Christmas Poem Honoring Newtown Children

I had to share ---

Twas' 11 days before Christmas, around 9:38 when 20 beautiful children stormed through heaven's gate. Their smiles were contagious, their laughter filled the air. They could hardly believe all the beauty they saw there. They were filled with such joy; they didn't know what to say. They remembered nothing of what had happened earlier that day. “where are we?" asked a little girl, as quiet as a mouse. “This is heaven" declared a small boy. "We’re spending Christmas at God's house”. When what to their wondering eyes did appear, but Jesus, their savior, the children gathered near. He looked at them and smiled, and they smiled just the same. Then He opened His arms and He called them by name. And in that moment was joy, that only heaven can bring those children all flew into the arms of their King. As they lingered in the warmth of His embrace

, one small girl turned and looked at
Jesus' face. And as if He could read all the questions she had He gently whispered to her, "I'll take care of mom and dad. “then He looked down on earth, the world far below He saw all of the hurt, the sorrow, and woe, then He closed His eyes and He outstretched His hand, “Let My power and presence re-enter this land! “May this country be delivered from the hands of fools” “I’m taking back my nation. I'm taking back my schools! “Then He and the children stood up without a sound. “Come now my children let me show you around. “Excitement filled the space, some skipped and some ran. All displaying enthusiasm that only a small child can. And I heard Him proclaim as He walked out of sight, “in the midst of this darkness, I AM STILL THE LIGHT."

Written by Cameo Smith, Mt. Wolf, PA

Savor Life Like A Ten Thousand Dollar Steak-

poem

The things I say today to let you know it's all you have is now
We pass through, live our best, travel by or stand by but time too flies by
We make exceptions to the rule so we sometimes can skip life's school
We go to the head of the class and pass on out the door
Meeting the challenges of the day staying in the moment...

We look around admire all we have achieved
The very one who say they don't; carry their heart on their sleeve
Is but the one who surely does but does with so much love
Achieved that happy home children and a dog to roam
Happy as can be and content beyond belief  and yet,
from old age there'll be no relief
If we are fortunate enough to be called old, it is a blessing
We will arrive with memories of the life we've lived
When we get there will we remember what we took or what we give?
Our life reflected when we look back speaks for itself
Then others will speak of about us how they felt....

So, this life we have do we brighten up our day and other peoples too?
Can we make some changes to make sure we do?
No need to just pass through life certainly don't want to just stand by
We want to live, love, laugh and cry... before we Never say Good-Bye

Just a kind, "see you soon" will do or a "see you next time" or,
"see you in the next life" It's the "See you" you want to hear
That is the music to ones ear
As the year comes to a close and new one begins
No matter how ruff life gets, as long as your alive it's not the end
No not at all!
So Come Alive you All and let the NEW YEAR BEGIN

(see you soon, catch you next time, see ya when I see ya)

My Pulse to the World

Sitting here trying to wrap my mind around it being nine years on the fifth that my pulse to the world passed. Thoughts run through along with questions that I still have but never thought to ask not that opportunity has passed. I reflect on and say nine years ago on this day I only had five left with my mom and it is so surreal. I think about how sitting in a hospital or care facility for a few hours even though its someone you love as much as your own life, seems like more than just a few hours.

Yet here I am wishing I had those five days and more not caring how many hours or days I would sit by her bed. I know it may sound terrible but I have to say "if I had only know all I had left was less then a year," but we don't get that "heads up." This is the woman who fell into the Christmas tree, who could make the meanest fruit cake, a roast to die for and pasta that would make you speak another language and walk backwards.

So in five days I will honor and remember the woman who carried me under her ribs, next to her heart, for nine months our hearts beat together. You can never be this close to any human being again in your life and I never knew how true this was until she the woman who gave me life, took her last breath. Even with me having children that reality didn't exist yet, what did was knowing a mothers love for her child. It took her passing,  for me to realize the love a child has for the mother.

While I was very close to my Nonna it was in a very different way and yet much the same. Oh let me continue to share; after mom fell into the Christmas tree when we set it back up secured it and fixed the decorations we added a new ornament. I stood back inspected the tree said it needs a couple more bulbs we had one left and there was a beer can on the coffee table that became her decoration for the remainder of her life. We packed it after each Christmas along with the other ornaments as if it was priceless, it wasn't but the memory attached was.

Fondly I will light up mom, ha ha it's a fact let me explain. Mom was cremated and I found out about this place called Memory Glass and had some of the ashes made into a paperweight that sits on an eternal lit pedestal. A friend brought a multicolored light pedestal and I sit her on that and it blinks like a Christmas tree. Her favorite holiday was Christmas and getting lit so now we on holidays light her up just in a different way. The rest of her ashes were sent back to Ohio for her to be buried with my Auntie when she passes the beautiful clock they were in I have next to her paperweight. I had them add two colors to the ashes one was her birthstone emerald green and the other was gold because she was more precious than gold to me I told them to swirl them so it was like the circle of life and at the outside bottom had a gray swirl put as she was born in the year of the snake.

