Just a Thought.....Halloween.

Just a Thought....Happy Halloween. So this evening ends the best month of the year. It's always sad to see Halloween go. It means that October is gone...no more scary movies on the regular, The state Fair is closed for another year and dressing like a murderous clown will get you thrown in a jail cell instead of rewarded with a nice snicker bar. I can remember having so much fun as a kid going out to get candy and dressed like a possed monk. Halloween these days has gotten far better at being able to find authentic and more creative costume ideas for both kids and adults. I can remember when the only place you could find a costume was at a local store like Motts or K-mart. Then came along a giant like Wal-mart as it started to grow and gain popularity that offered more options and some were really good options to buy a good store-bought costume. There was nothing like making a homemade costume as long as you could find the material. Now it is as simple as either ordering it online and having it shipped to your home or office. Or just going to somewhere like Party City or Spirits to go buy a Halloween costume. It can literally take you all of 5 minutes to find something. Then the actual act of going out and walking door to door in your neighborhood to ask for free candy is a foreign concept to a new generation of kids. You have to pry them away from Fortnite to get out and walk to get free candy. I know a lot of things have changed since I was a kid going out on the hunt for candy with my friends. But the act of dressing up, scaring people and getting awesome treats is still alive and well. Other than Christmas, there is none bigger of a holiday that produces so much commerce. That is until they actually make Amazon Prime Day a national holiday. Halloween continues to thrive. The only advantage of Trick or Treating as an adult rather than the children is that you get to do half the work but get all the benefits of eating your kid's candy and hiding it under the guise that all that candy is bad for them. As soon as I finish this post I will most definitely be heading over to the kids' bucket and dig out my favorites. So until tomorrow friends, remember that....this was just a thought.

Just a Thought...Winter.

Just a Thought....Hello Winter. I know that there are people that like summer and the Texas heat. I usually don't mind the heat but at some point, it gets to be ridiculous. When it is nine o'clock at night and the temperature outside is still in the nineties. C'mon, you have to be kidding me saying you can enjoy that crap. Let alone once it gets over one hundred degrees for weeks on end. It is miserable to a point of not being able to enjoy the day outside. So with a smile on my face and a hot cup of coffee in my hands. I say welcome winter, I have missed you old friend. Time to pull out the jackets, sweaters, and hoodies. It's time for hot chocolate, fires burning and space heaters providing the warmth. It is as close as we get to a real winter here in Texas and it usually doesn't last very long. I have always enjoyed the colder temperatures just because they remind me of Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year's. It is a reminder that the year is almost over and the time to plan for a fresh start and new beginnings. A time to plan to see families and enjoy the company of friends. The time people find forgiveness, faith, and love. The season has usually been a downer since my father passed away but I think I am really looking forward to this holiday season. I know that last year was tough because I was injured and by the time I was ready to return to work, most of the holidays had already passed. It was tough sledding last year. I am praying that God has mercy on me this year and lets me be upright for this holiday season. I will be getting my thermal pants and shirts, gloves and long sleeve shirt ready for tomorrow. It's the first freezing night here in the area. So those of you who live elsewhere and are used to so much cold weather, I am envious. I really wish it would snow. But that is asking too much. So I will end it here and get to bed, ready to face the weather tomorrow. This was just a thought.

Just a Thought...Fighting the Good Fight.

Just a Thought....fight the good fight. It has been a few days since I last posted something. I am really fighting my own self procrastination and this sinking feeling that I have had lately. The struggle for me has been trying to regain my focus. After not feeling good for a few days, I thought that everything would go back to normal. But there were a few days where I just couldn't pull myself up and write. I don't know if I was just still feeling exhausted or depressed. I would sit down and just look at the screen and draw a blank. My mind would race about the other more pressing needs in my life. Like getting my wife's vehicle up and running again. Without it, life was a messy roundabout. I was just racking my brain for a solution to the problem. Praying and praying that things would work out is about the only thing I felt comfortable doing. Even now as I sit and write, I still have this sinking feeling that what I am doing is going to amount to anything. To be a writer, you have to be special and sometimes I don't feel special. I am really trying to concentrate and focus on getting back in a good groove. I am far from giving up, I am just feeling in need of finding support and direction. That uneasy feeling of spiraling in a circle is what the world seems like somedays. There is more than what is happening in my life all around but sometimes you just focus on your own little spec in this grand world and after real close evaluation, I see myself as a failure up to this point. This can't be all that there is to this life, my faith won't allow me to believe this but someday I just let that voice of self-doubt and loathe sink into my mind and it fucks with me in the most terrible ways. I think I just need to sit back and relax and regain perspective. It all begins with my prayers to God and how much I allow him to work in me. I still have a lot of changing to get even close to where I want to be as a Christian. I will go lay down tonight and ask God to guide me back to the path I was on. So for those of you still loyal and faithful readers....Thank you from the bottom of my heart. Keep this short and sweet tonight, I say " Parting is such sweet sorrow." Until we meet again..this was just a thought.

