Such a Day as This.......

I am probably the last person in the world to talk about religion seeing how I don't attend a church, but I do have the one the thing that in the Christianity belief that is vital.....I believe in the living Jesus Christ, that He died for the sins of humanity and that He rose again three days later. When one thinks about the story of the Resurrection, it goes without saying that reading between the lines in crucial in order to understand the balance of what happened that fateful day.

Ask yourself, " Could I really put my life on the line for people that I did not know, dying for their sins, at the cost of my own?" Now, most parents will tell you that they would indeed die for their children, maybe their siblings, and especially their parents. But for a perfect stranger? Nah, not hardly. But that's EXACTLY what Jesus did!!!  He put it all on the line for those who did not believe so that they would see that He was the ulitmate Son.

Now, maybe it's at this point that I should maybe make a statement.....as mentioned previously, at the moment I do not have a home church. As a matter of fact, the last church service I attended was months ago and it left me feeling like that there was more to what being a Christian is all about. To me, the people of a church are not only there to serve Jesus, but to serve others who need to be witnessed to. As a child, I was taught that it was better to give than to received and in my later years, I still use that when I see that there are those who need more than a "handout".

The great thing about our country today is the mixture of cultures and religions that fill our beautiful country. Now, I have to admit, I don't understand alot about of cultures and their religions, and I don't pretend to know everything about such issues. Yes, I have had moments where I would begin to judge someone based on strictly on who they are and what they believe. That's not my place at all in this great big world.

As those who are observing today as critical to our beliefs as Christians, take a moment to enjoy such a day as this, to remember the sacrifice that was made by the Son of God, who put His life before others without so much as a thank you.

As for all the eggs to be hunted, there is a reminder that it is  all about renewal....of life, of love and that it can all be found in Jesus.

Until we meet again,

Amanda

Just When I Think I Understand.......

Just when I think I have an understanding on why people do the things they do and the decicions they make, I realize I have no idea really why we do the things we do. At some point in our lives, we all try and not be so judgemental on those we know little or nothing about, only what we read or see on tv. I like to think that if I were to be in someone's place when a disaster or something catastrophic happened, I would make the correct decision.

I thought I knew where I was going with this, but my train of thought just went out the window....lol...just a second......gotta clear the cobwebs here........do not adjust your set......ok, almost there....looks like I'm going to have to take a break.....

Well, it's now Monday and I began this post on Sunday afternoon before I ran into a case of 'writer's block". Just when I think I understand how life is, I realize I have no clue as to what I am doing sometimes and how I even got to this place in my life. What is important is that we try to make the best of what has been given to us, even if it's not much in the way of monetary or materalistic values.

Everytime I watch Rick Steves' Europe on PBS, I long to travel to the places he goes to, places filled with history and life; of people who live simple, keeping alive practices that have been around for generations and generations. To live in that existence with all the beauty and majesty provided by God, it appeals to me on a level that I long to experience.

Until we meet again,

amanda

If I Could Bottle Anything.....

I wished I could bottle the feeling I get when I travel.....regardless of whether its on land, or in the air, the anticipation of going somewhere new and exciting just has a wonderful, eye-opening effect on me. It's almost as if I'm living for the first time! I've only traveled stateside and a few of those times were by airplane.

I love going to a new airport, seeing all the sights, smelling all the food and the coffee (yum!), watching people move about, wondering where they are going, etc.. A few years ago I was flying to Salt Lake City, Utah and along the way I had layovers in Houston, Tx., and Phoenix, Az. While I had some down time, I had a few moments to walk around, window shopping, whatever, to take in all the sights. Now, since I live in a small town rural area of Alabama(yeah, I know what you're probably thinking, "Isn't most of Alabama rural?"  lol), seeing parts of the country I've only seen in magazines and on television, I was like a visitor to a different planet,  or even a country.

Of course, when I did speak to people, they automatically knew what part of the country I was from and began to converse with me just to hear my accent! Needless to say before I knew it, a perfect stranger just a few minutes earlier was soon becoming a acquaintance. Amazing how the things we take for granted are used as tools for breaking down barriers that normally keep people from getting to know one another.

