Repressed Voter??? "Vote Or Die" P-Diddy.. my review yesterday's O Show

I think I have made it a well established fact that I do not watch Oprah often.  Sure I may see the first few lines of the rebroadcast they have on my local station at 2 a.m. just as my eyes are closing and my mind is drifting away.. but other than that, nope.  I am not in her book club.  I do not subscribe to her magazine.  I AM NOT A FAN OF DR. PHIL. Why?  No reason.. I just haven't caught the O Fever like I see so many have.  I really do enjoy her acting.. one of my fav movies is The Color Purple.  I am real happy she does so much for those who are disadvantaged but I also think she benefits from that publicity also. She is a reporter/talkshow host.. and we all know how I view reporters " )  But I don't know her heart, that is for God to judge.

Anyway.. My friend Amy called me yesterday afternoon asking if I had seen Oprah today.  You should have heard me laugh.. how well does Amy know me by now?? I ofcourse said nope.. I let the kids have the TV during the day pretty much.  She was going on this rant about something Cameron Diaz had said and went into how the show was all about getting women to vote and how slanted it was and obvious that they was backing in unspoken terms, the Democratic Party. (AMY REALLY SHOULD HAVE HER OWN BLOG LOL)  Ofcourse I answered back how I wish I had seen it so I could complain about it too lol but from her description it did seem a tad unfair not to have both sides represented.  Shame on you O.. Someone should e-mail her I was telling Amy.  I told Amy I would watch the rebroadcast and most likely would do a post about it if it was warranted for me to blow off steam.  So here we go...

 Oprah's Voting Party

"All Star Cast to get you off your ass to vote" Oprah.

For one I do not like Hollywood telling me I should or should not vote for any particular person.. But it is nice they did register all these ppl who may have not got off their duffs to do it.  Will they go out and vote now they are registered? The numbers will tell in Nov. I guess.  And to give credit they did not mention any one candidate who they back but they did raise some issues they felt strongly about.. and if you follow the political agendas you know who they are likely voting for.

Drew was plugging her documentary that is to air on MTV that she took a year to make about politics.  She, like many young Americans (Drew your 28 you are almost out of that category ya know lol jk) has never followed it and had not voted.  She claims it was because it was not something talked about in her home life so she didn't care until later.  And I can see that, true enough... Politics wasn't talked about much unless you included my dad bashing the President and calling him a Jack Ass.. did he go into why he was a JA.. NO.. lol and that was about Reagan, Bush and Clinton.. so no political lines was instilled in me folks.  I do recall seeing Clinton on MTV and that was one of the deciding factors in me casting a vote for him when he ran the second term and I was 18.  But I also recall taking government class when I was trying to finish up my credits to graduate.  It was kind of an independent study thing and I got as deep as I could get with just the text book and the library to go off of.. I was not net savvy at the time.  I did learn the org. of the political parties and I knew about the Electoral College.. I had to present in class and I used diagrams and transparencies lol I do recall impressing on my fellow class mates that Voting is your voice and don't you dare complain about how things are run unless you have voted.. This is when they was taking away the welfare in Wis and starting a that thing called Welfare to Work Program. Our teachers had us all in a tissy about it. But I digress...

Can someone tell me what a "Repressed Voter" is??? ONE THAT DOESN'T VOTE!  You cannot blame anyone but them who choose not to use that freedom, that choice on who is elected to represent their needs in our goverment. at all levels.  A very good point was made was that Politicians only listen to those who vote, those are the ones who get them there and they are accountable to.  WOMEN.. did you know 40 million of us DID NOT vote in the last election???  If every women who is qualified votes in this election, it would decide the whole shebang!  I bet Susan B. Anthony could have never dreamed of us having that much power in America!  Scary if we all get PMS that day huh! Just kidding, I know that was BAD.

Next up was Cameron Diaz.. Oh she had passion and even used scare tactics to try and get us interested.  Tears even.  I don't blame her, if I truly believed if we don't vote then they will legalize RAPE, I would be crying too.. but come on girl!  Telling ppl bull is not going to get the job done, well maybe.. People believe anything Celbs. have to say these days. And then she went into her "moment" of despair because we are viewed sooo poorly around the World these days.. we are going to be all alone.. Here honey.. take a tissue.  I would rather be all alone in this world standing up for right than have all the nations love us for toting the status quo and letting thousands of others die and perhaps our own security be more in jeopardy. We don't need the World, The World NEEDS US and they hate that fact so they try and tear us down to their level.  Ya I know.. One World.. we should eventually have One Government for us all.. Less probs right.. ya and you will have less of that voice of representation and give sovernty over to others.

Christina was on next with her lovely new hairdo.  She was the women on the streets getting ppl to register in LA.  One guy said I will do ANYTHING YOU TELL ME TO! Nice.. Christian's big issue was Women's Shelters and funding was being taken way for that.  Her mother was in that situation so she was raised in that environment.. I feel ya girl!  That is terrible.. NO WOMEN should have to live like that!  I do believe there should be places to go for help and it would be nice if Government could kick in some dollars for it.  But.. We cannot cry about balancing the budget and give to every cause out there too.  How much money do you make Christina?  With just 10% of that I am sure you could fund many, many homes and keep them running for along time.  If we has private citizens would do more to help, instead of demanding our government to fund everything with our taxes and mismanage it too, then we would be sooooo much better off.  I know if I had to pay less in taxes I would have more money to give to causes I believed in and they wouldn't probably fair better than what ever measly crumb the US government would give them and they could decide how to run it themselves without being told how to do this or that.  Can you tell I am for less government?? Sorry to sound cold or sarcastic.  But it is my money!  Let me choose who gets it from me!

Mr. P-Diddy!  Who tried sooooo hard to convince the one women who said she would think about it after the  show to register.. bribing her even.. lol Yep sex sells everything.  But I did like his piece he did and how he pointed out most of the politicians speak in circles and sound bites.  Sooo true!  I want one of those T-shirts too! VOTE OR DIE is his slogan. we do have a say so in our future!

I would say this was a good show for the most part. Some of those who are not educated about why it is so important to Vote may have got some good info.  I didn't see it too slanted but there was an unbalance there for sure. 

Really People.. If you are not registered and Can.. go do so.. AND VOTE!  Put up or Shut up as they say!  Oct 5th is the cut off date for registration.. mine is done.. how about yours?

Oh and also a Repressed Voter is also ONE who doesn't bother deciding what they believe and find out what candidate best follows their wants and needs!  So research. Don't just take the news blerps and sound bites given!

BTW.. I am registered as a non partisan.  I see a lot of myself in the Rep. and some in the Dem.  But I know the issues I feel very strongly on and what ever candidate fits that best gets my vote.  Not every one who claims to be of one party or the other follows the party's line..

That's about right ..

Your eye color is dark blue. You rely on your logic
solely, and may have more mature interests than
many of your friends and family your age. You
can sometimes also be interverted and lonely
from a lack of understanding with people, and
can be rather frustrated with some types of
folke. Some may describe you as cold and
distant, and you are honest with how you feel
about things.

What Color Eyes Should You Have? ( With Anime Pictures ^-^ )
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My eyes are BLUE but they go back and forth from light to dark... all depends on the mood I am in : )

>>> wil92.com-live online player <<<</A> If you want to listion to cornbread in the mornings with me tomorrow! Pray that we get threw tomorrow!!! :-D

gurrrrr I almost called Conrbread something not soo nice.. but my kids are cute.

:: 92.3 WIL - Today's Best Country ::

You all know how bad we want to go to this concert right?(post I wrote talking about it last month)!  But you should not do this to kids this early in the morning!

Tom Petty Writes songs about ME! Why no one belive me.. here are just a few examples..

Josh is the one who got me into Tom Petty when we was teens.. and I always like to tease that Tom knew me and most of his songs are about me.. Mary's Last Dance for example lol and now I found a song that talks about honey bee and Milwaukee!  Will you believe me now!?  Tom is my long lost.. um something.. *wink*

Come on now, give me some sugar
Give me some sugar, little honey bee
Don’t be afraid, not gonna hurt you
I wouldn’t hurt my little honey bee

Don’t say a word, ’bout what we’re doin’
Don’t say nothin’ little honey bee
Don’t tell your momma, don’t tell your sister
Don’t tell your boyfriend, little honey bee

She like to call me king bee
She like to buzz ’round my tree
I call her honey bee
I’m a man in a trance
I’m a boy in short pants
When I see my honey bee
And I’ve got something to say

Look here now, peace in the valley
Peace in the valley with my honey bee
Don’t say a word, ’bout what we’re doin’
Don’t say nothin ’ little honey bee

She give me her monkey hand
And a rambler sedan
I’m the king of Milwaukee
Her juju beads are so nice
She kissed my third cousin twice
I’m the king of pomona
And I’ve got something to say

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

She grew up in a Indiana town,
Had a good lookin' mama who never was around.
But she grew up tall and she grew up right
With them Indiana boys on an Indiana night.

Well she moved down here at the age of eighteen,
She blew the boys away; was more than they'd seen.
I was introduced and we both started groovin'
She said, "I dig you, baby, but I got to keep movin' - on.
Keep movin' on."

Chorus
Last dance with Mary Jane, one more time to kill the pain.
I feel summer creepin' in and I'm tired of this town again.

Well I don't know but I've been told, you never slow down, you never grow old.
I'm tired of screwin' up, tired of goin' down,
Tired of myself, tired of this town,
Oh my, my, oh hell yes - Honey put on that party dress.
Buy me a drink, sing me a song,
Take me as I come . cause I can't stay long.