Just a Thought....Shoes.

Just a Thought...Shoes. I had saved this story a while back and now have the opportunity to tell you about it. First things first, it is never a good idea to get dressed in the dark. Let me explain why? This one particular morning when I was getting dressed to go to work. I didn't want to disturb my wife by turning on the bright lights to get dressed. She usually doesn't sleep well and when she does I hate waking her. So trying to be as quiet as a church mouse. I grabbed my shoes and went to the living room. Sat down on the couch in the dark. I put on my shoes and headed out the door. I hopped in the car and drove to work as normal. Work starts early so it is usually dark outside. I got in and out of the warehouse and tore ass out on my morning route. I finished all of my early stops and stopped for a cup of coffee. While fishing in my pocket for change to pay for my beverage. I looked down at my feet and low and behold, there it was staring me in the face. I had two different black shoes on. How did I not know I had different shoes on. I have the same exact type of comfort insole so I couldn't tell the difference. It reminds of a line in the movie Shawshank Redemption. Morgan Freeman's character Red is explaining the escape of the main protagonist Andy Dufrense. Spoiler alert...so if you have been hiding under a rock and have never seen this movie..you really need to take a look. So he steals the warden's shoes by wearing them back to his cell when he is being escorted by the guards. The line Red says is "How often do you look at a man's shoes?" I now totally agree with him when it comes to how often men look at each other the way women do. Had I worked with any females, it would have taken them a nantenth of a second to spot my wardrobe faux paw. I made it through the whole day without anyone calling me out. I felt like such a dork. I told my wife about it and she couldn't believe that no one noticed. So now I at least go in my restroom and turn the light on to see if I am wearing matching shoes. I just could believe that I didn't notice. Have any of you ever had something like this happen? I would love to hear any stories about wardrobe malfunctions. Anyways...I gotta get to writing for the night so until tomorrow this was....just a thought.

Just a Thought...Down But Not Out.

Just a Thought.....Down but not out. Last week I was so pumped to be back writing my blog. I had taken some much needed time off to work on other projects and just clear my head. It was great and I came back feeling better and ready to attack. Then just like that, fate knew I was feeling too good. Wham! It hits me with a cold. It sucked feeling like crap the last couple of days. The effects of feeling lethargic, no energy and was always tired did not bode well. It doesn't help when you work seven days a week. Taking the time to rest just isn't in the cards for me. I wanted to write but when I would sit down and stare at the screen. I would find myself nodding off. Sitting at my desk with a blanket over my shoulders and just felt so unlike myself. Even when I don't want to write, I make a habit to at least try. I couldn't even do that. I hate nothing more than getting sick. It is the easiest way to throw a monkey wrench into your routine. Loathe is an understatement when I say the worst thing in the world in my mind is getting sick. Whether it is the flu, a cold or just getting an upset stomach, too me they all ruin your mojo. Sometimes it takes me a while to get in a good rhythm with my everyday routine. Then you get sick and the things you have worked so hard on getting set up as a good habit can get derailed by sickness. We are all guaranteed to get sick at some point in our everyday lives but why does it seem to happen when we are doing so good and trucking along in life. I am just glad that hopefully, the worst is over. Sitting down and writing today is actually something that I needed to get my mind off this cold and other things going on in my life. I always like to count my blessing, my health is getting better, my family is good so I am happy. I was down but not out for the count. I am actually working on other projects for my blog and will have more details to come. So for those of you who read and like my blog, Thank You! You make all the difference and I know that what I am doing is good. I love sharing the weird and bizarre things that tumble around in my head with all of you. So until we meet again tomorrow...this was Just a Thought.