When I finally landed in Salt Lake City, for the first time in a long time, I actually lost my breath. The landscape there is absolutely breathtaking!!! The snowcapped mountains, the skyscrapers that peppered the area, it was all just overwhelming. Of course, in the back of my mind, I remembered that I was coming into an city that is totally opposite of what I've grown-up in and used to seeing.

Sure, I've been to Atlanta several times, but after awhile it always seemed like the same thing, over and over. Salt Lake City was nothing like I've ever seen and although I was there on personal business, I was already planning on returning there someday, possibly with my son, to show him that there is life outside the borders of Alabama. Sadly, my stay there was short, but it left such a impression that it makes me want to travel throughout the west, to connect with other people who like meeting other people and would like to meet someone from Alabama!  :)  Besides, I think that most people sterotype people who live in the South based upon stories they have read or seen, or even through comedians. And I believe that one should take the time to get to know people before you can judge them (and really, we shouldn't judge, should we?)

I keep a travel wish list of places that I would love to go to, places that are magical in literature, and vital in history. Places such as the United Kingdom (especially Ireland!), Austria, Germany, Italy, heck, the entire continent of Europe, then I'd like to hop on over to Russia and Siberia (just so I could see one of the most magnificant creatures on the face of the earth....the tiger!!)

Thankfully there is at least PBS, where I can watch a few of the travel shows that actually go to these places and discover what makes them so vibrant and exciting! And oh the food!! Some of the food they show literally makes my mouth water! 

So, if anyone who reads this has been to some of the places I've mentioned or would like to know more about where I live,  I would really like to hear from you. Call it electronic pen pals, if you would .


Until we meet again, I am, and always will be,

Amanda

Rambling Woman

Maybe at some point I put too much emphasis on the "American Dream".....the little house surrounded by a picket fence, kids, pets and a husband. Throughout my life I've had the opportunities to make a better life for myself and my son. I was married for a short period of time, it failed. I've several jobs, not careers, just something to help pay the bills, nothing really to look forward to each morning.

I look around, at the so-called "families"; the ones who sell out fora chance to make millions of dollars through reality TV, and for a brief moment it makes me appreciate the simplicity of my life.  My life, like most people has it ups and downs (lately, mostly downs) and the state of the economy hasn't been the best friend to me as it has to others.

Just yesterday as I was watching the news on the possibility of the government shutdown, the newscaster pointed out that one of the reasons that Congress hasn't come to an agreement on this issue, is that neither the Republicans or the Democrats wants to lose on this matter. Are you serious?  They are more concerned with losing as compared to the running of our government?!?!? It absolutely boggles the mind how absolutely childish adults that are responsible for operating a government are acting.

How can it be that we are sending all kinds of money overseas to not only fund relief efforts, but to help try to remove a leader of a country as part of a United Nations effort, but yet we struggle to get people back to work?  Our current state of government has failed the American people and yet we have to shoulder some of the blame as we put these so-called "leaders" in their current position.

Maybe I'm rambling too much, but I feel like there are more people our there who are feeling the same way. If so, I'd like to hear how the economy has affected you and your family and how you are handling it.

I guess that's one thing about being a "Rambling Woman", with all the jabbering, some good points are bound to be made.


Until we meet again,

Amanda

The State of Affairs

As I write this, the State of Alabama is currently undergoing budget cuts faster than  paper through a shredder. Like most of the country, our state is making cuts at an alarming rate, hitting areas that cannot afford any losses, yet our governor, Robert Bentley, is acting like Edward Scissorhands, cutting almost any and everything. When our schools are desparately trying to survive in an already depressed economy, Gov. Bentley adds insult to injury by cutting deeper into the education budget.


It saddens me that our state is struggling to make ends meet and that by doing so, good people who are valuable in their fields, are being let go in an already depressed  job market, only to find that they are competing with other good people for the same job.

What bothers me to no end is that as our country continues to spend money in overseas operations, upwards in the trillions, we can't seem to get our own backyard straighten out. Please don't misunderstand what I am saying....I support our troops wherever they go, as it is our military that keeps such fanatics from overtaking our government. But even our military isn't safe from the abuse and mistreatment at the hands of our government.

