ON THIS DAY IN HISTORY

It’s such a part of our everyday life these days…  flying!  I can hardly imagine a time when there were not aircraft in the sky, can you?  Well, there were not planes flying prior to 1903, and in the grand scheme of history, that’s not that long ago.

The Wright brothers were the first to invent aircraft controls that made fixed-wing powered flight possible.  This day in 1904 marks the first airplane flight to last more than 5 minutes.

You haven’t seen a tree until you’ve seen its shadow from the sky.   – Amelia Earhart

Aren’t people just the most amazing creatures?  How were we talked into trusting a pilot to fly a plane hundreds of miles above the ground to get us from point A to point B?  Some of us are still not convinced that air travel is safe, but then we hear people talk about how statistically, flying is much safer than driving a car.

We’ve all gotta to sometime!  LOL  – Lucinda Berry Hill

Arr arr arr, our resident poet is hilarious!

Many Christians I know will argue that no matter what you’re doing – when God’s ready to take you, He’s going to take you!  The point is…  don’t worry so much about what you’re doing.  Enjoy life as long as you’re allowed to enjoy it.  I admit, there’s a tiny voice inside me that asks, “But why tempt fate?”

There are only two emotions in a plane:  boredom and terror.   – Orson Welles

Leave it to Orson Welles to make THAT observation, right?

I’ve flown a couple of times, but I am a bit of an anxious flyer.  I need to have earphones to drown out the sound of the engines for take-off.  I take Dramamine.  I pretty much knock myself out so I don’t notice what’s going on around me.  I am NOT the person you want to seat beside the emergency exit!  LOL!  I do have faith that I can fly…  I’m just not sure that applies in a LITERAL sense.  Come to think of it, I take Dramamine for all kinds of travel, so…  I think I’m just an anxious traveler regardless of the mode of transportation.

Modern air travel gets us where we’re wanting to go fast, but it’s such a hassle!

It’s stressful getting through lines.  – Mary Alexander

I get the impression that most of the folks in my group, A SECOND HELPING OF WELLNESS… WITH A DASH OF HUMOR & A PINCH OF FAITH, are as enthused with air travel as I am…  um…  yeah.

Air travel has never been one of my favorite things to do.  – John Manganiello

Even though it’s not something I relish, the times I’ve flown have been memorable.  We booked a trip through a travel agency one year and was not informed when our flight got rescheduled.  We were late getting to the airport and ended up spending the night there.  That was a fun night.  I never wanted to go home so much in my life.

Have you ever wandered the Atlanta airport aimlessly with every piece of luggage you own?  I have.  Woo-flippin’-hoo!  That’s also the flight that taught me to turn the little lock when you go into the restroom on the plane.  I don’t really wanna say much more than that.  I know some things should be self-explanatory but…  to those of us who are not frequent fliers, they aren’t always.  The good news is – I’m not likely to forget that little detail again.

One July 4th we happened to be flying home from an NALCC (National Autumn Leaf Collector’s Club) convention.  It was amazing!  Have you ever seen fireworks explode from above?  I have!  WOW – it’s such a cool sight!  Unfortunately I didn’t have either a camera or video camera with me, so…  no proof that I’ve seen them, but I keep the memories and think of it every July 4th.

Lucinda wrote a poem about having the faith to fly.

Whether you’re a fan of flying in a plane or not, you have to admit that flying has changed everything.  Progress or digress???  It depends on how you see it, I guess.  🙂

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

ON THIS DAY IN HISTORY

On this day in 1974, the fight known around the world as RUMBLE IN THE JUNGLE took place in Kinshasa, Zaire.  Muhammad Ali regained the heavyweight title by knocking out George Foreman in the eighth round.

The event was one of Don King’s first ventures as a professional boxing promoter.  It was the most publicized fight of all time.  When Ali was finally reinstated it was just a matter of time before the two would fight.

Here’s how it went:  Foreman went right at Ali in the first round.  Ali kept saying, “hit harder” in true Ali style as he danced around the ring.  He was quite the showman with the dancing and taunting.  At one point Ali even shouted, “They told me you could PUNCH, George!”

Float like a butterfly, sting like a bee – his hands can’t hit what his eyes can’t see.  – Muhammad Ali

After Ali’s victory, the words “Float like a butterfly, sting like a bee” became part of our culture.  I remember hearing the kids at school say it often.

