country celebrates Thanksgiving Day. Hopefully all of us, at a young age, learned about the trials, tribulations, and hardships of the pilgrims in "the new world". And hopefully, as adults, we have lived enough of life to remember that trials, tribulations, and hardships can fall on any of us even in this day and time. Most of us know to give thanks everyday but there is something special about putting life on hold and focusing all our attention and effort on spending one day for giving thanks for all God has given to us...all the ways He has blessed us...all He has brought us through....all He does for us....all He is and....and how much He loves us!  “‘I will grant peace in the land, and you will lie down and no one will make you afraid. I will remove wild beasts from the land, and the sword will not pass through your country.    Leviticus 26:6 After our journey of the last 21/2 years, this Thanksgiving I was just so thankful f...

Saturdays during the fall is a big day for college football followed by NFL football Sunday. People of all ages from young to old plan their weekends around FOOTBALL. Stadiums from the north to the south are filled with people and there is a marked rise in the sale of TVs during football season. Fans are serious about their football. To me football is an easy game to understand...but boy it has a lot of player positions. There are linemen, halfbacks, fullbacks, guards, punters, split ends, safeties, tight ends, wing backs, receivers, and of course, the quarterback. This is just some of the positions. Just don't ask me what they all do. I know that the quarterback gets a lot of attention and he is the offensive player who   receives the ball from the center at the start of each play before either handing it to the running back, throwing it to a receiver, or running with it himself. ...

Thought provoking, no matter what your stance is. The following was written by Ben Stein and recited by him on CBS Sunday Morning   Commentary. My confession: I am a Jew, and every single one of my ancestors was Jewish.  And it does not bother me even a little bit when people call those beautiful lit up, bejeweled trees, Christmas trees...  I don't feel threatened..  I don't feel discriminated against.. That's what they are, Christmas trees. It doesn't bother me a bit when people say, ' Merry Christmas ' to me.  I don't think they are slighting me or getting ready to put me in a ghetto. In fact, I kind of like it.  It shows that we are all brothers and sisters celebrating this happy time of year. It doesn't bother me at all that there is a manger scene on display at a key intersection near my beach house in Malibu ..  If people want a crèche, it's just as fine with me as is the Menorah a few hundred yards away. I don't like getti...

We all like a certain amount of control in our lives. Some of us like more control than others. That control or the appearance of having control also helps us give to others the appearance that everything in our lives is under control. Many of you have probably seen the movie "Monster In-Law" with Jane Fonda and Jennifer Lopez. This movie, to me, is so funny I laugh through the whole thing even though I have seen it half a dozen times or so. Even thinking about it makes me laugh. In short, Jane Fonda is a wealthy, famous mother of a grown son. Her son is her everything and he is a good son to her. But, she is a very controlling mother and doesn't want to let go of him. He has fallen in love with Jennifer Lopez, a very sweet, innocent, beautiful young lady, who, of course, is not good enough for Jane Fonda's son. The son brings Jennifer home to met his mother and while they are there having tea asks Jennifer to marry him. This sends Jane Fonda into a tail-spin and you ...

One of the television shows I look forward to watching is the "Amazing Race" that comes on Sunday nights. It is exciting to following the contestants as they travel around the world to foreign places while competing in challenges. Every week the teams have trial and tribulations that they are faced with. They are pushed, pulled, and tested. For some of the teams the challenges bring out the best in them, in other teams it brings out the worst in them. This series is a lot like real life but condensed. LIFE in itself is an amazing race that we all are participates of. My amazing race, so far, has been one full of blessings and opportunities sprinkled with trials but then even the trials are covered in blessings. God breathes life into us and we are brought into this world. Whatever our circumstances, at some point in our lives, WE become responsible for making the decision each and every day on how we meet the challenges of life...how I run this "amazing race". ...

At the end of January 2011, we will be 3 years post accident. What a overwhelming thought, at times, when we FEEL still so off our game. We have literally come from the grave back to life, and God performed so many miracles that even last week our main trauma doctor was again giving God the glory and calling Amanda a walking miracle. Some much has been accomplished but yet there are still life issues to deal with...physical, emotional, and finanical. While my daughter was still in the hospital my husband was laid off his job. Not knowing what her medical condition was going to be we had no choice but to pay an outrageous monthly premium for health insurance. We were already drowning in medical bills, not to mention the daily cost of me living at the hospital. Then there are all the small expenses...I remember when she was moved to rehab and she needed clothes. Nothing she had fit because now she had an open-book pelvic fracture and a catherur that made moving difficult. She ...

Our priest this Sunday gave us a sermon on humility. Here are his thoughts combined with my thoughts. In today’s world when we are complimented we are taught the humble response is to make light of the compliment. When someone tells you your singing voice is beautiful, you respond by saying everybody can sing. No big deal. When you are told you pitched a fabulous game….you have quite the arm, you respond with saying you could do it with your arms tied behind your back. It is nothing. Someone compliments you on your artistic ability…you really paint or draw well, you respond by saying you enjoy doodling. The fact of the matter is that God gives each and every one of us talents or a gifts. He gives some of us the extraordinary singing voices. He gives some of us athlete abilities, others artistic abilities that have lived on for centuries. God has given men and women the talents, gifts and ability to become famous writers, mathematicians, scholars, doctors, and inventors. He bestows o...