I find myself laughing when I sit and look at the paperweight wondering in fifty or a hundred years and some stranger (maybe) winds up with my mama thinking what a beautiful paperweight; of course they would be right. Sometimes I fear I will forget what she looked like or how her voice sounded or what she said to me and taught me. As the years pass it seems she's not as vivid in the way I want her to be but I know that is a good thing also to protect my heart and soul from breaking while still being able to remember.

A mothers love is like no other it's different then a sister or brother, a mothers love is like no other...

Wish I knew where that damn fruit cake was!

The Holiday Season

What can I say about the holiday season? It is here and it bringing out either the best behavior in folks or the worst. I don't think anyone likes driving around and around searching for a place to park especially these days; with gasoline actually costing enough that people are now adding to their Christmas a gasoline gift card. No one will be insulted to receive a gasoline gift card, grocery gift card and or a just money gift card to help pay those bills.

Oh, there is so much more to the Holidays like a good Bing Crosby "White Christmas," after a Chevy Chase lets fall out laughing Christmas movie. The fruit cake that so much expense and work goes into making that few people ever eat it; of course many years ago they needed food to last longer which fruit cake does last. In fact I think there's a fruit cake in my family that is still being re-gifted that I believe first was given before I was born over forty years ago. Who knows maybe it will be on e-bay one day like Ho ho's being auctioned off.

Let me carry on to the time my mother strung the lights on the tree allowing my brother and I to finish decorating it we thought it was just the greatest to be able to finish the tree, little did we know. Late evening mom came into the living room we looked over at her watching as she passed about a foot past the tree lost her balance and fell into the middle of it knocking it over. My brother and I looked at each other then looked at her flailing her arms and legs frantically; all I could think of is when we laid in the snow and made snow angels. Inside I was fighting back laughing, my brother and I helped her out of the tree all the time she was having a cussing fit. That was when we realized she hadn't tripped on Christmas decorations she was drunk! Mom has since passed but I swear I wish I had that on film or at least a picture to show friends and family.
I had been used to her cats running up and down the tree, we could have made our own Chevy Chase type movie, mom did many funny things during the holiday season and of course the pets too.

I have been here in California for many years and have never felt the holiday feeling since I have been here ever, well maybe once just a little as long as I didn't look out any windows. My friends and family back home always say they want to be here and I tell them I want to be there for this time of year. Why do I want to be there in the cold with snow ice and slush? That's not really the draw it's the family and surroundings things that money cannot buy and that is a priceless gift when the family can come together in one place and really have a great day or even a wonderful weekend together.

Like everyone else I have many Christmas stories to share some hysterical, some heartwarming and two that were heartbreaking because one my Nonna, Bubbe, Granny passed just as I was placing the turkey on the table. The other was my mother passed twenty days before Christmas from Lymphoma. The ironic thing is my Nonna and Mom love Christmas it was their favorite holiday. For me December is a double edged sword see my first born shares a birthday with one of my favorite people Susan Lucci December 23. Yes, I got the greatest Christmas present of all time my first born and years later had a couple of the worst.

What saddens me now is watching families fall apart instead of coming together, see that they can change but when the persons gone you can do nothing but remember the good and bad times. What I wouldn't give to be at the farm house sitting in the living room with family enjoying conversation and the fireplace. The smells that would come from the kitchen I swear I can smell them now and that is what it was about FAMILY even those who aren't blood but we have included as our FAMILY. What is it? It is LOVE that is what family is LOVE. As we get older and those family members and friends we love pass on they leave behind the love and memories for us still here and it is those wonderful loving memories that brighten up the Holidays. That is how they would want it that is how I want it and that is how it should be.

I pray for all the world to have Peace, Joy and Love instead of war and killing and sorrow. I pray for the leaders of the world to do the right thing and remember the everyday people when they are thinking of what the right thing is. I pray the world treats each other like we really are all sisters and brothers in the human race and show some grace. I pray that 2013 will be a year of Peace, Joy, Love and Good Prosperity (not greed).

To all who read and beyond all this I wish and pray for you and that is all I can do. Keep in mind LOVE and never forget "This is not a dress rehearsal," LIVE, LOVE AND LAUGH 

Cap & Trade

When I was a teen in Ohio I recall the I believe it was the EPA concern about the emissions from the smoke stacks on several businesses. They set regulations as to how much they could legally emit and were given a fine the first time is would be reasonable (according to EPA) the next time a bigger fine and the next time huge.

Needless to say several businesses started to leave the state and the country till some of the towns almost looked like they had died. Greed raped this country and killed that rah rah go Americans go spirit; oh we still have our pride but seems all else has died, is dying or is being killed. We the people are fighting for our survival as proud Americans trying to continue to believe we can do anything with determination.

