A Moonshooters Diary

This is a picture that was sent to me by a very talented friend of mine, Rose Angel. It shows a New England sunset as seen though our greatest assets...trees. Rose is just learning how to use her new digatal camera and I am totally empressed with what she caputed in this picture...God's gift. If there ever was an inspirational lady, Rose is it. She has not only overcome personal health issues which would fell most people, but her faith inspires me...though her writing and her poetry snf her wonderful sense of humor. Thanks, Rose, for sharing this with us.

The way I see it, the main difference in manic and miracles is the spelling. Isn’t it a wonderful time of year where we can see both happening. Santa Claus is pure magic and Jesus is pure miracle. I believe in both because they both have the same message. "Ask and you shall receive." But the bottom line is...it doesn’t matter what anyone else believes that will produce results, only what I believe that counts.. As I see it, that’s the essence of faith. Is this logical? To me it is. Because in God’s universe of ‘human mind reality’ neither magic nor miracles is logical. But from an spiritual perspective, faith is the most logical thing there is. That’s what I’ve learned from my friend named Jesus. I guess that’s what’s called ‘marching to the beat of a different drummer.’ So I keep marching along, not understanding everything but each day learning a little more. Every day is Christmas and I look for the good in each new day...or try to. But hey, I’m not perfect. LOL

A Camel. Hey, I found it written in the Bible. It talks about 'straining at a gnat and swallowing a camel.' Being a guy full of questions I wondered what that's supposed to mean. Now according to what I looked up a gnat is a tiny insect. So what I thought was that I might be so focused on the gnat that I lose sight of the fact that's it's only a small part of the 'big picture' (camel). Or maybe put in simpler terms..."I can't see the forest for the trees." My dad taught me about that stuff when I was a kid. He'd get me picture puzzles. He'd say, "Look at the big picture first, then you'll be to see how the pieces of the puzzle fit together. It makes it a whole lot easier." And that's the way I think. I try to look at the 'big picture' first...but in many things, I'm still puzzled by what I see. But I'm working on it. That's the fun in 'living and learning.'

Auguste Rodin's sculpture, The Thinker, has been always been one of my favorites because of the meaning it has for me. First, when I gaze (which is the fancy-dancy word I use for 'look') at a replica of it, I see a reflection of myself , doing what I love to do. Think. Of course I'm dressed a little differently because this is New England and not the tropics. After all these years of 'thinking' about my dream, I've come to the conclusion that if I don't act on it, I'm going to end up like the 'nameless sculpture dude.' Hmmm. I can't picture myself 120 plus years from now still sitting and"thinking.' Unh uh. So I'm off...and blooging. Hey, what can I say. My dream is to write and I've gotta start somewhere. Then a funny thought crossed my mind. What was Roding doing when the inspiration came to him for the statue? I started laughing. I can only imagine...but I won't even go there. After all, it...

Woof, woof, woof. I thought I help my daddy aka John, with his blog. He said he was going to write about me...but I've been waiting and waiting...and waiting for him to do it. That miracle hasn't happened yet...so I just thought I jump up and help. Betcha want to see what I look like, dontcha? Welll....dontcha? Ain't I cute? Everyone tells me that I am.I was born 7 years ago in Kansas, just like the liitle dog, Toto, in the Wiazrd of Oz. What a coincidence huh, 'Ceptin I'm a Bichon Frise. How do I know that? Because I'm smart...and I'm a good listener and I hear my Mommy telling people that I am. Her real name is Sylvia...but I call her Mommy for short. Why? Because she's my Mommy...why else? Heh, heh, heh. Do you want to see another picture of me? Well...dontcha? This is my Mommy and me. She loves me bunches and bunches and bunches. How do I know? She shows it. So how am I writing this? I already told you...I'm smart. When Daddy held me on the pill...

This is one of my favorite pictures It was taken when I was in my mid-40's and also the year I decided to 'stay '31' for the rest of my life;. A trick I learned from a client while I was working in a retirement communty in Reno as a 'hair-burner'...I mean hair stylist. Her name was Lucille. One day she came bopping into the salon for her Friday morning appointmet wearing slacks, a sweater thrown over her shoulder, and carrying a crossward puzzle book. She was grumbling that she was tired of living around these 'old dodos'. When I started laughing, she asked what I thought was so funny. I thought it was hilarious that a woman, about to fly off by herself to Seattle to a pary that was going to be given in her honor to celebrate her 90th birthday would say something like that about people who so much younger in years than she was. She said words that I'll never forget. "Pick a number you like and stay that number for the rest of your life. Your bod...

When I first heard the Les Brown saying "Shoot for the moon and if you miss you'll still end up in the stars." it immediately became one of my favorites. Why? It got me to thinking...which happens to be one of my favorite hobbies, by the way...of my goals.. The first thought that came to mind was, when aiming at a goal that seems as far away as the moon, even if I miss the target, I'll be higher than I would have been if I hadn't tried. That's cool...as far as it goes. Do i have clearly defined goals, I I wondered? Hmmm. What if... I boarded a plane on the east coast and I was certain that I wanted to go to Los Angeles on the west coast. Suddenly, I heard the pilot's voice announcing on the overhead speakers, "I have good news and bad news. I'll give you the bad news first. This plane won't be landing in LA (the moon). The good news is that you'll still be somewhere on the west coast (the stars). I want to thank yo...