Why I chose to Blog

I started this Blog for my own personal reasons to describe, account and document life in Rural North Carolina and my views as an American. The views expressed in these pages are my own, unless shared by me from other sources. I declare that I am a Christian, I am not a Racist nor do I have racist views. I graduated from High School and have extensive college education. I have served in the Public Sector for over 20+ years. I have a love for God, for my Country, my Family and for my fellow man. I believe in the Bible, in the 1st. and 2nd Amendments and I choose not to burn my Flags. (which I have two – the American Flag and the Christian Flag).

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Almost Famous Quotes …..

Almost Famous Quotes:

I went searching the other day and found some very interesting and almost Famous Quotes to live by and, as life would have it – they still ring true today.  Whether you call it Food for Thought, Famous Quotes, Wisdom of the Wise or some other adjective – you will be sure to take away something just for you and your life.

Enjoy…..

Provide for yourself first and then share what you have.

Not on our soil, Not on our lands, Not in our homes and Not to our families!

I’m not saying don’t give refuge, but I am saying that you have to take care of yourself first before you can take care of anybody else!

Don’t let someone else’s opinion of you become your reality

If opportunity doesn’t knock, build a door.

Life is not measured by the amount of breaths you take, but by the moments that take your breath away

NOBODY can hurt ME without MY Permission!!!

Sometimes by losing a battle you find a new way to win the war.

Attitude is a little thing that makes a Big Difference!

As you think – so shall you become!

Don’t waste time because time is what Life is made of……

The Stiffest Tree is easily cracked but the Bamboo survives by bending with the wind!

Learn to Hold instead of to be held.

When your Mom asks “Do I look stupid” – it’s best not to answer!

When you complain about doing the dishes – you usually get stuck doing them more often!

It’s funny how God uses simple people to do great things!

When people say that Life is Hard – I always want to ask – Compared to what??

It’s never too late to say you’re sorry!

IF you want to change the World – Start in your own Backyard! – Tug

You’ll always get a Zit on important days.

You never know how loud you are until you have to be quiet

Being a good friend is like peeing on yourself – everyone can see it but only you get the warm feeling it brings!

Knowledge is knowing that a tomato is a fruit – Wisdom is not putting it into a fruit salad!

Going to Church doesn’t make you a Christian any more than standing in a garage makes you a car!

One match can start a forest fire, but it takes a whole box of matches to start a campfire.

 

And finally for my Wife – IF I could choose between loving you and breathing,  I would use my last breath to say I LOVE YOU

WAKE UP AMERICA

WAKE UP AMERICA AND LOOK AT THE SH@T STORM THAT IS HEADED OUR WAY…………

This article is about the type of government the Islamic jihadist group that calls itself “the Islamic State”, for the Foreign and Domestic Terrorists that are wreaking Havoc in and on our lands and for the acts of Treason that have been committed by our people.

Please pardon my expletive nature in the title but I had to grad your attention.  Folks – this is serious. You really don’t understand the full gravity of the ever developing circumstances that have been happening around the world lately. Over the course of the last 6 years, there have been more and more attacks both foreign and domestic. Up until recently, these attacks have been sparse and “at arm’s length” but now more than ever we need to be vigilant as there has been a rise in Domestic Terrorism. My intention is NOT to alarm anyone but moreover to make you aware of what is really going on in the world and in our back yard.

Have you seen these people?

Or even these People:

These people look just like or eerily similar to people that we see here every day (in America). They may live next door or run a Shop in your neighborhood. The fact remains, that we should have Immigration Laws and Guidelines to ensure our safety. We should have strict laws that deal with Domestic Terrorism and strict laws that deal with Treason (remember Treason)?  In law,  treason is the crime that covers some of the more extreme acts of violence and non-violence against one’s nation or sovereign.

Oran’s Dictionary of the Law (1983) defines treason as a “citizen’s actions to help a foreign government overthrow, to make war against, or seriously injure the [parent nation]”. In America, it is also considered treason to attempt or conspire to overthrow the government, even if no foreign country is aiding or involved by such an endeavor. I think I have recently seen this in the news and is going on now as a matter of fact.

