We Just Never Know

A bad day. That's what yesterday promised to be; a sad, strange, surreal day.

It was. But not as bad as it could have been.

The evening turned into something beautiful, magical, and wonderful, with just a touch of wistfulness to keep it real, which it was.

My. My. The way we sometimes are moved, lifted,and even transformed, beneath the Carolina moon, never ceases to amaze me.

Life the adventure...erh?

Dread

Sometimes

We all have days that we should be wearing this shirt, or one similar. I didn't buy this shirt, because for one, I HOPE I don't have too many of those days. For another thing, I didn't want to invite an opportunity to wear it. Today however I could be wearing it as underwear. I'm having a very sad day, and still trying to focus on the ultimate good of God and the ultimate good he will work from our lives, regardless of the in-between ups and downs of life and the stings and arrows of the world.

Right now, I am "some where I have never been." So are some other's that I care about deeply. It's difficult. Am I confident about working through all this? "Sometimes I am."

Yes, the rhythm of life is passionate and beautiful, and plays out in spectacularly wonderful ways at times. It also has deep dark under currents that sometimes reach from beneath the surface and pull you to places you don't want to be. That's when we cling to our strained faith, and pray for more and stronger faith, and the grace to bring us through.

When I found this shirt it didn't make sense. Now it does. Such is life, beneath the Carolina moon.

Dread

ITSNOT WHAT YOU THINK!

No today's post is not going to be what you think! I actually had a lesson come to me today, just out of a "seat of the pants" reply that I made to a passenger I was sharing an elevator ride with. I hope to pass it along here, and rest assured, it's not anything about snot. That was just the gimmick to get your attention, and a reflection of how I feel the world has been treating me and a lot of good people lately. But let's get to the lesson, shall we?

On my way to my office this morning, as I got on the elevator an elderly lady was already occupying the car. As the door closed, and I suppose I had mumbled good morning to her, she asked me, "Is the world treating you good?"

Without hesitation I replied, "No!", but then added,with reassurance I hope, "But, the good Lord is!". She looked at me strangely, then as she exited the car, mumbled something about having pains but just keep going anyway.

It was later in the day when I realized the lesson in what I had said myself. No matter what the world does to us, God is always there for us and has our back. How reassuring. No wonder I felt so happy and upbeat at the very moment I was indicating that the world indeed was not treating me good. God can be good to us and bring us joys in ways that the worldly can't imagine. His strength and His love can stand us against the harshest storms of this world.

The next time someone asks you how life is treating you or how the world is treating you, think about it. Does it matter as long as God is treating you good? That's really what counts. That's what matters. The world can have it's way. God will have His, even in places that are far removed from the Carolina moon.

So in the face of a world, that is right now not treating me, nor a lot of people I care greatly for, in a nice way, I say world watch out. God is still in charge, and He is treating me good!

Dread

Monday Make-A-Day

The crowd pointing and roaring their chant at him, over and over; "Eat da booger! Eat da booger! Eat da booger!", was the last thing Jason remembered before the fall from the bed awakened him.

There really isn't any further literary development to surround that text, to wrap it in a story, or to tie it to a point or a personal experience. It was just a nightmarish thought that popped into my head as I sat down to begin this weeks blog.

As nightmarish as the week promises to be, I intend to make the best of it, and perhaps the tortured twist that will be necessary to pull that off may show through here. Yes, it could be an interesting week here, beneath the Carolina moon; both the blog, and the real place. I'll keep you posted, when I'm not otherwise occupied. As for my dreams, for the last two nights, they have been most pleasant. Most pleasant indeed!

Today is Monday. Need I remind anyone? Monday's are such boogers anyway! But just like Jello, there's always room for love. Maybe Monday's are what we make of them, more than anything else. Instead of calling it Monday, let's call it Make-A-Day. Let me know what you make of yours.

Dread

Mmmmmm

Sweet

Heart

Sometimes life here beneath the Carolina moon is just soooooooo sweet!

And I will end this strange week with a couple of quotes from the man of Relativity himself.

"In the middle of every difficulty lies opportunity."

"Imagination is more important than knowledge." Albert Einstein

Have a good weekender,

Dread

A New Moon

There is a new moon today; a new phase begining.

And So

Through Spirit

Through Generations

Through Time

the common thread remains.

Someone Special for Someone Special

Even under the dark of the Carolina moon, she knows. She knows.