I have fond memories of the Gillette Friday Night Fights on television.  Not because of the bouts – oh no way – but because I got to spend time with my daddy.  He never missed those fights – and as odd as it may sound, it was my chance to just sit and color in my coloring book or something.  I remember my dad punching his bare fists in the air saying, “get ‘im…  get ‘im!”  He got a little involved when it came to the fights.  He got red in the face as he punched the air…  it was so funny.  I was more entertained watching my daddy than watching the fight.

Back then our television sets were all black and white, so there was always one boxer wearing white trunks and the other wearing black ones.  That’s good – if they had not done that, we’d get confused – lol.

Boxing was my field mission, the first part of my life.  – Muhammad Ali

Both Ali and Foreman received five million dollars for that fight!  Then of course, George Foreman went on to invent the greatest indoor grill ever!  Now why couldn’t I have invented the greatest indoor grill ever???  I need the money – I doubt that he did.  Sigh.  Oh well.

Muhammad amazed me, I’ll admit it.  He out-thought me, he out-fought me.  That night, he was just the better man in the ring.  – George Foreman

I was reading a short story about two brothers who were learning to box and decided to fight each other.  The author of the story said that their bout lasted about 4 minutes!  He didn’t say 4 rounds, but 4 minutes!  His point was, it seemed like forever – so can you imagine how long it must have seemed to Ali and Foreman to go 8 rounds?  You might say…  those two went the distance!

Sometimes in our lives as Christians it seems like we go the distance.  Temptations are all around us, but as this wonderful poem by Lucinda reminds us…  our God is willing and able to help us when we’re fighting with ol’ split-hoof in the ring.  More to the point…  He does our fighting for us if we’ll just ask Him to.

We’re not perfect people, but we serve a perfect God and He loves us so much and He’s with us to help us overcome the evil one.  We can’t fight the devil on our own.  Our coach, Christ Jesus – He will fight with us and for us.  ❤

If you have a special memory about the Gillette Friday Night Fights or this particular fight, please leave a comment for me!  Sometimes it’s just fun to take a little trip down memory lane, isn’t it?  🙂

 

ON THIS DAY IN HISTORY

On August 11, 1976 from the rooftop of what was once a Holiday Inn, a sniper armed with two rifles, a lunch box filled with ammunition and evil intent in his heart to kill because he was distressed over a broken romance, opened fire on innocent citizens – strangers – in Wichita, Kansas.

He killed three people and injured seven.

At that time, the Holiday Inn was the tallest building in Wichita and in the state of Kansas.  It is now the second tallest since we now have the Epic Center.

The Holiday Inn was built in 1964-67.  I remember the excitement in Wichita back then.   It was wonderful that Wichita was finally going to get a big name hotel.  Our city was really going to grow because we had this nice place for visitors to stay.

We don’t have a crystal ball, do we?  We had no way of knowing that nine years after the Holiday Inn opened its doors, Michael Soles would change so many lives in just eleven minutes!

Wichita has had its share of crime, but there was something about this one that made all of us more frightened.  We all felt so safe in Wichita for the most part.  There are higher crime areas in America to be sure.  But the idea of shooting people you don’t even know to take out frustrations about your own love life?  Seriously?

I’ve followed his case and his parole hearings.  In 2007 once again the victims and families of victims made a plea to keep Soles behind bars for the rest of his life.  It absolutely blows my mind that he will be eligible for parole in July 2017!  That is next year!!!  I hope and pray the victims and families of victims will once again show up to keep him from leaving prison!

Here’s my question.  I want to know if he got some psychological treatment, because if he is released next year, what’s to say he won’t do it again?  He killed people – on purpose!  Why is his evil butt not in jail with no possibility of parole???  Is that not premeditated murder???  I know they don’t like to use the “S” word anymore, but that is exactly what he was…  a SNIPER!

The Epic Center is now the tallest building in Wichita.  I love the design because the roof is at an angle – nobody can stand on top of that building with a loaded gun!  The windows at the top of the building do not open – another plus in my book!

The people of my generation think of one event when we see the Epic Center, and we thank God that the city was wise enough to utilize this design.  It doesn’t make what happened in 1976 right.  Of course I am aware that God is in control of this situation.  I’m also aware that God gave every one of us a brain and made it possible for us to form a sense of right and wrong – and the ability to forge change when we see something that is wrong.

Law enforcement officials made it clear in the testimony at his 2007 parole hearing that Michael Soles spoke of the murders as though he was telling a story about someone else.  He has not taken responsibility and seems to not feel a bit of remorse about what he did.  He is obviously detached from the event and feels nothing.

Time doesn’t change anything. It doesn’t change what happened.  Time has a tendency to make people forget how horrendous this crime was.  – Carl Hensley, son of murder victim

To let him out next year would be the biggest mistake – especially if he has not had any psychological treatment.  He’s clearly unstable and does not deal with strife in a constructive manner.

