Lord, You're Holy

Bless the Lord, Oh My Soul

Once Upon a Time...

...and they all lived Happily Ever After.


Three thoughts.  Not wishes.  I am saving those.

First Thought.

When Donnie was a freshman in high school, he was chosen to be in the spring musical.  His school was doing "Once Upon a Mattress."  Donnie was chosen to be in the chorus.  Jan Egan was chosen to be the Lead.  She played Princess Winnifred, the part Carol Burnett played on television.  Jan Egan was so good, they invited Carol Burnett to the show.  She came.  Carol Burnett was looking for someone to play opposite on her television show.  It ended up being between Jan Egan and Vicki Lawrence.  Well, it was happily ever after for one of them.  In one of the dance numbers, Donnie was choregraphed to catch Jan when she fell backwards.  He was SO happy.  Donnie was on his way to becoming a Star.  This was his first taste of "Happily Ever After."

Second Thought.

Marianne Schell was the Wicked Queen in the musical.  She had one of the best soprano voices I have ever heard.  There has never been anything Donnie wished for more than to being a madrigal at Wheeling High School.  It was an acappella group who performed Medieval music.  The songs the traveling minstrels would sing to royalty.  Donnie was the first male sophomore ever to be chosen to be in the Madrigals.  Mr. Dobler, the music teacher, would be one of the most influential men in his life.  Again, Donnie was a STAR!  At least in his own mind. 


Third Thought.

The important thing for me to remember is that I can be the author of my own story.  I have the beginning and the end.  All that is needed now is the middle.

What is the Most Important Lesson in Life?

Jesus Loves You!  This I know.  Jesus Loves Me too.

Bad News - Good News

Bad News is that someone was killed on the railroad tracks.  Their head was decapitated.  Suspected Suicide.

Good News is that although some thought it was me, I did not kill myself by walking in front of a train.

Bad News:  An elderly woman died of old age at the Garden Apartments.

Good News:  This creates a vacancy at the complex and I think I am next on the list.

Bad News:  My phone service had been turned off because of lack of funds.

Good News:  Michael Payne was kind enough to pay my phone bill for February.

Bad News:  I had no money in  my pocket.

Good News:  04 February is National Yogurt Day and my frozen yogurt with fruit toppings was FREE.

I Wonder as I Wander

The Journey Continues

Somehow Donnie was able to convince the other three boys to continue the journey to find The Holy Grail.  Bobby was very willing.  Doug felt he would be able to protect all of us.  Danny was the only one who was a little reluctant.  Before Schmendrick turned into a caterpillar, he had magically provided four lunches for us to take with us on this adventure.

Schmendrick had pointed them in the direction to go but as they wandered through the woods they began to wonder what path to take.  Bobby noticed an actual path in a beautiful garden.  It was easy for the boys to decide.  The trail was only wide enough for one person to walk at a time.  Doug decided he should go first.  Donnie went next.  Bobby followed.  Naturally Danny went last.  However, after thinking about it for a while, Danny was afraid of being attacked from behind so he asked Bobby to go last.  Danny felt somewhat at ease being between Donnie and Bobby.

"Where do you think this path will take us?"  Bobby asked.

"Maybe to a castle which is in need of knights.  We could work as squires."  Doug answered.

"Tigers and lions and bears, oh my!"  Danny thought to himself.

"Hopefully to The Holy Grail!"  Donnie enthusiastically exclaimed.

Their imaginations were running wild as to where this path would lead.  Doug saw a worm crawling on the ground.  He picked it up and ate it.  The other boys looked at Doug as if he had lost his mind.  I saw it on one of those survivor shows on television.  Worms are a great source of protein,   While Doug was chewing on the worm, he said, "This tastes like a sour Gummi worm."  The boys looked at him in disbelief.  Bobby saw a worm crawling and he gave it a try.  "It does taste like a sour Gummi worm." 

The trees in the garden were not your normal fruit trees.  They were apple and peach candy rings.  There was a little waterfall and when you tasted it, it was your favorite soda.

"The water tastes like grape soda."  Donnie said.

"No it doesn't"  Danny argued.  "It tastes like root beer."

"I think it tastes like green river!"  Bobby said.

"Chocolate milk"  Doug exclaimed.  "Yummy!"

The waterfall fell into a small pond.  There were green, red, orange and yellow fish swimming. 

"They look like Swedish fish,"  Donnie said,  "My Grandma used to get them for me."  With that, he reached into the pond and easily scooped up a fish.  He ate it.  "It does.  It does."  Donnie was so excited,  The boys quickly kneeled down by the pond and started fishing without  poles.

What the boys did not know was that they had wandered into Candy Land.  Truly "there is no one happier than a kid in a candy store".  Well, in this case, even happier as all the sweets were free.