Just a Thought...Halloween Candy.

Just a Thought....Halloween Candy.

As we approach the end of the month, we inch nearer and nearer to the second most popular holiday of the year. As a kid, it was hard to contain my excitement. I mean what kid didn't like dressing up in costume and going door to door asking for FREE candy. It was always fun except for the rare wet blanket folks who would give money or fruit snack. Who wants that crap in their bags. You could dress up in a plain white banket and still score some good eats. It only got better as I become a teenager and my mom would let me go with my friends. The amount of terrible Tom Foolery that went on those days. But no matter the dumb shit we did, it all came back to the candy. I think two of my favorites were the Plainly wrapped black and orange peanut butter candies and the Atkinson Peanut Butter bars. These were usually the leftovers that nobody wanted from their candy buckets. I know that I could get plenty of these from my brothers and sister simply because they viewed candies as throwaways. Don't get me wrong, I loved the chocolates as well but anytime an unattended candy bucket was in the house be sure that those candies would end disappearing first. Then there was the speech from the grown-ups that went something like this.."Don't eat too much candy or you will end getting sick." Now I know that I have heard these words come from my mouth a few times but was it only because my parents would tell it to me. I mean as a kid, I can never recall getting sick by eating too much candy. For the life of me, as many other kids have heard this same statement from their parents. Why hasn't anyone actually done a real scientific study on the merit of getting sick from eating too much candy? Some kid must have heard this is now an analytic scientist. There should have been some kind of research to debunk this myth. Regardless, it is one of those things that isn't back by science but is taken for fact. Either way, I think this was made up by parents so they could look through and snag some of their favorite candies from their kid's candy buckets. One of the perks of being a grown-up, I guess. Well, I hope that my kids score something good this year, I am looking forward to snatching some for myself. So, tell me what were some of your favorites? Drop your answers down in the comments. So until tomorrow, let do this again. Remember that this was...just a thought.

Just a Thought...Nightmares.

Just a thought....nightmares. With Halloween around the corner what better time than to discuss having nightmares. I am usually so tired when I go to bed I quickly fall so hard into REM sleep, I don't really remember having dreams or nightmares. In my world of being who I am and learning who I want to be....sleep is just a necessary tool to continue the process of living. My body has to rest and recharge. I have to either have a really vivid dream or a nightmare to wake up and remember what happened in my sleep. I had one of these actually happen the other day. I had fallen asleep on my couch watching a movie. The Other Guys was on cable and me being a dork, I just love those types of comedies. I digress, but when in the process of watching tv. I closed my eyes and was in LaLa land before I even knew what hit me. I was walking down a dark corridor with nothing to guide me but a small light down at the end of this corridor. The light was swinging back and forth as though someone was tapping the lightbulb. I slowly stumble forward using my hands as guides against what I assume was a wall. I could feel the floor shifting below me as if I were walking on sand. The cold air flowing down the breezeway as I kept moving closer to the light. Then a sudden sharp pain in my side. Someone had stabbed me with a knife or sword right in the side of my gut. I jumped and winced at the sudden pain. I felt my body to see how deep the wound might be if there was blood dripping out my wound. My hands were cold to the touch but no blood, no wound. In shock, I couldn't believe it but no hole. As I stood there feeling my hands around me to see if I could feel something or someone. Bam, there it was again. The sharp pain like a hard stab wound. This time I swing my hands aimlessly in the air looking to strike whoever is doing this to me. But to no avail, no one is there. I turn to see the light again, no wanting to wait around. I make a dash towards the light. I run in the darkness not knowing what is in the corridor with me. Scrambling for the light, I trip and fall to the floor. I turn over on the soft floor below me and there it is again. This time, I am looking straight ahead and the pain comes even harder with more pressure. The pain is more intense from the stabbing now quadrupling in my body. The rush of blood is causing me to feel woozy. Unable to stabilize myself, my body goes limp. I lie there face down, then with a sudden jerk my foot twist like a pretzel causing me to jerk my foot and causing intense real pain in my ankle. I jump up from my nightmare and sitting on top of me is my chihuahua, Charlie. She was climbing on top of me trying to get comfortable with me on the couch. She was the villain with the knives stabbing me as she was trying to lay down. I know, not the scariest of stories but when you get to remember them from time to time it is fun to talk about. Well, I guess I should get to bed and prepare myself for a fantastic Friday. So until tomorrow guys, this was....just a thought.

