Tag: United States

The Star

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There once was a girl with curly black hair.

She loved to write and her name was Clare.

She loved to sing which was on the beat;

and she liked to watch birds,

now that’s pretty neat!

Her writing was her talent-

she was so great.

She wrote a book,

which tops the cake.

Clare was on a journey-

the longest of all.

Everyone said she was the shiniest star.

Before she began her journey,

Clare packed all of her stuff;

the village people were sad,

they went out in a huff.

The journey was long,

the journey was short;

it was the best of them all.

Clare made a friend: Tammy Defoe.

Clare’s husband’s name was David Defoe.

She made a lot of friends- Manny and Jenny.

The greatest of them all was Clare’s own Pappy.

He was very strong; the strongest of them all.

He told her to quit writing!

For Clare, this was the worst of all.

She was sad, sad, sad and MAD.

Her pappy told her to cheer up;

he told her not to be sad but glad.

So on her journey Clare cheered herself up

she made many friends and she bought a pup.

When at last  Clare’s journey ended

God brought her in a great big blast.

He had a big plan for Clare;

He gave her a family and she got her writing back.

I tell you this story is true:

There IS a BIG God and a writing girl too.

Her name is Clare- she doesn’t blend.

She has all her needs met,

God has been with Clare from beginning to end!

Raquel Brincat Copyright 2011

Talk from The Clothes Line Part 1

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Teddys on a clothesline.
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I enjoy hanging my family’s laundry out to dry on a clothes line my husband made by the side of our house. I live in the desert so in the summer the clothes are air dried in a matter of minutes. For years I have done this and I want to share some of the things I muse over in my mind as I talk to God while I hang the clothes.

Hey God, I ‘m so glad you meet me out here as I do this because I don’t feel so alone in this heat. Please tell the annoying wind to stop blowing so hard b/c I’ll get sand on these fresh clean clothes…Thanks! ( As the wind quiets) 🙂

 You are so cool God! You have given my family and I so many blessings that when I sit down to write them all I run out of paper. Since you bless me so much in big and little ways everyday; feel free to tell me what I can do for you today to make you smile.

Thanks  for letting me write JR’s story. A long time ago I had a t-shirt that said: ” Speak for those who can’t speak for themselves” printed on the front of it. Well I never forgot that and ever since You have been blessing me for doing just that.

Ok, I’ll be back with the next load. It’ll be the whites; since it’s pretty big load, I’ll be out here more with you God. Thanks for hearing me and as always I look forward to our next chat! Chao!

Music Brings Back Memories

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When I was six years old I was living in Colombia.My parents had passed away and I was living in the home of a family that was assisting me in acquiring the proper papers so that I could come to the Unites States legally. The lady of the house had grown up children who attended college. They enjoyed listening to American rock and roll music on a short wave radio that transmitted from a station in the U.S. The first American song I ever heard was Simon and Garfunkle‘s,”The Sounds of Silence“. I didn’t know any English so the words didn’t mean much to me. The haunting melody of the song grabbed my attention because it served to comfort me,reminding me that I wasn’t suffering alone.Just the other day,I heard that song again,and it took me back to that time when I first heard it. I could even picture exactly what I was doing that day. The family was re-upholstering some chairs in a luxurious red brocade tapestry . I even remember running my small fingers along the ornate design of the fabric to the sound of the music as I tried to sing along.

listening to this sort of personal anthem, and it brings me great satisfaction to see the personal growth I’ve done in the twenty years of the song’s release. Mr. Springsteen,thank you so much for that inspiring song that has become ingrained in the grooves of my soul!

Music is immensely integrated in our lives. My husband and I encourage our four children to listen to many types of music genres. They all play an assortment of musical instruments. In order to play great music you have to first be exposed to great music. I see much of today’s young people becoming narrow minded especially when it comes to music. I have a young friend who only wants to listen to rap music,that’s where its at for him. My children on the other hand find his point of view rather dull and uninspired. I thank God that my uncle exposed me to a vast array of classical music, because I am doing the same with my children.