Dread

A Lapse of Humility

The animal with it's arse getting kicked into the air is a smart alecky fox. I don't think I need to identify what seems to have distracted the fox.

Heh heh heh heh heh heh heh heh heh heh heh heh heh heh heh heh heh heh heh.

Oh dear that is somewhat of a lapse of humility on my part erh? Oh well, it happens; even here, beneath the Carolina moon.

Dread

Truth

The truth is that there is only one terminal dignity - love. And the story of a love is not important - what is important is that one is capable of love. It is perhaps the only glimpse we are permitted of eternity. - Helen Hayes


Were life beneath the Carolina moon not a mix of curse and blessing, I would argue with Ms. Hayes. Alas, we have that mix and thus our bliss is intermittent. Never less though is God's love, even when ours doubts or falters.

Dread

An Evening Alone

Immature love says: 'I love you because I need you.' Mature love says: 'I need you because I love you.'- Erich Fromm


And that's why an evening alone beneath the Carolina moon is so lonesome.

Dread

A Morning Alone

The simple lack of her is more to me than others' presence.
- Edward Thomas



And that's all I have to say today.

Dread

What the World Needs Now

I came across a blog last night while looking for something completely different; I mean TOTALLY different! On the page of this blog were links to a rare sound recording in (dare I say it?) mp3 format. A history of the recording is included, along with comments from the likes of people like me and my generation. It is well worth the read and the listen. Here is the link to the blog page.

http://kd4dcy.net/blog/?p=492

I think it will tell you an awful lot about my generation; how we can be both idealistic and cynical, hopeful and despairing, loving and angry. Learn something. Have a read, and have a listen. Indulge my nostalgia. There's a lesson or lessons in it all. As an old acquaintance is fond of saying, "The more things change, the more they stay the same."

Thanks for visiting again, here beneath the Carolina moon.

Dread

A Tuesday Thought

"The best and most beautiful things in this world cannot be seen or even heard, but must be felt with the heart." Helen Keller

Just a borrowed thought to share today is all I have, to offer. Sometimes that's just the way it is, here beneath the Carolina moon.

Dread

"Two" Good News

Think what you will of George Bush. Any man who loves his Scotties has heart, culture, respect for differences, etc. George having two Scotties is good news.

My baby brother just received his report from his scans and x-rays. This was the second clean report since his cancer was diagnosed over three years ago, as terminal. The hope at that time was to keep him alive five years. (quality of life aside) His odds now have improved from almost zero, to 20/80, to close to 50/50 for recovery. My brother having two clean scans is good news.

I heard two different preachers speak yesterday, with messages that went to my heart. Two messages that speak to my heart, life and soul, at a time I need understanding and guidance, is good. I better understand where and why I am torn inside. I continue to seek guidance.

I have prayers of gratitude and prayers of request to lift. Two types of prayers, is good news.

Good news, beneath the Carolina moon.

Dread

A Waning Moon, A Brighter God

The bright beautifully full Carolina moon of Wednesday has passed, and the light is waning, but we always have a full God.

I stopped using cigarettes twenty-five weeks ago today. I used nicotine lozenges in a reducing number for the first twelve weeks as the smoking cessation program. For the past thirteen weeks (three full months today!), I have been nicotine free. My intention is to never use nicotine in any form ever again. I was able to go though that process because I prayed for forgiveness, and asked God to help with taking away that addiction. He answered my prayers, and the prayers of others who I am sure were praying for my release and recovery.

I praise God for all that He has done for me, the forgiveness He has provided through the sacrifice of His son Jesus and His rich blessing of sending the spirit to guide me through the process. I ask the continued prayers and support of those who have opened their hearts toward this cleansing for me. Please pray that in the absence of this vile drug from my mind and body that they (my mind and body) will be made and kept whole, and that the spiritual guidance and strength called for in my life will be provided.

Through these blessings, may I serve our Great and Glorious God by serving those he would send me to serve in Christ name, and through these answered prayers may our faith be made all the stronger and our witness a tangible touchstone for those who would doubt.

Yes, God's blessings shine brighter than even the full Carolina moon!

Dread

Beautiful, Loved, Stubborn, Children

There are a zillion similar quotes that I won't try to look up or give credit to here today that express the following: In the midst of every adversity there is a seed, or a door to equal or greater opportunity. Therefore today I will not mention the late unpleasantness to besiege my loved ones and me, but will focus on the beautiful and wonderful aspects of life, such as this exquisite Puppy Love orchid pictured above, and the quotes on love below.

