kimberly

There is one absolute truth I believe in. Actually, even if I didn't believe in it it would still happen anyway. Seed. If you plant a corn kernel you will get corn. A Kentucky Wonder greenbean seed will produce a greenbean everytime. A yellow crook neck squash seed will produce a squash everytime. I can't remember the last time I planted a cucumber seed and the fruit was a strawberry. The seeds that are planted will produce the fruit thereof. Me thinks this may be one absolute truth that supercedes religion.

Thank you, Bramble. I will definitely check this out.

I am chuckling Waysider as I post this. Not to make fun, oh, no. I thought it funny, why out of the blue, you would ask me this. My husband is 3 1/2 years older than I. Are you trollin' on me? Laugh now, laugh...considering the topic. Blessings

Like I stated on the computer thread I am barely a hair above computer illiterate. I don't even know how to copy and paste. So what is a troll in computer language? I understand it in mythology.

Refreshing that passion for what one believes is still alive and well. I forget the Frenchman who said, in essence, I may not agree with what you say but I will defend your right to say it. After reading here and there on this thread I must concur that I be diggin with what Johnny Lingo conveys. I haven't been here long enough to know why he went to cyber jail. Don't really care. But I had myself some great times in twi. My dearest, closet friends to this day are from my way days. It is not the way days that bond us together but rather that we have a genuine love for each other. After 32 years, Vonda, Stan, Claudia, Vivian, Jackie and I are still one with each other. I count my blessings. And I dare say that I did learn some stuff that set me free. The greatest tragedy of my waydays was my marriage. My "husband" thought because we were no longer in the way we no longer had a marriage. When we went to court he had some ex-wayers testify that I had been in a cult and that is why I should not have custody of our children!!! He was in twi when I met him. Talk about shell shocked. Folks that had been in our fellowship, people that I loved and thought loved me, went on vacations together, ate together, shared everything together, testified that I was in a cult and that I could harm my children. They weren't even in the way anymore, either. I sat there like a dead person hearing all this. They accused me of what they, themselves, had believed and lived. And I do say that personally for me, Kimberly, Father got me in the way and He got me out. I know this is a sensitive issue considering all the allegations of abuse in twi. And I do not dispute any. Believe you me, I know sexual abuse. I grew up with it.

Caveman, I am diggin what you said in 41 and 44. Although, some of it I many not understand. Regardless, of doctrinal differences we are all to love one another. One thing I have learned is that healing is already a done deal. We are healed by the stripes of Jesus Christ. Satan comes to steal, kill and destroy our health and well being. He has no authority to do that. Sickness and disease has no authority in our body. Unless, of course, we give it authority like eating buckets of KFC, chain smoking, consuming gallons of soda pop and all the while never getting off the sofa. You get my idea. There is also methods, wiles and schemes. We don't have to request healing. We already have it. If I get boogered up I just tell it to get out. I speak the Word to it. Works for me. Mercy sakes, if there was a formula, I would already be on the other side of the grass. I am still working on long division! Ha! Ha! I hope you understand my humor. It just represents to me that Father knew He would have to keep it simple so little ole me's could get it. The power of the spoken Word is a force I don't believe I have yet realized the full potential of. That is something I have been studying and working on for a while. And God said, and God said...and it was so...and we are to be imitators of God as dear children just like the Lord Jesus Christ was. Father has already taught us in His Word what we are to speak. Proverbs is jam packed with references about the effect of words.

There was an old lady from Brewster Who had nine hens and a rooster. The rooster died. The old lady cried, Because the hens didn't lay like they use tuh.

Cman, I stand corrected. I forget the names. I guess I am so consumed with the content that I get hibbly scribbly with all the names.