It's sad to repeatly hear of soliders doing 3, 4, 5, 6 tours of duty overseas, struggling to keep their families together, wounded soliders having to fight for compensation and fair treatment upon returning home from a war being fought far from home.

With all of this going on, it's any wonder that we, not only as states, but as a country have been able to keep our heads above water. The government needs to focus on returning people to work, getting back what belongs to the people and quit all of the bickering that takes place in our capitals, not only in our states, but in the nation.

Until we meet again,

Amanda

The Simple Things

In life, its the simple things that make some smile. Just like this photo of the baby red fox. To me, it's a reminder that life is fragile and that we must appreciate the most of the time that we are given. Even in the fox's eyes, it's like looking into the eyes of a human baby, looking for  love, for someone to take care of it, to feed it, and nurture it . Everything has a purpose in life, from the largest to the smallest.

There is a balance between life and death. It's easy to take for granted that we, as a human race, have all the time in world to do what we want, to live the way we want, that death will be waiting for us years and years from now. What matters the most is that when that time comes, that we have the support and the love of family and friends who will be there for us, not just through the transition, but to always be there for us to get us through the hard times, picks us up and keeps us focus on the things to that are important and vital in order for us to survive.

Imagine how that baby fox must feel having to survive in a world that is constantly changing around him and how he must adjust in order to be able to make it through to the next day. Nature is not only a thing of wonder and beauty, but it can also be dark and dangerous; not much different from the world in which we live in today.

With the wars, famine, murder, and such running rampart in the world today, the way in which we look at and how we react to it, will play a role in determining how our children will view and respond to their world when they grow up.

My hope is that the longer I am living, the better person I become; the more I live, the better I love.


Until we meet again,

Amanda

Conversations with.........

 Imagine you were given an opportunity to have a conversation and ask questions of any person in the history of the world. Who would you choose? Would your choice be of historical significance? or a religious preference? Just the thought of sitting down with someone of immense stature  has a way of boggling the mind.

So, with that thought in mind, I've been wondering who I would sit down with and have a conversation with and my first choice.........Thomas Jefferson.

And now............A Conversation with Thomas Jefferson

ME: Mr. President, thank you for joining me today.

TJ: Thank you for your invitation. I find that by sitting down with others and sharing ideas, we gather more information about the world around us.

ME: Mr. President, my first question for you is this.....from the time you helped draft the most imporant document of all time (Declaration of Independence), to your presidency, what do you think is the most important idea about freedom in today's world as compared to yours?

TJ: Well, that is indeed a very thought provoking and interesting question. First, the reason we (the Founding Fathers) drafted not only the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution, was so that we as independent individuals, were not  bound to the sovereignty of the British empire. It had already been demonstrated how unequal and unbalanced the government of England treated not only their citizens, but members of its own government. No man is above another, yet the tools given to man by the Creator has taken on a new meaning. It seems that in today's society the people have forgotten what it took to form a new republic while fighting a empire that was determined to oversee the beginning of the government here.

ME: With all the trouble that is taking place all around the world, do you think that the United States is spreading itself too thin?

TJ: When the militia was created, it was done so to protect the homeland from foreign attacks. Obviously our time is much different than your time and the dangers are as different as night and day. The role of the United States now is much more important now more than ever before. As a leader of democracy and freedom, the nation should be the leader in responding to trouble when it begins to crush the dreams and opportunities of those oppressed by men who are overcome with power and cannot distract themselves from such.

ME: Mr. President, just one more question....if you knew then, what you know now, would you do the same thing again?

TJ: I would do exactly the same thing again. It was an honor to serve not only as President, but as a Founding Father of the best country in world. And to be surrounded by the greatest minds of their time was also an honor.

ME: Mr. President, thank you very much for this honor, it was pleasure to sit here with you today.

TJ: Thank you for the opportunity.


Well, that's the way I think the conversation would go, but of course, it could always be opposite of what it could be.  Now, this is just a idea of what I think the conversation would be like, could be better, could be worse. If there is someone you would like to talk to, shoot me a comment and let me here from you!


Until we meet again,

Amanda