Michael Soles is evil.  He was evil then, he is evil now.  – Kevin O’Connor, Sedgwick County deputy district attorney

I’m not an attorney (but I watch a lot of Investigation Discovery on television).  There are cases where people kill one person and never get out of prison.  Soles killed THREE people and will be eligible for parole next year!  That just doesn’t pass the smell test for me – sorry! 

As a Christian I believe in forgiveness because of how much I’ve been forgiven for.  My problem in this case is that Soles has not received any psychological help (in my research I saw no evidence of it) and will undoubtedly be a repeat offender because he’s not taking responsibility.  He’s not OWNING what he did!

I sure don’t want to be walking around the downtown area when he decides to go up on a rooftop and start shooting again.  Yes I know that security is better than it was in 1976…  Well, maybe it is – but what if it isn’t? 

And those apartments in the old Holiday Inn…  are they renting out that penthouse level now – and how secure is that?  I’m not the first to ask that question, by the way.  Why don’t Wichitans deserve to be kept in the loop about things like that?  Time is a wonderful healer, but sometimes it’s just time that has passed.  Change happens in the heart – and Soles doesn’t even acknowledge he did anything wrong.

Part of me thinks, “What are the chances that he would go to the same building and walk up to somebody’s penthouse apartment and walk out on the balcony and open fire?”  How unlikely is that?  Well, I don’t know – but I think it’s just the thought that he would have the freedom to do that – I’m sure that is what has me so angry and so paralyzed.  I was a kid – I was only fifteen in 1976.  I can tell you though that it was the beginning of the end of commerce in our downtown area.  Nobody felt safe to shop there anymore and the folks who worked downtown didn’t leave their office buildings to go out to lunch for a long time.

Wichita has not been the same since 8:46 pm on August 11, 1976.  The Garvey Center used to be a symbol of progress and hope.  Now that building is a bunch of apartments, but every time I look at it, my mind goes back to that day in 1976.

One more thought before I get off my soapbox.  To the city officials of Wichita: they implode buildings every day for all sorts of reasons.  Why in the world did we keep that building after the Wichita massacre?  I hate it – I still hate seeing it – I think it’s a stain that should have been imploded a LONG time ago.  It’s my blog – and that’s my opinion.  Take it or leave it.  That HOLIDAY INN building with it’s uniquely shaped architecture and bright white color – it makes me cry to this day.  We continue to build all kinds of new buildings – heck, we’ve built three ARENAS – and closed one and the other one is in critical condition.  We could have taken the opportunity to rid ourselves of a very painful eyesore, but did we?  NOOOOOOOOOO!  We didn’t.  It’s still there – like the haunted house in the small town that nobody wants to get close to.  What a sad, sad reminder of the worst day in Wichita’s history!  What are we thinking – and is it too late to re-think it?  Am I overthinking it and just need to get over it?  I dunno – maybe.

Maybe it’s still there because it’s part of the Garvey Center.  I don’t know how much other than the hotel is there – maybe that’s why it still stands.  I’m sure somebody is making mega bucks renting out apartments.  I’m not against making money or renting out apartments, but seriously – I’m tired of the LANDMARK being there.  I mean – I dunno – repaint it or make some changes to it so it stops looking like an old Holiday Inn.  Even Holiday Inn hotels have changed their architecture – quite a bit.  I’m just tired of associating that building with this event.  Is anyone else in Wichita feelin’ it or is it just me?

In July, 1976 we were celebrating America’s Bicentennial and there seemed to be so much excitement and promise.  What a difference a month made.  😦

 

 

 

ON THIS DAY IN HISTORY

Here’s John Coyote singing one of my favorite Elvis songs – “Don’t”. 

Let’s begin today’s post with a trivia question:  In which film did Elvis Presley wear a beard?

Yes…  I said a BEARD.  Do you know the answer?  Not to worry – I didn’t know which one it was either.

On this day in 1968, Elvis began filming the movie CHARRO!  It was a bust – Elvis had a beard and only one of his songs was used in the film.  It was an all-around bummer.

Of course to die-hard Elvis fans (like me), anything he did was quite alright.  Beard, no beard – whatever.  He had music in his voice and I could listen to him sing forever.  His presence on the big screen was mesmerizing.

Although 1968 seems like a very long time ago, sometimes it seems like yesterday.  I used to hear my grandparents talk about how when they were young those were simpler, more innocent days.  I didn’t know what they meant at the time they were telling me that, but now – well, I would say that 1968 was a simpler, more innocent time than 2016.