cman... concerning what you asked me in post #5. I have four children, 3 being red-headed boys who came into this world with a tornado strapped to their butt. At 27, 25 and 15 they have not changed much, thank God. They are energy in overdrive, mentally and physically. I can't say they have ever been rebellious. There has been trying times that caused us great concern to the point where this here mama spent many a night burning the midnight oil in prayer. I can't say I have ever withheld a blessing. I don't know if that is even in my power. A child on the edge needs all the blessings they can get. And having worked in the public school system I am here to tell you some kids have never been given a break. I understand (after dealing with the parents, or more so lack of, because the parents are MIA) why the majority of these children are "disciplinary problems." These children always received my fullest attention. As far as disciplinary action of my own...I just take out a hickory and whoop the tar out of my young'ins. Just kidding. This is how I equate it. I have taught Proverbs chapter one to my children from the day they were born. To me this explains how life works. I believe this information is in the first chapter for a reason. I don't see it working any different in this day and time. God doesn't do it to us. We choose it for ourselves. It is like, if you choose to follow the evil, he is gonna do this to you. If you follow me this is what I can do for you and with you. He tells us, HERE I AM!! CHOOSE ME!!! Choose life. The same with my children. I am not going to do anything to you. You will do it to yourself. If they speak disrespectfully to me they know beforehand what is the consequence. They choose it when they choose the behavior. They know what kind of life they will be living. This way they learn to discipline themselves. They are in control of their life. Father is the same with His children. We choose. He lays it all out so simply. He never removes Himself from us but we may choose to remove ourself from Him. But He is still our Father. Grace abounds. I know how gracious and forgiving Father has been with me in my many times mucked up life I chose. My children do not deserve any less. And for that matter nor does anyone else I know or come in contact with on a daily basis.....just how I live and look at things. What is available? What is available in the Word of God? Blessings.

Jack and Jill went up the hill to fetch a pail of water. Jack fell down and broke his crown and Jill came tumbling after. Up Jack got and off did trot as fast as he could caper, To old Dame Dob Who patched his nob with vinegar and brown paper. I don't think this may qualify as a limerick. But anyway... I didn't learn the second verse until I was an adult when I found an old Mother Goose book of stories in an antique store. As an English major I don't know how I missed this one. Life is full of surprises.

I am thinking Lion King... Elton John...Can You Feel The Love Tonight...

All I know about believing is that it just is. For instance, I know my Father God will take care of me no matter what. He is my Father, I am His child. I would do no less for my children. My children know (that is believing) that I am their mother and know in all the sum and substance of our relationship what it will produce. I sure as heck know they are my children. There is no method or steps. It just is. Our Father God does no less for and/or with us.

Watered Garden, I forgot to mention that the Lord Jesus Christ is the only perfect One to walk on this earth and He did a heap of praying.

This is the way I figure it in my simple mind. Lord have mercy, if it gets complicated I lose myself. Father has foreknowledge. He already knows what is going to happen but He doesn't orchestrate or ordain it. I was raised in a religion that taught God punished by making you sick, having bad things happen, and ultimately, if you were too bad, allowing you to die. If it happens to you then it is God's will. It was a relief to me when I learned differently. Father God would never treat us differently than He treated His Son, our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. He never wants or provides less for us. We have the same Father as Christ. Did Christ have free will? Yippie skippy. But did Father know ahead of time what the Lord would choose. Bingo. I say everyday, I don't know everything but I know the One Who does. Watered Garden, love, remember that the effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much. I swear to this day if it had not been for the prayers of my mother I don't know if I would be here. I truly believe her prayers turned my life around. Our Father is faithful to His Word. As a mother, my heart goes out to you for your child. Blessings to you and yours.

Hi Robes, How are you and your family doing? You and yours have been much in my thoughts and prayers. XOXO, Kimberly

Holy crapola!!!!! I was outraged when I read how you were treated. You serve our country, put your life on the line and you are treated like that. UUURRRGGG!!! Illegal immigrants and unwed women who spit out a plethora of babies with many having different daddies are treated better than that in the hospital or doctor's office!!!!! Thank you for putting your life on the line to defend our freedom. I am indebted to you.

The older the wine the sweeter the taste. I resemble that remark or so my husband tells me. Nippin' and tuckin' ain't nuthin' new with us. Hallelujah, hhhhavuh, muhcey.

