My daughter and her friend singing the National Anthem

Published in: on February 16, 2009 at 3:16 pm Comments (1)

Sensitivity training needed!

My daughter Jessica is 17 years old and a senior at Hillwood High School.  She came home on Friday to tell me how the assistant principal (emphasis on the first three letters of that title) came up to her in the hallway and proceeded to talk to her about her “looking like she had an eating disorder, or diabetes, or a thyroid problem” which really upset her.  My family and my husband’s family both have very close relatives that were extremely thin when they were younger.  She can (and does) eat everything in sight and still does not gain weight, and she is 5′9 which adds to the problem.  She is very concious of this, but she is also a very healthy eater, and only drinks water most of the time.  After the lady coach and guidance counselor calmed her down in the office, she came out and he again had to reiterate the fact that he thought she needed to go to a doctor and find out what was wrong with her…he has also been known to walk by her at lunch to look at her plate and see what she is eating. Several times. Last year he walked up to her in a class and in passing she made the comment that it was cold…he told her she just needed to eat something!   I complained to the head principal, who was very condescending but promised to talk to the “assistant ” about it.  I also reported this to the MNPS because I want this person to be held accountable for this action.  If he had walked up to an overweight child and said to them “Wow you are just to fat! You must have a thyroid problem, or an eating disorder or diabetes, you need to go to a doctor” there would be huge consequences, and I feel that he should be held accountable for treating my daughter this way.  This is from the same person who accused my son of being on drugs when he had never even met him before.  This guy is a complete train wreck and does not need to be in a position of influence in this or any other school system.  I realize by going tro the lengths that I have I could put my children at risk of his retaliation at school, but if this does happen then their daddy Jeff is my tag team…and they think I’m a pain? I received a call from the really nice lady at MNPS and she has promised me that he will not say anything to Jess again, and was very understanding.  I told her that I think this person needs to have sensitivity training…cause he is very rude and apparently doesn’t think anything about it!  How did he get to be in a position of power over kids?

Check out X-Alt!!!

Published in: on October 16, 2008 at 8:24 pm Leave a Comment
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How to catch a wild pig – very timely.

There  was a Chemistry professor in a large college that had some exchange>
students in  the class. One day while the class was in the lab the Professor
noticed one  young man (exchange student) who kept rubbing his back, and
stretching as if his  back hurt.
The professor asked the young man what was the matter.  The student told
him he had a bullet lodged in his back. He had been shot while  fighting
communists in his native country who were trying to overthrow his
country’s government and install a communist government.
In the  midst of his story he looked at the professor and asked a strange
question.
He  asked, ‘Do  you know how to catch wild pigs?’
The  professor thought it was a joke and asked for the punch line. The
young man said  this was no joke.
‘You catch wild pigs by finding a suitable place in the  woods and
putting corn on the ground.  The pigs find it and begin to come  everyday to eat
the free corn. When they are used to coming every day, you  put a fence down one side of the place
where they are used to coming. When they  get used to the fence, they begin to
eat the corn again and you put up another  side of the fence.. They get used
to that and start to eat again. You continue  until you have all four sides of the

fence up with a gate in the last side. The  pigs that are used to the free corn start to come through the gate  to eat,  and then you slam the gate on them and catch the whole herd.
Suddenly the wild pigs have lost their freedom. They run around and around inside the fence, but they are caught. Soon they go back to eating the free corn. They are so used to it that they have forgotten how to forage in the  woods for themselves, so they accept their captivity.
The  young man then told the professor that is exactly what he sees happening
to  America. The government keeps pushing  us toward socialism and keeps
spreading the free corn out in the form of  programs such as supplemental income,
tax credit for unearned income, tobacco  subsidies, dairy subsidies, payments not to plant crops (CRP),    welfare,  medicine, drugs, etc, etc, etc. While we continue to lose our freedoms just  a little at a time.
One should always remember: There is no such thing as  a free lunch! Also, a
politician will never provide a service for you cheaper  than you can do it  yourself.
So, if you see that all of this wonderful  government ‘help’ is a problem
confronting the future of democracy in  America, you might want to spread
this  message on  to your friends. If you think the free ride is essential to your way of
life  then you will probably disregard this message. In this ‘very important’ election year, listen closely to  what the candidates are promising you – just maybe, you will be able to tell who  is  about to
slam the gate on America.  This is just as valid  with our upcoming
elections in  Canada.
‘A  government big enough to give you everything you want, is big enough to
take  away everything you have.’
Thomas  Jefferson

Jail House Rock!

Two years ago, when our band X-Alt! first went out to River Bend Maximum Security Prison to sing for the inmates at their once a month Sunday night church service,  I have to admit to you that I was a little taken aback.  I mean, come on…these guys are hardened criminals. There is no telling what they did to be put in this awful place…and to bring women in there? Hmmmm…..but one thing I have learned in my lifetime is to try things at least once.  Has gotten me into trouble more than once…but this time it has turned out to be one of the biggest blessings that God has ever put into my life.  Of all the places that X-Alt! has played, this I have to admit is my total favorite.  These men (not inmates) have a love for the Lord, and a peace that you could not even imagine.  They come from all walks of life, and have families that they love and worry about, just like you and me.  The only difference is they got caught for their mistakes…and they are paying the price.  They have become family to our little group of minstrels…lol…we so look forward to going back to worship with them when we can.  If you think of it when you are saying your prayers, please add the little group of guys at RiverBend in your prayers…that they can continue to serve the Lord on this road they are on and hopefully be an influence in the population there.  We will be going back soon to see our little family…and hope it has grown!

http://x-alt-rhythm-and-praise.blogspot.com/2007/03/riverbend-prison.html

Published in: on October 6, 2008 at 11:40 am Leave a Comment
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Is it really that time again?