I have found the paradox that if I love until it hurts, then there is no hurt, but only more love.
- Mother Teresa

Love is always bestowed as a gift - freely, willingly and without expectation. We don't love to be loved; we love to love.
- Leo Buscaglia

Love is like playing the piano. First you must learn to play by the rules, then you must forget the rules and play from your heart.
- Author unknown

And to think that God loves each of us so much as to manifest a sacrifice of Himself for us! While unworthy we think ourselves, He is seeing us as His greatest creation and worthy of all His love, despite our foibles, failings, and frailties. Even here, beneath the Carolina moon in the land of the strange, eccentric and exotic, all we are asked is to accept that love.

Why are we such stubborn children?

Dread

Our Gift

This mountain pictured from my mother's back yard was created eons ago. I wrote this following piece in April, and don’t recall if I ever shared it. How odd that I wouldn’t remember, but then my head hasn’t quiet been the same since my heart was opened. Today I share the ancient mountain, and this recent musing. How ageless they can both be.

Our Gift

The most precious possession I had, I packaged in the only wrapping that I had. I offered it to her with every earnest fiber of my being. She accepted my gift graciously. Unwrapping it slowly, she marveled its nature. She held it gently, examined it, and then clutching it to her bosom, declared it would now be her most precious possession. I was overjoyed that she accepted my gift. I was thrilled even more that she wanted it as much as I wanted her to have it. "But wait", she said, "I have something also for you."

She looked into my eyes and offered me the package she had wrapped. I held it trembling in anticipation. I dared not hope what it contained. In the gentlest manner I could muster, I slowly opened the wrapping, and was overwhelmed to find her most precious possession. I held it to my bosom and knew that it would surpass what I was giving, and that it truly would be my most precious possession.

As we embraced, our gifts were brought together between us, and when we released each other, we found they had swallowed each unto the other and had become one. Now and forever, we will share our most precious gift. We share our love.


I hope you will have a nice day. My day will be spent here in the beautiful Carolina, with all it's joys, sorrows, singing spirits, and woeful losses. The rhythms of life beat strong here, and subtly, and loud, and softly; and each nuance carries the whisper of a dream, stirring the heartfelt passions that are the ethereal southern essence found only here, beneath the Carolina moon.

Today life will not be easy, nor my path clear. But God will provide what is needed for today. His Son will provide forgiveness of my trespasses and His Holy Spirit will point the way.

PS: Today is a FULL MOON. Watch out!

Dread

A New Day

Each new day begins with a sunrise. The picture is sunrise from Carolina Beach on Pleasure Island, North Carolina. There was a time when I carried a great fondness for this place. Now, it's just a place from my past.

Some mornings it’s just not worth chewing through the leather straps. But today, after a weekend of posting cynicism, and happy anger, I figured it could be worth the effort, so here I am.

Today’s quote is from Kahlil Gibran:
“It is wrong to think that love comes from long companionship and persevering courtship. Love is the offspring of spiritual affinity and unless that affinity is created in a moment, it will not be created for years or even generations.”

Today I hope, I love, and I reach for faith. And all any of us can do is have faith, hold hope, and love, even here in this magical place, beneath the Carolina moon.

Dread

Happy Anger, A Double Header

I’ve decided that in the current environment of my home and work, if I’m going to be happy, I may just have to settle on happy anger or angry happiness, whichever. My world just will not cooperate with my desire to have a really enthusiastic attitude and spread happiness. Even the news media conspires to make us miserable!

So, I’ve decided if I can’t be just plain happy, and something must come along every few minutes to either break my heart or make me angry, then I’ll just be angrily happy, or happily angry; if there is a difference. What follows is an example of my follow through of happy anger.

AFP has a story that Yahoo News is running about a parenting magazine called Baby Talk. The controversy of the story is that Baby Talk featured a story on why women don’t nurse longer. It was a feature article of the magazine and the cover picture for the month was of a baby nursing. It seems that people were outraged, offended, horrified, and generally ready to declare jihad over the cover picture. I've got news for all those prudish yoyos. Babies have been nursing since Cain and Able! It is a beautiful thing! There is absolutely nothing offensive about it. Breastfeeding is not a perversion! It's the way God himself figured things work best. It's for bonding, feeding, inoculating, comforting, and a host of really needed things that God plugged into one simple process. It's poetry, it's genius, it's divinely beautiful!