I talked to my daddy today. I am 51 years old and today was the third time in my life that I phoned my daddy and wished him a Happy Father's Day. My parents divorced when I was barely two years old. My mom moved away and did not keep in touch with my dad or his side of the family. I was told when I was 10 years old that my step-dad was not my real dad. I did not think much about my daddy through the years as I was told that he broke away from us and did not want anything to do with us. Then for some reason, only known to God ( I do know now, I didn't know then. He put it in my heart because He knew the events to come along in my life) I decided to look for my biological father. Nothing for 2 years. Lots of people on the Internet with the same name. I called one phone number and the man on the other end became irate and accused me of trying to cash in on his fortune. Then in 2005 I drove my mother to her 50th highschool reunion in Florida. Out of the blue and much to my surprise mom announced to her classmates that I was looking for my dad. When she announced that I even said to myself, "I am?" I had not even mentioned this to her in over a year. I had quit trying to find him and told Father that He would have to do it because I didn't know what else to do. Well, low and behold, Sunday morning we were all sitting together at their last get together and a woman came to me and whispered in my ear, "Your father is alive and well and lives in Oklahoma." She had kept in contact with one of my dad's cousins since graduation. That was on a Sunday and Tuesday I was "talking" to my daddy. I didn't do much talking. I was in awe that I was hearing the voice of my daddy. Two weeks later when I picked him up from the airport he phoned his sister, my Aunt Betty, and said to her, "I want you to talk somebody." I said hello Aunt Betty. She said, "Our precious Kimberly, we have found you. One day you were our baby and the next you were gone and our lives have not been the same since then." Well, I am here to tell you that I have the most incredible family in the world. I have aunts and uncles and a very large widespread family. I have been to several family reunions. I have two more brothers and a sister, neices and nephews. We always wondered where my boys got the red hair. Why were two of my children left handed and no one in the family was left handed? It only took one family reunion to figure those out. A lot of questions have been answered for me. I look just like my paternal grandmother. Daddy and the rest of my family say I am my grandmother made over. And it is amazing the personality traits I share with my daddy's side of the family. I used to think some of that stuff was not inherited but learned. I have changed my thinking somewhat. I know from whence I cometh on my daddy's side. Everything is complete now. I am blessed with generations of faith. My daddy is loving and wise. We talk like we have never missed a day. I learned my Aunt Betty is the one who named me. Our hearts are so knit together. I marvel how I managed to live without her all these years. My little sister is 29 years old. She is only 2 years older than my first born child. At 70 years old my daddy be the man. I am an exceedingly blessed woman on this Father's Day. But not as blessed as my daddy. His life is complete now. I am so thankful for this man, my daddy. Our Father truly knows everything and is involved in the most minute detail of life.

Blessings Robi, Tomorrow will indeed be a day of sorrow. There will be many days of sorrow to follow, particularly for your sister. I will be thinking of you and your family and holding you all up in prayer. There is a national organization called Compassionate Friends. It is for families who have lost children. I am sure there are other organizations with different names. This support group has been a tremendous healing for my friend Vonda who lost her baby daughter, age 19, five months before Josh died. Her daughter was killed in a car accident. The last words my sister and Josh spoke to each other were ugly. They had an argument about money. My sister said some things, Josh said some things. They departed ways. He died less than a week later. They never made up. To this day that is the part that grieves me the most. When my sister was told of his death the first words out of her mouth were, "Josh died mad at me." The rest of the family doesn't know if that is really so. But when he died my sister was still angry with him. Their last conversation taught the rest of us a valuable life lesson. One day we will all be together again. Thank you Father that you have provided us with the Hope. Blessings to you and yours.

Blessings Robi, Tomorrow will indeed be a day of sorrow. There will be many days of sorrow to follow, particularly for your sister. I will be thinking of you and your family and holding you all up in prayer. There is a national organization called Compassionate Friends. It is for families who have lost children. I am sure there are other organizations with different names. This support group has been a tremendous healing for my friend Vonda who lost her baby daughter, age 19, five months before Josh died. Her daughter was killed in a car accident. The last words my sister and Josh spoke to each other were ugly. They had an argument about money. My sister said some things, Josh said some things. They departed ways. He died less than a week later. They never made up. To this day that is the part that grieves me the most. When my sister was told of his death the first words out of her mouth were, "Josh died mad at me." The rest of the family doesn't know if that is really so. But when he died my sister was still angry with him. Their last conversation taught the rest of us a valuable life lesson. One day we will all be together again. Thank you Father that you have provided us with the Hope. Blessings to you and yours.