As a young child, when I did something wrong or against my Parents rules, we received a Whooping, a Spanking, we got grounded, sat in a corner and we got our toys taken away.  Hmmmm, so what happened if we did it again, well we got punished even worse the next time until eventually we learned that that type of behavior was not acceptable.  We learned from our decision and actions. We learned that those actions had consequences.

                              

I have brought up all of that to say this – we, as a Nation – have sat back and let ourselves become complacent, become so slack and in a sense transitioned into the “United States of the Offended” for so long that we are now scared or unable to speak up and do the right thing for fear of retaliation. This younger generation that has been brought up and raised to be more accepting and tolerant of certain situations need to realize the severity of what is really going on. The more we “give” the more they “take”. – Plain and simple. Most people will think that I am being too harsh or paranoid – but I have seen a lot in my short time, I know the patterns and I know what is coming.

Nothing before or since the terror attacks of 9/11 in terms of lives lost, scope, and impact have been so devastating. We know that the al Qaeda led and inspired operatives still seek to strike our homeland to include the use of weapons of mass destruction.  Globally fueled terrorism continues to occupy much of our attention to this day. As we were reminded by the shootings in Kansas, Arkansas, and the nation’s capital over just 11 days this spring, the threat of domestic terror—Americans attacking Americans based on U.S.-based extremist ideologies—is alive and well. Today’s domestic terror threats run deep, from hate-filled white supremacists… Black supremacists…to highly destructive eco-terrorists…to violence-prone anti-government extremists…to radical separatist groups.

It’s an especially tall order to try to prevent these attacks given the civil liberties we all enjoy as American citizens, including the right to free speech. Hate and anger are not crimes; neither are hard-line and poisonous ideologies. It’s only when actions by groups or individuals cross the line into threats, the actual use of force or violence, or other law-breaking activities where it then becomes terrorism.

As a point of reference – listed below are some (but not all) forms of Terrorists:

Domestic Terrorists

• Homegrown Violent Extremists, •Racist Skinhead Extremists, •Sovereign Citizen Extremists, •Supremacist Extremists (black and white), •Militia Extremists, •Animal Rights Extremists, •Anti-Abortion Extremists, •Environmental Rights Extremists, •Anarchist Extremists, •Lone Offender
• Facilitators and Unwitting Co-optees.

 

Domestic Terrorism (DHS/FBI)

Is the threat of or Act of violence.

• Is dangerous to life, potentially destructive of critical infrastructure or key resources
• can be committed by group or individual
• can be operating entirely within US without direction or inspiration from foreign terrorist group

 

Gangs    (MS13, Bloods, Crips, etc)

Self Admission, Tattoos, Hand Signs/Symbols/Logos, Wearing colors, clothing, Paraphernalia, Possessing related documents, Possessing and or participation of commercial publications, Consistent contact with Gang members, Photos with Gang members, Corresponding with Gang members, Confirmation by outside agency gang unit/database, Identified as Gang member by gang member or by a reliable informant.

*Some lengthy information I know but well worth the read.  Consider #unarmedselfdefence, #Shoot/DontShoot, #CCW*

IF you think that this type of violence/Terrorism will not affect you – in your neighborhood – think again!  Check out http://www.johnstonsarchive.net/terrorism/wrjp255a.html or Just ask the people in the Wisconsin Sikh Temple massacre, Aug. 5, 2012, The murder of Dr. George Tiller, May 31, 2009, Knoxville Unitarian Universalist Church shooting, July 27, 2008., The murder of Dr. John Britton, July 29, 1994, The Centennial Olympic Park bombing, July 27, 1996., The murder of Barnett Slepian by James Charles Kopp, Oct. 23, 1998, the Planned Parenthood bombing, Brookline, Massachusetts, 1994, the Suicide attack on IRS building in Austin, Texas, Feb. 18, 2010, The murder of Alan Berg, June 18, 1984 and the Timothy McVeigh and the Oklahoma City bombing, April 19, 1995.

Low carb is so simple they said, Eat it – you’ll like it they said – Enough Already!

Low carb is so simple they said,
Eat it – you’ll like it they said,
Don’t knock it till you try it they said,
Yada Yada Yada – Enough Already!

Ok so my title needed a little work but it got your attention!

