I'm Free

For nearly a week now, I've been plagued by what seems to be a chink in my patriotism armor. I'm not sure if this is just a phase, or if my naivete toward the greatness of our country is being slowly chipped away by my observances.

Last week, I attended the Cardinals vs. the Royals at The K in Kansas City. During the National Anthem, Old Glory was waving in the gentle breeze. Up until that evening, that very moment, I had always felt a surge of pride hearing that song played as I gazed at our flag. That night, not so much. Instead, I found myself worried about our fine country, and wondering what our forefathers would think of it now if they could see it. I think, perhaps, they would feel much the same as I.

I realize people aren't perfect, and 50 states' worth of people will assuredly make an imperfect country. I am loyal to my country and I believe she will one day be as great as she was meant to be. For now, though, I feel things are a mess. Values are skewed (even mine aren't perfect), selfishness and materialism abound (of which I, too, am guilty), and there is a distinct lack of brotherhood and unity that was an integral part of our nation's early days. Most significantly lacking, in my opinion, is a healthy respect and fear of the Almighty, and the realization that our country wouldn't have ever been great without it being His will or without His blessing. I fear that we have taken that blessing for granted for so long that we're starting to bear the consequences. The Lord does give, and He takes away. Sometimes, if I squint my eyes enough, it seems that we're in a 7-year famine. Perhaps we'll one day have plenty again. Or, maybe I'm very mistaken and we're in plenty now, with the famine looming ahead. What if, besides our plenty dwindling away, our freedom also begins to ebb? What then?

So, how does our nation attain the greatness it once had? or hang onto its greatness? Must I leave it to the masses? Is it their responsibility? No. It's each individual's responsibility, mine included. How do I go about this? I figure I should still feel proud when I see the flag flying in the breeze and when I hear The Star-Spangled Banner, in spite of my country's flaws. Why? Because there are men and women fighting daily for our country and for its principles and beliefs. My freedom in this country is being paid for every day. I also have to remember that my loyalty must first be placed in the One who paid for my ultimate freedom and who, for whatever reason, saw fit that I should live in this land of plenty. This land where I'm free to worship and praise Him whenever and however I want. If the Son has set you free, then you are free indeed. And that can never be taken away.

Fire and Rain

There was no fire or rain at Starlight Theater in Kansas City Monday night, unless you count the song "Fire and Rain" that James Taylor sang for a sold out concert, which my beloved and I got to see. It was one of the most perfect evenings on record for me. Perfect temperature, perfect clear sky with a half-full moon directly above us, perfect park setting, and (especially) perfect company. We also had pretty near-perfect barbecue for dinner at Jack's Stack on The Plaza before the concert. Really, people, next time you're in KC, you have to eat at Jack's Stack.


I have to say, James Taylor is an excellent performer and singer/songwriter. His voice just gets better and smoother the older he gets. Oh, to write and sing songs like that! To play the guitar like that! (I'm working on the guitar thing). The most unbelievable part of the night was when I was telling my 25-year-old nephew what concert my beloved and I would be attending that evening.


"James Taylor? Who's that?" he said.


"Are you kidding? You don't know who James Taylor is?"


"Nope. Sorry."


"You've Got a Friend? Everyday? Sweet Baby James? Carolina? Up on the Roof?"


"Not ringing any bells. Sorry."


"Okay, so did you see Dumb and Dumber?"


"Oh, yeah!"


"Well, remember that part where they're singing that "Mockingbird" song?"


"Yeah!"


"Well, James Taylor did that song with Carly Simon."


"Who's Carly Simon?"



My beloved and I left for the concert at that point, before a migraine tried to set up camp behind my eyes. Heh. I'll YouTube some James Taylor stuff to my nephew. He DOES know what YouTube is, of that I'm certain.

Curses! Tagged Again!

I can't resist these memes. Thank you, Alana! One word answers only. If you read this, consider yourself tagged.

1. Where is your cell phone? Knee
2. Your significant other? Ballgame
3. Your hair? Curly
4. Your mother? Resting
5. Your father? Steadfast
6. Your favorite thing? Food
7. Your dream last night? Soporific
8. Your favorite drink? Margarita
9. Your dream/goal? Healthier
10. The room you’re in? Bed
11. Your hobby? Needlework
12. Your fear? Betrayal
13. Where do you want to be in 6 years? North
14. Where were you last night? Landing
15. What you’re not? Perfect
16. Muffins? Maybe
17. The last thing you did? Store
18. What are you wearing? Nightie
19. Something you’re not wearing? Tattoo
20. Your mood? Lonely
21. Your summer? Here!
22. Person you tag? You!

Random Thoughts of the '80s

How could anyone with good fashion sense think that shoulder pads that big actually looked good?

And here I thought Andrew Ridgely was the member of Wham! who preferred the fellas. Who knew?

I much prefer Star Trek: The Next Generation (or as I lovingly refer to it "The Bald Generation) to the original Star Trek.

You take the good, you take the bad, you take them both and there you have the facts of life.

What WOULD we do, baby, without us?

If I eat enough Jell-O Pudding Pops, will I dance like Bill Cosby?

Where's the beef?

It's time to make the doughnuts.

Love, exciting and new. Come aboard, they're expecting you. (Now there are some careers from that show that really went down the tubes).

I'm not quite sure what fantasy I would have Mr. Rourke grant me on Fantasy Island.

You might as well face it, you're addicted to love. (I got that Robert Palmer album on CASSETTE TAPE for my 18th birthday from my friend, Mary).

Michael Jackson was still (relatively) normal and still looked like himself (mostly) after his (probably) first rhinoplasty. I guess. I think. Maybe. Hee! Heeeee! Shamone!!!

Just a small town girl, living in a lonely world. She took the midnight train goin' anywhere.

