30 Day Blog Challenge: Day 18

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Please refer back to my earlier posts and read what this challenge is about so that the later posts make sense. :)

Day 18 Question # 18: What is the earliest lesson you can remember learning as a child that you have followed throughout your life?

Answer: I just had a talk with my kids about embracing their Latin roots and  my answer comes from this talk. I was explaining to my kids that I love the Latin culture because we always seem to find the positive in the negative. That way of thinking permeates everything including our music. One day when my second daughter was younger I was listening to a ” EL NIAGARA EN BICICLETA“, a merengue by Dominican born star Juan Luis Guerra. She asked me to translate the words for her and when I did she was amazed and she said, ” Wow! Such happy music but the words are so sad.” I told her that our Latin music is a lot like that because we stay joyful even when things aren’t all that hot.

When I was in the 4th grade Sister Mary Valentine, my teacher was reading to us about some of the miracles of Jesus. One day she read to us how Jesus healed 10 lepers and out of the 10 only one came back to thank Him for his miracle. I remember thinking.’ WOW! I want to be like that guy! I want to say thank you all the time.’ And that’s what I’ve done my whole life. I go out of my way to say thank you to God, family, even the cashier at the grocery store who rang up my groceries.

I believe that when you have a thankful attitude, it shows up in all you do. That is what I wanted to impress upon my kids the other day regarding their Latin roots. Latin music is happy because no matter what the lyrics say, no matter what you’re going through in life, we always find something to be thankful for and we sing and dance about it!

IT’S A MAD,MAD,MAD WORLD!

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A girl at school was just kicked off the soccer team because another class mate complained to the school officials that said girl would not be friends with her. Now the school officials are accusing the swimmer for being a bully. Who is the real bully here?

I just recently was kicked out of a church. Yes, you are reading correctly! My family and I are not allowed to come back to a certain church because I refused the pastoral counseling being offered to me. That was the main reason for our having been banned from this church. The other reasons are of no lesser significance: I was also told that the pastor did not like some of my views on this blog. Hello! The 1st Amendment guaranteeing my rights to freedom of speech were infringed upon. Lastly I was  told by this same man that my husband and I had to meet up with some key people he had already designated for us because we needed to learn from these people how to be “Godly parents”. Apparently this pastor is under the impression, that after  raising 4 great kids together for the past 22 years that we’ve been married, we haven’t a clue as to what we’re doing. 

Folks, when your kids were younger did you ever try to pick out their friends for them? That’s crazy right? So how can a school and a pastor even think that they have any say in whom a child or two adults choose to associate with? It’s a MAD, MAD, MAD WORLD and that madness has creeped into some churches.

Perhaps the best thing this pastor did by banning us from attending his church was to spare us any further hurt by him. Now THAT’S a silver lining on my cloud!

30 Day Blog Challenge: Day 17

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Please refer back to my earlier posts and read what this challenge is about so that the later posts make sense. :)

Day 17 Question #17:  What is the kindest thing a stranger has ever done for you?

Answer:  I read this and my mind immediately went to when I was in Bible College. I had come up with the tuition money for that semester but I was having a hard time coming up with the money for the required books. I went to the registrar to see what I could do about it and she said that my books were paid for. I was thrilled! I asked her how and she said that someone had paid for my books earlier that week. When I asked her who because I wanted to thank them personally, she said she had promised this individual complete anonymity.  My eyes got a little misty and I thanked God for coming through for me through the kindness of a stranger.

What is Sacred?

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This video doesn’t need any extra explanation. Please watch it and share with the young people in your home. We are in an age where our young people need our guidance and wisdom more than ever before. They are crying out for help. Are you listening?

 

30 Day Blog Challenge: Day 16

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Please refer back to my earlier posts and read what this challenge is about so that the later posts make sense. :)

Day 16 Question 16: What were the big events going on in the world the year you were born? Who was the president?

Answer: 1970 was my birth year so here are a few high lights of what took place . Doing this was interesting  because I learned a lot about what happened that year.

1970

January 5

February 13 – Black Sabbath‘s debut album, Black Sabbath released; often regarded as the first true heavy metal album.
United States Postal Service workers in New York City go on strike; the strike spreads to the state of California and the cities of Akron, Ohio, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Chicago,Boston, and Denver, Colorado; 210,000 out of 750,000 U.S. postal employees walk out. President Nixon assigns military units to New York City post offices. The strike lasts 2 weeks.
May 4 – Kent State shootings: Four students at Kent State University in Ohio are killed and 9 wounded by Ohio National Guardsmen, at a protest against the incursion into Cambodia. 
June 21

July 4

August 26–August 30 – The Isle of Wight Festival 1970 takes place on East Afton Farm off the coast of England. Some 600,000 people attend the largest rock festival of all time. Artists include Jimi Hendrix, The Who, The Doors, Chicago,Richie Havens, John Sebastian, Joan Baez, Ten Years After, Emerson, Lake & Palmer and Jethro Tull.
September 18

  • Jimi Hendrix dies in London of drug related complications.
October 5

November 3

  • Democrats sweep the U.S. Congressional midterm elections; Ronald Reagan is reelected governor of California; Jimmy Carter is elected governor of Georgia.
December 12 – A landslide in western Colombia leaves 200 dead.