In 1968 I was 9 years old.  It was a pre-computer age and our telephones were all landlines.  There were not many “R” rated movies showing at the theater, and we had another Elvis movie to look forward to.

Elvis played Jess Wade, a man falsely accused of having stolen a cannon from the Mexican revolutionary forces.  He tries to find the real culprits, a gang of criminals.

There were no F bombs and no scenes that were uncomfortable to watch in mixed company.  I miss simplicity and innocence in films.  No, this wasn’t his best movie, but I’d still rather watch it than some of the junk that they try to pass off as entertainment these days.

By 1968, Elvis had made 28 movies – and they were all starting to run together and the plots were beginning to seem very familiar.  It seemed to be a matter of what environment they decided to put Elvis in.  By the time movie number 29 was being filmed, they apparently thought the only thing they could do to change the routine of the plot was have Elvis grow a five-day shadow.

Real fans didn’t mind the familiarity of the plot – but even we were predicting with a fair degree of accuracy the twists and turns of the movies once there were so many of them.  I head Elvis say in an interview that he wished he had spent less time working on movies and more time working on new music.  He was a great talent to be sure and could obviously do either one – and whether you think anything he did was cheesy or not, I think it’s great that he left these gifts for us to enjoy.  🙂

 

 

 

ON THIS DAY IN HISTORY

On this day in 2007, the 8th PIXAR film, RATATOUILLE was released by Walt Disney Pictures.  As I think back, it’s the last movie I went to see in a theatre.  I thoroughly enjoyed it because it was completely void of social or political “agenda”.  Few films, including Disney / Pixar releases of late, can say that.  I’m tired of movies, even the ones for kids, pushing a particular leftist agenda off on the youth.  I just want to be entertained – that is ALL.  That’s my agenda…  and it’s the agenda of many others, including Lucinda Berry Hill.  ❤

Ratatouille was directed by Brad Bird, who took over from Jan Pinkava in 2005.

I’ll be honest, I didn’t know that ratatouille was a French dish – or that the main character in the film would be…  a rat.  It was so cute and cleaver!  RATatouille – and Remy is a RAT.  Who thinks of this stuff?

I’ll do my best not to spoil the ending for you – but basically, Remy the rat has a goal to become a chef.  He goes about achieving this dream by making friends with a Parisian restaurant’s garbage boy.  I can’t remember his name – hey, it was 2007, give me a break.  Anyway…  Ratatouille was released on June 29, 2007 in the United States and enjoyed box office success!  It also won the Academy Award for Best Animated Feature, among other honors.

Will Remy realize his lifelong dream of becoming a renowned French chef???  Why would I spoil the ending for you?  I know – most of you have probably seen it.  If you have small children you may have seen it more than once and less than a hundred times.  I don’t like everything Disney does (okay, don’t smack me) – but this is one movie that gets two thumbs up – really high – from me.

Have you made ratatouille?  There are a bunch of ingredients, but it’s so worth the expense and the time because it tastes so good and is so healthy.  I found the link for Disney’s recipe – did not know there was a recipe from the movie – but here it is!

http://allrecipes.com/recipe/222006/disneys-ratatouille/

I’m thankful for the odd movie that is just cute and fun for everyone without political correctness injected or obvious agenda pushing parts.  Are those days over?  I hope not.  I’m looking forward to the next really good movie from Disney and Pixar.  🙂

 

 

 

ON THIS DAY IN HISTORY

Do you own a pair of Levi’s???  Today’s a day to celebrate, because on this day in 1873, Levi Strauss and Jacob Davis got a patent for blue jeans!  I have to wonder if they know what they started…  sigh.

As early as 1918 the company created “Freedom-Alls,” a one-piece garment much like overalls, whose name echoed the sentiments of WW I.  By the 1920’s, LS&Co. was promoting women’s hiking togs and jackets in khaki, but not in blue denim.

I’m like every other woman: a closet full of clothes, but nothing to wear — so I wear jeans.  – Cameron Diaz

Did women wear jeans in the 1800’s?  Oh certainly NOT!  If they needed to wear jeans to do chores on the farm, they wore a pair of their brother’s britches.  Jeans were originally meant for men only and women wore dresses exclusively.  It was not until 1934 that Levi Strauss & Co. took a risk that forever altered the course of women’s fashion.