Just a Thought...Recharged.

Just a Thought....Recharged. So I don't know if anyone noticed but I have been absent for the last couple days on the page. I haven't posted anything since last Thursday. I have had a couple of personal issues that needed tending to, also had a few works in progress that I needed to work on. I have been active and writing. Just working on my other projects. I think I also wanted a break to get some fresh ideas on topics and other things that I wanted to add to the page. Like looking for guest writers, I also wanted to do some Q&A with people whom I find interesting, creative, funny, motivational and inspiring from all walks of life. The ideas just kept flowing and I have been jotting them down as quickly as I could without breaking concentration on my current biggest project, my novel. I just have had many great ideas, thoughts, concepts, dreams, and visions going on these last couple of days. Plus I needed a break for my body. My birthday was last Wednesday and turning 45 was fun and eye-opening. I slept really well yesterday and woke recharged and refreshed this morning. At some point, we all need to stop and refresh ourselves. That is why we go on vacations, take personal days when we aren't sick and just have the occasional me day. With life being so hectic sometimes with work, kids, school, gym, bills and so on. It is sometimes important to take the time to get yourself together. I found myself doing meditation, finding quiet prayer time and sleeping can really make you feel incredible. It won't last forever but it will give me enough time to push harder towards my goals. I also figured that maybe I would get more readers and interaction if I actually posted these things earlier. So I am setting a new goal of trying to have my post up by 7 p.m. CST folks. So watch out for new things to come. To all my regular readers, sorry for being away so long. I'm back and ready to kick butt. So until tomorrow...this was just a thought.

Just a Thought...Here Comes The Rain Again.

Just a Thought...Here Comes The Rain Again. The rain has arrived in Texas and it is wonderful and scary at the same time. My dogs are scared to death because of thunder and lightning. But I love the sound of the rain. Reminds me of the really bad thunderstorms and my dad would stand outside of our front door watching the fury that mother nature was unleashing and he was just standing there admiring her handwork. He was afraid of the powerful storms. I think he actually enjoyed it and as a kid, there was something comforting in watching him. It made me feel like it was scary at all. I think in a way that is why I don't find myself fearful in strong storms. The soothing sound of rain hitting the rooftop has a sort of comforting sound. I know that my kids are afraid but they have actually turned their fear into curiosity. They track storms now and have even learned the area of in north Texas to know weather the storms will affect them. It has been a while since we have had any rain, so much so that my yard was brown and the grass was nonexistent. The only thing that I hate about this is when I have to drive in the rain simply because there are plenty of people that can't drive in rain. I would write more about that but that is a whole post in itself. This time around the rain is a welcomed friend and just in time for bed. Nothing more soothing than the raindrops hitting the window pane. I know it won't be here very long but I will enjoy it tonight. So on behalf of my grass, my foundation and myself...I welcome you back old friend. We really missed you. Now if you want to leave before the morning commute tomorrow that would be lovely. It is past this writer's bedtime and I need my beauty sleep. I must bid you adieu and wish you all sweet dreams. Until we meet here again tomorrow friends, this was...just a thought.

Just A Thought...Feeling The Love.

Just a thought.....feeling the love. So today is October 9. It is the birthday of such amazing people like John Lennon, Guillermo Del Toro, Tony Shalhoub and me. I don't usually make a big ordeal about my birthday but I thought to myself..why not. Your 45 this year and every year after will be another year towards my ultimate goal of 80. God grants me the opportunity to reach 80, I will be tickled pink. I know that as I get older I do appreciate the fact that I have made it another year. I know that as I get older I must the fact that the sands in the hourglass will fall all the way down. I don't care about that anymore because I am of the mindset that I am going to live my best life every day. I was just so happy today that so many got to share my special day. To all those wonderful friends and family that wished me a happy birthday today, I want to say thank you from the bottom of my heart. It was amazing to see how many people do care about you. It was such a rush, I felt like I was on cloud nine all day long. Maybe it was all the attention, which I did enjoy, maybe it was that I felt such peace and ease with God today. I can't pinpoint it but I had a really awesome day. I only wish I could bottle up this feeling and keep it close to the vest. Pull it out when you need it. Either way, all good things must come to an end. You will hear no complaining from me today. So thank you all again for making me feel great. Until tomorrow, this was....just a thought.

