You Golf Ball!

Someone very important shared this with me and I wanted to share it with my friends:


The Mayonnaise Jar and 2 Cups of Coffee

When things in your life seem almost too much to handle, when 24 hours in a day are not enough, remember the mayonnaise jar and the 2 cups of coffee.

A professor stood before his philosophy class and had some items in front of him. When the class began, he wordlessly picked up a very large and empty mayonnaise jar and proceeded to fill it with golf balls. He then asked the students if the jar was full. They agreed that it was.

The professor then picked up a box of pebbles and poured them into the jar. He shook the jar lightly. The pebbles rolled into the open areas between the golf balls. He then asked the students again if the jar was full. They agreed it was.

The professor next picked up a box of sand and poured it into the jar. Of course, the sand filled up everything else. He asked once more if the jar was full. The students responded with an unanimous "yes."

The professor then produced two cups of coffee from under the table and poured the entire contents into the jar effectively filling the empty space between the sand. The students laughed.

"Now," said the professor as the laughter subsided, "I want you to recognize that this jar represents your life. The golf balls are the important things--- your family, your health, your friends and your favorite passions---and if everything else was lost and only they remained , your life would still be full.

The pebbles are the other things that matter like your job, your house and your car.

The sand is everything else---the small stuff. "If you put the sand into the jar first," he continued, "there is no room for the pebbles or the golf balls. The same goes for life. If you spend all your time and energy on the small stuff you will never have room for the things that are important to you.

"Pay attention to the things that are critical to your happiness. Play with your children. Spend time with your parents. Visit with grandparents. Take time to get medical checkups. Take your spouse out to dinner. Play another 18. There will always be time to clean the house and fix the disposal. Take care of the golf balls first---the things that really matter. Set your priorities. The rest is just sand."


One of the students raised her hand and inquired what the coffee represented. The professor smiled. "I'm glad! you asked.

It just goes to show you that no matter how full your life may seem, there's always room for a couple of cups of coffee with a friend."

Please share this with someone you care about. I JUST DID.

Texas is the best!

Texas - This is the Best

You have to be a Texan or have lived there to fully appreciate the wisdom.......

Even though this first part is so amazingly accurate, read on, there is more...

TEXAS

Once upon a time in the kingdom of Heaven, God was missing for six days. Eventually, Michael the Archangel found him, resting on the seventh day.

He inquired of God. "Where have you been?"

God sighed a deep sigh of satisfaction and proudly pointed downwards through the clouds, "Look, Michael. Look what I've made."

Archangel Michael looked puzzled and said, "What is it?"

"It's a planet," replied God, "and I've put Life on it. I'm going to call it Earth and it's going to be a great place of balance."

"Balance?" Inquired Michael, still confused

God explained, pointing to different parts of earth. "For example, northern Europe will be a place of great opportunity and wealth but cold and harsh while southern Europe is going to be poor but sunny and pleasant. "I have made some lands abundant in water and other lands parched deserts. This one will be extremely hot and while this one will be very cold and covered in ice."


The Archangel, impressed by God's work, then pointed to a land mass and said "What's that one?"

"Ah," said God. "That's TEXAS -- the most glorious place on earth.

There are beautiful beaches, streams, hills, and forests The people from TEXAS are going to be handsome, modest, intelligent and humorous and they are going to be found traveling the world. They will be extremely sociable, hardworking and high achieving, and they will be known throughout the world as diplomats and carriers of peace."

Michael gasped in wonder and admiration but then proclaimed, "What about balance, God? You said there would be balance!"

God replied wisely, "Wait until you see the idiots I put in CALIFORNIA."


Even though this is so amazingly accurate you think that says it all, read on, there is more...

A TEXAS BLESSING

Note: If you are not a resident of TEXAS or never have lived in the hot, humid Southwest, you may not understand the weight of this blessing!

Bless this house, oh Lord, we cry.

Please keep it cool in mid-July.

Bless the walls where termites dine,

While ants and roaches march in time.

Bless our yard where spiders pass

Fire ant castles in the grass.

Bless the garage, a home to please

Carpenter beetles, ticks and fleas.

Bless the love bugs, two by two,

the gnats and mosquitoes that feed on you.