Would the offended have been offended by a picture of a child eating broccoli, if the article had been on pediatric vitamins? What gives? Okay, you be the judge and weigh in. Here’s the controversial picture from the August 2006 cover of Baby Talk:



I think the picture perfectly illustrates the story, and is a perfectly beautiful picture of a perfectly natural and beautiful part of human existence. The fact that people get angry about it and are offended by it makes me angry. Babies breastfeeding are as natural and as beautiful as a patch of blooming wild flowers. Yes I believe strongly in modesty. But what’s the problem here? This is a baby breastfeeding, not a sexual flaunt of a breast!

Yah know what? I am so angered and aghast at people being angered and aghast at the Baby Talk picture, that I’m going to run a double header right here, just to make my day, and make a happy statement. You might call it my double-header, happy anger statement. Yes you might call it that. I call it beautiful. And those that don’t think so, can kiss my happy anger, right here beneath the Carolina moon!



Now isn't that just totally and naturally beautiful, just the way God made us?
So, which is better, just anger, or happy anger? I think the confusion comes from the dual role breasts play in our family cultures, but the aghast need some psychoanalysis, and maybe a lot of therapy.

Dread

Lift a Prayer

Although our boss has another name for her, we call her Nancy. And though she isn't even dead yet, our boss built and maintains a shrine to her. At least we don't think she's dead yet; she walks around snarling and snapping at everyone. Our boss believes that Nancy holds great mystical power that will propell people to high office and public adoration, and unlimited godlike powers. Our boss hangs on Nancy's snarlings as though they are sacred words. And, through this worship and following of her mystical snarlings and growls, someday hopes to attain the dream of becoming a great, powerful, black woman.

There are a couple of problems with this as I see it. First of all, idolitry is just wrong. Secondly, those who attain the highest levels of respect for self and others, also attain the highest levels of humility. So the whole self agrandizement thing just fails as a workable venue for happiness.

Thirdly, although I understand the sex change operation is legal in certain states, still I have sincere doubts that even with the operation, and as much of a bitch as he is, that my boss's lilly, pasty, white, face is gonna turn black.

The south is already full of strange eccentric people. We grow our own, thank you very much, and this guy didn't come from here. We really don't need him to fill our local quota of harmless, colorful, eccentrics. And, we're pretty sure that he's not harmless. So, if there are any towns our there, north of the Mason - Dixon line and west of the Mississippi, that could use a spare kook, let us know. We'll pay the shipping. Maybe your local eccentric has passed on, been cured, or left town, and you're looking for another "colorful character" to give flavor to your small town. I think this guy could fill the bill for you very nicely, and we are willing to negotiate very reasonable terms.

Please don't send donations of food or clothing. We are not interested in maintenance, we're interested in relocation.

It seems every morning I get up with a mindset to be positive and optimistic, and to go out into the world to spread some cheer, goodwill, and hope. Then I get to my place of employment and I find only more wrongs against the innocent, the good, and the beloved. I tell you, working in a funeral home would offer more reasons for joy each day, and far less sorrow than working where I do. I am sick of struggling to maintain a healthy outlook on life, while being battered daily by acts and attitudes of barbarism. And this is supposed to be a public charity!

I feel like I'm in a surrealistic dreamscape. Either I've been eating bad mushrooms in the marinara sauce or the moon and pluto are aligned astrologically, because right now, the world is goofy beneath the Carolina moon. My prayers have taken to starting out with phrases like, "God! I'm struggling with understanding a few things here!" Meanwhile, starting Monday, it's my week to feed Nancy. I don't know that I can do that. Somehow, something has to give! Someone has to go!

I could go old school Dread under these circumstances really easy. Lift a prayer where it's needed. Lift a prayer.

Dread

Some People...

Some people dunno from shinola, politics.
Some people think they are so damn smart that nobody else gets it.
Some people dunno the meaning of the word honor.
Some people think that flying high is a place they can live permanently.
Some people dunno that history has already proven them to be masked idiots.
Some people think they can take it or leave it.
Some people dunno making splash gets the attention of creatures of the deep.

Maybe it's time some people learn a lesson.

Nothing personal; understand, strictly bidnez.



People who play with the lives of other's so easily become game pieces, even here, beneath the Carolina moon.

Dread

Love Love

Yeah,

Dread

The Greatest Thing in the World

You will find as you look back upon your life that the moments when you have really lived are the moments when you have done things in the spirit of love.- Henry Drummond