I’m a Firm Believer of the 2nd Amendment

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I’m in the 1% that will send on things like this.

 

This says it.

 

1. Don’t pick a fight with an old man. If he is too old to fight, he’ll just kill you.

2. I carry a gun because a cop is too heavy.

3. When seconds count, the cops are just minutes away.

4. A reporter did a human-interest piece on the  Texas Rangers. The reporter recognized the Colt Model 1911 the Ranger was carrying and asked him ‘Why do you carry a 45?’ The Ranger responded, ‘Because they don’t make a 46.’

5.  The old sheriff was attending an awards dinner when a lady commented on his wearing his sidearm ‘Sheriff, I see you have your pistol. Are you expecting trouble?”No Ma’am. If I were expecting trouble, I would have brought my shotgun.’

6 Beware the man who only carries one gun. HE PROBABLY KNOWS HOW TO USE IT!!!

But wait, there’s more!

I was once asked by a lady visiting if I had a gun in the house.  I said I did. She said ‘Well I certainly hope it isn’t loaded!’  To which I said, of course it is loaded, it can’t work without bullets!’ She then asked, ‘Are you that afraid of someone evil coming into your house?’ My reply was, “No not at all.  I am not afraid of the house catching fire either, but I have fire extinguishers around, and they are all loaded too”.

HAVE A NICE DAY But don’t Monkey with Me…

And Remember:

I’m a firm believer of the 2nd Amendment!
If you are too, please forward..
WHERE ELSE BUT AMERICA

ONLY IN AMERICA
We are the only country where we have homeless without shelter, children going to bed without eating, elderly going without needed meds, and mentally ill without treatment – yet we have a benefit for the people of Haiti on 12 TV stations, ships and planes lining up with food, water, tents, clothes, bedding, doctors and medical supplies. Imagine if we gave ourselves the same support that we give other countries. I feel bad for them, but I wonder who cares about America .

99% of people  won’t have the guts to forward this.


—
Kamel Shehata
Silver State Patriots

30 Day Blog Challenge: Day 15

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Please refer back to my earlier posts and read what this challenge is about so that the later posts make sense. :)

Day 15 Question # 15:  What would you list as the three most memorable TV moments you’ve ever seen?

Answer: I grew up not watching a whole lot of TV. So I had to really think hard about this one. These are the 3 I came up with. I was in the 8th grade and living in Germany when I watched the royal wedding of Princess Diana to Prince Charles. I was so amazed by how magical the whole event seemed to be. What I couldn’t get out of my mind was that she looked so young and pretty and he looked so old and boring. They seemed so mismatched for each other.

The second most memorable TV moment was 9-11. I had just woken up by a phone call from my friend back east telling me to turn on my TV. As I watched, still half asleep I had to ask her what was going on; when she told me I was in disbelief for a few seconds. Then I kept watching, mesmerized by it all.

The 3rd most memorable TV moment was this past summer. My kids and I watched the royal wedding of Prince William and Kate Middleton. I loved the part where the newly weds drove off in their own private car just so that their adoring fans could catch a glimpse of them. That was a very nice, personal touch I thought.

30 Day Blog Challenge : Day 14

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Please refer back to my earlier posts and read what this challenge is about so that the later posts make sense. 🙂

Day 14 Question #14: If you were making a list of your 3 favorite childhood memories, what would the entries be?

Answer: I thought of  this a  little while and here are my answers.The first one was when a poem of mine won an honorable mention in a local library contest. My 6th grade teacher, Mrs Gillard sent the poems in without my knowing it and then one afternoon she handed me a white piece of paper with the directions to go to the library and pick up my certificate. I never forgot that feeling that came with knowing that someone had read my work titled, ” The Fat Cat” and liked it enough to give me an honorable mention.

My second memory was when I was 13 and I received my fist pay check for baby sitting. I baby sat a 6 month old baby boy for the whole summer and the parent would pay me by check every Friday. I felt really grown up when I took the money and opened my first bank account.

My 3rd memory was my prom. I had worked hard that year to save my money so I could buy a dress, pay for the tickets and have a nice dinner. I learned that if I wanted anything in this life I didn’t mind working hard to get it.

The Birthday Cat

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There once was a town called Mathicadoodle

it had many farms, many pigs, many poodles.

There once was a birthday cat, her name was Ladie.

She would send out gifts, even if your name was Pop or Katy.

Now on your birthday, she’d go to your door

She would say, ” Get out of bed it’s 10 after 4!.”