Millions of creatures that fly or crawl,

in TEXAS, Lord, you've put them all!!

But this is home, and here we'll stay,

So thank you Lord, for insect spray.


HOLD IT............there's more....................
____________________________________________________


YOU KNOW YOU ARE IN TEXAS IN JULY WHEN. . .

The birds have to use potholders to pull worms out of the ground.

The trees are whistling for the dogs.

The best parking place is determined by shade instead of distance.

Hot water now comes out of both taps.

You can make sun tea instantly.

You learn that a seat belt buckle makes a pretty good branding iron!

The temperature drops below 95 and you feel a little chilly.

You discover that in July it only takes 2 fingers to steer your car.

You discover that you can get sunburned through your car window.

You actually burn your hand opening the car door.

You break into a sweat the instant you step outside at 7:30 a.m.

Your biggest bicycle wreck fear is, "What if I get knocked out and end up lying on the pavement and cook to death?"

You realize that asphalt has a liquid state.

The potatoes cook underground, so all you have to do is pull one out and add butter, salt and pepper.

Farmers are feeding their chickens crushed ice to keep them from laying boiled eggs.

The cows are giving evaporated milk. Ah, what a place to call home.

God Bless Our State of TEXAS !!

Red Fridays for military support

I received this from my aunt. The young soldier (my grandmother's grandson) that is mentioned below, is my younger brother, James. He had a difficult time getting home to his wife. (Remember that there is a war going on in Lebanon and Israel... so the military transports are trying to get all civilians out of the area before the service men and women.) Thankfully, my mother and older brother were able to be there with Mai, my sister-in-law.

THIS EMAIL WAS SENT TO ME BY MY MOTHER, SO THE SOLDIER SHE IS REFERRING TO IS MY NEPHEW. PLEASE HELP ME IN SUPPORTING OUR TROOPS.
THANKS
CAROL

From: Kathryn Simpson
Sent: Wednesday, July 26, 2006 4:36 PM

I don’t know if this is true or not, But I do know that if it were not for all our sons, brothers, husbands, Fathers, grandsons, daughters, wives, granddaughters, or what ever that has served our country, it would not be the free country that it is.
Thank God. I just got my last grandson, that has been serving our country, home from Iraq... even though it was because of a sad time in his life. His wife who, also had served over there until just a few months ago, lost their baby (daughter). This was the first one for them; it is a sad time around their house.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Subject: Soldier's daughter

Last week I (not me) was in Atlanta, Georgia attending a conference. While in the airport, returning home, I heard several people behind me begin to clap and cheer. I turned around and witnessed one of the greatest acts of patriotism I have ever seen.
Moving thru the terminal was a group of soldiers in their combat uniforms. As they headed to their gate everyone (well almost everyone) rose to their feet with hands waving and cheering. When I saw the soldiers, probably 30-40 of them, being applauded and cheered, it hit me. I'm not the only red blooded American who still loves this country and supports our troops and their families.
I stopped and began clapping for these young unsung heroes who put their lives on the line for us so we can go to school, work, and home without fear or reprisal. Just when I thought I could not be more proud of my country or of our service men and women, a young girl, about 6 or 7 years old, ran up to one of the male soldiers. He kneeled down and said "Hi". The little girl asked if he would give something to her daddy for her. The young soldier, who didn't look any older than maybe 22, said he would try and asked what she wanted to give to her daddy. The little girl grabbed the neck of this soldier, gave him the biggest hug she could muster, and then kissed him on the cheek.
The mother of the little girl, who said her daughter's name was Courtney, told the young soldier that her husband was a Marine and had been in Iraq for 11 months. As she explained how much her daughter, Courtney, missed her father, the young soldier began to tear up. When this temporarily single mom was done explaining her situation, all of the soldiers huddled together for a brief second. One of the other servicemen pulled out a military looking walkie-talkie. They started playing with the device and talked back and forth on it.
After about 10-15 seconds, the young soldier walked back over to Courtney, bent down and said this to her, "I spoke to your daddy, and he told me to give this to you." He then hugged the little girl and gave her a kiss on the cheek. He finished by saying, "Your daddy told me to tell you that he loves you more than anything, and he is coming home very soon."
The mom was crying almost uncontrollably when the young soldier stood to his feet, then saluted Courtney and her mom. As the soldiers began to leave towards their gate, people resumed their applause. As I stood there applauding, there were few dry eyes, including my own. That young soldier, in one last act of selflessness, turned around and blew a kiss to Courtney while tears rolled down his cheek.
We need to remember all of our soldiers every day, as well as their families, and thank God for them and their sacrifices. At the end of the day, it's good to be an American.

