To You I cry, O Lord; and in the morning shall my prayer come to meet You.

~ Psalm 88:13 AMP

Maybe it was because it had been a long day  maybe it was because I was tired  maybe it was even due to me having a horrible headache  . . . I am not sure  perhaps each played a part in the outcome . . . mostly thou I think it is that I am tired - tired of the violence, drugs, drinking  . . . tired of the abnormal being normal  . . . tired of "right" now being so wrong  . . . tired . . .  

Last Sunday afternoon  a neighbor took some form of a pellet gun & shot a bird  . . . why? Oh the story seems to change rather rapidly  . . . first it was because he wanted too  . . . then it was that the "cat" ( this is the "owner" to the cat I wrote about in entry June 23rd ) had caught the bird & they needed to put it out of its misery  . . . I could go for that one, I could completely understand that except for the fact that they chose to shoot it five times  . . . once in the eye, once in a wing, another in the neck ( it is not clear where the other shots ended up )  . . . so the "putting it out of its misery" story is just not holding much water  with this information in play  . . . as well it happened during the early evening in front of a large amount of his "party people", kind of a show off power thing took play is my thought . . .

My Oldest Daughter  came in and informed me of what took place . . . I tried to calm her down but she was truly heartbroken over it  . . . the individual who did this happens to be the step-father of a child she plays with, he also happens to be a major drug dealer around here, & feels he owns the street  . . . every evening  there are near 15-30+ individuals ranging in ages from infant  to adults  outside his trailer playing basketball  riding bikes  drinking  cussing  play fighting  bringing pit bulls out, fireworks  playing awful music  using horrible language   ( and now I am told by a neighbor that he has prositutes up there as well ) . . . he resides at the top of the street so to enter and/or leave you have to go pass this area  . . .  it is not a comfortable situation, yet it goes on each & every day ( yes at times they do this during the day  as well ) . . . the park manager? Oh I have been told by others that he & she are "really good friends" . . . need I say anything more??!!!

Anyhow . . . as I said my Oldest  was very upset, so was I  . . . I tried to explain to her some things but it was a difficult conversation . . . then the boy whose step-father did this & some of his friends decided to stop over  . . . when my Oldest  asked him why his step-father did it we were told because he wanted too & then we got to witness him & his friends go on & on in graphic detail about how "cool" it was to see this bird flinch & wallow in pain  . . . part of my daily prayers  to God is to take a lock  off my heart  & place it on my mouth   , even for God locking my lips is a serious challenge! So to see these kids who range in ages under 10 years gloating & talking trash  . . . well, sadly I had no lock & said many things that in hindsight I am quite certain I could have handled much much better  . . . it did not go very well at all . . . they were not listening to me, & I was not listening to them . . . well, completely listening that is . . . for they heard me call the step-father a very not so top notch choice name & I heard "revenge" . . .

For quite some time that evenin'  we had this group of kids, again I remind you all under the age of 10, riding their bikes  pass our trailer "announcing" that I needed to apologize for calling the step-father a name . . . you know, calling him a name especially in front of childern was not one of my wisest actions I agree  . . . we all do quite stupid things in heated moments, this is an area I am working on . . . but with the kids still discussing how cool the killing was & trying to intimadate me  . . . I gotta tell ya' pride stepped in, which is not a good thing either . . . I explained to them that what the step-father did I did not feel was right, I voiced my opinion, end of subject . . . mmm, not quite, not quite  . . . as I stated neither of us were listening . . . all they were wanting to hear was me to say I am sorry . . . but the more they tried to "armstrong" me the more I got angry myself, & the more I realized this step-father truly was the name I pulled out of my rump  . . .  my final straw was when this one child who is 11 announced "we will get the whole neighborhood to cuss her out if she does not apologize"  . . . can you see how idotic this has become now? The 11 year old is a HUGE trouble maker, he thrives on talking about everyone to everyone, truth is something he can not comprehend . . . he choose to stand behind my Hubs truck talking trash  about me, when I stood up & informed him he was welcome to come right over to where I was & talk  to me he tried to act like he was not talking about me at all & ran off only to come back & do this a few more times - interesting he choose not to step on our property . . .  arrggghhh  . . . this is the same kid who spent hours  here after school because he was afraid to go home alone, who ate our food, played computer, etc etc . . . he is also the same kid that comes over to play with my Oldest  until something better comes along . . . I have low tolerance for these things  but due to Oldest  request I attempt to bite my tongue  . . .

 The boy who's step-father shot the bird? He has a speech impairment & has been made fun of  by the same children he was riding about in a pack  . . . my Oldest  has never made fun of him, has even sat with him when he was feeling low  trying to cheer him up  . . . he too has been here when he was alone, eatting our food, playing our computer, watching TV, playing, walking around the neighborhood with us  . . .  argh argh argh  . . .

