Another Monday, Hot Weather, Friends, Oceana & More

This truly hit home with me this morning. We have so many worries, concerns, and stresses in our lives, too often I know for myself, I forget to really remind myself, just how incredibly blessed I really am. I do have a little home to call my own, I have food and drink, I have a decent vehicle to get around in, I have my husband, my Mom, my two children, and now since the birth of Logan, a week ago today, three grandchildren. I also have my pride and joy, my "fur kid" my pug, Tazz, who is just a joy in my life. I do struggle with health issues that keep me from doing many things, yet I am still able to do other things I enjoy, from reading, writing poetry and short stories, crocheting, sewing, working some in my new garden, and the list goes on. No, I will never snow ski again, but I did have several years of going and so many wonderful memories from skiing and other vacations. I am able to worship where I want, and when I want, without being condemned or harassed... So, when I saw this, I wanted to share with you... because I am also very thankful for my friendship with you.

I wish you many incredible memories and times to come to make more... Pam

WHAT HAPPENS IN HEAVEN ?
(This is one of the nicest e-mails I have seen, and it really puts things into perspective..)

I dreamt that I went to Heaven and an angel was showing me around. We walked side-by-side inside a large workroom filled with angels. My angel guide stopped in front of the first section and said, 'This is the Receiving Section. Here, all petitions to God said in prayer are received.'

I looked around in this area, and it was terribly busy with so many angels sorting out petitions written on voluminous paper sheets and scraps from people all over the world.

Then we moved on down a long corridor until we reached the second section..

The angel then said to me, 'This is the Packaging and Delivery Section. Here, the graces and blessings the people asked for are processed and delivered to the living persons who asked for them... 'I noticed again how busy it was there. There were many angels working hard at that station, since so many blessings had been requested and were being packaged for delivery to Earth.

Finally at the farthest end of the long corridor we stopped at the door of a very small station. To my great surprise, only one angel was seated there, idly doing nothing. 'This is the Acknowledgment Section,' my angel friend quietly admitted to me. He seemed embarrassed.

'How is it that there is no work going on here?' I asked.

'So sad,' the angel sighed. 'After people receive the blessings that they asked for, very few send back acknowledgments ..'

'How does one acknowledge God's blessings?' I asked.
'Simple,' the angel answered. Just say, 'Thank you, Lord.'

'What blessings should they acknowledge?' I asked.

'If you have food in the refrigerator, clothes on your back, a roof overhead and a place to sleep you are richer than 75% of this world. If you have money in the bank, in your wallet, and spare change in a dish, you are among the top 8% of the world's wealthy .'

'And if you get this on your own computer, you are part of the 1% in the world who has that opportunity.'

'If you woke up this morning with more health than illness ... you are more blessed than the many who will not even survive this day .'

'If you have never experienced the fear in battle, the loneliness of imprisonment, the agony of torture, or the pangs of starvation .... you are ahead of 700 million people in the world.'

'If you can attend a church without the fear of harassment, arrest, torture or death, you are envied by and more blessed than three billion people in the world. '

'If your parents are still alive and still married ... you are very rare .'

'If you can hold your head up and smile, you are not the norm, you're unique to all those in doubt and despair.'

Ok, what now? How can I start? If you can read this message, you just received a double blessing in that someone was thinking of you as very special and you are more blessed than over two billion people in the world who cannot read at all.

Have a good day, count your blessings, and if you want, pass this along to remind everyone else how blessed we all are.

ATTN:
"Acknowledge Dept.":

'Thank you Lord, for giving me the ability to share this message and for giving me so many wonderful people to share it with.'
I thank God especially for all my family and friends !!

If you have read this far, and are thankful for all that you have been blessed with, how can you not send it on?