(Repeat Chorus)

There's pigeons down on Market Square,
She's standing in her underwear.
Lookin' down from a hotel room,
Nightfall will be coming soon.
Oh my, my, oh hell yes, you got to put on that party dress.
It was too cold to cry, when I woke up alone.
I hit my last number, I walked to the road.

(Repeat Chorus)

(To Quote Barb.) Showed Up For Life and that is all I am required to do.

I loved it when I read in her journal "I showed up for life".. that is so classic!  She should copy right it and put it on T~Shirts!  Don't You Agree??? lol

Writing those entries about my Sister didn't leave me much room or time to put in all the fun, draining, normal stuff I like to rant about.  So this is like a catch up entry.

Let's start with last Saturday shall we.. All last week I knew it was my turn to clean church.. I would be all set to go up there and do it and then the steam in my energy would run out or something would come up.  My whole life revolves around Josh and the one working van we have right now.  I do not complain when he has to work weekends, that is mucho dinaro for us $$$ when he does, but it always does throw a wrench into my plans. ONE DAY we will actually have two running cars that are street legal aww freedom..  So needless to say... I did not clean church : ( 

When we had the women's group I had been told my cell group was going to have homegroup the next sat, so I was waiting to hear the when and the whereas from our Cell Group Leader umm.. CellGroup sounds soo I DON'T KNOW.. But it is just home bible study and fellowship, no terrorist activity, I swear.  We was also invited Friday to a couple's get together and swim if we could get baby-sitters.  So Thursday I make the calls to get all the particulars, because I may just actually have a sitter for the kids.. Then come to find out, since I wasn't at church last Wed and didn't get the info.. it was canceled due to a funeral.  I felt soooo bad that I didn't know!  Since these friends who was going to the funeral was also in our home group I asked if it was going to be canceled, they didn't know, they assumed it wouldn't be. 

I had a dream that night that it was going to be held at my house and that one of the women who attends just walks in my house, unaware that I was hosting, the house was trashed!  That is a nightmare for me!  Sat morning at 10:30 I get a call from our Homegroup Leader and he asks if we wouldn't mind having it at our house! I knew it! Sure no problem.  So all of sat I was marathon cleaning.  My house has not been dusted in forever.. The cobwebs was scary!  I have all wood floor and this is kinda an old house so it is a dust magnet anyway.. when did I stop caring??  It seemed like every dish in my house was dirty,  my kitchen floorneeded to be moped and I am so bad with papers.. they just sit and sit at my desk and then spill over to the counters and the table.  So on top of cleaning I had to de-clutter as well.  The kids was not much of a help either lol although they wanted to be.  You know how that goes.. get out of my way so I can do it, you are making a bigger mess.. aww but they are so cute when they try.

Homegroup was nice, small group and not real topic of study but it was good fellowship.  Josh made it home like 20 min before it started.  He also had to go back out to work at 8:30.  I was told not to cook or do anything fancy like the last time we hosted (we bbqed) and everyone brought their own side dishes and such as tradition.  What is fellowship without food right?

OK I would never ever tell anyone about this.. it is one of my biggest fears and secrets.  We have bugs.. no not just bugs but roaches!  We inherited them when we moved in and have had the exterminator out twice now.  We do the traps and the spray and I make the effort to keep food put away but these suckers are persistent.  It is one of my worst embarrassments.  If I had known I was going to host I would have had the exterminators out earlier.. We had planned on calling them in next week when we had the money (but if you ask me the Landlord should be paying for it). I thought well maybe they will keep to themselves since there was more activity then normal.. crossing my fingers. But dang! When we was eating we ate standing at our counter so the kids could have the table.. no one wanted to eat in the living room for some reason ... one reared its ugly head briefly but scurried away.. NO ONE saw it but me and one other person.. we both pretended we didn't see anything. One of the most embarrassing  moments of my life.. one of them.  That ranks up there with peeing in my ML's Bed!

OK that was just Saturday!  I have many side stories this week.. Like about how Zane's B-day is coming up and how Josh went to look at mattresses with him to see what kind Zane would want but they ended up at the music store.. Josh was freaked out by the teenagers there, the GOTH teens lol I reminded Josh how he used to dress when he was a teen and he replied "I NEVER WORE A SKIRT OR EYE LINER!" LMBO! That is just their way of rebelling dear no big deal.. you are getting old if you don't remember how some of our friends was. Zane wants tolearn guitar and that is what we are planning for his B-day and all that entails.  Lesions at this store is $60 a month for one week, 1/2 hour sessions.  We haven't even gotten the guitar yet! Oh and Josh is also on this kick about looking at guns.. somehow it came up that Zane wants to learn how to shoot (for hunting mind you) so we have been going back and forth if this is something we want to do for Christmas and all that.  That shall be a much more detailed entry later I am sure.

I was so proud of myself yesterday! The night before I made a list of things I wanted to do to make me feel productive.

1. make kids lunches

2. start a load of laundry (all the sheets)

3. clean kitchen

4. Read e-mail for only 15 min.

5. Switch Laundry and put in work whites

6. Clean my bedroom

7. Fold the Dry Laundry

8. Clean Living Room

9. Do Bills.

I got all done on my list but two things!  I still have to fold laundry and do the bills.  But I deep cleaned the kitchen and the living room and I threw in the bath room since I was moping!  My bedroom has been an on going cleaning project and is about near finished.  I just have to clean off my dresser and dust!  Josh said he may even pain the bedroom now that it is clean!  I was so happy when Josh got home I was having an adrenaline rush or something lol.  He knew I was working on the house but didn't comment so I commented for him "Yes honey the house looks great.. It feels so good to come home to a shinny home, it is like a weight lifted off me walking in the door to my castle" LOL UGH but today is another day and for some reason the house didn't stay clean! Imagine that!  So I have to do it all over again today and the day is about over lol. 

 Well, I showed up for life today.. and that is all that is required right?!

?Amy? WHO'S SHE?

You're like AMY!!! you prolly live on the comp and
are 1 of the least perverted people in the
world. you have the uncanny way to make friends
anywhere, anytime and you never go against
Amyism (amy's set of rules for herself). you're
sometimes hated b/c u become friends with ur
friends' crushes but they still love you!

Which one of my friends are you?( for gurls )
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WEll this is almost right.. I can be pretty perverted with the right amount of coxing.. lol but ofcourse I save it all for Josh.  He is always saying I have a dirty mind?!! Ya baby... that is what you fell in love with me for. lol

Chief Everything Officers make life-changing decisions daily. AOL Living: Fall Jump Start Guide
YESSS I AM THE C.E.O OF THIS HOUSE!

Recipe For a nightmare... The conclusion of my story about my sister and niece.

This is a crazy world and it is sad that we have to be hardened by it and not be the trusting person we are naturally but be guarded.  This was a hard lesion my little sister and one I had to learn recently too.  But the fact is this is a cursed world and sin is in it.  We cannot blame God because of other people's evil actions.  He did not author sin, but all that is good comes from him. 

I shared my previous entries with my Mom wondering if it would be suitable to share with Marcy.  You can guess this is an emotional thing and I do not ever want to cause pain to my family.  I am glad my Mom approved of me telling this story in my Blog but I am sad that it made her cry and relive those memories.  I have yet to decided if I will send Marcy a link.  She knows my journal but like most in my family does not follow my day to day rants.  I have to invite them most of the time when I have written something I feel pertains to them and is something I really want them to read. It is crazy.. most of my deepest thoughts can be expressed here and if my loved ones would bother to read them they would know me so much better but yet again, I should be able to talk to them and tell them my thoughts, it just seems easier to work it out in here.  Sometimes I am grateful my husband doesn't read this often or that my other family members only think of this as my silly place in cyber space.  And I am so grateful for my journal friends who almost know me as well as my off line friends.  Sharing with ppl who I know are sweet and kind yet objective adds to the draw of J~Land, but really it is just bonus.

So what is the story?  How was Jasmine Kidnapped out of a Chicago Bus Station on Christmas Eve '01?  If you watched the news or read about it in the papers they make it sound as if Marcella said "Here hold my baby", to a total stranger and she walked away to cash in her ticket.  They make her look irresponsible and almost unfit to have a child.  I have heard ppl say WHAT WAS SHE THINKING, how dumb can you be! And even that she deserved what she got for being so trusting!  Well, for one people only know what the media said and another, people can be so judgmental. When given the circumstances, you don't know how you would behave or react. How did we become a society that blames the victim and feels sorry for the assailant?

The police had said that Marcy trulywas not to blame, that she just happen to be the one picked out, to fit a profile, to be at the wrong place at the wrong time, if it wasn't her it would have surely been someone else.

Imagine a women, who had gotten away with kidnapping children and claiming them as her own before and getting off with just a slap on the wrist.  Imagine her wanting to desperately hold on to a man who was in her life and then he became the guest of the Cal. Prison system.  Imagine telling said man that she had a baby girl by him, a mixed child.  It is Christmas and he is visiting his family in Chicago because he is on parol and finally wants to meet this child of his.  Imagine she has planned this all out to the letter, preparing a home with baby items and clothes that would fit this mythical child.  She travels from West Virginia, where she is not the closets with her own family, to Chicago to a family waiting to meet this child she claims belongs to them. She gets there and tells them her mother is going to meet her at the bus station and give her this child to share with this family... If you could imagine such a women you would be thinking of Sheila Matthews.