It got to one point that it became obvious I was not going to take back my words so with the encouragement of his pack the boy went & told his father what I said . . . which then had them come back & tell me what his father supposedly said  . . . my reply? Fine . . . they did not like that reply so they again go back to the step-father, then back to me but this time with a nastier supposed remark  . . . again I reply . . . fine . . . this too did not set well with them so again the back & forth & yet a more nasty remark was relayed to me  . . . I sighed heavily knowing these "sweet young children" were just really wanting to see a fight . . told them again Fine but added I was told something that I did not think was right, I expressed my opinion, he has expressed his, said & done . . . hhhhmmm, yeah  . . . . this seemed to make them feel that they needed to ride their bikes continously back & forth in front of our trailer as they talked loudly about the "coolness" of the bird dieing . . . mmmm   . . . they were truly trying to egg me on . . . but instead they really have broken my heart  ( which I am sure would bring them joy as well ) . . . I feel badly for these kids, very badly  . . . now I am far far far from being perfect that is for sure, I am not parent of the year . . . any year! But their actions make it obvious the environments they are being raised in, environments that our society has enabled & said it is okay . . . violence, cruelty, intimadation, disrespect - are all acceptable . . . & you need to agree or shut up! As I mentioned keeping a lock  on my mouth has yet to be accomplished, so I don't think I will be shutting up anytime soon  . . .

 God, I'm glad You know what today holds. Thank You for  equipping me with everything I need to face everything ahead. You're truly wonderful! Amen

~ May you ALWAYS be Blessed & may you ALWAYS Bless others ~

 He brought me out to a wide-open place; He rescued me because He delighted in me.

~ Psalm 18:19 HCSB

This morning I came across this  . . . amazing! This 10 year old reminded me of Jonny Lang, I recalled how impressed I was by him when he first came out . . . so I got curious of what he was up to & did a quick search & found some 'lil tidbits but the one that struck me the most was a song he was singing:

"Thankful" song by Jonny Lang


Jonny Lang : Thankful Lyrics

Which lead me to this:

I am hopeful these lil things help to lift your spirits & have you singing Praise

 God, I thank You for teaching me to trust You during this difficult time. Help me to honor You in all that I do. Amen.

~ May you ALWAYS be Blessed & may you ALWAYS Bless others ~

 O God, do not keep silent; do not be still, do not be quiet!

~ Psalm 83:1 GNT

JOTW??!!!! 

Wowzers!  Not quite sure what to say in response to this other then . . .

What a pleasant surprise  - Thank You! & perfect timing  . . .

See I came across another individuals Blog who had won the JOTW  about two weeks  back & I have been reading  it ever since . . . this individual, like so many of us, is going through a time with his house  . . . been there, done that myself  - except it wasn't our house  but where we had resided ( if you hadn't heard my story on that, well that is for another entry, another time - I am going to let that horse rest  . . . so I truly understood what he was enduring in so many ways  . . .

My heart  went out to him, his wife & all his furbabies ( one is not furry thou! more like scale-y  . . . while I was not familar  with where they resided nor am I able to help in physical ways I knew I could try to be there, make suggestions & keep them all in  My Prayers, Well Wishes & Warmest of Warm Thoughts  . . .

It is never too late to make a difference! Small things ( even if it just a few kinds words ) do matter & make changes!

So again I thank  You  so kindly for the JOTW  & ask if you can take just a small bit of time to go visit  . . .

Mike's Pet Blog

I think he & his loved ones would greatly appreciate this . . . I know I shall!

 God, even if I can't hear You, I trust You. Thank You for Your faultless character and for continuing to work on my behalf. Amen

~ May you ALWAYS be Blessed & may you ALWAYS Bless others ~

Imprisoned felons foster cats, dogs

Dogs help injured soldiers under gov't program
VA hospitals are integrating service dogs into traditional treatment plans


Car wash raises money for activist’s funeral
Washington state motorists contributed as much as $100 a piece


Calif. man with 3 jobs wins $39 million lottery
49-year-old plans to take wife to Hawaii — and hire financial adviser

Michigan teen makes 100-mile wheelchair trek
Boy overcomes scoliosis, cerebral palsy to raise $20,000 for beloved camp

~ May you ALWAYS be Blessed & may you ALWAYS Bless others ~

In my entry  for June 23rd I mentioned I am attempting  a small garden on the side of the house where I had a . . . mmmmm . . . hhhhmmm . . . mmmmm . . .  a "mishap" with a pack of carrots  & parsnip . . . thought I would try to take pix  to give you an idea . . . it looks worse in person  . . .

It is a nice thick row on near the buttom, but the rain pushed many up & out & about like crazy mad

I was going to at first try to pluck some out here & there ( I am a picker person, I like picking at things ) but after about 15 minutes  & being uncertain  of what route I wanted to take I have come to the conclusion . . . carrots & parsnip are not going to be for me  !!! The seeds are too teeny  & I . . well, I am not that patient  . . . so I am going to pluck them out  . . . still got some corn  there as well as pea sugar snaps . . . had watermelon  but moved them up to the front entrance . . . I am really wanting to get some pumpkin  seeds & give those a whirl . . .

- * -

The other nite  Hub came home late due to stopping at our storage unit & emptying it out of all our contents  . . . wasn't much in there for we had sold  most it off within the last year  , but what was there was some cheerished items  . . . we just caught up with storage, they were getting ready to auction the items off  . . . wouldv'e we missed the stuff? Yeah, but they are just material items so you live you learn eh  . . . Glory Be To God & Praise Jesus    we were able to catch up with them . . . going through one box  I did find an ole photo album yeilding some pix  of me as a kid . . . found a few of my Daddy's garden  . . .

I do miss my Daddy  & that garden . . .

 God, thank You that I don't have to live under the oppression of these issues any longer. Thank You for freeing me and loving me, Lord God. Amen

~ May you ALWAYS be Blessed & may you ALWAYS Bless others ~