2 minutes later you went to get dressed,

you had a new outfit, you looked your best!

 

At 10:30 a.m. in Mathicadoodle,

time for your birthday lunch on a safari poodle.

On the poodle’s back there is lots of food,

you’re living your life in the happiest mood.

So after that you climb a wall of Skittles.

Why, it was 12 o’clock time for a band of fiddles!

So fiddlers played fiddles

and picklers played pickles,

the music was so GREAT!

it felt like it tickles.

 

The birthday cat was  ready for her 2 o’clock bath.

Katy said, ” I’m glad I’m not in school I don’t have to learn math.”

So as they dried off, they started a cheer,” I’m free to be me!

” I’m glad I’m not a deer!”

 

They went into the jungle of Mathicadoodle.

There were flowers that smelled like pears, peas and noodles.

On their way they saw big bopping bowers

that cut off flowers just for you.

They saw big clopping cloppers

sip sopping soppers.

The flowers are red, pink or blue

The birthday cat said, ” Let’s see what time it is.”

 

So they went to a farm

where there was a time telling arm.

The arm said, “It’s a hair past a freckle.”

That means it’s 5 o’clock,

time for the  birthday bash in a kettle.

 

They needed something to take them in,

so they go to the super dooper mini cooper.

It drove them all the way to the kettle bin.

In the kettle the party began

with head Zonking Zonkers fron planet Can-Can.

The party is great,

the food and the cake,

the birthday cat gave me a brand new cape.

 

It was 10 pm, the presents came in

there were so many

she put them all in a bin

At 12 a.m. Katy’s birthday was over,

the birthday cat drove her home on a big, soft clover.

So that’s what they do in Mathicadoodle,

the birthday cat gives you gifts and a poodle.

If you’re birthday is tomorrow, in May or today,

I will always say, ” Happy Birthday!”

 

RAQUEL BRINCAT  copyright 2011

This poem was written by my daughter and she wanted me to post it in honor of her birthday this week!

30 Day Blog Challenge: Day 13

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Please refer back to my earlier posts and read what this challenge is about so that the later posts make sense. :)

Day 13 Question# 13: What was one negative in your life that you were somehow able to turn into something quite positive?

Answer: When I first read this question, I decided to write about the very first thing that popped into my mind. I grew up in my uncle‘s home and he is the typical male chauvinist with an extra added twist; he is a Latino macho man who thinks women are to be seen and not heard. Back then the message I was getting was that I was not to have my own voice, or opinions. You’re a girl, therefore no one wants to hear from you.

So  I began to journal and really made friends with pen and paper pretty quick at a young age. Being that children long for the approval and recognition of their parental figures, I was no exception. One day I ventured out of my shell and I showed him a poem I had penned, which I was proud of because I felt in my heart it was a good piece. I took it to him and I asked him to read it. He did his usual looking down at me through the end of his bifocals which were perched on the end of his bulbous nose much like a surfer trying to balance his board on the crest of a wave.

I stood there frozen, holding my breath and trying to hush the beating of my heart which felt much like a freight train barreling down a dark tunnel at top speed inside my chest. I tried hard not to focus on my uncle’s’ blank face so I looked around in the place trying to count the people around me instead. Finally he finished. I wondered what took him so long to read just a few lines of my prose. The terrible silence continued and all I wanted to do was make a mad dash for the door and forget it all. Then my uncle pushed his military issue glasses back up his snooty nose and then he spoke,

” Well, you know this isn’t any good. Every good piece of poetry  MUST rhyme and since your doesn’t, this isn’t good at all.” He gave me my journal back and turned back to his newspaper. I was dismissed just like a scullery maid.

“That’s it?’ I thought. I was in the 8th grade at the time and I had been reading plenty of poetry, I was falling madly in love with Shakespeare’s love sonnets. I knew for a fact my uncle was being narrow minded because not all of the poetry I was reading   from the  greats I was studying had to rhyme. Being that I was quite shy and also understanding that my uncle would never hear my views, I kept my thoughts to myself.

I didn’t let his insensitivity stop me. No sir! Not when I had been encouraged by Mrs. Gillard in the 6th grade who told me I had a gift and that one day she hoped to see my first book of poetry. Her words have been the steam behind my engine all of these years. Yes, my uncle hurt me terribly but I chose to ignore his biting words and I embraced my teacher’s honey coated positive words.

And I’m so glad I did because ever since then, I have published my first bookand I’m working on publishing my 2nd book; which happens to be a volume of short stories and poetry. When my second book comes out I plan to mail it to my uncle with a thank you note. Because of his mistreatment, I learned to turn the negative around and prove to myself that I can do my dreams; no matter what dirt people throw in my face to blind me along the way.

I am writing this in the hopes that if you’ve been discouraged and kept from following your dreams, DO NOT LISTEN to those haters who tell you you can’t. Turn it around and prove them wrong because that’s the power that you have to hush those voices of opposition.