God,thank you for giving us the gift of beautiful music.We can worship God in so many ways,but when we run out of words,music is there to bridge that gap between our limited earthly realm and that of God’s Kingdom.
Eva Santiago Copyright 2011

When Your Sister Turns Her Back on You

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I am the youngest of eight children. My oldest sister is six years older than I. Our mother became ill after having me. So naturally my eldest sister stepped in and took care of me as best as she could when I was but an infant. My mother passed away on what happened to be my sister’s birthday, my father’s passing came not too long after.

Looking back on my childhood, I see my sister in and out of my life at different intervals.I remember being separated from her for I don’t know how long. The day she came back,I was elated . I hung on to her when I finally saw her and I asked her.”Will you stay for a hundred days?” Back then at that age, that increment of time seemed like an eternity in my young mind.I looked up to her like a form of God at that moment . My sister… my hero.

Then there was the day that she had to leave me to come live in the United States. I was devastated. To this day I remember that we ate watermelon sprinkled with salt for breakfast. Then she was gone. I wasn’t taken to the airport to see her off. All I knew was she was gone for good.We wouldn’t be bathing our dolls anymore or letting them sit in the sun to dry off while we washed their clothes.

A few years later,my turn came to come live in the United States. I was being torn away from my other sister and brother. My last night with them,we all huddled closely in the same bed Each of us trying to comfort one another. I recall going to sleep while my other sister rocked me …I couldn’t stop crying and neither could she.

Boy was I ever surprised when I stepped off the plane on May 7, 1976 at Miami International Airport to be greeted by my eldest,”long lost sister”. It was the salve that my aching soul needed to feel welcome into a new country, family and life!
My first Christmas in the United States came and went with much fanfare. A lot of relatives came to visit. The music was rocking the house. Latin sounds permeated the atmosphere. Plenty of food and spirits to celebrate the season. In all the festivities,no one noticed that the two orphaned sisters were quietly tucked away in grandma’s bedroom. The older held the younger as they both rocked back and forth. Crying, trying to find comfort in each other’s arms.

Then there was the last Christmas that I saw my sister as a child. She came with my aunt and grandma just for the week-end. The hours flew by so quickly. When it was all said and done,she was on the Greyhound bus on a cold,damp, dreary morning. I went straight to my bed and I hugged my pillow so hard,wishing it was her instead. To this day, I still feel that ache;it reminds me of that nagging tooth ache that tells you to go see a dentist pronto or else you’ll be in for far worse.

So now where are we? More distant than ever. Life has dealt both of us blows. She is a success in her world. What she thinks of me? I have no idea! I used to resent her for still trying to mother me when I needed a sister. But time has whittled down those feelings too and left in place understanding. If she was with me right now what would I tell her? Thank you! I’m glad that you are my sister. I regret having hurt you but I was being merely human. To err is human to love is divine…I accept you with all your shortcomings and strengths will you do the same for me? I love you Mireya!
 
Eva Santiago Copyright 2011
 

Spanglish Spoken HERE!

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Photo: Jefferson_on_Mt_Rushmore.jpg Thomas Jef...
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I am bilingual. I grew up speaking Spanish and English and I see how knowing a second language can expand your vocabulary. Did you know that English is  60% French? So it would be a smart choice to teach your children a second language. Ever since my kids were born I have spoken in Spanish to them; some of them have taken to it and they speak it back to me. Not all my kids have been fans of wanting to learn Spanish and I think that’s fine; I’ve also introduced them to French. The way I see it I’d rather have them learn it because they chose to and not because I rammed it down their throats. I wanted them to embrace the Latino culture by choice not because I made it a mandatory requirement. And guess what? So far all my kids have accepted the fact that they live in a home where more than one culture is embraced.  So even though my kids aren’t fluent in Spanish; to be honest we speak a lot of Spanglish, having introduced them to another language has helped them to expand their vocabulary in ways I’d never expected.
 