If you spent time to read the above, then you will see I am continuing from here. I posted the "What happens in Heaven" just due to how it hit me, that I so often want to gripe and fuss, rather than see all of the blessings I receive daily. We all get caught up in the negative sometimes, and have to be reminded, how much positive light we are given. Of course it is another Monday. Which means work for some, errands, running around, paying bills, or whatever and however your week begins. For myself, it begins with an extremely hot day. The humidity is already high, and we are to reach 90 degrees today, and more like 100 by Friday! I have to admit I am not looking forward to the heat. I guess old age has set in, but I have problems with extreme heat or cold now. My body just does not tolerate either. With the garden going, all of the new houseplants I have added to our home, we need to paint the outside of the house, plus everything else like cutting the grass and so forth, the extreme triple digit temps sure make those things much more difficult to do and enjoy. Thank goodness for the new propane grill. That way, we don't have to heat up the kitchen as much. Plus probably like most we tend to eat cooler and lighter meals, more salads, including tuna salad, chicken salad, taco salads, and things not as heavy as the Winter time meals.

My new grandson Logan, is doing well. Amanda says they are both doing okay. She is still tired and sore from the C-Section, but knowing her she is probably trying to overdo it too quickly. She says he is just such a good baby, that sometimes she has to wake him up to feed him. He is not wild about a bath yet, and she says he likes to be really bundled up tightly... probably like many, it makes them feel safe, since they are now out of the womb where they felt that.

Today is World Oceans Day... Oceana was started actually by the actor Ted Danson. Shortly after he began being in the sit com Cheers, he decided to give back... thus Oceana was born.

Not much to tell, still trying to get my shoulder completed rehabed, trying to stay cool, and just being... for a change...

I hope all is well with you... I wish the best for everyone.... Rhia

Time to play catch up on my blog...

Lots has been going on lately. Due to the wonderful weather, I have been working on the new garden, working with all of the houseplants we bought recently, keeping things watered and green, and enjoying being outside before the heat here gets too bad to enjoy it. We have already had some "code orange" days due to the pollution, the humidity, heat and no breeze.
We have bought the outside paint to begin painting the house also. There is still much to do on the house inside and out, but little by little it is coming together.
Of course lots in the news, from more murder-suicides, to more suicide bombers overseas reeking havoc on innocent lives, to the murder of Dr. Tiller, which to me was a senseless, stupid act. I am not saying I agreed with his practices but killing him in his place or worship, or anywhere for that matter was certainly not the answer. I have not caught up on who this guy was that did the ridiculous deed, but I feel certain he is probably a nut case. Of course, now we run a huge possibility of more just like him doing useless harm to others. We all are allowed and are even encouraged to have our own opinions. But, no where does it say that we are allowed to take lives just because we do not agree with someone. Violence is NEVER the way to settle anything.
I just read a really great article on the Care2 site, about the way to handle conflict without violence, or even raising your voice. Effective communication is the main key, along with truly not just hearing someone, but truly listening to their side and trying to see why they believe as they do. As humans we all want acknowledgment that we are worthy, our opinions count for something, and we have our basic right to our decisions and opinions.

Of course there is just so much controversy surrounding so many issues at this time, from personal to political, it is difficult to keep up with each of them.

Issues from the bankruptcy of GM and Chrysler, to all of the instability of North Korea, and their nuclear testing of bombs, to our continuing down turn of the economy, to greed and corruption, to our much needed dramatic change in our health care system, to the ongoing brawl between the Senate and the House... moreover between the Republicans and the Democrats, our news seems to be filled with issues, rather than hope and peace. We have to make sure our eyes are wide open, and we are alert and cautious everywhere we go. No one wants to walk around in a state of being frightened, but the way things are, it is almost a given, from church, to your own home, the issues surrounding us are making way to the gruesome violence of many.

The plane that went down is a sad situation for those loved ones left behind. We may never know what went on those final moments, before the plane hit the Atlantic. I would hope those people went quickly and without suffering, but that is something as I said we can only have faith about, for finding any part of the plane is probably like looking for a needle in a hay stack so to speak.