Everybody cut loose, foot loose!

My fella, Ron, just told me in an e-mail that he would put on his skinny tie and read my blog when I'm through writing it.

Might as well jump.

Go ahead and jump.

Siouxsie and the Banshees.

Square Pegs. Max Headroom. Karate Kid. Top Gun. Glass Tiger. Howard Jones. The Thompson Twins.

I wanna be a cowboy. And you can be my cowgirl. My name is Ted, and one day, I'll be dead, yo yo yo.

John Hughes films.

Friday night videos.

And now...

Babe, I'm leavin', I must be on my way, the time is drawing near. . .

Random Thoughts a.k.a. Mindful Meanderings

Sounds like a new blog to me. Anywho, this may be rather Seinfeld-esque, but don't we all have such thoughts sometimes?Read on if you dare. If not, run as fast as you can.

Why the same size bottle of shampoo and conditioner? Haven't they figured out we use more shampoo?

I think God made us cavity-prone just so He could make some dentists.

What if the ideal body habitus for women is that of the Renaissance artists, and not thin thighs and 6-pack abs that are sculpted by personal trainers? Those skinny chicks will feel stupid for all the money spent on those hours in the gym then!!

Purchasing a horse and buggy might not be such a bad idea.

Why can't we have a friendly, neighborhood Spiderman?

If one can go to hell in a handbasket, who's carrying the basket?

I think God created cockroaches just so there could be an Orkin Man.

In the same vein, would the Orkin Man be Spiderman's archnemesis?

I think that any medication that stops menstruation for a YEAR is scary.

I wish my children knew what it was like to have to get up to turn the dial to change the channel on a black and white television set without cable.

Some would consider the previous thought cruel and inhumane if acted upon.

Why can't humans truly, only mate for life?

Do having faith and praying without ceasing contradict each other?

The chicken came first.

Where HAVE all the cowboys gone?

Isn't Prince's "(Party Like It's)1999" a moot point now?

Ever notice how cell phones resemble those communicators James T. Kirk and his crew always used on Star Trek?

My mother was right.

That's all for now. I'm sure I'll have more in the future.

Peace... Be Still...

I have spent the last hour watching storms rip through B-Town from my western windows. I have also spent a better part of that time calming my youngest, who seems to have inherited an intense fear of storms from my mother. Early on, we prayed that God would make the storms just stop. He can do that, you know, and I'm guessing that would be pretty awesome to behold. I also prayed that He would calm my daughter and help her not be so afraid. She was in my arms at that point, and I was swept back to when she was about 3 years old or so, calming her after a nightmare. The storm kept coming, and from what the meteorologist was saying, we could expect some pretty atrocious weather, including softball-sized hail, before it would clear out. Then he said those in B-Town should take cover, as the storm was fast-approaching our area. Again, my daughter's distress was more than evident. She was panic-stricken. We all prayed again, for those who were experiencing the worst of the storm. Then, Kenzie, prayed something I will never forget, something akin to prayers I've voiced in times of trouble: "God, please take the storm away! I'm so scared! God, can't you see how scared I am?!! Please make it go away!" We were looking out the window immediately following that prayer, and what did we behold? Clouds parting, blue sky and the remnants of a sunset, a storm disintegrating in a snap. Gone. "He heard me, Mom! He made a miracle just for us!" How very true. He did. And left me with the following thought:

There are a lot of storms in life. Some, He brings us through. It might take a while, it might be the most difficult storm for us to weather, but He leads us safely out of it. Others, when He knows it's too much for us to bear, it's just snap! Gone. I have personally experienced the former, and tonight witnessed the latter. I'm not sure which is better, but believe that both are miracles. What amazing power He has.

Life Moves Pretty Fast...

If you don't stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it. Never have truer words been spoken. Thank you, Ferris Bueller. I took his advice. I stopped and looked around. I went above and beyond that, in fact. I drank it all in. Picture it: Friday, May 2, 5:00 p.m., St. Louis, MO. I'm there with my beloved enjoying a few days with him in honor of my 40th birthday. Yes, my birthday was in March, but the Cardinals were not playing the Cubs back then. But they were playing on this day. It was my first really good look at the new Busch Stadium, adoringly referred to by Cardinals fans as Baseball Heaven. And it is. No joke. I've been to a few major league ball games in my day, and I can tell you it's the most beautiful stadium I've seen. I was awestruck. I was giddy. I was agog. I even jumped up and down in excitement. Just ask my beloved. I think he got a kick out of my child-like awestruckedness.

We had kosher hot dogs (the best, I must say), and, yes, beer (shocking!), and peanuts, but no Cracker Jack because, in my opinion, the stuff just isn't the same as when I was a kid. Did they change the formula or something? Why aren't there more peanuts in the mix? When did they stop putting tiny "diamond" rings in there, and start putting in trivia tidbits about the Presidents, with your very own presidential temporary tattoo? Gee whiz. Crunch and Munch is much better. But I digress.

The rivalry between the Cards and the Cubs is legendary. There were a lot of Cubs fans there. I didn't see many whose knuckles dragged the ground. Yeah, I know, I was stunned, too. The weather could not have been more perfect either. Just beautiful, all the way to the 9th inning, where the teams are tied, and where they stay tied until the 11th inning. Cards win! 11 innings - like I got a bonus or something. Woohoo! Could I have asked for a more perfect celebration of my 40th? I dare say nay. And it's all thanks to my beloved, who made it all possible. Thank you, darlin'.

Having been divorced quite a while now, I can say that I am not anxious to take anything for granted that God has blessed me with, especially my beloved. So, I plan to continue taking Mr. Bueller's advice, and I'm going to stop and look around as often as possible, so I don't miss anything.