Before you give up on reading this post – please let me say this!  The most important thing in my life (other than God) is spending time with my family and being able to interact with them and enjoy life with them on a daily basis. If you love your family as much as I love mine then you should really think about your health!!!

I have been eating “healty-ish” for about 3 months now. Along with doing Thrive which gives me my energy and drive and makes me feel like my metabolism has been recharged, I have really reduced my Carb intake or tried to on a daily basis. I have reached a point in my life where I seriously needed to do something to improve my health. My knees, back and ankles were all jacked up which caused me to get really really lazy.

Jokingly I would say “I came in the world fat, dumb and happy and that’s the way I’m going out”! Ok so maybe I have gotten a little older and a little wiser and that just isn’t my total view of life anymore. I want to enjoy this time here on earth because this world is not my home and we should all try to have fun and enjoy it while we are here.

Ever since I was little, I have loved food (a curse I have since passed onto my daughter – of all three of my children, she had to be the one).  Anyways, I can remember visiting my Grandma and as soon as we walked in the door, we all headed straight for the Refrigerator because Grandma always had something special in there for us. Mom was a great cook and she and my sister taught me how to cook at an early age. Fried Egg sandwiches were my favorite back then.

As I got older, I ventured into other venues and tried my hand at more gourmet styles and traditional recipes and I found what I loved more than anything and that was cooking. Cooking gave me a sense of worth and accomplishment, it gave me satisfaction and just plain made me feel good. So as you can see – my love of food runs deep. No wonder why I have always struggled to maintain……….  ( I make a mean Carolina Barbecue).

Fast forward to 2017 and up until three months ago, I had gotten really out of shape. I had seriously put on some much Un-wan-ted extra weight and I was just dragging both feet in the sand. I mean it was bad! Anyways, I had the chance to visit with my sister in person one day and I saw her for like the first time in 4 months and she was about half the size that she used to be. Now Brenda is about 5 years older than me and she was the one that I always listened to growing up. She was the “Big Sister” and looked out after us boys so we really didn’t have a choice in the matter – but whatever.  So I’m looking at my sister and I finally had to ask – how did you do it? How did you lose all that weight? Brenda looked at me and said – It was no big deal – I just switched to Low Carb. – Wait What?  YEAH RIGHT!

She said when eating low carb you eat until satisfied of the following whole natural foods:  meat, chicken, fish, eggs, full fat dairy (if tolerated), nuts, and all above ground veggies.  You can even add berries and low card RediWhip if you want a sweet treat.  Brenda had cut her Carb intake to below 50 carbs per day. Stay away from Bread, Pasta, Rice, Sugar, Soft Drinks and Root Vegetables.

So now I am on my third month of my Thrive/Low Carb routine and I have to say WOW – This Really Works for me! There is plenty of food for me to eat and I have lost a total of 35 pounds, and several inches from my waist. My feet, ankles and knees are not swollen as bad anymore and I don’t hurt all over like I used to. I can actually move around better. I have all the energy I need and I don’t have the urges to eat like I used to. I am still getting what my body need to maintain a healthy lifestyle and I can actually burn away unwanted pounds that I don’t want! Yay for me I know.

But Now I have to add – what have you got to lose??? For me this is the real deal! This is the Truth! I am not trying to sell you anything, I am not trying to influence you politically or spiritually. I am simply saying that this worked for me and I urge you to just give it a try.

 Now I say –
Low carb is so simple
Eat it – you’ll like it
Don’t knock it till you try it

 

Here are some examples of what I eat now.

Low Carb Snacks and Foods:

Frozen Shrimp sautéed in butter and Garlic

Pork Skins with Pimento Cheese on top

Diced up Peaches with a dollop of flavored Cream Cheese and Rediwhip

Low Carb Tortilla roll ups (Ham, Cheese, Chicken Salad, etc.)

Pork Skins broken up as Croutons

Chef Salads.

Mashed Cauliflower with Cream Cheese mixed in.

Cottage Cheese with diced Onions – salt and pepper added

Broccoli and Cheese

Loaded Baked Cauliflower Casserole

Grilled Steak and Chicken

Lightly breaded Shrimp and Flounder

Peanut Butter Pork Skins

All Vegetables (except Root Veggies).