I’m not sure exactly what makes cats purr, but a really comfortable pair of blue jeans, a too-big piece of silky milk chocolate, and a good massage always do the trick for me.         – Terri Guillemets, “Purr, purr, purr,” 1993

Eighty-two years ago, in the fall of 1934, the company introduced the world’s first jeans made just for women.  Lady Levi’s jeans were first made for western women who needed jeans for farm or ranch work.  The new line was also aimed at women vacationing at dude ranches, working cattle or horse ranches that welcomed guests from eastern states or as far away as Europe.

Nothing is more alluring to a man than a woman who looks good in her jeans.  – Nina Garcia

By 1935 a dude ranching article appeared in Vogue magazine that featured the new Lady Levi’s line.  Thanks to Lady Levi’s sales at select stores in New York for “dudines” traveling west, jeans became fashionable for ladies in the eastern U.S.

Jean styles have seen interesting changes through the years.  Images courtesy of Getty:

On the farm in the 1910’s…  big and roomy so you can move freely, dungarees were practical for the farm.

For those in the movies or visiting a ranch, no outfit was complete without the boots, belt and hat.  You also had to get that perfect western style shirt.

Here’s those 1934 Lady Levi’s.  Casual and so stylish, all rolled up like that.

In the 1940’s this is the look that got wolf whistles…  I know, I don’t get it either, but…

Jeans represent democracy in fashion.  – Giorgio Armani

Guys wore jeans in the 1940’s too.

In the 1950’s there were poodle skirts…  and baggy jeans that were really rolled up – and the saddle oxford shoes, of course.

In the 1960’s everything was skin tight and short…  everyone wanted to look like Twiggy!  And our jeans were not always blue.  We also wore the name of our jeans on our butts – yeah – that was fun.  The jeans that fit me the best were CHIC.  I never could fit into a pair of Levi’s because I was too short and…  well – anyway…  I found a brand that accentuated the positive – let’s just leave it at that.  😉

And the 1970’s…  bell bottoms, anyone???  I always thought those his/hers matchy matchy outfits were a little…  well – weird.  Did anyone actually do that?  Nobody I knew did – but that doesn’t mean anything.

Beyond bell bottom jeans… things got weird somewhere along the way…  really, really weird.  That’s all I’m sayin’…

These are mom jeans…  from the 1980’s. These are what we don’t want to be caught dead in today.  Cuffs were rolled or not rolled and some of the shirt sleeves are even rolled.  And the waist bands sat at your natural waist, which means that if you bend over, all your “stuff” and your tattoo doesn’t show.  Wow, that’s a crying shame…  not.

In the 1980s, American brands from Levi’s to Gloria Vanderbilt, Jordache and Calvin Klein offered “designer” stretch jeans for women. The stretch jeans of this era were typically a dark wash, skinny and tight-fitting, and featured distinctive designs on the back pockets to identify the designer. The advertising campaigns for these status symbol jeans were unreservedly sexy, focusing on the denim style’s body conscious fit. If you were around during the 80s, you’ll remember a 15-year-old Brooke Shields from her controversial Calvin Klein Jeans TV ad, in which she unshyly told the camera, “Nothing comes between me and my Calvins.”   

And in the 1990’s the waistbands are SOOOOOOOOO LOW – and the bottoms were flared (but not bell bottom) – and long – too long – and always frayed because they were stepped on while walking – and they had to look tattered and worn – holes were put in them and they were beat with rocks and such – for the sake of fashion.  This is when I decided there are not jeans for my body type.  Oh – I miss my mom jeans.

Saying yes to the skinny jeans by saying no to the donuts.  – Betsy Cañas Garmon, www.wildthymecreative.com (2009 tweet, @wildthyme)

And here we are in the 2000’s.  How skinny can you get???  If you’re not skinny, you can’t wear jeans.  Trust me, I do say NO to the donuts, but it doesn’t seem to be enough to make me skinny – shoot!

I’m thankful for my sweat pants, yoga pants (and no, I do not do yoga), casual skirts and knit capris.  The jeans they make these days are not for me, but that’s okay.  I have good memories of younger days when I looked good in my CHIC jeans.  😉

 

 

 

 

 

 

ON THIS DAY IN HISTORY

On April 1, 1970, President Richard Nixon signed legislation that officially banned cigarette ads on TV and radio.

That’s particularly interesting because Nixon himself smoked a pipe.  I have to wonder if the legislation was enforced as part of the lobbyist groups or intense pressure from public health advocates.

Have the number of cigarette smokers declined since the ads went away?  I could not find any evidence that it has.  Today we fight the e-cigarette battle, which is arguably a more serious problem.