I continue to recover from the shoulder surgery, and still have other issues, like the severe bruising and petechia on my arms especially that we do not have an answer to why it is happening yet. We are not very happy with our doctor at this time. He is either overwhelmed with too many patients or his staff is just plain stupid and not capable of doing their jobs correctly. I went there a week ago today in fact to drop off some blood work that my rheumatologist took about 4 weeks ago. There are several things that are abnormal, either too high or too low, that I feel really need to be addressed. Yet, still not a call back or anything. I even called on Friday, and the girl that answered the phone basically told me he had not even seen what I left. Which is frustrating and infuriating. So, I don't know if he just has not bothered, or if possibly he has not been given it to look at. Either way, it is just plain wrong.

I do have a new grandson as of yesterday at 7:59 am. He and my daughter are doing okay. He weighed 7 pounds nine ounces and is 19 1/4 inches long. Kind of light brown hair and so far blue eyes. He is a real cutie. My son in law emailed pics to me yesterday evening. His picture is at the top of this. Honestly, my daughter had already named him several months ago, but right now I cannot remember what she said. LOL, my mind is getting ancient.

Take care and best to each of you.... Rhia

Happy Sunday and Happy Mom's Day to All

Mother's Day Glitter GraphicsGood very early morning!!!




Sunday Glitter Graphics


LOL, try 4 am. For me that is very extremely early. We leave at 7 am Central Time for Bossier City Louisiana. Just an overnight trip and we will be home sometimes on Monday kind of late afternoon or early evening. It is about a 3 hour drive, so we will get to the Casino around 10 - 10:30 am or so. We usually play a little on Monday also, and then try and get on the road by about 2. The drive always seems much longer going since you are go thrilled about getting there, but then coming home, you are just ready to get the drive over with and be safe and sound at home. :)


Keep us in your thoughts and prayers as we travel. We are supposedly going to have a clear window, with no thunderstorms, but you never know about this weather.


Plus, for all I did not tell about my daughter Amanda, we had a big scare yesterday. I think most everyone knows she is expecting her 2nd son, on June 1, via C-section. Well, she has been having issues with her gallbladder off and on for years. But, just has kind of put up with it, avoiding surgery mainly due to her two other kids, James her 3 year old and her step-daughter Heather who is 11.


But, she began having horrible problems with it early last week, and even went in to see her OB/GYN. They were going to do a sonogram on her gallbladder on this Monday (tomorrow). But, she was in such pain all night on Friday, she went to the hospital yesterday. She was having some contractions also, which they certainly do not want, so they kept her, gave her meds to stop the contractions, and the pain from the gallbladder and she was supposed to stay overnight, for observation.

Well, she cannot sit still... so the doctor felt if she felt okay, she could go home... and she did late yesterday evening.


She wanted to be home for Mother's day and not stuck in the hospital if possible.


So keep her in your thoughts and prayers as she tries to finish out the pregnancy with everything okay at least another 7 to 10 days to ensure the baby's lungs are completely developed. Hopefully, she will go until June 1, which is the ideal situation. She said the doctor told her they will probably go ahead and take the gallbladder out while she is in the hospital having her new son. If all is well, I hope they do. She has been putting up with boughts of this now for several years, but they never found stones, and felt the gallbladder was just "bad" and sometimes getting infected causing the nausea and severe pain.


OKay I close now.... with a Happy Sunday to all, and for all the Mom's adn Mom's to be a very Happy, Blessed, and Safe Mother's Day!


With all of my respect, honor, gratitude, and to let you know just how much you bless my heart with all of the wonderful posts, emails, cards, comments and so much more.


Pam p.s. Wish us a little luck at the Casino! :) We decided IF we won...(Not likely but you never know) we would put the money into getting a new kitchen floor, and a venta-hood for over the stove.

Do Away with Tax Havens for Large Corporations!

Our Largest Corporations hiding throughout the world to NOT pay taxes!

May 6, 2009

fetching data...