In Memphis, Tennessee hundreds of people will line up at the gates of Graceland to commemorate the life and death of the Legend Elvis Presley. I remember my mom being so excited about going to an Elvis concert, but he was so fat at that point I really didn’t see the attraction…but 31 years ago tomorrow my world changed completely, and it had nothing to do with Elvis. We found out that day about Elvis’ untimely passing and that was very sad. I lived in Lascassas, TN and was 16 years old. I have 3 older brothers and I am the baby of the family. (That is a whole other story, lol) My room was at the front of the farm house. About 11:00 p.m. I heard a car drive up and then a knock on the front door. When I looked out on the front porch my heart sank in my chest. There were two men in uniform there and that was not going to be a good thing. They were there to inform us of the death of an even more important person in my life…my brother Bret. He was in the Air Force and had been accidently killed when his best friend was horsing around with a handgun in their barracks. One minute Bret was coming into the room from a softball game (he was a avid sports fan) and the next minute he was gone from my life forever. He was the closest in age to me at 19, and meant absolutely the world to me. So forgive me if I am less than thrilled about Elvis…and if any candle is lit in my house tomorrow it will be in honor of James Bret Elam, my brother…who will live forever in my heart…

Published in: on August 15, 2008 at 12:57 pm Comments (1)
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Rubber Band Man

Xalt played yesterday at the Word of Life Christian Center, International…that is one of the places I would rather go to play than anywhere else.  The people are so incredibly filled with the Holy Spirit…they were having a Community open house with lots of fun stuff for the kids and the best food you have ever seen!  Kinda reminded me of what it would be like in Heaven at the buffet table…and the desserts…WOW!!!  The church is located on the top of a hill in Bordeaux, and the wind was really whipping everything and everybody around.  I have long hair, which kinda was starting to look like a mop…upside down…well, I was wearing a hat, but it wasn’t doing a bit of good.  So I asked around to the other girls in the band, hoping somebody had a hair bow of some type that I could corral my shagginess…but to no avail…so I said, Lord, I would just die for a hair bow of some type (Drama Queen, lol), even just a rubber band would work…well I guess he was listening because right then, I happened to look down on the ground, and what was curled up at my feet?  A Rubber band!  with the wind whipping around the hill there is no telling how long it would have stayed there…God even cares about the small things…that’s just one of the many reasons why I LOVE Him so much!

Published in: on June 29, 2008 at 11:10 pm Comments (1)

Too Cute…

 

These classifieds actually ran in newspapers – a smile for your day… 

 
FREE YORKSHIRE TERRIER
.
8-years old. Hateful little bastard. Bites!

FREE PUPPIES:
1/2 Cocker Spaniel, 1/2 sneaky neighbor’s dog.

FREE PUPPIES..
Mother , AKC German Shepherd.
Father, Super Dog…able to leap tall fences in a single bound.

FOUND DIRTY WHITE DOG.
Looks like a rat. Been out a while.
Better be a big reward.

COWS, CALVES: NEVER BRED.
Also 1 gay bull for sale.

NORDIC TRACK
$300 Hardly used, call Chubby.

GEORGIA PEACHES
California grown – 89 cents/lb.

JOINING NUDIST COLONY!
Must sell washer and dryer $300.

WEDDING DRESS FOR SALE .
Worn once by mistake. Call Stephanie.

And the best one?:

FOR SALE BY OWNER:
Complete set of Encyclopedia Britannica, 45 volumes. Excellent condition.
$1,000 or best offer. No longer needed,
Got married last month. Wife knows everything.

 
Published in: on June 13, 2008 at 6:24 pm Leave a Comment

I can’t keep quiet!!!

Well, since the media chose to not mention this I have got to speak out!  I am not much of a writer, and normally prefer to read the blogs of my friends because they really are great writers, but apparently if I don’t tell this story it won’t be heard!  I took my teenagers and their friends to the Nashville Wave Country on Saturday.  Normally that is a great time to be had by all…until about 5:00 Saturday evening.  We were hanging out enjoying the pool when all of a sudden the buzz started…(it really reminded me of a swarm of bees)…I heard commotion and realized that about 30 black guys aged from 16 – 20 were absolutely stomping a mud hole in one black guy.  I don’t know exactly what he did to piss them off, but I hope that I never do that!  A lone security guard showed up to tell them to stop, and they did…for about a minute…until the security guard turned his back.  Then they proceeded to stomp the guy again, this time I know for sure breaking ribs and his face was just messed up big time…the security guard stopped it again but not until the guy that was the “stompee” was out like a light…and had to be surrounded by lifeguards while they called the real police.  I gathered my crew and we headed for the door…by that time there were 6 police cars, the fire truck, and an ambulance.  Did anybody hear about this on the news? NO!!!  People need to know that this happened at the Nashville Wave Country…my kids say it was gang related.  I know that the local news people heard that it happened on their scanner…which leads me to wonder, what else happens that we are not told about?  I can promise that my kids will not be going anywhere near the area again in the near future if ever, and I truly believe that there needs to be better security at these places.  I also believe that should include more that just making sure you don’t have glass bottles in your coolers…anybody could sneak in a knife or a gun…is that what is next?  Somebody has to get killed for it to make the news?

Published in: on June 3, 2008 at 7:00 pm Comments (1)
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