” Apply to that ( The study of Spanish) with all the assiduity you can.That language and the English covering nearly the whole face of America. They should be well known to every inhabitant  who means to look beyond the limits of his farm.” – Thomas Jefferson
 
 
 

BORROWED VS OWNED

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Abigail Adams by Benjamin Blythe, 1766
Abigail Adams by Benjamin Blythe, 1766 (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
Borrowed knowledge versus ownership of knowledge. Why do parents send their kids to school? Is it so they will become smarter? Let’s face it, children are born with a natural ability to learn and soak up knowledge. But  at the end of 12 years of conventional education do they own the knowledge or did they just borrow it? There is a huge difference: Borrowed knowledge is when you are given facts by a teacher or from a book and you are required to memorize it so that you can then regurgitate the information on a test in order to pass you to the next level. Most of us who went to public school borrowed the knowledge; that’s why when you look back at so much of the information you supposedly learned in 12 years of school most of us draw a blank.
When you own knowledge on a particular subject, it stays with you for life and you will use it through out your whole life time.  Look at our youth today, why is it that they are barely graduating high school and they don’t know much. Could it be the difference between borrowed  and owned knowledge?
EVA SANTIAGO copyright 2011
“Learning is not attained by chance, it must be sought for with ardor and attended to with diligence.” – Abigail Adams, Letter to John Quincy Adams (May 8, 1780

PRAY FOR THE U.S.A.!

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We are a nation made up of people of faith. Christopher Columbus came to The New World because his faith told him contrary to what the experts of his day dictated. The Puritans came by faith. Other explorers followed after because of their faith. Faith is the substance of things hoped for; the evidence of things unseen. Every immigrant who has set out  from their country of origin has been led by their faith; a faith that hopes for life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. The evidence of that faith is seen when you come to the U.S. as an immigrant and God blesses you so that you can be a blessing to others.
 
People of faith began this nation; they fought and many shed their blood for this nation. And it’s going to take today’s people of faith to restore the U.S.A.. Pray for The U.S.A.!
 
 
 

INDEPENDENCE DEFINED

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U.S. Declaration of Independence ratified by t...
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For this Independence Day week end, my daughter Esther did a little research and compiled this beautiful message as her way of honoring our country’s birthday. Home schooling never stops; yes we’re on summer break. But that doesn’t stop my kids from continuing to learn. That is home schooling at its best; when you can impart to your children a hunger for knowledge and a love for learning, then you have done your job as a teacher. Have a great holiday everyone!
 
 
Independence defined:

 

in·de·pend·ence

–noun

1.

Also, independency. the state or quality of being independent.

2.

freedom from the control, influence, support, aid, or the like, of others.

3.

Archaic . a competency.

Woah, wait, did it say NOUN?? it’s not an adjective, or even a verb, it’s a noun.  A noun is a person, place, or thing. So INDEPENDENCE isn’t a person, or a place, perhaps it’s a thing. Why would they catergorize INDEPENDENCE as a thing?

For 235 years, America has seen alot of events good and bad:

 

Lewis & Clark expedition (through 1806)

 Louisiana Purchase

Congress declares war on Britain 

 British build naval blockade

Americans burn York (Toronto)

British burn Washington, D.C.

Jackson wins Battle of New Orleans

 Women Strike

Gold Rush

 African American slavery

Texas declares independence from Mexico

U.S. declares war on Mexico

 Atlanta Fire

13th Amendment ratified, outlawing slavery

Roe vs. Wade

Cold War

Watergate break-in occurs

The Declaration of Independence

OUR Constitution

King George’s control on the Americans

The Civil war

 World War 1 and 2

The economy crashing in 1929

The Pearl Harbor Attack

9/11

The Iraq War

The Great Chicago Fire

Hurricane Katrina

Assasinations of Lincoln, and Kennedy

Washington becomes the 1st president of the United States of America

French Revolution begins

Bill of Rights adopted by Congress

Judiciary Act of 1789

 

 

 

 

 

The inventions of :

cars, light bulbs, baseball, telephone, potato chips :D, toilet paper, burglar alarm, electric stove, jelly beans :), machine gun, motorcycle,TV, refrigerator, washing machine, football, phonograph, electric fans, skyscrapers, dishwashers, AC, and the airplane. There are alot more, but these are some of the important ones 😉 haha

“I pledge allegiance, to the flag of the United States of America and to The Republic, for Which it Stands, ONE NATION, under GOD, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.” 