Just a Thought....Helping Hands.

Just a Thought....Helping Hand. There comes a point in just about everyone's life that you need help. Whether it is getting a job, borrowing money, or needing a place to stay. We all need that boost to get us where we are going. Having our parents help us move to college. Using a friend as a reference to get a good job. Living with a friend or relative when you fall on hard times. I've seen people give to others without hesitation from truly the bottom of their hearts just because they what it is like to struggle and need help getting out a hole. I try to be that way and even though I don't have a lot to offer. Whatever I do have I try to give with an earnest heart. I know what it is like to struggle and have to seek help because you've made mistakes and are trying to work past the problems. So why do people act so smugly towards others who truly need help when they are in a bad situation. If someone is seeking the help of another, do you know how difficult it is to ask for help just because you know the shame and embarrassment that is placed upon you by those with whom you seek their assistance? Do you know how much grief that person had to accept just to swallow their pride and ask for help? It is never easy to ask. I know that by asking, we are placing ourselves in the direct line of judgment by our presumed lenders. I've been in the position of feeling like shit with my head hung low asking to be helped out of a situation. It sucks, you feel like a failure, you feel low and you just want to crawl in a dark room and cry for a few hours. But you have to take the help given, accept the terms and responsibility for your actions that put you in this situation in the first place. Find a way to get yourself out of the hole and start building a foundation in which you can stand. Build yourself up as high as you can so that hopefully, you have learned a lesson from your mistakes so that you will hopefully never end up back in that position again. Then you get in a position to help another who needs it. Remember the feelings you had when in the same position and try not to be that same person who judged you on your situation and not your character. Be better than the people before and remember that life can be hard. We all need that push and help. So be kind and help out those who can't always help themselves. Until tomorrow folks, this was....just a thought.

Just a Thought...Missing Our Loved Ones.

Just a Thought....Missing Our Loved Ones. Today I got the chance to celebrate the birthday of my mother-in-law just two days ahead of my own birthday. It was such a lovely day outside, perfect fall weather for a few fajitas on the grill and some birthday cake. Everyone sitting around and reminiscing about days gone by. Sharing stories of loved ones who are no longer with us on earth. It got me thinking about being a kid again and remembering my own father. It's been six years since he passed away. My son just celebrated his sixth birthday. He was only a few months old when my dad left us to go to heaven. It got me thinking about others who have had similar experiences. What sort of things me you think about someone they've lost, a dad, a mother, a sister, a brother, grandparents or a child. All gone too soon to illness, tragedy or just getting old. Life gives and life takes away. It is the natural order. The circle of life continues on no matter the circumstances. It doesn't mean we can't have feelings of nostalgia, a time to takes us back to remember wonderful memories. A birthday, wedding, birth, all-important memories that stick with us because of the importance of who was there to help share in such special moments. I was glad that I got to share a special moment tonight with family. These times always bring me back to the days of having big birthday parties with my brothers and sisters and having pops around. I miss my father very much and the one regret is that I didn't spend more time with him. I will regret that for the rest of my days and the only thing I can do is not repeat the same mistake twice. The lesson learned from this is to not take being with your loved ones for granted. One day they are here and the next they are not. Take advantage of living in the moment and being with those you care about no matter the petty circumstances that might be wedged between loved ones. This is dedicated to all those who have loved and lost someone special in their lives. It is okay to cry and remember how special those people were to you. What their absence has meant to you in the circle of everyday life. I love you Pops and miss you. So until tomorrow folks, this was...just a thought.

Just a Thought....3:33.