 

The trick for me is trying to stay between 30 and 50 carbs per day. Don’t be too strict on yourself, it’s ok to reward yourself every once in a while. Have fun with it.

 

Still don’t believe me – I am sure that my fellow Low Carber Carla over at https://barbellsnbites.com/2017/04/11/10-things-i-love-about-low-carb/ could possibly change your mind!!!!!  ( Sorry about the cheesy plug there Carla  – LOL).

No Charge…….

No Charge …….

Originally penned in 1974 by Harlan Howard and recorded by Melba Montgomery, for me, “No Charge” was really made famous by Gospel Singer Shirley Caesar in 1975. Keep in mind that I was born in 1968 so I was 7 when she recorded it – it wasn’t until the year 2000 when it truly hit home for me. My Mother had some issues that she was forced to deal with and in an attempt to maintain my faith, I began listening to more Gospel, worship and praise songs and music.  That’s when I discovered that wonderful song and gifted singer.

I have always loved what is typically known as Southern Black Gospel.  Songs and Hymns that, for the most part were performed by the African American Culture in the South. Jubilee songs and sorrow songs were two types of spirituals that emerged during the 18th and 19th centuries and were adapted throughout the decades. This type of Gospel has always grabbed my heart and made me feel closer and stronger to my faith than any other music. Now please don’t get me wrong, I truly love Bluegrass Gospel just as much but there is something about the Black Southern Gospel.

Now for those of you, who have never heard the song “No Charge”, please let me give you a synopsis of what it is about:

A young boy hands his mother an itemized list of charges he says he’s owed for performing various chores and comes to collect. The mother responds by reminding her son about all the things she’s done for him, that she never asked him to pay for services rendered and that, all things considered, “the cost of real love is no charge.” Enlightened, the young boy realizes that his mother is right and changes the amount due to “paid in full”. “No Charge” was one of the few songs that talked about motherhood during this time of the Christian movement, which might be one of the reasons why it was so popular.

As a young boy, I was very tender hearted and Mom used to always say that I got my heart from her. Mom is now 72 years old and to this day – my Mother and I often refer back to this song to remind us just what our love has endured over the years. The love between a Mother and a Child is something very special and that it is often times taken for granted by so many. There are also so many people that, for whatever reason; are abandoned physically or emotionally by their parents and loved ones and who have not experienced this blessing. I am very thankful for my Mother and I thank God every day for what I have.

If you have never heard this song before – I urge you to check it out. Like I said, I prefer Shirley Caesar’s rendition but any musician / Singer will surely do it justice.

Now go Hug your Mother – and tell her you Love her!

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EUREKA!!!!! I have found my Inspiration –

Eureka!!! – I have found my inspiration – A worthy cause to invest my time and energy in.

As I sat here earlier forcing myself to think of something to write about, when I received a phone call from my “Significant Other” (I stopped calling her my Wife and decided to call her anything else but that. A Wife holds too much responsibility and represents the Un-fun mundane responsibilities of being an Adult so I call her my Girlfriend, My Lover, My Soulmate, My Best Friend, My Significant Other, etc.).  (I guess that needs to be for a later post).

Anyway, back to the phone call – We started discussing finances, and how much it was going to cost to enroll our Daughter back in Travel Volleyball this season (I guess my Wife did call after all – LOL).  We spoke about whether or not Sandy would be coaching again this year or would she want to hand that off to someone else.  We discussed the long distance travel back and forth to other areas to compete, train and practice. We went over the logistics, finances, time and energy that would need to be spent to achieve all of this – then it hit me.

Instead of going to another county and joining their Volleyball Team, why don’t we just start our own Volleyball League here in Warren County! Surely there will be enough support from the Youth. After all, they have only had 2 years of County Rec. Volleyball established here and there have been good turnouts for those despite the fact that most Rec. Leagues are just beginner stages anyways. It would give them something to aspire to and put forth some real effort and talent in. Heck, I can even get some sponsors to help put in a double Volleyball Court at the Rec. Center – shouldn’t be an issue!!!  I thought.