I like Sinbad's comment from his stand up routine, Son of a Preacher Man. If the American Indian knew then what they know now when they saw the first white man approaching the shore a couple of hundrend years ago, they would say, "Whatever you do don't let them get off the boat."

Robi, I first noticed your post an hour or so ago and could not bring myself to read it. I kept reading other posts, would click back, look at the title and could not bring myself to open it. Four years ago this coming November our lives were where yours is at this moment. In so many ways our life is still there. First let me say, love, that I know your shock, disbelief and unimaginable grief stricken pain. Our precious Josh, my sister's first born, the first baby among my siblings, hung himself just five weeks after he was married. Their daughter was a little baby. At their wedding I said to myself, look how much they adore each other. They are going to be so happy. To this day we are still left wondering why he committed suicide. We have no answers. I can't begin to tell you how this has affected our family. To this day his wife has never recovered. She worshipped the ground he walked on. It has only been in the last couple of months that my sister has begun to "pull herself together." Her other two children have been so adversely affected by this that they started making decisions, like my sister, that were so totally the opposite of who they were before his suicide. We have never been the same and never will be. I have been so long putting this together that I almost forget what you asked. I have had to take a couple of breaks from writing. Very emotional. Just hug and hold each other and cry together. Right now there is no comfort. There is no help anyone can give. There is only unspeakable grief. When a child takes his own life that is a different kind of death. How is a mother comforted when she loses her child. I don't think the pain and grief ever goes away. Phew, my heart and prayers are with you and yours.

There are many e-coli bacterium. Not all are bad. The one we all are most familiar with is the 0157:H7. Yes, we are familiar with it!! This strain is why we are to cook hamburger meat no less than a medium well or to an internal temperature of 165 degrees. Why? Because the part of the cow that we get "hamburger" meat from is next to the bowels of the bovine. If the butchers aren't careful they grind up fecal matter in the "hamburger" meat. Yum. Maybe, cow poopie is evolving. How are we getting the bad e-coli on fruits and vegetables? HHHMMM... I have my own theories. If you can spread diseases from your hands and body parts by not washing after you go to the bathroom...what are workers doing in the fields that pick these fruits and vegetables. Like I said just some of my thinking. A worker is in the field and acres away from a Port-a-Johnny???? What and where is the worker to do?????? I would be amiss if I didn't tell you this. I instruct my students to never buy "hamburger" meat. Buy a roast and have the meat department grind it. If they say they do not have the means to do this (Wal-Mart is one) drop everything and run away quickly. The less fat in the roast the less tasty. So, choose a roast with some fat on it if you want it ground for a good ole juicy hamburger.

Wash'n Wear I know from whence you cometh. We support an African brother, his family and ministry in Kenya. When I say brother I mean a fellow follower of the Lord Jesus Christ. A while back many of you may remember the violence in that town of Eldoret. Five pastors were killed. When was the last time anybody in this country was killed because they stood for the Lord Jesus Christ? Not anybody I know. Anybody any of you know? HHHMMM??? Ninety percent of Kenya is Christian. The stories I could tell you are endless. But you know what? They never complain. They stand for what is right and are thankful and blessed. The motivation and committment of these brethren is so inspiring. You better believe we have it so daggum good in this country. No president or "official" dictates my day, life, prosperity or attitude. I have more than one pair of shoes to choose from to wear. I have a roof, and darn good one, over my head. We eat good and have lots of clothes to wear. We have our health. I get in my car and go where I want. Heck, even the air conditioning is working in the house and we have warmth in the winter. My children are healthy and thriving. Gee golly, what more could a thankful woman and mother ask for. I have so much more than my brethren in Kenya and so many other parts of the world. Hey, I could have been born in Afghanistan. Anybody checked out lately how SO many of those folks there live, not to mention many other parts of the world? I'll choose this Country I live in anyday.

It has been very hot and dry here in the southeast. I mulch profusely and so far my tenderlings have not suffered. We have little green tomatoes. The greenbeans, baby lima beans, speckled butterbeans, carrots, bell peppers, yellow crook neck squash, and Jalapeno peppers are holding their own. I have sacrificed most of my flower garden plots to plant food. My herb garden does seem to be suffering somewhat. I don't know why. My cilantro and flat leaf parsley have all but given up the ghost. The Basil looks like it is hanging in the balance. How do all of your gardens go?