It was brought to light that there’s a link between cigarette smoking and terminal cancer, heart disease and a shortened life span as early as 1939!  By the late 1950’s there were laws in place prohibiting the sale of cigarettes to minors.  In 1964, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) agreed that advertisers should warn the public of the health hazards of smoking.  The surgeon general of the U.S. released an official report that linked cigarette smoking to low birth weight in 1969.  Eventually, Congress yielded to pressure from the public health sector and signed the Cigarette Smoking Act, which required manufacturers of cigarettes to place warning labels on their products.  Those labels are all too familiar to us today – they say “Cigarette Smoking May be Hazardous to Your Health”.

I was born in 1961, so I remember the cigarette ads on television.  They made smoking look so cool – and if you smoked, it made you tough.  I remember the Marlboro man, the Camel, the liberated women who smoked Virginia Slims, and Lucky Strike.  Tobacco companies took up most of the air space on television in 1969.  I was a kid, and yeah, I paid attention!

Public health officials and consumers wanted stronger warning labels on tobacco products and the ads banned from TV and radio.  Of course, the cigarette manufacturers defended the industry and their right to advertise, but there was growing evidence that nicotine was addictive and cigarette smoking caused cancer.

In 1962, Kennedy became the first president to sponsor studies on smoking and public health.

As we know, the tobacco companies lost the regulatory battle over TV and radio.  The last televised cigarette ad ran at 11:50 p.m. during The Johnny Carson Show on January 1, 1971.

https://youtu.be/htktQhVrZT4

Did you see that?  You have choices – you can have complete control.  Yeah, right! 

Several presidents enjoyed smoking.  In fact, Presidents Washington, Jefferson, Madison and Jackson owned tobacco plantations and used it in the form of snuff or smoked cigars.

Other Presidential cigarette smokers include Taft, Harding, Franklin Roosevelt, Hoover and Eisenhower.  Adams, Coolidge, Nixon and Ford smoked pipes.  I was surprised to learn that even Carter engaged in the time-honored after-dinner cigar-smoking ritual at many state functions.  Presidents Grant, Teddy Roosevelt and Clinton (Bill, not Hil) also smoked the cigar after dinner.

In the early 1970’s, I was listening to a song written and sung by Gary S. Paxton called “There Goes a Cigar Smoking a Man”.  Yeah, I’m really old – I’m tellin’ ya!

https://youtu.be/Fz1ASD9XCQY

Kennedy enjoyed cigars and had his press secretary buy as many Cuban cigars as possible before he strengthened a trade embargo against Cuba in 1961.

McKinley preferred to chew his tobacco, as did Taylor.  Spittoons were strategically placed throughout the White House during his tenure.  He claimed he could hit his mark from 12 feet!

Lest we leave the first ladies out, some of them used snuff, as smoking was considered most unladylike until well into the 20th century.  Dolley Madison, Rachel Jackson and Margaret Taylor all used snuff.  Eleanor Roosevelt, Mamie Eisenhower, Jackie Kennedy, Betty Ford, Nancy Reagan and Laura Bush all smoked cigarettes at one time, but had quit by the time their husbands became president.

In 1978, after Willie Nelson performed for President Carter, it’s said he snuck up to the roof and smoked what he called a big fat Austin torpedo – which is marijuana.

I know it’s April Fool’s Day, but this ain’t no joke!

“Willie Weed,” from the newly formed company Willie’s Reserve, will hit dispensary shelves in Colorado and Washington, where legalization of recreational marijuana has created a booming industry, the Associated Press reports. Nelson said he would partner with growers in both states.

So…  did it help to take the ads off TV and radio?  Well, do we need to put more anti-marijuana PSA’s on TV and radio instead???   That surely wouldn’t do any good in Colorado or Washington now, would it?

You know, if a person is stoned out of their mind and gets behind the wheel to drive, what are the chances that they will get where they’re going without severely injuring or killing another driver???  It will be interesting to see if the statistics increase.  God help the folks in Colorado and Washington.  Party on.  I guess maybe Willie will make enough money to pay his taxes – or maybe he’ll be too danged stoned to realize he missed the tax deadline.  It literally makes me sick to hear that man sing a gospel song.  Imagine how God must feel.  Shame on Willie Nelson – selling pot to line his pockets.  This surely won’t end well.  Jus’ sayin’…  😦

 

ON THIS DAY IN HISTORY

On this day in 1863, President Abraham Lincoln signed this:

http://www.abrahamlincolnonline.org/lincoln/speeches/fast.htm

Could you imagine a President of such moral fiber in the White House today?  How refreshing would it be to have a Commander and Chief with values and backbone instead of one who seems to want as much party as possible with no regard whatsoever for the country he represents and supposedly protects?