We all have heard the stories about banks, financial institutions, the auto industry, and their failings to the point of going under. It is all over the news and media. Should the government help bail these corporations out in order to help the nations financial situation? Well that question is certainly debatable by each of us. What really burns me up, and I saw it first hand last night on "Rachel Maddow's" hour long daily news hour. I have to say I really like this woman. Rather than be "one sided", she tries to give the facts, she has others on both sides come in and give information, and even though she may add a tiny bit of her own "two cents" in, I feel she is one of the most non-biased reporters we have. I always knew about American companies "hiding" money throughout certai places of the world. The Cayman Islands is just one that stays in the news. Also Luxemborg is another, along with several more. But, when I heard the facts that include THOSE THAT TOOK BAILOUT MONEY! I was totally ENRAGED! When an average wage earner makes around 50,000.00 a year and pays 25% in taxes, as high as that is, those are the people that PAY THEIR TAXES! But, you take companies like BANK OF AMERICA, MORGAN STANLEY, and many, many more that hide their money in these places such as the Cayman Islands... and guess what??? They DO NOT PAY ONE DIME IN TAXES! Even though most huge companies should pay around 35%, due to them hiding their earnings in off short accounts, they literally for the most part pay nothing! No wonder our nation is BROKE! In the Cayman Islands, there is one 5 story building, (note a small parking lot with NO cars there), and that building has 18,000!!! businesses claiming they have an office there! Yes, I said 18,000! It is no wonder we are in the financial dilemna as far as our government goes. When you add up these companies that do not pay what they owe in taxes due to the "loopholes" that Bush and Cheney condoned... mmmm. wonder why... can you say Big Oil, Kickbacks and Lobbyists?? ... our government loses about 21 BILLION DOLLARS in tax money a year!!! This should really enrage each and every hard working American! Then, the REPUBLICANS have the audacity to say that President Obama is trying to INCREASE the taxes businesses pay! That is a bunch of bull... no HE IS GETTING RID of the Loopholes that allow these huge companies to NOT PAY taxes, so they will finally contribute to their own country! We should be mad as heck, to put it mildly, and back getting rid of these loopholes once and for all. Note this first one is BANK OF AMERICA ASKING FOR MORE BAILOUT MONEY!!! Here are some URL's with information: http://www.nytimes.com/2009/05/06/business/06stress.html?partner=rss&emc=rss http://www.nytimes.com/2009/05/05/business/05tax.html http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/05/04/republicans-defend-tax-ha_n_195617.html http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wsc-npUcuC8 http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601087&sid=aaXFFJBizJtc&refer=home

Virginia Foxx IS NOT FIT to be a dog catcher!

http://www.care2.com/causes/politics/blog/virginia-foxx-apologize-or-resign/

This "woman" does not belong in Congress, nor any place in our government. F0r her to stand in front of Congress and Mathew's Mom and say what she said, and lie boldly about this horrid hate crime is despicable! She needs to resign now, or be made to step down. She is not fit to be a local dog catcher, much less a member of our governmental body. How can anyone be so incredibly cruel, when the Mother of this young man was sitting right there?

Hate crimes of any kind, against anyone should be completely banned from this country and the world. She needs to be made an example of, that we will NOT allow this kind of behavior in our nation, and especially within our government.

I watched this movie about what happened to Mathew Shepard. It broke my heart.

Commending President Obama - A++ for a job well done

http://www.care2.com/causes/politics/blog/president-obamas-first-100-days/

I am elated to have President Obama in office! He has gone over and above to do all he has promised, even in spite of all of the horrid situations he faced from day one as President! He has my vote and total backing. I am fully hopeful he will be re-elected during our next elections!

New Strain of Swine Flu concern here in TX/Around the globe

It sounds like we are really in a spot of the unknown when it comes to this new strain of swine flu. It looks like it began in Mexico, but now has spread in TX, CA, NY, and around the globe to other foreign nations. I realize the CDC does not want panic, but they have raised the level to "4", which 6 is the highest alert as far as a pandemic.

I know I am certainly concerned. I live not far from Dallas, and there are many people living here that commute and work in Dallas. So, between people that have relatives in Mexico and have visited... even our neighbors were there not too long ago, to those who could carry it here from their work place or from shopping in the Dallas area... it does worry me. Due to the fact that it is actually killing "healthy" people, and those in the age range of about from 25 to 45... what does that mean for the elderly, the small children, and those like myself with compromised immune systems? Since I have several autoimmune illnesses, including Lupus, Sjogren's and Mixed Connective Tissue disorder... anyone with a less than healthy immune situation certainly I would think could be at higher risk of contracting this new strain, as well as having a more difficult time trying to get over it.