Than along comes some group who has come up with a supposedly great plan that has the guise of being for the good of the environment or us when in reality it is more for the good of their flipping pockets. It's another way to come up with laying the foundation so when the companies leave California or the country they have "something" to blame it on so they don't have to accept the responsibility. GREED driven and pitiful is what this is. These tactics remind me of the nasty banker that was in "It's a Wonderful Life," who only had his best interests at heart.

The news report on this Cap and Trade explains it so nice and neat with wiggle room in the explanation for the "just in case" it doesn't work. OK so here we go again with a supposedly bright idea that only time will attest if it really is or not. What repercussions will California and America face if it fails and if it is a doctored up version of what they tried over 40 years ago in the Midwest then it will not work in any ones favor but theirs financially. In fact the chance of it financially burdening the business owners is more likely.

It seems with the Cap and Trade the sharing is an attempt to relieve the fines and try to make the old new in hopes it will work and I hope it does. If they have learned from the past and have "perfected" it or improved the original I say wonderful. I have become a bit jaded when it comes to such matters as those running government programs like this usually have many flaws with little or no supervision to oversee the success of said program.

Like all of us I will have to wait and see how this goes and truly for the sake of the environment it is for the good of the earth and not the good of their wallets.

Skeptic is what I am but I am also hopeful since it is supposed to be for something worthy I am hopeful it is successful. We'll see as time goes by who it is that really benefits won't we?

Hostess

1930 Hostess became a business making baked goods expanding over the years. In schools children often put a time capsule into the ground with a set date to go back and open it on an anniversary date. My understanding is that one of these capsules was opened a several years back and inside along with other items was hostess Twinkies. I am not sure of the time frame but believe between 20-50 years the capsule was waiting for that day. What was really amazing according to those who knew is that the Twinkies were still good and eatable. Let me say that again; eatable after ? 20-50 years.

I have not a clue to the truth of this but was amazed when I heard about it and to my recall I swear it was on the evening News. Do not ask me the year or what channel as this escapes me but the story stuck with me and with this very sad news my recall of the basic story has come to mind, compelling me to share.
I am like many sad that this company that was born one year before my mom is now going to be gone. Any company that closes in the United States depresses me when it puts people out of work. Funny how they always close or go bankrupt at the end of the year right at all the holiday times huh?  They want to start their year with a clean slate while those who got the ax many of them  will be starting their New Year in really bad shape.

When I saw the Hostess products on EBay for sale crazy prices I laughed because there is no rush if the Twinkies last that long. I am kicking myself because last week we had a box of pink cupcakes "for breast cancer," by Hostess the trash went out Monday night and I remember tearing up the empty box. Looking back on it if I had know they would close I would have kept the box flattened it into a scrapbook maybe. Oh how many companies I have seen leave our country or just close their doors for various reasons and it is sad but the Wonder Bread, Snow Balls and all Hostess goodies make me really sad.

Hostess with the mostess I say good-bye while I wanna cry
Or maybe not quite that extreme
So I'll bid you ado
Thank you for over eighty years of baked goods
Really sorry to see you go
When you go you take away the ho....ho hostess Twinkie

"ANOTHER ONE BITES THE DUST."

Sandy

Water, amazing isn't it? 

 Our Bodies consist and exist because of water without it we' would die and because of it we can and many have died. You can ice skate on it, drink it, shower and bath in it, play with a boogie or surf board and sail a ship.Oh but the "OCEAN" will make you respect all that you can do.

The "Ocean" will never let you forget the power it possesses and how it can put a smile of joy on your face or tears in it's place. Today because of "SANDY" the "OCEAN" prove that very fact.

To those who have lost loved ones our hearts go out to you, no words are found to aptly express or covey our sorrow for Sandy at her worst she gave her best.

 Now, the clean up begins that will take resources and time along with the sorrow we still look for that better tomorrow.

Like all tragedies we find a way to move forward while picking up the pieces putting things back together, those who are lost we always want to remember.

Soon will come the close of this year as quickly December is near
Promises to be better prepared we'll all make and we mean it for God's sake
Somehow we fall short or so it seems
Especially when we are caught off guard or unaware or when we dare; dare at the "OCEAN" stare

We stare in disbelief and now we seek relief, relief from the disaster and our broken hearts and lives
Today we still hear peoples cries
Cries because this was what we call "Mother Nature" at her worst

Subways flooded, cars muddied, cranes blowing in the wind
Grand Central Station looked like it had come to the end
Empty of people or any type of life
I look at that and said "Oh, now that ain't right."

All I could come up with or say even to this very day.....
You have to respect the Ocean......

Cynthia Stine Davis

Footnote: To those who have been affected you are in my prayer all of our prayers around the world. To those who have lost loved ones I am and we are so very sorry and send our human comforting thoughts and love.