Now imagine my sister Marcy.  Weary from travel.  She had just taken a plane ride from St. Louis with her children, both under 5.  They had taken a taxi from the small out of the way airport to the bus station.  The children are fussy, her bags are heavy. She is upset that the children's father is not with her as planned but is happy to return home to him to spend Christmas as a family with each other.  Most of her life she has only received kindness from strangers who have helped her here and there, as was the case with the trip to St. Louis when she was abandoned by her boyfriend and aided to the plane by many smiling ppl.  She gets to the bus station and it is packed with holiday travelers, like herself.  She gets out of the taxi with the small children in tow and is struggling with her bags.  Again there is a kind man offering to help her with her bags, who even walks in line with her as she purchases her tickets to Milwaukee. She notices a lady walking around as if looking for someone, she walks by Marcy and smiles but doesn't say a word to her and keeps looking for who ever she is there for. Marcy gets her tickets and finds a place to sit in the crowded bus station, in for a long wait ahead of her.

You put the two women together and you have the recipe for this nightmare.

I don't know what the exact dialogue was between the two of them.. That would be for my sister to tell but I know the gist of what was said and what Marcy herself had told me.  The woman walking around passed by a few times, always with a smile but then looking away as if waiting for someone and then came and sat next to her. Jasmine was fussy, tired and probably a bit hungry also.  Alysia was probably not in the best of moods either.  Traveling with two small children is never the easiest thing.  I myself have traveled threw that Chicago bus station with just one small child and know the difficulties associated with that.  As people do they sit and chat about their travels and what they are doing and where they are going.  This women told my sister she was waiting for her older daughter to come home from College and then she was going to drive her up to Milwaukee, no doubt after Marcy had told her that was her destination as well.  This women must be very smooth for Marcy to feel comfortable with her enough to hold Jasmine as they wait.  I am sure it was something of a relief to get a bit of help with her.  Shelia likely played and sang to her some as she was talking with Marcy.  I know this is something I have done with other ppl in doctor offices and waiting rooms, both ways.  Children are always good conversation starters.  In the course of thier conversation this women invites Marcy along for the ride up to Milwaukee, since that is where they are all heading, she had plenty of room for her and the girls in her van.  For most people this would send up big red flags and warning signals but for Marcy it was the help she needed, she would save on the money for the 3 tickets she had to buy and also would not have to be stuck in a bus that takes almost twice the time to make the trip than a car ride would take.  As the saying goes.. too good to be true.

Marcy agrees and Sheila suggest to Marcy to go up to the counter and cash her tickets back in and when her daughter gets there they can be on their way.  Marcy stands up and starts to take Jasmine back but Sheila says she will hold her as she goes up.  Marcy insists on taking Jasmine back so Sheila says she will walk up there with her and stand in line with her, to make it easier on her.  They stand in line together and inch by inch threw the line back to the counter of the crowded bus station.  Sheila is by Marcy's side the whole time in line but looking around again, as if looking for her own daughter that was supposedly due in any time.  They get to the ticket counter, Marcy again says she can hold Jasmine now but Sheila insists, it would be easier to sign what ever papers if she held the 18 month fussy girl herself. Marcy turns for a split second to say something to the person behind the counter and hears Sheila say "Oh there is my daughter, I will be right back".  Marcy turns back around and yells "Wait! Hold on, give me my child back" but the women is already making her way threw the holiday crowd.  For Marcy it was like slow motion and her voice was being drowned out by all those around her. 

It was the start of her nightmare, the kind that you try and wake up from but can't seem to.  The woman holding her child was running and getting farther and farther away and Marcy tried to get to her, to get past the other people in her way.  No one seems to be aware that someone has just stolen her child and Marcy is just becoming aware that this could be the fact of the matter.  The women is now out of sight and Marcy is franticly searching every possible nook and cranny of the bus station, the bathrooms, the outside terminals, the street, but nothing. The women and Jasmine are gone, just like that!

Sheila had dashed off to the street where she had someone waiting there for her with the car running.  She yells go go go, my mother is crazy and is chasing me, she didn't want to give me back my child.  The one driving is believing she is the grandmother to this child and she speeds away.  Sheila Matthews is one of the cruelest con-persons out there, the kind that gives you hope and makes you feel good about doing her dirty work.  They get home and have a wonderful Christmas as they love on this child, dress her up in the most beautiful outfits and take pictures in front of the tree.  Only Sheila knows the truth and she is insistant that she leave for her home in West Virginia and her boyfriend tags along with her.  The family feels something is up, but do not act on it. It was only two days later, after all the Christmas festivities was over and they turned on the t.v. and seeing the news reports and the pic of the child on, they realize it is the same baby they just had in their home.  How Sheila ever got out of Chicago is amazing, since the Police had the city shut down tight and doing a detailed search of all cars leaving on the highways. 

The family calls the police and turn over the pictures that had been taken.  It was heart breaking for Marcy to look at them and identify Jasmine in them.  The Christmas they had with her child, the one stolen from her and her family, it should have been their tree and the clothes she had picked out on Jasmine, it should have been Marcy and Greg in those pictures, not these strangers! The family asked to be kept out of the media and to this day that request has been met. They themselves had felt like fools and also cheated. Very understandable. 

On the way back to WV it is said that Jasmine never once cried out or was out of the ordinary.  She was perfectly comfortable.  Sheila Matthews on her arrival to her home state was in a car accident and had called her sister to come and pick them up and drop them off at home.  The sister said she was not alarmed that Sheila had this child with her, she figured it was the visiting boyfriend's child.  She said Jasmine seemed fine with them, almost natural I guess.  I have to wonder how much of that is true, surely Jasmine fussed some, she must have asked for her momma, she was the baby of the family and not used to being with strangers.  When the sister got back to her home she also saw the news reports, the alerts of the missing child taken on Christmas Eve.  She knew it was Jasmine and she says Jesus told her to not hesitate in calling the authorities and turning her sister in.  For this we all are very thankful!

It took awhile for the media circus to die down around Marcy and our family. Every morning show wanted her and fought for the first interview. All the local news crews was camped outside her house.  Marcy just wanted to get back to normal life and enjoy being home with her daughters.  She tired to fade back into that. It was hard. People recognized her all over, went to her work just to talk to her and tell her how they had followed her story and prayed for her.  Anytime there was a kidnapping the news would call Marcy for a quote.  She had nothing to say, just that she was blessed and to keep the faith.  When Sheila Matthews came up to trial it all heated up again.  At firstit looked good that this women would get life for this crime, but that fell threw since the previous cases involving her as a kidnapper had not been processed right or tried right.  The Lang of the law is a funny thing sometimes I guess.  Letters was written to the judge encouraging him to give this women the full sentence so that she could never repeat this crime.  I guess the best the Judge could do was give Sheila 10yrs in Federal prison with mandatory psychiatric monitoring and that 5yrs after she got out she would still be monitored.  It was assured that she would serve the 10 yrs, no chance for early release.  The best we can hope for that by then she will be past child bearing years and will have the idea out of her head.

Our families are still healing. I can say I forgive this women and pray for her to find forgiveness threw Jesus Christ and that she would turn her whole life over to him.  Jasmine will always be treasured by us but not anymore than my other nieces. Jasmine will never remember unless told of what happen when she was a baby.  Marcy has since had twin girls and has gone on with her life.  It is a happy ending.

Part 2.More of a faith building exerpance.. My niece's Kiddnaping

Sorry if I left you guys hanging like that.  This weekend got soooo busy and I also have been trying to find some good news links for this story with pics.  But since this story is a couple years old they are few and far between and the sites that do have them want you to buy a subscription to get into the archives.. any one have a media pass?? If I had thought of it I would have saved newspaper clippings and my son JUST taped over the tape my Mom hand giving me of the news clips with Marcy on.. gurr..On with my story..

If you read the previous entry you will know that I had one of those picture perfect holiday weekends with my family and my little sis and her children.  I did not want her to go home and I was fighting everything in me to not hide her tickets for her flight back.  I am going to tell this story from my point of view and then tell you what Marcy told me what really happen.

Josh and I was just getting into the house and bringing all the kids in from the car.  It was very cold out considering it was a winter in Saint Louis and the weather for the most part is mild.  We had a lovely dinner at his cousins house and then a nice drive down town to see all the lights.  It was just about Midnight.  Tommy my brother, who was living with us at the time, was at work and had called not 5 min after us getting all the kids coats off getting them into bed so we could play Santa.  Tommy demanded I put Josh on the phone, and that is out of the ordinary because they are not that close and Josh isn't one to idolly talk on the phone.  I insisted that Tommy tell me what he wanted, I was a tad annoyed but then I remembered that Marcy was traveling and we had been away all day so she had no way of letting us know if she got home.  Josh took the phone and listened intently and then told Tommy to calm down and that he will be there soon to pick him up and they will leave.  My stomach was churning, as I waited for Josh to hang up and tell me what was going on.  He made me sit down on the couch and as calmly as he could he said, "Jasmine has been kidnapped out of the bus station.  Marcy is with the police now and Tommy and I are going to go up to Chicago to be with her.  They haven't gotten hold of your Mom yet but Aunt Carol is going over there now".  I was stunned! What was that again?? HOW?!  It only took a few seconds for it to sink in because I knew instinctively it was true and that was what The Spirit had been trying to warn me about all yesterday and this morning before they left our house. I started SOBBING uncontrollably and crying out "I KNEW IT! WHY DIDN'T I LISTEN TO YOU GOD, YOU TRIED TO WARN ME!" I literally got on my knees and started to pray.. it was an instant response and there was no thought behind it.  "Forgive me Lord, forgive me for not listing to you and keeping them here. I just knew something was going to happen, I just knew it. Lord bring her back, bring her back to us. Keep her safe, protect Jasmine, keep her in your arms.  You KNOW where she is, bring her back to Marcy, pleaseeeeeeeee. Help us Lord!  Be with the police, convict this person's heart to return Jasmine, do whatever you need to do, bring her back Lord, bring her back...Lord You promised that anything we asked in your Name you would give to bring glory to the Father.. IN JESUS NAME BRING HER BACK" I was crying and shaking and then I JUST KNEW.. A total PEACE came over me, that is the only way I can explain it.  God told me he was in control and Jasmine would come home.  It wasn't audible or anything like that but I just KNEW it in my spirit and I was calmed.  I got up and wiped my eyes and told Josh, we don't have to worry, He was going to bring her back, he told me he would.  Josh just hugged me, trying to not dash my hope.  He ran around the house getting his bag and Tommy's packed.  I had to call someone, I could not sit on this.  I called my bestfriend and strong sister in Christ, Kathy.  It is policy with our church that no matter what hour of the night it is, if you need something do not hesitate to call on your family in Christ.  I told Kathy what I knew and asked her to please call those at the church to start praying.  She called back and told us to take their second car, knowing ours was a clunker and would not weather a trip to Chicago well.  Josh and I talked about what to tell our children, should I go ahead over to his parents for our Christmas Day celebration and all that.  Before he left he woke Zane up and told him in simple terms that he had to go help Aunt Marcy and he was not going to be home in the morning to open gifts with them and that Zane had to be a big helper to Mom.  Not something you want to tell any Second Grader.  Just before he left I gave him the film I had taken over the weekend hoping there would be some good shots they could use of Jasmine to get out there to the public.  I had read enough crime stories to know that the most recent pic helps the best. And off Josh went.