Sure the cost would still be there but isn’t this what we have been talking about for so long – our family credo – “If you want to change the world – start in your own back yard”!  I told Sandy what I wanted to do and she did the Wifely thing and said – “No – you would not get the support from the families in this rural area for such a costly undertaking”.  We happen to live in one of the poorest counties in North Carolina by the way. I understand all of this but our children in this county deserve something fun and worth while to invest their time in and the Parents (at least the ones who are involved with what their children are doing) will support their dreams and ambitions – Just my opinion.

So off I go …………………

Step one – send out “feelers” for those who would be interested in creating and joining a Travel Volleyball Club.

Step two – Get the Sponsors and the Funding for the Equipment.

Step three – Duuuhhhhhhhh…………………………….

Ok so maybe I should give this some more thought and come up with a really good plan of action. Hey – wait – organize a “Call to Action”! I need more people involved – I need more thoughts on this and I need my “Wife” to help guide me  J  Hmmmmm     (Oh how she is going to love this………..). I will let you know how that turns out later  LOL.

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Searching…… reaching…… empty handed?

Over the course of the last 2 weeks, I have struggled for something to write about. Sure, I have many thoughts and ideas throughout my day but nothing that I truly want to write about that would reflect my true feelings, emotions and nature. I guess what I am looking for is something with “meat on its bones”. (Speaking of Meat – I love to cook for those of you who do not know). Unlike some of the great Authors here on WordPress, I find myself wanting to write and express myself but when I have a chance to sit down and write something, I draw a blank – so freaking frustrating!

So I have decided to set up camp and leave this up for the day, go about my normal routine and see what comes to mind – a few lines at a time. Sound Fun?? Well we shall see! (speaking of camp – I really need to finish my “to-do” list on my RV so that I can go camping).

First off – it’s not as easy as it sounds. I walk away to do something and my mind wanders back to this page – back to my un-thoughts, because as soon as I sit down, I lose it. I have so much in this life to be thankful for, so much love, happiness and blessings that I can write about, I just can’t bring them to the forefront. I am starting to get a bit worried about this actually – does this mean that I am coming down with depression, has my life gotten so mundane and routine? I am going to force myself to find inspiration. Not that I need inspiration to live my life….. (speaking of inspiration, do you know that God loves you?).

Eureka – I have found my inspiration. A worthy cause to invest my time and energy in. I have the greatest idea of all times. At least for this minute……. So now I must bid this post adieu and say  – Empty Handed? – I think not!

Don’t give up! Keep the positive flowing – fight the good fight – and keep writing!

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LIFESTYLE……..

Lifestyle………

A new post in response to today’s one-word prompt. 05/05/2017

Today the topic for the one word prompt is Lifestyle. I don’t usually chime in on these by writing but today I felt that the stars lined up just right and I had an inspiration.

Today marks the 4th week of my full-time Thrive Journey. For those of you who are not aware of what Thrive or Le-Vel is, let me just say this. It is an “all Natural, Plant Based Pure Clean Energy supplement” and whole nutrition that your body desperately needs! Plain and simple.

No this is not a plug for Le-Vel or Thrive but these products along with my decision to slightly modify my eating habits and carb intake has resulted in a marked weight reduction by 30 pounds in 6 weeks. So to say the least – this is my official notice to myself of my Lifestyle change.

All my life I have struggled with my weight. (One of the many traits inherited from my Mothers’ side of the family), I have always joked that “I came into this world Fat, Dumb and Happy and that’s the way I’m going out” but I am starting to have second thoughts on that. Not saying that I don’t carry my weight well but I am not sloppy looking either. Looking back at my life as a whole, there has always been so much that I have missed out on because I had always been very self-conscious about my weight and never wanted to put myself out there in such a position where it would be noticed more than what it already was. Only fluffy heavier people know what I am talking about – lol The Struggle is real!!!

So over the past few weeks, I have noticed my energy level skyrocket, which in turn makes me more active, (I could always talk myself out of doing something for one reason or another). I found myself making healthier choices and my focus was intense. I actually have a sharper, clearer minded view of my life and what I want to accomplish. My family has also noticed a significant change in my physical and emotional appearance. I have never been one to weigh myself and I don’t think I want to start either. But I will say that I have noticed that my clothes are not fitting anymore. I have gone down in sizes and have had to start wearing a belt all the time now. So my Lifestyle has changed and I really feel good about where it is headed. Looking forward to many more days of these little changes that make up the big picture.