Just a Thought....3:33. I see this number so very often in my weekly life. I see it at least three to four times a week. I didn't notice it too much when I was younger but about six or seven years ago this number began appearing on my radar. First I would find it on my alarm clock at home. Then when I got a cell phone it would become more apparent. I can remember even punching in at work on my time card at that exact time. It never dawned on me that the universe was trying to tell me something. It was when I was having a small conversation with a fellow co-worker and I was punching out on the payroll app we use at work that 3:33 showed up. I mentioned to him if he ever sees that number? His response is no. So I decided to investigate this phenomenon further online. It turns out that no matter the website most have a consensus that it has something to do with divine guidance and having a guardian angel that is watching over me and guiding me to what I supposed to become in my life. I wonder if anyone out there has had a similar experience with a number or with another set of numbers? I know that this has to happen more often than not and probably just pure coincidence. But if you believe in the divine intervention than these numbers probably mean something in the grand scope of things. I am hoping that all I have read on the subject is true or hold some sort of truth. I would like to think that God is sending a message with what to do with my life. I would like to hear from anyone out there if they see these numbers and if it has actually played a roll in changing their lives or it is just a number on the clock and we want to something like these numbers to mean something special in our lives. So as I do some more writing on my novel tonight with is days away from completion. Wish me luck as I write tonight. So until tomorrow, this was....just a thought.

Just a Thought...Fighting Your Past.

Just a Thought...Fighting your past. One of the hardest things that I am learning to do as I journey on my quest to becoming the best person that I possibly can be is learning to let go of my past. The things that I am not proud to say that I once did as an ignorant, ill-humored person. I got my laughs at the expense of others not knowing how much it was degrading. I always focused on the shortcoming of others around me. I was rude, disrespectful and unruly to my employers and co-workers. Then one day just like Saul, when he was on his way to Damascus when the Lord called him to serve, I feel that in a way he has done that for me. I have always been a people pleaser which is a hard life to live. Constantly trying to make life easier for those around me, instead of me working to make it easier for myself. I got lost in who I was and what I was destined to become. I was a liar, a thief, and an unreliable friend. One day it just started to click, the words, the songs, the lessons were all starting to make sense. I could hear what he wanted me to hear for so long. Put your trust in me and I will provide everything you need. For so long I struggled with faith, with love, with life. I was living the definition of insanity. Have I moved past all my troubles, by no means but they don't ruin my outlook, because when he told me that he would provide. My worries went away. I still have to push myself to let him lead me down the path he wants me to go down. I am so used to driving myself that it took him to humble me to realize that he is in control and that if we're to become what he needs me to be, then I must relinquish myself to his will. I constantly pray for forgiveness for the acts of sin that I have committed in my past and forgiving myself is getting easier with each minute I spend in his presence. Am I complete? Far from it, but I am headed in the right direction. I go to war with my inner self every day to ignore the negativity inside and seek the right kind of positivity that helps can the world one minute at a time. One kind word, one kind act spreading hope and compassion. I am not totally where I think he wants me to be just yet but I know for a fact that I am not the person that I once was nor do I wish to be. The best thing you can do to find yourself hope and faith is to forgive yourself. It makes a world of difference. So tomorrow I have a busy day with my kiddo's birthday, so wish me luck. Until tomorrow, parting is such sweet sorrow and this was....just a thought.

Just a Thought....Saying Yes.

Just a Thought...Saying Yes. Tonight was a fun trip down memory lane. I went to go see Stone Temple Pilots, who happen to be one of my all-time favorite Rock Bands. Not to bog down on details but it wasn't the original lineup but the music was still awesome. It is like seeing Queen with Adam Lambert instead of Freddie Mercury. The songs are the same but the person belting out the notes is a bit different. Which isn't bad at all, it's just different. Anyways back to my point, I got invited by Leo Coldiron, who is quickly becoming one of my favorite people. I had to think about it for about a few minutes when my wife asked me if I wanted to go. I said yes because I am trying to open myself and broaden my horizons. In the past, I probably would have said no and used the excuse that I have too much to do this week because of my son's party. But in saying yes, I got a chance to go see a really good show and got to hang with Leo. Who by the way has a lot of cool stories about his musical past and his knowledge of rock music is superb. None of this would have happened had I been my old wet blanket self. I know that I will pay a price tomorrow because I get up at 4 am to go to work. But I would have rather the experience that I had tonight than being what I once was... an introvert. I want to get out and experience life and see what the universe has in store. None of that will happen from the couch in the living room. Plus it also gives me experiences that I can write about here on my blog and in turn I get to share my stories. It's later than usual that I am writing and posting my entry for tonight but someone put it to me this way about writing. A painter has to paint, a writer has to write and a musician has to play, they have to do this every day. To put in the time and effort in learning mastery of their craft is the only way that a true artist becomes successful. We all have the same amount of time in the day, it just depends on how we plan, use and manage our time accordingly. Sorry for the delay but I am sure that you will understand. So until tomorrow, this was....just a thought.