Understandably I could not sleep until I heard from Josh that they made it to Chicago and even then I was unable to speak with Marcy.  I told him to make sure she knew everyone was praying and that I KNEW Jasmine would be returned.  It was Christmas Day and I wanted to put the best face forward to my children.  I knew it was going to be allright and didn't want to ruin their Christmas.  We did the traditional Christmas Breakfast of cinnmon rolls and then the opening of the gifts from Santa and from Mom and dad.  I had a few pics left in my camera and I think I finished up the roll and put the camera aside somewhere.  There was Josh's gifts still under the tree and the kids asked when they could give daddy his.  I tried so hard not to break down and cry and just smiled and said when Daddy gets home he will open them. I had not had the t.v. on like most families we put on Christmas Music.  Then I got the kids all dressed and we left down to Josh's parents as planned.  They always go all out for the kids on Christmas. They knew Josh was not going to be there and what was going on.  We go there and settled in and the kids are going nuts over all the stuff that was under the tree and the smell of ham and other trimmings was yummy.. but it all seemed pale and color less to me.  I was worn out from no sleep and stress.  Josh's parents had cable and said they had JUST seen my sister on the WGN Chicago station and that she was making a public appeal for the return of Jasmine.  I made them flip threw all the channels for any other news with her on but there was nothing yet, the story was just breaking publicly.  I could see the looks in my in-laws faces, they didn't believe me when I said God told me he was going to bring my niece back safely. I spent most of the day over there and held up good but still nothing new from Chicago.  I did see the replay of my sister crying into the camera on t.v. asking, begging for the return of her baby.  I shuttered at what ppl was going to think how she sounded or would look, it was dijavo of those women who killed their babies and went on t.v. saying they had been kidnapped.  I wish I was the one who had gone up there to be with her but really Josh wasthe best choice, the more level headed one, and my own children needed me and some shelter of what was happening. Before it got dark I headed home and on a whim stopped over at Josh's aunt's house.  We had just seen them the night before but they always host a big open house with good food and I didn't want to be alone just yet.  The normalcy of the reg Christmas Celebrations helped keep my mind off of what was going on but I finally pulled Jan side and broke down and cried.  Ofcourse they had asked why Josh wasn't with me and I just said he had to go up to Chicago to help out my sis and they left it at that.  Then I broke after being there for almost an hour and cried and said all that was going on. Everyone was shocked and then those faces of doubt that Jasmine would not be found was everywhere.  Why could no one believe like I did!?  Because it was an all too common story and almost always turned out badly.  By the time I pulled into the parkinglot of our townhouse apartments it was just past 8.  I sat there for a min gulping for air. My eye wondered over and saw an SUV that didn't belong n my nighbor's parking spot.  I remember thinking who ever that was better move or they would get towed, our complex has a tight policy about assigned parking.  Then I started the process of unloading my four kids from my car and walking up to my door.  I looked back at that car and saw there was men in it and one with a note pad was getting out.  And for me that is when the media blitz had started on my house.  Without anyone close to me to help and be my guide I am sure I was like putty to the reports.  I was unsure what or what not to say but I thought the more exposure the better for my sister and my niece being found.  The first one I talked to was from the local fox station and I liked him the best, he seemed to be the nicest and most concerned.  I must have looked like I didn't have much concern because I was in all my Christmas attire, Santa hat and all and really I was worn out and had no words to exprese.The most I could say was SHE WAS JUST HERE IN MY ARMS but I knew the Lord was answering our prayers and she would be returned. He got the exclusive interview, the first to break it locally and I am sure he was pleased as punch when it aired at 9. It was not long after that the other stations started calling asking to line up an interview too.  I was freaked because when I had left that morning I left the house a mess from our gift opening and breakfast.  I called one of my HeadStart Mom's over to help me clean up and watch after the kids.  And she was more than happy to be there with me and help out.  I will say I had a good support team in place but I still wished for Josh to be there but he was my direct line to what was going on up there. Wed. Morning he called and asked if I had another film or pics of Jaz. The ones we had given didn't really turn out well to put on t.v.  I told him there was that roll in the camera and that I would try and get it developed and taken to the police.  I went up to Walgreens and ofcourse it was like a zoo.  I told the lady at the photo counter that I know there was a long wait but this was an emergency, and I didn't have to go into the story long before she said that yes she recognized me from the news and that she was praying too and that she would get them done first priority. It still took over an hour but that was fast considering it was the day after Christmas. I called the local police and told them the situation and even gave them the # of one of the detectives on the case and asked if they could meet me to give them the pics.  I lived in one of the smaller municipalities in St. Louis County and basically our station was shutdown for the holiday but I was assured I would be met.  Well, after waiting an hour I went home and called again.  Finally someone met me there and showed me in.  Then he about floored me when he started photo copying them!!  Are you kidding me?!  Don't you have e-mail? Can't you scan them?! The Barney Cop scratched his head and said he would take them over to the bigger station in the municipality next to ours.  I gave him the numbers and the e-mail addresses and asked him to please call me when he was done and return them.  This is why I to this day I don't have any pics of that Christmas! Josh did tell me they got them but had been running with a diff pic and the police felt it wasn't good to switch now, so all that was for nothing but it did make me feel helpful at the time.  I had a parade of reports in and out of my house.. It was the weariest thing but I wanted to help so bad.  I remember being asked how could I be so calm and still have hope, it had been more than 48 hours and the case wasstarting to get cold.  God must have gave me the words to speak that is all I can say.. I said isn't that what Christmas is all about, isn't that why he came, to give us HOPE! And then the next one I wanted to kick out of my house but I was polite when he asked if I thought Marcella had anything to do with this, if she wanted to harm Jasmine at all.  What is the matter with these ppl!! This is when I learned how the media really operated, they take a story and try and twist it and when it gets cold they find a new spin and sensationalize everything.  They are snakes in my book and that is why I have a distrust for anything I see on the 9'oclk News.  I had not gotten the full story myself of what had happen, just what I was being told from the reporters.  They asked why would she allow a stranger to hold her child and I knew everyone thought my sister was stupid, and I did a bit too.  I tried to explain how she was helped before at the airport and that she is a very trusting person and those girls can be difficult to handle alone, Greg was supposed to be there with her.  Ohhh that was another thing, the police basically had to threaten him to get down there and be with her.  He was freaking out himself and afraid but still he should have been with Marcy naturally and not have to be threatened.  The fox reporter was there when I was called and asked if I was going to make it to Wednight service at church, ofcourse I had to go, I needed to go.  The reporter asked if they could show up.. I was at a loss of what to say, I told him I didn't really care  but gave him my Pastor's number and told him to ask him first.  Really I didn't want any media there, I didn't want the service to be all about ME, I felt like it was an intrusion to others needs somehow. I half thought my Pastor would tell the report No but he didn't.  Kathy drove me up there and my other friends watched the kids for me.  I needed a break from them and needed some fellowship and able to focus.  I told Kathy what it had been like the last 2days with the media and she was shocked and I also told her about the PEACE I still had about Jasmine being returned, that it was all in God's timing and I was just waiting for it to happen.  I know she didn't mean it but she had that look, everyone did, that look of doubt but yet afraid of vocalizing it. I told God HE HAD to come threw now, after I had been telling everyone what he promised, it would look so bad if she wasn't found.  This was the test.. waiting on him and resting in that Peace that could only of came from HIM.  When everyone around you is saying nay but YOU know what has been spoken into your spirit is true, and standing on it.  Here I was wearing my faith on my sleeve, for the whole WORLD to see, I had made a big fuss about the reporters being generic and saying my faith in God, I told them they had to quote me right or not at all and say Jesus Christ! Thursday came and so did the FBI asking questions about Marcy and about the girls father Greg.  I told them I knew Marcy had nothing to do with it, she was the victim and that Greg was just a fool and not smart enough to plan something like this, he loved those girls too.  Ofcourse it was all routine and I don't blame the FBI for asking those questions. My step mother in law called, who I may add this part of the family was pretty much MIA threw all this, asked when Josh was coming home and hadn't he been away long enough and his place was with me and his family, hadn't he missed a lot of work now.  I am normally very polite but I went off on her a bit and said I don't care about us! We are fine and taken care of! It is Marcy we are worried about now and he will be up there as long as it takes! And I hung up on her.  I did talk to Josh and he had told me he was giving it one more day and then heading home, he really wasn't much of any help.  But I told him he was helping and being a big support to Marcy.  By then my Mom and her boyfriend was there and Aunts but I know it helped knowing she could depend on Josh.  I know how bad the media was for me, I can only imagine what it was like for her, the center of it all.  It had gone national because it happen over Christmas, normally these stories only go so far but even John Walls was talking about putting it on Most Wanted if she had not been found by Sat when they air.  The police and the FBI and the Media was working together beautifully, later a detective said this case went the way it should always go between the two agencies and the media but rarely happens.  Just before the sun set on Thursday I got a happy call from Tommy saying SHE HAS BEEN FOUND! That was all he knew and he clicked off.  I JUMPED UP AND DOWN SINGING HALLAYLUYA AND PRAISES. I thanked God over and over.  I had called over to Kathy's to tell the good news and also ask if her husband could come by because I was already getting calls and reporters would be showing up, I needed someone with me to handle them.  I missed Josh so much and that take charge guy thing husbands do.  Kathy's husband came over just as they all started gathering out side.  I told them I would address them all at one time and then go in to watch my sister on TV.  They all wanted to be with me as I was watching it but I said no, only the fox guy cuz he was so nice.  I thanked them all for getting the story out and told them how I was thankful to the Lord and also I was a bit disappointed in some who had started attacking my sister and her creditability.  Then I went in to watch for Marcy.  I let the fox guy in and he didn't shut the door all the way, so all the rest followed!  Without even asking! John was dumbfounded and didn't know what to do.  My living room is NOT all that big folks so it was very crowded in there.  I watched the national report with Marcy on it and the police and saying how and where Jasmine had been found in WV! West Virginia! How did she get all the way there!  And there had been an arrest made.  It took a day for Marcy to get custody back of Jaz.  The FBI had her taken to a hospital just to be safe and then she had to be flown to Chicago.