Then if my people who are called by my name will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sins and restore their land.  – 2 Chronicles 7:14

Hmm…  a day of fasting and humility.  You know – that’s not such a bad idea, fellow believers.  Have you seen the GOP race lately?  Have you seen the horses in that race?  I rest my case.  We need God to help us now more than ever!  This is not a political blog and never will be – but as a Christian who happens to live in America, I naturally have some interest in this election season.

When I saw 19 people running for President, I thought, “no way – this isn’t good!”  We’re still not in a good way with a two-man race and one spoiler.  I’ll let you determine which one is the spoiler – I have my own opinions on that.

If the race doesn’t narrow more, the convention could be dicey to say the least.  We’re gonna mess around and lose the general altogether – let’s pray in unity that God will smack some wisdom into the GOP candidates, and fast!  OK, maybe smack isn’t the right term.  No, wait…  it may be the perfect term.

But back to Abraham Lincoln and legislation.  A day of prayer and fasting.  The actual day is April 30th, but he signed it into law on March 30th.  It was a time when the morals and values of Christianity were not that far away from the morals and values of Americans.  What happened?  Well, people were given the gift of free will, and chose to separate themselves from Christian values and beliefs.  They began picking up their philosophies and lifestyles from other religions – or no religion at all.

Solomon, the wisest man who ever lived, had something to say about little foxes and vineyards filled with tender grapes:

Catch for us the foxes, the little foxes that ruin the vineyards, our vineyards that are in bloom.  Song of Solomon 2:15

The King James version says “Our grapes are tender”.  It means that little things that seem almost harmless can be the things that trip us up along the way – like the little foxes that get in the vineyard and eat all the tender young grapes.  The little things that seem so minor can lead to the worst mess.

It seemed so innocent when people started doing yoga, didn’t it?  You do a few poses and clear your mind of everything – but if you clear your mind – of everything, even God – that makes room for the enemy to come in.  It’s true.  But what’s the harm in adopting just that one thing – can I do yoga and still be a Christian?  Some say of course – it’s just a little thing.  It’s just one little fox.  And besides, isn’t it God’s will that we have a healthy body?  I don’t argue that, but it’s not His will that you sit still with an empty mind.  He wants your thoughts to be on Him.  He’s a jealous God – He wants to have first place, or no place at all.

Colorado has legalized pot – but it’s not big deal.  Can I be high as a kite and then get behind the wheel to drive?  Sure, why not?  If you hit someone and kill them, you’ll probably just walk away with minor injuries.  You’ll be so out of it you won’t know what hit you.  Chill out – it’s just a little thing. It’s just one little fox.  And besides, there are people suffering who need pot for their pain.  I don’t argue that, but not everyone is in pain.  Those who are should not be allowed to be on the road driving so that other innocent people get hurt or killed.

Unplanned pregnancy?  Bummer – just get rid of it.  Easy come, easy go – no big deal.  Life is cheap – you can always have another baby when you’re ready, right?  Don’t let anybody take away your rights because you’ve got that power to choose – pro-choice – because that fetus…  well it’s just a little thing.  It’s just one little fox.  And besides, it’s not really a human being yet, right?  It’s not really a life yet.  I do argue that – America condones the killing of innocent life and will not receive the blessing of God until that is changed.  I don’t give a flying flip about the mother’s RIGHTS…  if you’re irresponsible enough to have unprotected sex, then guess what?  If you conceive a life – there are other options – and they are less selfish ones.  Adoption is perfect because there are people who would love to raise that child.  Be smarter about how you deal with unplanned pregnancy – sheesh!!!  Put an end to the murder of innocents – it’s barbaric and so beneath us!

Don’t be such a stick in the mud – don’t be such a square – and really, those Bible verses you quote are giving me one ginormous migraine.  And don’t judge me until you’re sure you’re perfect.

Yeah – well hold the phone…  let’s just get that straight here and now.  Nobody’s perfect.  That’s why we all need a Savior.  WHOSOEVER…  it’s you and me and everyone.  Jesus died for every one of us.  Accept it or deny it…  that’s on you.

God wants better for all of us – He can help us overcome the things we’ve tagged as little things – our little foxes – the things that can appear to be chinks in the armor.  We all get chinks once in a while – and through Christ, God can and will forgive those if we ask with a sincere heart.  There’s not one sin that God will not forgive!