RED FRIDAYS ----- Very soon, you will see a great many people wearing Red every Friday. The reason is simple. Americans who support our troops used to be called the "silent majority". We are no longer silent. We are voicing our love for God, country, and home in record numbers. We are not organized, boisterous or over-bearing. We get no media coverage on TV to reflect our message or opinions.
Many Americans, like you, me and our friends, simply want to recognize that the vast majority of America supports our troops. Our idea of showing solidarity and support for our troops with dignity and respect starts this Friday and continues each and every Friday until the troops all come home. We want to send a deafening message that every red-blooded American who supports our men and women will wear something red.
By word of mouth, press, TV -- let's make the United States a sea of red every Friday much like a homecoming football game in the bleachers.
If every one of us who loves this country will share this with acquaintances, co-workers, friends, and family. It will not be long before the USA is covered in RED and it will let our troops know the once "silent" majority is on their side more than ever.
The first thing a soldier says when asked "What can we do to make things better for you?" is...We need your support and your prayers. Let's get the word out and lead with class, dignity, and by example; wear something red every Friday.
WE LIVE IN THE LAND OF THE FREE, ONLY BECAUSE OF THE BRAVE. THEIR BLOOD RUNS RED --- SO WEAR RED! --- MAY GOD HELP AMERICA TO BECOME ONE NATION, UNDER GOD.

Please help save two of Houston's landmarks!