 

For the Lord is Good!  He is a strong tower! My very present help in time of need!

I will do the next entry about what Marcy told me what happen at that bus station, since the media messed up telling that story and also a bit about the women who kidnapped Jasmine. Ya I know, I could write a book lol.

 

Weekend Assignment... Siblings.. The Almost Perfect Christmas

I would like to say I have all these warm fuzzy memories of me and my siblings. But racking the brain and thinking on my youth I seem to come up short of them. I am the oldest of three. Next in line is my brother Tommy and then my sister Marcy or as she goes by now Marcella.  I can't say we have ever been what you call close.  It is only now that we are adults that we seem to be able to bond.  Growing up I was always told I am the example, act right because I had little eyes watching me. The oldest always has the most responsibility thrust on them. Sad because I use almost the same line with my oldest and only son.  Remembering me and my bro and sis as kids the best I can remember is us playing Voltron as kids and me being the princess (the lions not the cars.. can I get a HellYa for the 80s?!).  We had a lot of rough years and I am sure more is ahead of us. In my teens I hated my family, very embarrassed by them.  My brother would blackmail me so he could tag along on my nights of sneaking out and all my friends resented him and my baby sister would straight out tattle on us, not carrying what kind of trouble we would get in cuz of it.  I had to share a room with her and that made it all the worse to me.  She was the goodie goodie and me and Tommy was the troubled ones.  She was going to be the one to grow up and be a lawyer or something and take care of mommy forever (so she said at the time).

My best memory with my sister and (brother too) is scarred with pain and joy.  It was as we was adults and both had children of our own that me and my sis started to understand each other some.  It is easier to get along with family with distance between you but I sure do miss my family.  I miss having the Thanksgivings and Christmas dinners, and the Easter Egg hunts with all our kids together.  I wish I could be there as the Aunt my nieces need and deserve.  I beg my sister to move down here so we can help her out all that we can but she is stubborn and won't budge from Milwaukee.  I guess I can understand that.  With my brother Tommy we did our part a few years back when he needed a place to stay and helped him get into Job Corps down here, but he is a troubled young man and was caught up on the drugs.. currently he is in prison and it breaks my heart and his nieces and nephew's hearts for they so love Uncle Tommy.

We have never been the picter perfect family, more like the poser children for disfunction.  The closets we ever came was that Christmas of '01 when we all gathered for a weekend at my house for an early Christmas with all the kids around us.  This is when Tommy lived with us and was a functioning adult for the most part and worked security for a company that contracted out to the airport and local motels.  I made the mistake of allowing Tommy to arrange all the travel plans for Marcy and her two little girls Jasmine and Alysia and org. Greg the girls father was to come along.  They flew out of Chicago after getting friends to drive them down there from Milwaukee but at the last moment.. I mean as soon as Marcy got the bags out of the car, Gregg chickened out and said he could not fly (remember this is very close after 9-11 but still no excuse).  I will by no means lie and call my nieces little angels but they have their good qualities.  But seeing Mommy upset I am sure that didn't help as Marcy dragged them away from "daddy" threw the airport with tears.  Marcy is a very sweet and trusting girl, not even 21 at the time so when many ppl offered to help her threw out the airport it was much appreciated and taken.  I was sooo happy when I picked them up from Lambert and drove them to our Townhouse with a real Christmas Tree and Lights this year to show off.  I had gone nuts shopping and planning.  I got her girls and my kids matching P.J.s and each of her girls a gift that fit in our budget.  Nothing fancy but still I was able to play Antie Mary for the weekend!  Sophia wasn't even a year old yet and was just going on baby cearl and Jasmine being the baby of her family got very jelous when Marcy helped feed Sophia.  But Jaz warmed up to Josh quickly and I had very cute pics of the two of them snoozing on the couch.  Marcy came in on a Friday and was scheduled to leave Monday morning so I was going to make this an early Christmas for us all. Christmas Eve was Monday (if I am remembering right?) It was the first time I made a Turkey myself and Marcy helped with all the trimmings.  We felt like adults and all grown up and so proud of ourselves.  Our first sit down dinner as adults with kids!  You can imagine how the weekend went by too fast.  I was even tempted to hide their tickets to make them stay longer.  I had an uneasy feeling whenever it came up for them toleave and the plans that was set.  The night before I had stayed up late chatting with my sis till she was wore out and then I hopped online on my bro's laptop (before we had our puter) after she went to bed and I remember distinctly telling who ever I was chatting with on AOL that I had a bad feeling in the pit of my stomic that something was going to happen tomorrow.  I shrugged it off thinking it was too much wine and me missing my sis already.  Thinking back I was not the only one who was unhappy about the plans for her return.  Josh tried also to talk her into staying two more days till Christmas was over but she was determined to spend it with the girls father and their family.  The org. Plan Tommy had come up with, he is so stupid I swear, was that she flew out of STL into just outside of Chicago to the little airport there and then taxi over to Chicago's bus station and ride back up to Milwaukee from there.  He had not thought about the crowds or how tiresome it would be for Marcy but also part of the org plan was Gregg was to be there to help.  We tried to call ppl to come down to Chicago to pick her up instead of her taking the bus.  If you have ever been to Chicago's Bus Station you will understand why we wanted to avoid her going threw there by herself.  But no one wanted to go down there on Christmas Eve and break up their own celebrations and Mom didn't have a car at the time and renting one would have coast like $200!  As Marcy was packing I looked franticly for my toddler leash that I used on Lilly from time to time when we went out on public outings but could not find the sucker till after Marcy had left, stupid thing was in the diaper bag!  Before they left I hugged and kissed on my nieces telling them I loved them so much and was crying, I told Jasmine that Jesus Loves her and sang her that song.  I was still a very new Christian at the time.  Oh how I wished I had listened to the Holy Spirit and him telling me to keep her with me!  Josh took Marcy and the girls to the airport and when they left I told Tommy again that I had a queer feeling that something bad was about to happen, thinking terrorism or something to that effect.  He laughed at me and said everything was going to be fine.  I know later Josh had said that while driving to the airport he had told Marcy not to talk to anyone or trust anyone at the bus station and he gave her advice and such. It was just as hard on him too to see her and the girls leave.  Tommy had to work that night and we had plans with Josh's family for dinner.  After dinner we went to see the Christmas lights downtown as it was becoming our own family tradition.  I had Marcy in the back of my head but was focusing on enjoying family time.  It was about a perfect weekend and Christmas was going to be good this year.  We didn't get home till almost after Midnight and almost as soon as we walked in the door Tommy was calling us.. he wouldn't even speak to me and demanded I put Josh on the phone.. and that is when the perfect Christmas turned into the perfect nightmare!

I just want my baby back!

Jasmine Anderson, Kidnapped out of Chicago Bus Station.

I fully understand this is a cliffhanger and a teaser and some may not believe all that came next considering that FAKE JOURNAL had a kidnapping story in it also.  But unlike that person's story mine is True and I have family pics to prove it.  I will have to save the rest for the next entry because I am aware that I will not have room to tell it correctly and it is still to this day very emotional to tell. Sorry.

The song in my head today!

It's the song of the redeemed
Rising from the African plain
It's the song of the forgiven
Drowning out the Amazon rain
The song of Asian believers
Filled with God's holy fire
It's every tribe, every tounge, every nation
A love song born of a grateful choir

(chorus) (x2)
It's all God's children singin'
Glory, glory, hallelujah
He reigns,(pause) He reigns

Let it rise above the fore-winds
Caught up in the heavenly sound
Let praises echo from the towers of cathedrals
To the faithful gathered underground
Of all the songs sung from the dawn of creation
Some were meant to persist
Of all the bells rung from a thousand steaples
None rings truer than this

(chorus)(x4)

And all the powers of darkness
Tremble at what they've just heard
Cause all the powers of darkness
Can't drown out a single word

(chorus)(till end)
When all God's children sing out
Glory Glory Hallelujah
He reigns,(pause) He reigns

All God's children sing out
Glory Glory Hallelujah
He reigns, (pause) He reigns

All God's people sing out
Glory Glory Hallelujah
He Reigns, (pause) He reigns
(back to orig. chorus)

Book Review: Unspoken (Bathsheba) by Francine Rivers

LOVED IT!!!  How is it that God knew this was just the book I needed to read??? Because he is God that is how!  He knows everything.