Just a Thought....Forgiveness.

Just a Thought...Forgiveness. I got to witness the true power of what it really means to forgive. I watched the brother of Bothan-Jean grow bigger than the moment. Not many people would have had the strength to forgive the person who murdered your brother. But this incredible man of faith walked pass the rules of man and walked into the realm of God. His heart must have been so filled with the holy spirit and I hope that one I can muster a tenth of what he has inside his heart. He wished this woman who took the life of an innocent man, his brother, the best for her. I trembled in awe at his courage and streams of tears ran down my face as I saw the power of God's grace flowed through this man as a conduit of God's everlasting love. He showed her mercy, he showed her love and only asked that she find the same kind of strength in Christ Jesus. Any good person with a heart must have felt the compassion in his voice and his actions. The embrace that they shared for that brief moment was the most powerful expression of God's truth that I have had the opportunity to bear witness to in my life. It showed the people of Dallas, The people of Texas and hopefully the world that forgiveness is the greatest tool that God has given us the power to use. The journey that his family must have been on these past few months must have been torture. Unless you live in the light of God's grace and walk the path of righteousness that he gives us the free will to do every day. If you truly believe in the power of God, it was on display for all to see. Just as God gave his only begotten Son to the world to cleanse us of our sins and break the veil so that we could be forgiven. He forgave us of sin just as Brandt Jean forgave Amber Guyger with total love and compassion. My only hope is that this display of God's mercy isn't lost on the world. That we as a society need to become better than we have become without prejudice, without hate and with forgiveness in our hearts. I know that things will not change overnight but hopefully, this is a step in the right direction. Life is precious and whenever an innocent life is taken from this world, no matter the sentence. Justice will never be served simply because a soul was taken from a family, a friend, a son, a brother. But if we all dig deep inside our souls we too can find the power to forgive those who have hurt us in the past. This is the ultimate example. It's never too late to be saved and accept God's gift of salvation. So tonight I pray for all of us to become better people. I bid you adieu and tell you that this was...just a thought.

Just a Thought....October.

Just a Thought...October. This is the month that I usually enjoy the most because it is my birth month and it just makes me happy that I have made it another year in one piece. This year I will turn a glorious 45 years of age and have loved the other 44 years prior because they helped make me and shape me in the future. The other reason that I usually love this month is the cool weather here in Texas. Normal highs are in the 80 's and there is always a nice cool breeze. I take my hoodies, my jackets, and windbreakers for this month. I break out the long sleeve shirt and thermal wear. For some strange reason here we are on the first day of Rocktober. That's right...it is called Rocktober because anyone who is anyone has a birthday in the month. Back to why I don't understand why this year is an anomaly due to the unseasonal weather conditions. It is again, October 1, and the high outside today was 93 degrees. I am not liking this extension of the summer into my fall time. I am done with heatwaves, sweating and the hot interior of my car. I want my cool weather already. It's the best time to sit on the porch and drink a nice cup of coffee, as the leaves fall from the trees. I have always remembered the weather being cool on my birthday. This might the first year that it will actually be in the high 80's, possibly. I don't mean to whine or seem crabby but I love the cool breeze of fall. The days get shorter and the nights are longer. You can grab your favorite hoodie and wear it all day because it is cool enough to have it on. Don't get me wrong there is nothing wrong with the warm weather of summer but I am done. I need the cold to come and bring us a reason to wear sweaters, long socks, and turtlenecks. October will be special to me. It was also the month my son was born as well. The month of October has always been good to me. I guess which is why I have enjoyed its company. It is such a cool month that even Drake named his clothing line and numerous shout outs to his crew on his songs...OVO's (October's Very Own). I am not the only one who loves this month. Plus aside from Christmas, it has the coolest holiday of the year, Halloween. So hopefully tomorrow when I wake, I will have to endure one more day of this heat before the cool front comes in and fall is officially here. So until tomorrow friends....rock on into October and this was ...just a thought.