12/27/11 - God's Eye

Late morning the sky of God's eye was covered with clouds. The weather channel said wind advisory in it's monotone font. The palm trees swayed and sprinkles fell. I pressed the on button of the coffee pot as mom and me finished the puzzle started back before Christmas- before the trip to Roanoke.
The parking lot was vacant except for puddles collected by God's watery eyes from yawning which blew the reef down. Dad was still sleeping as the coffee pot dripped as well.
The stereo played swing music quietly. The speakers spoke in a whisper as mom opened the blinds. Piece by piece the sky was created on the puzzle with a purple blueish tent. Occassionally we lifted our heads to watch the old man storming. Is he angry or just well rest as the ones inside yawned their last yawns after their first sips of coffee.
Dad awoke determined for coffee. He sat down beside me to fill in the sky of the puzzle.
The three of us eventaully finished the puzzle as the twinkle of GOd's eye started to show outside while the clouds rolled back. The winds died down. The surf of the beach saturated by the ocean and rain as we viewed the completed puzzle.

Inlet Point Villa 12/20/11

The new paint job brings with it the classic radio station, but the workers are quiet. JUst three buildings now with the instituionalized grey. The rest of the buildings have the new colors. To my left the shades have a dry sand covering them a reddish marroonish on the rooftops. The new colors shines with the sun, and doesn't hide it like the old grey similar to storm clouds use to.
The walkway connecting the buildings use to be single heavy rocks square blocks-flat. Now it is a intricately perfectionists rectangular dream of different colored bricks that feel warm at times and massages your feet. In the past it was possible to misfire your steps and stub your toe (when bare footed) on the edges of the heavy square blocks.
Last year about this time Cherry Grove experienced record low's in temperature. We were all expereincing a low as well with the separation. NOw it is close to the seventies. It is so warm that if there were kids here, they would twist their parents arm to let them swim in the pool (in the middle of the parking lot) or ride the waves in the ocean. THe few adults don't dare to get wet in the cool breeze.
INlet Point Villa has maintained through the storm and the economy like a shell to be picked up and displayed somewhere. The locals have changed Some are no longer with us or they have gotten through the storm to smile at their days left at the beach. THe sons, daughters, nieces, and nephews have grown to realize their is a place down south where family prevails and it wouldn't be summer vaction without them.

In the cigarette shack surrounded by gas pumps...

THere is a well spoken African American man who can't afford college. I buy cigarttes from him. He applied for finacial aid but didn't get it. Maybe he couldn't afford the payments. He is like so many Americans who need a bag full of Money to fall in his lap. He isn't on the picket line with a poster board that says, "I can't afford college." He is working. I am sure he is intrigued like I am about the movement.
It is the Kroger near Sam's Club.
Right now I am wondering what can I do for him. I am also questioning why I am thinking about him at all. I wish I could maybe we should all pray that he will feel the glory of God so much so it will sufocate him. Pray that during the holidays he will be surrounded by his freinds and family. Give him hope because the job he has is beneath him or if you are in the westend and you need gas go to Kroger with your Kroger card and see if he is working. Say hello.
This Christmas think of what you have not your have not's.

Nature vs. Technology

In August, in the same week Richmond, Va expierenced an earthquake and hurricane.
During the earthquake and after cell phone companies were over whelmed by calls so much so some calls didn't go through. I'm sure these lines were full of people either asking fo help or asking if their love one's were okay.
During the hurricane power went out for a several days into weeks. Nature won.
We depend on technology so much so that when it is taken away from us we are in the dark in more ways then one. Maybe we take things for gran it.
Technology can be used for good. It doen't have to be a natural disaster for people to tweet or call someone. NOwadays our country as well as others around the world are using technology to rise up and join together to rise against.
We use technology so much of us don't remember what it was like without it. If taken away we are lost
Remember pay phones? Remember depending on T.V. for news (one of few ways to get the news then)? Remember developing film?
NOw we can contact a firend, search the web for information or news, and blog so easily and convienantly. Yet half the population is on zoloft.
You are probably saying to yourself an earthquake, on the eastcoast, happens once in a century. YOu are probably questioning why you are reading this blog.
I can't help but ask what is wrong with us? Why the obscession? Having the latest phone, the latest labtop or Ipad is not fool proof. Now you don't even have to go out to cut down a Christmas tree, because there is a website for that.
THis all can be cut off by a strong gust of wind, a shake to the ground, and rising water. Remember nature always wins.

Dear Mr. President

Here is some background information for this idea. My dad was a principal and a HR rep for Henrico Schools. As a principal he had to do performance reviews for teachers as an Hr rep he created them. The reason I tell you this I think there should be something like performace reviews for countries. Such as Pakistan.
The performace reviews should be like a check list. One thing that can be checked off is if that country has had a democratic election that isn't corrupt.
It shouldn't be a long checklist. Maybe it should have five things on it. If a country scores less then three out of five we shouldn't give them money. Maybe we should tell them what to work on.
If a country scores lower then three out of five then we take that money an invest in our future. OUr kids nephews nieces or grandkids. If we don't take care of them they will not take care of us.
Bottom line we can't be caretakers of the world with all the problems we have in our country.
If the country has a democratic election we should question the group that is now encharge. Even though we have religious freedom in our country if the group encharge of another country opresses women or another group that should be a deal breaker.
Another issue I would like to bring up is hazing or bullying in the military. Soldiers of the same rank should not do this. The reason I say this is because of drill sergeants. Drill sergeant prepare our soldiers for war. And obviously they have to be a higher rank.
A drill sergeant will break you down to bring you back up to have a military mind. This is necessary because a military life is far more different then civilain life. It safe to say a soldier isn't the same after experiencing the drill sergeant's grasp.
That is all I can think of so far. Hope you enjoyed the Army Navy game.

,Jason