But America…  seriously – we need to have a day of fasting and humility.  We need to hit our knees and pray like we’ve never prayed before for our beautiful America.  We are at a crossroads and we need God’s help!  I know we are a proud people – but we need to humble ourselves before the Almighty and turn from our sin and ask Him to heal our land.  ❤

 

 

 

 

ON THIS DAY IN HISTORY

There is nothing like a dream to create the future.  – Victor Hugo

Walt Disney’s Song Of South was released on this day in 1946.

History never looks like history when you are living through it.  – John Gardner

If you’re a child of the 1960’s like me, you watched a lot of Walt Disney movies!  Yes I know, by today’s standards this movie would never have been made – but back in 1946 it was a different story.  As a kid I saw Uncle Remus as a nice man with a song in his heart and a wonderful outlook on life – who happened to talk to cartoon friends.  Nothing weird or racist about that (well, except the whole talking to cartoon friends thing).  There’s nothing wrong with starting the day with a Zip-a-Dee Doo-Dah attitude, is there?

In my defense, I was five years old when I saw the movie, so I’m not exactly the most qualified critic.  As a matter of fact, I think I may have fallen asleep the night my family went to see it at the Landmark Drive-In here in Wichita – on that summer night in 1966.  Our local drive-in had DISNEY MOVIE FRIDAYS when I was a kid.  We packed a picnic basket with my mom’s fried chicken & fixin’s… took the ol’ Rambler station wagon – backed into a spot and put the tailgate down.  Sat there and ate dinner while we watched the movie.  I almost never saw the end of the movie because after all that good food…  well – I went to sleep! 

Disney has kept the film locked in its vault for the past 25 years.  If you were born after 1980, you’ve almost certainly never seen it in full, and it’s unlikely that will change anytime soon.  For better or for worse…  who knows?

I still like this song!

https://youtu.be/LcxYwwIL5zQ

How something as benign and pure as Uncle Remus could incur the scorn of some people indicates a warped mind.  These days it seems to me that some folks are looking for things to call racist.  Why can’t we celebrate diversity instead of allowing ourselves to be divided by it?  Song of the South, the performance, cartoons and especially the music were designed to bring a smile to children’s faces.  By the time I saw the movie in 1966, it was already 20 years old – and it brought a smile to my face!  It did what it was intended to do. 

Disney bought the rights to Uncle Remus’ Tales by Joel Chandler Harris in 1939 and built the movie scenario from there.  I found a wonderful website dedicated to this movie.  Everything you would ever want to know (and a few things you didn’t think you cared about) are here.  There are trailers and all sorts of facts about the movie.

http://www.songofthesouth.net/

I hope we don’t over-analyze these older movies and determine that they should be banned based on ideals that were clearly not considered at the time the movies were made.  It really was a different era in the late 1940’s.  World War II was finally over and people were needing someone to come along and make them feel happy.  That person was Uncle Remus and we have Walt Disney to thank for bringing Song of the South to us.  🙂

 

ON THIS DAY IN HISTORY

http://www.rattle.com/poetry/a-poem-by-andy-rooney-by-richard-garcia/

On this day in 1899, William D. Middlebrook of Waterbury, CT patented the popular Gem-style paper clip.  The humble paper clip remains virtually unchanged in all this time.  There are plastic-coated clips nowadays, but the familiar round edge is unlikely to change.  The round edge keeps papers from tearing.

Nearly 20 million pounds of paper clips are produced every year in the United States.  The machinery that makes the paper clips is original from the 1930’s.

Paper clips are not just for the office anymore.  There are several uses for these office essentials:

• Does the paper tab on your tea bag slip into the hot water?  Weigh it down with a small paper clip.
• I hosted a party one afternoon for pet parents.  I wanted to display photographs of my sweet dog, Casey, but did not want to put any holes in my walls.  I made a garland of paper clips, attaching a photo on to every 5th paper clip.  The garland easily attached to my fireplace mantel.  I was able to hang the photos at eye level and it was quite a conversation starter!
• Instead of using the flimsy plastic tool included in the dye package, use a large paper clip to dip eggs into the dye bath for an even color.  Open up the clip, bend one end into a circle, then push the other end up to make a handle.  Place a hard-boiled egg in the circle and dunk.  Your Easter eggs will look fantastic!
• Have you ever lost a screw from your glasses?  You can replace the missing screw by sticking a small, opened paper clip in its place.  Snip the excess metal with wire cutters.
• If I had a nickel for each time I had to fix a hem with paper clips, I’d be rich.  Paper clips can keep a hem in place until you get home from work and can get to straight pins and a sewing machine.

Today we celebrate the paper clip – and all the many jobs it does!  🙂