Even those who are not Bible literate or spiritual minded will love this book.  Most have heard the story of the Beloved King who had a wondering eye and the sins he committed agenst God and his country for this women he had lusted for and eventually came to love. Ofcourse I recommend you read the Bible's account of this story in 2Samuel Chapter 11.

In the book this story is told from Bathsheba's POV.  I have related to her more than I would like to admit.  For I too have been an adulator in thought and in deed.  I have made men in the past an idol and worshiped them in stead of God.  Much like how Bathsheba worshiped David instead of God. How she loved him in her heart instead of her husband. 

What this book shows and the Bible, is how what is done in secret will come to light and that trying to cover sin with lies or more sins only makes matters worse. How easy it is to step into sin and to act on our heart's desires when we are not focused on God. It also shows how repentance brings forgiveness and an eased conscious.  The Love and Mercy and Blessings God gives those with a broken and contrite heart are over flowing.  This book is described as "Historical Fiction" and I learned a lot about the life and times of David and Bathsheba. This book also helped me see this Bible story in a new light and brought the charters to life for me.  I remember reading it before in the Bible and thinking how STUPID David was, when he had everything yet he choose to take what didn't belong to him.  I also knew King David wrote the Psalms (songs and prayers to God) but this book helped me see how those times in his life brought about that wonderful book.  I loved how this author incorporated the Psalms into these charters prayers and life.

I suppose I read in the Bible before but it exscaped my memory that Bathsheba was the mother to Solomon who is now known as the most Wise and Richest King in history.  This is the linage that Christ Comes from!  This book also shows the contrast in parenting skills of those who raise up Godly men and those mothers who raise up sons to seek power.  In the Bible it tells of howDavid's first two sons, the hiers to his throne had become untrustworthy and on separate occasions tried to take power.  But because Solomon was trustworthy and had a heart for God he was promised the kingdom.  What a blessing to go from adulator to mother to the King and decedent of the KING OF KINGS!

I would put the whole forward message from this book in here but it would be way too long.. You must read it yourself.  But I will put a few quotes that got my attention from this book and I hope you can glean from their wisdom too.

Chapter 1 page 2. "Better to be the only wife of a poor man than one woman among many in a king's harem."

Chapter 4 page 111 How was it possible for two people to know and love the Law and yet sin so abominably?

Chapter 5 page 114 She lived in constant fear, for she had no possessions of her own, no money to buy sacrifices.  All she had to offer God was a contrite heart and the desire to do right for the rest of her life.

Chapter 5 page 147 "Maybe it's only those who who've made such chaos of their lives who can understand the heights and depths of God's mercy."

Chapter 6 page 152 "God loves you because you repented every time you realized you'd sinned.  You grieved.  You tried to do right.  God knows you are only a man, my love"

"Why did God do it? Of all the men in Israel, why did God choose me to be king?"

"Because you're the only man who would ask that question"

Chapter 7 page 173  Oh, Lord, only You can save us from ourselves.  Come, Lord, come and save us. Come and dwell among us.  Walk with us again as You did in the Garden of Eden.  Speak with us face-to-face as You did with Moses.  Take us up to live with You as You did with Enoch!  Change our sinful hearts.

Chapter 7 page 175  I know they will remember my sins, Lord, but when they look upon my life, let them see what You did for an unworthy woman.  Let them see the hope born from despair.  If they must recount my sins, let them count Your blessings more so.  You protected me.  You raised me up.  You gave me sons.  Let my name be unspoken, Lord, for what am I that anyone should remember me?  But, oh, Lord God of Israel, if they do remember me, let them open their mouths and sing praises for Your great mercy toward me.  Let them see Your infinite grace and Your boundless love. And let them.... be encouraged.

I don't watch her anyways but this still sucks...

AOL News - Oprah's Car Winners Hit With Hefty Tax Bill

  Nothing in Life is for Free!!!   That sucks big time!  When Josh and I first heard of what Oparh did on her first show of the season I thought way cool for her but Josh reminded me it was not as if she gave the cars away herself, but got the car company to do it.  We both was under the impression that the taxes was part of the give away.  NOPE, only the local taxes and licencing fees.  Mr. IRS still demands his share, however unfair that may be.  So remember folks.. nothing is free, even a prize from Oprah.

I'm Published!!!! Well...Kinda..

                                   

                              A Journal Land Novel

There isn't a title for this story.. as of yet that I know of..

Lori has taken over the task of running the Journal and playing Editor.  She just reposted all the entries from the past hostess's Journal and made the open call for who wanted to be on the list of writers and write the next entry.  I had never heard of it.. but I have connections now! lol  Few days ago I spent the better part of a day reading the story and getting caught up.  It was left off at an amazing twist!  I have always been one to play fan fiction and used to be into role playing, so my creative self was yelling for me to write where they had left off.

I tried to summarize the best I could incorporate into the entry the background info needed to get into the tale of Maria's Vacation to Hawaii so new readers would get hooked.  I still highly recommend you go and read the full story but I will give you the condensed version here

if you like spoilers...

Maria is a sexy, young professional, fresh out of Law School.  She worked her butt off most of her life to get to where she was at and before taking on a permeant position at the law firm she choose to take a month long and over due vacation to Hawaii.  Hawaii is her dream place and she has been contemplating and saving for it most of her life.  The story starts off with her getting off the plane and checking into her room, leaving all her cares behind her state side, or at least that is what she thought.  It seems the nasty love triangle she had going on has followed her to Paradise.  She may be young but no way is she innocent.  To distract her from the hardships of her life she was in a heated office affair with a married man named Steve and once that started to cool some she fell into another one on accident with a women named Kelly, who is not what she seems to be at all.  Before her trip she had ended it with both of them but Kelly was very scorned, and exposed Steve's indiscretion to his wife and left some not so nice threats to Maria, even to the point of almost running her down with a car and damaging her property.  Maria really needed this vacation before she threw herself into her work.

As Maria lounged by the pool she is shaken and told there is a problem with her room and she is needed ASAP.  She comes on the scene to find Kelly being arrested for getting into her room and causing all sorts of havoc to her belongings.  In steps tall and hunky Detective Tom.  He is a home grown boy with a soft heart for Maria right away.  Maria gets the Penthouse Suite for the Hotel's mistake of leaving her room open for Kelly to get into (darn maids but whaaahoo) and a voucher for $1,000 for the shops in the Hotel and basically she gets a free ride for the rest of her stay.

Thankful that Kelly is behind bars and she has this new lovely room Maria heads to the bar for drinks and dinner and looking for fun.  The shy bar tender Jimmy tries to flirt but she isn't having it at first, she knows how to play with men.  In walks Tom and Maria is pleasantly surprised to see him.  He flirts but is not too pushy and they have dinner, but not before Maria throws in the Mix that she has a standing date (to his delight and shock) with bartender Jimmy the next day.  So here we go having two men show her around the island, fighting for her attention, every women's dream.  Tom learns of the true relationship between Maria and Kelly and gets turned off by it and has been assigned to take Kelly to the main land and he gets an ear full of all the details.  While he is gone Maria and Jimmy heat up and have some adventures together, Jimmy seems to of rescued her from a nasty situation of one night out drinking alone. Tom kinda fades away from the story when he gets back to the Island.

And here is where the twists come into play.. there is a dead body who happens to be someone Jimmy knows and used one of his huts for a night of fun with Maria.  They both are the one's to discover the man dead and call the police and ofcourse Tom comes back on the scene.  All clues lead to Jimmy but he has Maria as an alibi.. or does he.  And more twist is Jimmy and Steve are half brothers but never have met and the man murdered is their father who was going to leave his fortune to Jimmy. Kelly somehow plays into all this by giving info she has to the police and they pass it on to Tom.  Jimmy is in custody and this is where the story leaves off and I come in.. Read my entry and get into this story!!

What I saw last night and a dream I had years ago.. Very Grafic Description of a Beheading

Last night I was cruising around blogspot *gasp* I know I crossed the line and stepped off the street from J~Land and went to see what was out there in the World Wide Web.  I was looking for a certain Blog.. one I had read before and wanted to see if it was still there.  Anyway, upon my searching I found all these threads in regard to the last Beheading of a hostage and one of the blogs actually had a link to the video!  Call me morbid if you will, but I clicked on it and viewed it.  I was aware that there was a recent beheading but had not really heard anymore on it.. seems like these things are being swept under the rug, and ppl prefer not to talk about it on the news or even here in J~Land, I don't remember any posts about it...  I was unprepared for what I saw!

It was about a 9 min video.  I watched with the sound off since it was late and I don't speak Arabic anyway or care to hear what their demands are.  As I was watching all I could think was..

Someone knows these people.. Someone sold them that knife.. Someone sold them or bought them their clothes.. Some mother gave birth to these ppl who are ranting mad.  And I thought, what cowards.. Won't even show their face but hide behind a mask.. like a Clan Member or something. 

Then I watched the poor man who was kneeling on the floor with his eyes covered by a blindfold and hands tied behind his back.  He was rocking back and forth and shaking more and more as the terrorist went on with his rant.  He knew he was about to die!  The rant went on for a very long time.. and I guess I kinda grew tiered of it and my mind wondered some.. remember I had the sound off.  I was reminded of a dream I had had almost 5yrs ago now.. And I went to my Bible software to look up the word beheaded in the Bible. There are six scripture references to it.  I was reading threw them but had the video at the corner of my eye.