Lots of links and updated information coming in... take care... try and stay out of public places, away from those that are coughing and sneezing... wash hands frequently, try and not put your hands around your eyes, mouth and nose, especially when out and about in town... if symptoms arise that you feel could be flu in nature, contact your doctor or ER immediately, let them know they symptoms, so they can be more prepared to be extra cautious when someone who is possibly infected comes into the office or hospital.

http://www.cnn.com/2009/HEALTH/04/28/swine.flu/index.html?eref=rss_topstories

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090428/ap_on_he_me/us_med_swine_flu_us_cases

http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/news/city/dallas/stories/042809dnmetflulocal.3fde1ea.html


Take care and be extra cautious....

Wondering Why Texas has a Nut case for Govenor

Here is the URL:

http://www.alternet.org/story/138306/why_is_texas_so_psycho/

This guy is refusing help from the stimulus package to aid those have lost jobs. Then he makes ridiculous remarks at the "tea party" in Austin! Like Texas "seceding" from the other states! What a joke!!!!

Judge for yourself----

Urgent! Need Your Help with the National Pain Care Act!

Urgent! Need Your help with the National Pain Care Act!
Current mood: restless

Here is the latest on the National Pain Care Act! Please view the video, and then sign the petitions. One in 4 people in this country suffer needlessly with chronic daily pain. This video will make it clear that all of us as chronic pain victims need your help. Your help is desperately needed to get this bill passed through the Senate. Please take a few moments to watch the video below, and the other link will show you the bill, and where to sign the petition to your Senators.

I appreciate everyone, and hope you will be a part of this life changing, dire needed bill.

Rhia


Here are the Urls:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T0pUVsvqjeQ

http://www.petitiononline.com/npcpa09/petition.html

A Revelation to fix our Broken Health Care System

This is a impressive talk by Debra Ness in front of Congress gives all of us a new perspective how the government needs to handle this broken system. She talks about getting those who need help the most, those with chronic illnesses, multiple chronic problems, that are often left out of the system. These people are the ones that never get to a Primary Care Doctor, so their options usually boil down to when they are so ill, they have no choice but to go the the ER. This runs up bills, does not give them the care they need for chronic ailments, and are extremely costly.

Please take a few minutes to listen to what she had to say to Congress:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X3NPkrchD4Y&eurl=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.nationalpartnership.org%2Fsite%2FPageServer%3Fpagename%3Dmm_0422_Testimony%26autologin%3Dtrue%26AddInterest%3D1342&feature=player_embedded


Here is also an article about it, with further information:

http://blog.aflcio.org/2009/04/21/health-care-reform-must-focus-on-patients-needs/#more-13038


There is much that needs to be done to provide health care to everyone, drive down the high costs of prescriptions, office visits, hospital stays, and our other needs for our good health.

We need much more research for possible cures... for so many illnesses. We still need much more in regard to Cancer, Stroke, and Heart Disease. But there are many other Chronic Illnesses that are far from having anything to even control the symptoms in a good way, much less is anyone near any type of possible cure.

Things like migraine headaches, Lupus, Mixed Connective Tissue Disorder, Degenerative Joint Disease, Type 1 and 2 diabetes, Multiple Sclerosis, plus hundreds of the diseases that leave patients with no quality of life, take them out of the work force due to being ill, they do not have access to maintance health care, they often are left with no answers, and truly no really promising news on the horizon of more medications to not only stop the symptoms, and surely no cure at all for any of them.

The figures are staggering of how much employee time is lost due to migraines alone. When you add in Chronic Pain, and many other illnesses that leave you basically unable to function, families, the patients, their incomes, the companies... all suffer.

I urge to also to take a look at this website. There is a great deal of information here about equal pay for women, time off for children's illnesses, plus many other subjects important to all.

http://www.nationalpartnership.org/site/PageServer