8:48 PM - Current mood: depressed
If you didn't see the article in Saturday's Chronicle (shown below), tenants of the River Oaks Shopping Center on West Gray have been informed by the owner of the property that much of the property on the corner of West Gray and Shepherd will be raised in order to put in a high-rise residential building and, of all things, a Barnes and Noble.
They plan to demolish the entire center on both the south and north sides of Gray, including Black Eyed Pea, Three Brothers Bakery and, worst of all, River Oaks Theater, a Houston landmark.
To make matters worse, because Barnes and Noble owns Bookstop, many also fear they will eliminate the Bookstop inside the old Alabama Theater building on Shepherd and Alabama and demolish that as well. That Bookstop won awards for its unique preservation of the classic theater.
Losing the River Oaks Center and the River Oaks Theater is TOTALLY unacceptable. A petition drive has begun at the link below. Please visit the link, sign the petition and pass the information along to as many concerned people as possible. You can also get more information through the links below.
Thanks!
Petition: http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/riveroaks/
Chronicle story: http://www.chron.com/cs/CDA/printstory.mpl/metropolitan/4064372
Please click on the link and search for River Oaks. This will lead you to the right petition.
July 22, 2006, 8:34AM
ENDANGERED LANDMARKSHistoric theater could soon fade into historyTenants told of unconfirmed plan to raze portions of the River Oaks Shopping CenterBy LISA GRAYCopyright 2006 Houston Chronicle
Three Houston landmarks, including the Landmark River Oaks Theatre and the Bookstop in the former Alabama Theater, have been declared endangered by the Greater Houston Preservation Alliance. The alliance has learned, spokesman David Bush said Friday, that two buildings in the River Oaks Shopping Center could face demolition within two years.
The center is controlled by Weingarten Realty Investors, a Houston-based company that owns and manages about 300 retail properties in the southern United States.
A Weingarten spokeswoman would not confirm the company's plans for the shopping center.
"We don't have any official statement at this time," Amy Jones, Weingarten's director of marketing, said Friday. Other Weingarten officials did not return phone calls.
The GHPA has repeatedly tried to discuss the buildings with Weingarten Realty but has been rebuffed, Bush said.
But a half-dozen tenants of the River Oaks Shopping Center told the Houston Chronicle that a Weingarten's leasing agent informed them of plans to raze parts of the historic shopping center.
The first domino to fall, they said, would be the River Oaks Shopping Center building at the northeast corner of Shepherd and West Gray. Erected in 1937, the curved art deco building is "of national significance," architecture historian Stephen Fox said.
Three Brothers Bakery co-owner Robert Jucker said that when he confronted the leasing agent about rumors the building was to be demolished, she confirmed them, and told him that it would remain standing through the end of this year. "But she wouldn't give me that in writing," he said.
The bakery, located for 17 years in the strip between the Black-Eyed Pea restaurant and Jos. A. Bank clothing store, is on a month-to-month lease, Jucker said.
A number of River Oaks Shopping Center tenants including owners of Archway Gallery, Chase's Closet and Laff Stop said that a Weingarten's leasing agent told them the Black-Eyed Pea building would be replaced with a multistory Barnes & Noble.
Archway is located near the River Oaks Theatre on the south side of West Gray. At a meeting with the gallery's owners in March, a Weingarten's leasing agent detailed the company's plans to tear down their entire building including the theater in early 2008, Archway co-owner Marsha Harris said.
Weingarten offered the gallery other accommodations until its lease runs out in December 2008, she said.
"They're proceeding apace," Harris said. "I think it's real stupid and short-sighted if they pull that theater down."
Harris and other tenants said their leasing agent described plans to erect a high-rise residential building in the theater's place possibly preserving part of the theater's exterior, but none of its art deco interior.
Opened in 1939, the River Oaks is Houston's oldest functioning movie theater.
Bill Banowsky, CEO of Landmark Theatres, wrote in an
e-mail that Landmark is "100 percent committed to the River Oaks Theatre," and that Landmark recently signed a lease extension. Landmark spokeswoman Melissa Raddatz would not say how long that lease lasts.
Celeste Williams, a lecturer at the University of Houston's Gerald D. Hines School of Architecture, has studied Houston's earliest movie theaters extensively, and notes that in many cities the historic buildings still function either as movie theaters or auditoriums.
"There aren't many buildings I'd lie down in front of bulldozers to save," she said. "The River Oaks theater is one of them."
In addition to the two segments of the River Oaks center, the preservation alliance placed the art deco Alabama Shepherd Shopping Center on its endangered list because of fears that Barnes & Noble would close the Bookstop if it built in River Oaks. Weingarten also controls The Alabama Center.
Responding to questions via e-mail, Barnes & Noble Inc. spokeswoman Carol Brown wrote that the company had "made no announcement of plans to build in the River Oaks Shopping Center." Brown wouldn't say whether such plans existed.
She also said the chain had no "immediate" plans to move from the Bookstop location.
In 1989, Bookstop won national attention for its creative preservation of the Alabama movie theater, built in 1939. Nine years later, Barnes & Noble bought the Bookstop chain.
Houston's historic preservation laws are among the weakest in the country, and the vast majority of the city's historic buildings can be destroyed without even a waiting period for public comment.
Preservationists have responded by mounting intelligence operations to ferret out plans to raze historic buildings.
Those "cloak-and-dagger operations," Bush said, "are sad, but it's what we've got to do if we're going to draw public attention before the bulldozers arrive."
lisa.gray@chron.com

James

My brother, James, is back from Iraq. Now the bad news... His wife went in to find out how there unborn baby girl was doing... She didn't have a heart beat. A week later they induced labor. (I can not imagine having to carry my baby knowing that it ha already passed away.) My brother did not make it back until the next day. The military screwed up on his paperwork and bumped him down from emergency (Red Cross) return home to end of tour. This normally would not have been too much of a problem, but with the military getting everyone out of Lebanon and Israel. Right all military (not on emergency status) is having to wait until they remove all American citizens from Lebanon and Israel, wanting to leave. My mother (Monica), older brother (Trevor), and Monica's best-friend (Sue) drove to Kentucky on Tuesday. I really wanted to go, but was not able to go. I still really want to go... but we just can't afford it right now. Trevor keeps telling me that I have a family I need to take care of. I do take care of them, but honestly Kelly lived on his own for years before he and I even dated. I could make arangements for Elle, or take her with me if they want to see her. Sorry, I guess that I just needed rant.