 

“We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defence, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America.”

 

INDEPENDENCE IS a thing, not only a thing but a feeling. For 235 years we have stood as ONE as a nation. We have had difficulties, but over all, it is the best country in the world because AMERICA will always have the help of GOD on our side, he made that promise to us. 🙂 and God NEVER breaks his promises.

 

We all sing this:

Oh, say can you see by the dawn’s early light

What so proudly we hailed at the twilight’s last gleaming?

Whose broad stripes and bright stars thru the perilous fight,

O’er the ramparts we watched were so gallantly streaming?

And the rocket’s red glare, the bombs bursting in air,

Gave proof through the night that our flag was still there.

Oh, say does that star-spangled banner yet wave

O’er the land of the free and the home of the brave?

 

 It’s our national anthem, but do you recognize this? :

 

On the shore, dimly seen through the mists of the deep,

Where the foe’s haughty host in dread silence reposes,

What is that which the breeze, o’er the towering steep,

As it fitfully blows, half conceals, half discloses?

Now it catches the gleam of the morning’s first beam,

In full glory reflected now shines in the stream:

‘Tis the star-spangled banner! Oh long may it wave

O’er the land of the free and the home of the brave!

And where is that band who so vauntingly swore

That the havoc of war and the battle’s confusion,

A home and a country should leave us no more!

Their blood has washed out their foul footsteps’ pollution.

No refuge could save the hireling and slave

From the terror of flight, or the gloom of the grave:

And the star-spangled banner in triumph doth wave

O’er the land of the free and the home of the brave!

Oh! thus be it ever, when freemen shall stand

Between their loved home and the war’s desolation!

Blest with victory and peace, may the heav’n rescued land

Praise the Power that hath made and preserved us a nation.

Then conquer we must, when our cause it is just,

And this be our motto: “In God is our trust.”

And the star-spangled banner in triumph shall wave

O’er the land of the free and the home of the brave!

 

 These are the “forgotten” verses of our national anthem, who bothers to sing those? We remember the easy part, where we stand up and take off out hats, but we forget the heart of the message. The juicy tidbit. Francis Scott Key wrote these lyrics too. So this 4th of July, let’s salute our country, and sing the WHOLE anthem..

 

 written by a patriot, who loves her country, and will die for it. WE WERE MEANT TO BE FREE! MAY GOD BLESS AMERICA!

 

 

 

 

 

Happy Birthday!!

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It is our nation’s birthday week and and I want to tell you I get sentimental ever 4th of July. I am an immigrant; I came to the U.S.A when I was 6 years old in 1976. I remember getting out of church that sweltering July day; being that we lived in a beach town the humidity was off the charts. As we were driving home for some much needed afternoon swimming in my uncle’s pool all of a sudden people starting honking their car horns.  I noticed all the cars on the road had their lights on even though it was 12 p.m. I asked my uncle what was happening and he said as he kept honking his horn that it  was our country’s 200th birthday. I was amazed because I had just come to live in the U.S. a couple of months before and I had never heard of a country that celebrated its birthday. That night we swam late, we ate lots of water melon and watched fire works light up the summer sky and I have loved celebrating Independence Day ever since. It is one of my favorite holidays…have a great 4th!
 
 
 

Unlock Treasure

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My 3 girls attend dance lessons at an academy. They have teachers they learn a lot from and other teachers they don’t learn much from. Do you want to know what is the difference? I will be more than glad to tell you! The teachers my kids consider good and they can’t wait to see week after week are teachers who impart to them in a noble spirit; they are patient with the students and supportive. When they correct the students they don’t tear them down with harsh destructive criticism; they use constructive criticism to build up the student  thusly, the student grows. The other teachers are the complete opposite and they wear down the kid’s morale. Oh I’ve heard it from other grown ups that at times harsh critical words can aid the student in toughening her up and giving her a back bone. I disagree. ” No one has yet to fully realize the wealth of sympathy, kindness and generosity hidden in the soul of a child. The effort of true education should be to unlock the treasure.” –Emma Goldman This quote shows me that in order to bring out the best in our children we need to value them and nurture them , it doesn’t work any other way.