As soon as I was done reading:

Revelation 20:4 And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them: and [I saw] the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God, and which had not worshipped the beast, neither his image, neither had received [his] mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands; and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years.

The beheading started. The camera moved in fast for a close up shot as the terrorist pushed the man to the ground and restrained him and other one took out what looked like a big stake knife and started hacking away at this other human's neck.  He took him by the throat and cut it open like a piece of meant and mercilessly sawing away.  The blood flowed like a waterfall out of the wound.  Real blood.. not like you see in the movies, not at all.  The man went limp and all color from his face was gone.. he was pale and his eyes rolled to the back of his head. It took a good few min to get this task completed I think, but I was at that point looking threw my hands to my face and time lost all it's meaning.  When the terrorist finished and hand the head totally free from the man's body he held it up proud, like a trophy! And the camera went back and forth from him to the headless body. And then the video ended quickly with a back drop to the Jihadist Flag.  As soon as the video ended my AOL software logged me off.

I sat in my seat stunned, in shock, still processing what I saw.  Those images will be tattooed to my brain forever.  I logged back on to see if about maybe posting the link here but when looking all evidence in my tool bar of the sites I had visited that night was lost!  I looked back threw blogspot but could not find the link again. 

Why is there not an outcry threw out all nations over this!  Why are we so conformable in our cozy homes?!  How can we let this go one!  There should be outrage threw every facet of the world!  DO NOT GIVE THESE PPL WHAT THEY WANT. IT ONLY ENCOURAGES THEM! DO NOT BE FEARFUL!

Then I prayed and prayed... Remembering the dream I had years ago.

It was before I became a committed Christian but I had already started to think on God and who Jesus Christ was but had not bothered to pick up a Bible.  One night I had become very ill and had a temp so high that Josh had thrown me in a cool bath and called the ER nurse to see if he should take me in.  The flu was going around bad but I had not been around or even worked at the time, to be exposed to it, yet this nurse assumed what it was and said it would pass and just keep me hydrated.  That night I thrashed around so much in bed that Josh took the couch.  I cannot even begin to go into each detail of this dream or vision as I like to refer to it because it was so vivid and long.  I know Josh said I was talking what was gibberish to him in my sleep.  In my dream it was Greek and Hebrew, but I didn't know that at the time.  I saw many things but for this post I will only share the ending.

I had been whisked away in the spirit and had been showed many time periods, from the time of Christ to the future of great turmoil where all my family would die before I did.  I was showed me preaching to a large crowd of ppl about Jesus and warning of the end that is to come and I knew instinctively that I was going to get in trouble for it.  It was as if I was living it out, not so much being a bystander.  I was taken away and arrested and put in the worst prison imaginable.  I was convicted without trial and my punishment was death by beheading.  I remember thinking what an outrage, no trial, but then I remember hearing my future self thinking this was no surprise to her and she had NO FEAR of what was to come.  Defiantly I stood tall and would not cry out.  My head was put to what seemed like a chopping block and as a long sword came to my neck I remember crying out to the Lord.  I felt NO pain and instantly was with Jesus and was reunited with all those I loved and cared about who had died before me.  It was the purest joy I had ever felt.  Then I woke up covered or should I say drenched in sweat, and the fever had broken...

Last night I was thinking and praying... Lord how can I ever get to that point, to have no fear like that.. for surely you had showed me that for a purpose.. I truly think that I will oneday die like that.  I am the biggest baby right now, any little pain and I cry out.  Grow me, strengthen me to bring me to that point Lord.

I really do think I was supposed to watch that video, to be reminded and to refocus on God's Will for my life.

More of the silly quiz.. GOOD THING I AM A CHRISTIAN.. can there be such a thing as Evil Christian G

 20 Questions to a Better Personality



Wackiness: 28/100
Rationality: 48/100
Constructiveness: 36/100
Leadership: 36/100

You are a SEDF--Sober Emotional Destructive Follower. This makes you a Evil Genius.

You are extremely focused and difficult to distract from your tasks. With luck, you have learned to channel your energies into improving your intellect, rather than destroying the weak and unsuspecting.

Your friends may find you remote and a hard nut to crack. Few of your peers know you very well--even those you have known a long time--because you have expert control of the face you put forth to the world. You prefer to observe, calculate, discern and decide. Your decisions are final, and your desire to be right is impenetrable.

You are not to be messed with. You may explode.

A silly quiz.. ME? A PLAYER??? LMBO MAYBE 11YRS AGO.

20 Questions to a Better Relationship

eXpressive: 8/10
Practical: 5/10
Physical: 5/10
Giver: 4/10

You are a XPYT--Expressive Practical Physical Taker. This makes you a Player.

You are clever, sexy and sexually oriented. You know what you want and how to get it. You command attention in a room of strangers, as your charisma, your personality and your spending habits are all oriented toward making an impression on your target sex. You pay attention to details.

You reel people in easily, but have a harder time keeping them around since you are just as demanding in a long term relationship as you are on a night out. Combine your demanding nature with the fact that you're hard to keep up with and easily bored, and you get a recipe for problems with fidelity.

In a conflict, you're brutal -- you know how to unleash one cutting remark that turns a normal fight into a brawl or a breakup. Your general attitude is you just don't have time for fighting -- if you feel like your current partner doesn't understand you, you know you can find another one.

You may see yourself in a parent and dislike his/her choices, so you want to avoid them for yourself. You feel confined by social pressures, both to pair up and stay paired. It will (and should) take you years to settle (and for you, it may really feel like you're settling).

Please use a condom.

Of the 97625 people who have taken this quiz, 7.9 % are this type.

Bitting off more than I can read????

Last Sat. I finally made it over to the Library to return my books.  Only a week and a day late! gurrr late fees...  I went myself this time.. I was JUST going to return and not get any new books, well, maybe get on a waiting list or two lol.  I dropped all my books (and it was ALOT) and music and movies at the counter and smiled sweetly to the Librarian who actually had to stop yacking to her friend and do some work.  I wondered over to the New Release List to see the date for King's Dark Tower release. The Librarian about made me jump a mile high when she tapped my shoulder. She handed me back the Carmen Soundtrack saying it was missing the 3rd CD.  That I should just renew it and bring it back with the Third CD that I apparently left at home.  OK.. I did this without thinking.  But the more I think about it and LOOK for that CD.. I don't think I org. checked it out with the 3CD, I know I only listened to 2 in the set and I can NOT find any other CD anywhere in my house that goes to it ... unless my kid-os ran off with it and put it in the abyss of no return.. but really I think I am going to be stuck paying for this CD and since it is a set that will be $50!!!! Shoot!!!  I think I may call the Library and ask for sure if when I checked it out the first time if there really was a 3rd CD but if I didn't bother to check the first time I am sure they didn't either.  This will surely piss off Josh to no end if we end up buying the thing.

I figured since I was at the Library I might as well take a look around since I was by myself and no kids to chase this time, I might actually enjoy myself.  I asked the reference desk (I have learned they are the goto ppl) if I could get on the reserve list for a book that hasn't come out yet.  This Librarian is nice and gives me big smiles and said ofcourse and hand her my card.  I am on the List now for The Dark Tower that comes out TODAY by the way and I also got on for the Di Vinci Code that ofcourse is always out but she assured me it wouldn't be too much of a wait since they have tons of copies of it.

I wondered over to the Fiction section and ofcourse I could spend all day over there.  I had no particular book in mind and I think that was my problem, too many choices.  Books are like brain candy to me and I can so easily over do it.  I was looking over at Dan Brown to see what else he has out but nope, they are all out of anything by him.  Then I get the bright idea that I would read some C.S. Lewis, can almost never go wrong with him.  I HIGHLY recommend the Screw Tape Letters! But alas they only had two of his books in (that is a shock! what kind of Mickey Mouse Library is this??) and it is only book 1 and 3 of a space fantasy he had written.  Not too appealing to me, if they had book 2 also in, then maybe. I wonder some more looking and found it interesting that they have labeled the spines of books that are Christian Fiction with a little cross sticker.. humm.. don't know if I like that or not.. I could see why, make it easier for those to find who are interested in that genre but I think that may turn someone off too who may have picked it up but since it had that LABEL they would put it back down. I know I am sensitive sometimes and think too much lol.

Then I stumbled across this book called The Jewish War by Tova Reich, set back I believe in the time of the 7 day war, about a sect of settlers in Israel,, it is pure fiction I believe but it looked interesting.  I will give a review when I am done, whenever that may be.  Then I stumbled on to this set of books by Francine Rivers. Short books about women of the Bible who changed eternity. Tamar, Rahab,Ruth, Bathsheba and Mary.  They only had two of the 5 in.  I picked up Unspoken, about Bathsheba.  They had Mary in but I wanted to read about Bathsheba, I know the O.T. Story about her and King David but I thought it would be interesting to see it from her POV. I should have stopped there but couldn't help myself.