House Cooling Party

Since the house Warming party was canceled we decided to have a replacement party...so we are having a House Cooling Party. It will be September 16, at 18:00 (6:00pm) - 23:00 or whenever. We are excited and really hoping that you make it. We decided on the 16th because it was close enough to Faire that some the out of town people coming in for faire might be able to make it, yet far enough from faire that it does not interfere with getting ready for faire. We did have about 20 people still show up for the house warming party and they loved the potluck idea. We had a great selection of foods and drinks...and a lot of beer. sooo....

...We are going to have it be a Potluck Dinner (bring food...your choice of whatever kind of food you like) & bring some kind of alcoholic beverage if you plan to drink. (We have sodas, milk, juice, and water...Kelly stop laughing.) If you are coming (please do) you can post on here what you would like to bring or put "I'll surprise you". Thank you all for reading this and hopefully for coming. And this time Kelly WILL BE there too. I love you beautiful ladies and guys...and I really do miss you all.

Oh yeah... bring chairs for sitting...especially for outside.


House Cooling Party on September 16 at 18:00 (6:00 pm) until 23:00 or later! Bring food, alcoholic drink, and chair...we will supply the house. Please come!

Below are pictures of our house. If you need the address or directions please contact Nat or Kelly. Thanks ya'll. For extra parking there is a parking lot located right behind our house and a pathway leading to it next to our house.

Our House!

7 reasons not to mess with children.

7 reasons not to mess with children.

1...A little girl was talking to her teacher about whales.

The teacher said it was physically impossible for a whale to swallow a human because even though it was a very large mammal its throat was very small.

The little girl stated that Jonah was swallowed by a whale.

Irritated, the teacher reiterated that a whale could not swallow a human; it was physically impossible.

The little girl said, "When I get to heaven I will ask Jonah".

The teacher asked, "What if Jonah went to hell?"

The little girl replied, "Then you ask him ".



2.......A
Kindergarten teacher was observing her classroom of children while they were drawing. She would occasionally walk around to see each child's work.

As she got to one little girl who was working diligently, she asked what the drawing was.

The girl replied, "I'm drawing God."

The teacher paused and said, "But no one knows what God looks like."

Without missing a beat, or looking up from her drawing, the girl replied, "They will in a minute."



3.....A Sunday school teacher
was discussing the Ten Commandments with her five and six year olds.

After explaining the commandment to "honor" thy Father and thy Mother, she asked, "Is there a commandment that teaches us how to treat our brothers and sisters?"

Without missing a beat one little boy (the oldest of a family) answered, "Thou shall not kill."



4.......One day a little girl was sitting and watching her mother do the dishes at the kitchen sink. She suddenly noticed that her mother had several strands of white hair sticking out in contrast on her brunette head.

She looked at her mother and inquisitively asked, "Why are some of your hairs
white, Mom?"

Her mother replied, "Well, every time that you do something wrong and make me cry or unhappy, one of my hairs turns white."

The little girl thought about this revelation for a while and then said, "Momma, how come ALL of grandma's hairs are white?"



5........The children had all been photographed, and the teacher was trying to persuade them each to buy a copy of the group picture.

"Just think how nice it will be to look at it when you are all grown up and say,
'There's Jennifer, she's a lawyer,' or 'That's Michael, He's a doctor.'

A small voice at the back of the room rang out, "And there's the teacher, she's dead."



6.......A teacher was giving a lesson on the circulation of the blood. Trying to make the matter clearer, she said, "Now, class, if I stood on my head, the blood, as you know, would run into it, and I would turn red in the face."

"Yes," the class said.

"Then why is it that while I am standing upright in the ordinary position the blood doesn't run into my feet?"

A little fellow shouted,
"Cause your feet ain't empty."



7.......The children were
lined up in the cafeteria of a Catholic elementary school for lunch. At the head of the table was a large pile of apples. The nun made a note, and posted on the apple tray:

"Take only ONE. God is watching."

Moving further along the lunch line, at the other end of the table was a large pile of chocolate chip cookies.

A child had written a note, "Take all you want. God is watching the apples.


It doesn't matter how many people you send this to, just remember if it made you laugh, your friends will laugh too.