After I was done over in the fiction I wondered over to the nonfiction section.  Gobs of stuff there I could have taken home but I wanted something specifically that would enrich me and my faith and my relationships with others.  I wanted to learn more about Judaism and the festas and festivals. I do have a few Jewish and Messianic Jewish friends and am always picking their brains, so instead of bugging them I thought I would read a book and then maybe have dialogue with those friends.  I think it is necessary to understand about the Covenant God had established with his chosen ppl, and I love reading the Old Testament.  I think before we can truly understand the New Testament we have to know what came before it, because after all Jesus was Jewish, those are his ppl, who he came from and came to be Messiah too (and the whole world) and it is all connected.  I know just from my laymen study if I didn't understand about the blood sacrifices in the Temple for the covering of sins I wouldn't have connected why Jesus shed blood on the cross could cover mine and the significance of the renting of the vail in the temple when he died on the cross.  Also it is very hard I think to get anything out of the book of Revelations if you don't understand the principals God had set down and the symbolism of certain things he gives answers to in the Old Testament or as Jewish ppl prefer to refer to it as The Hebrew Bible.  I know when I was learning about the Shabua Principle at church a light when off and things clicked better in my understanding of why Seven is very significant to God.  LOL I could do many entries on this subject but I am getting side tracked here.  There was many books on this subject to choose from but the one that caught my eye was How Firm A Foundation, A Gift of Jewish Wisdom for Christians and Jews by Rabbi Yechiel Eckstein.  I have gotten into it some already and it is very interesting but has this tone I am not sure I agree with but I will try and finish it out as best I can.  I will do a review on that one also when I get threw it. 

I don't know, I guess I am a child of modern interfaith and interracial times and am shocked that there was or is this animosity between Jews and Christians.  I have always believed that if you bless the Jews, you will be blessed and if you curse them you will be cursed.  I don't think because someone doesn't believe as I do or even if they are not the same shade of skin I am, that they are not worthy of my friendship or that I should love them any less.  My mouth gawks when I hear ppl agenst the movie The Passion because it makes it look as if the Jews are responsible for Jesus' death, or that ppl hate them because they rejected HIM.  I may be a bit nieve I guess.  And yes that is all stuff I should write on when I finish that book lol because I am getting off topic again, something I see I do a lot.  What a poor writer I must be!

So as you can see I have tons of reading to do, my books are due Oct 2nd.  I think Josh had said that the Library called the other day saying one of my reserved books was in!  I hope it is NOT King because I saw an interview on the Today Show with him talking about his new book and it is 800 pages!!!!!! My Mom had called my yesterday morning and gave me the heads up that he was going to be on T.V. and when I heard him say 800 I had to call Mom back and see if she caught that.  Mom and I don't have all that much in common (well maybe more than I like to admit) but we both share a LOVE affair with Mr. Stephen King, and we could talk for hours about it.  BTW she sounds really good, my mother, her voice is much stronger from even a month ago and she said she is about ready to go back to work half days!

Women's Group Meeting & Prob. 31:10 A Wife of Noble Charter

I could write several entries lol but will take it step by step and do a recap of Sunday and save the story of my trip to the Library for another entry.

Sat. I got a bug in me and went on a Diet Pepsi & Jim spree. Can you see me shaking my head right now?? Tisk Tisk.. I got very drunk.  Why?? Cuz I could! I was very amusing to my husband I am sure and to anyone who called to talk to me or chat with me that night.  Why is it whenever I veer off the righteous path just an inch or so and let loose some, I get those theological calls from friends or family I had not spoken too in months????? OK. that could be a whole other entry. But the gist of it is my cousin called me about my brother who is in jail.. Haven't talked to her in almost a year and she was shocked to find me drunk, she didn't think I drank at all.  Then my friend Consuelo called me from Vegas.  We had an hour long conversation and now that I am remembering it, OMG.. She said something about Wicca! And her getting into it?!! YIKES!  Ya that is a whole other entry..

So needless to say Sunday Morning I am not up to going to church.  Not just because of the potential hang over, but my back was still ouchie and I didn't look forward to sitting in the same seat for 2hours or so and chasing kids.  I did talk Josh into going and taking the kids with him and I slept soundly till he got home.  He comes home and tells me how awesome Church was and all the updates and guess who is preggers and oh the music was great, the girls was dancing in the isle, and the message was on The husband's role and he really got a lot out of it and everyone asked as to my whereabouts... Great.  I missed out on what sounds like a wonderful service, why?, Cuz I had to be silly the night before and now I am paying for it, really my back was an excuse.  My friend Kathy (who I had been meaning to call all week but kept getting sidetracked) called me around 4:30 to invite me to Women's Group.  OHH YESS.. it seems like forever since I went to Women's Group.  Women's Group is very small and we don't do long studies so if someone wanted to come that normally doesn't they can just pick up and jump in.  It is more about fellowshiping than anything I think.

Kathy has been leading since the end of last winter and she is still trying to get her bearings I think.  She gave us a choice of what we wanted to learn and study on, she had two lesions prepared.  Since today's message was on the Men's Role she had one on the Women's Role and the other one was Prophecies in the OT that Jesus has fulfilled.  I was very interested in the second choice. I have done some independent study and read some on the subject.  How can you read Isaiah and NOT see Jesus all over and in it?? But I was out voted lol but I did get Kathy's notes, so all was not lost. We talked about our role in the household and the church. Really we could have spent all night and then some on that subject.  What the Bible teaches and what the World tells us are very contrary to each other actually.  It is easy to get confused and caught up I think. God's ways are always the best ways. I know many women who cringe (myself included at times) when they hear the word SUBMISSION.  The World has taken this word and given it a twisted meaning I think.  When I finally came to understand what God means by it and how it really is a good thing for ME and for my marriage it was like a load off my shoulders.  I may go into all that in a different entry too if I get a lot of questions. 

I am so happy I went to the meeting, God was all over me threw it all and really brought conviction upon me.  The biggest thing I came away with was Husbands need respect, that is their love lang. so to speak.  When we talk negatively about them, especially with in ear shot of them or in front of our children, it really kills their esteem.  Just like us women crave romance and all that mushy stuff, men crave our respect, and if they don't get it from their wives, they will seek it out in other places.

Kathy was telling us how when she got married she made the choice never to speak negatively about her husband, especially with other ppl or in front of her children.  Not an easy task if you are in that habit of being a complainer (me).  She went into telling how she had been so blessed and she attributed part of that to that rule she made for herself.  Taming our tongues are important.  And now that I think about it I don't recall her ever saying anything bad or complaining about her husband, and maybe that was the org. draw to her when I first met her, that and the loveshe and her family have for God.  OH NOT THAT she doesn't struggle and have her own issues with her husband she says.  She told the story of an argument she had years ago with him, she couldn't even remember what it was about, but it was a heated one and she had very strong words for him, belittling even, it was something she really wanted HIM to change about himself or some annoying thing he did repeatedly.  She said she walked away from him and into the Kitchen and she remembers praying GOD YOU HAVE TO CHANGE THIS MAN! She said she remembers very distinctively God telling her, Women, get out of my way so I can do the work, you keep interfering, and it is you that needs to apologies to him, even if you don't agree right now.  She said she was taken aback, and threw tears and gritting teeth said YES and went back into the room with her husband and said God has impressed it upon me to say I am sorry for what I said and left it at that.  You will not believe the countless stories there are of women bringing their husbands to the Lord just by submitting to them.  It gets the men curious of why all of a sudden the wife is listening to them and so they go check it out and come away Saved.  Apparently what ever the issue was with Kathy's husband, a few days later he went to her and said he was sorry to her and that God had been working on him about it.

Can you see how this is an issue for me lately?? If you haven't noticed I have really been railing on my husband in here.  And I have been doing the same with my friend Amy.. letting it all air out so to speak.  This has fed into the thing Amy and Josh have between each other, where they are not even on speaking terms with each other.  I came home saying to my husband "Do you KNOW I love and respect you??"  I know words are easy and actions speak louder.. so God and I are going to work on that part of myself.

Some of my notes::

1. Don't talk neg. about husband in front of others and the children.  Be an example and speak positively.

2. Be quick to apologies.

3. Let God change him, You cannot do it, that is HIS job.

4. Men need respect.. That is how God made them and that is how they will respond and know you love them.

A suggested book by another women who was at the meeting was Proper Care and Feeding of a Husband by Dr. Laura (not even going to guess at the how to spell the last name lol) you know that radio lady everyone loves to hate lol.

A good scripture with many lesson to it is:

Proverbs 31:10 Who can find a virtuous woman? for her price [is] far above rubies.

11 The heart of her husband doth safely trust in her, so that he shall have no need of spoil.

12 She will do him good and not evil all the days of her life.

13 She seeketh wool, and flax, and worketh willingly with her hands.

14 She is like the merchants' ships; she bringeth her food from afar.

15 She riseth also while it is yet night, and giveth meat to her household, and a portion to her maidens.

16 She considereth a field, and buyeth it: with the fruit of her hands she planteth a vineyard.

17 She girdeth her loins with strength, and strengtheneth her arms.

18 She perceiveth that her merchandise [is] good: her candle goeth not out by night.

19 She layeth her hands to the spindle, and her hands hold the distaff.

20 She stretcheth out her hand to the poor; yea, she reacheth forth her hands to the needy.

21 She is not afraid of the snow for her household: for all her household [are] clothed with scarlet.

22 She maketh herself coverings of tapestry; her clothing [is] silk and purple.

23 Her husband is known in the gates, when he sitteth among the elders of the land.

24 She maketh fine linen, and selleth [it]; and delivereth girdles unto the merchant.

25 Strength and honour [are] her clothing; and she shall rejoice in time to come.

26 She openeth her mouth with wisdom; and in her tongue [is] the law of kindness.

27 She looketh well to the ways of her household, and eateth not the bread of idleness.

28 Her children arise up, and call her blessed; her husband [also], and he praiseth her.

29 Many daughters have done virtuously, but thou excellest them all.

30 Favour [is] deceitful, and beauty [is] vain: [but] a woman [that] feareth the LORD, she shall be praised.

31 Give her of the fruit of her hands; and let her own works praise her in the gates.