The gospel ringing in my ears

Tonight, for the first time, I went to see the Plattsburgh State Gospel Choir's Gospelfest. They hold two concerts a year and from now on I am going to try to make it to each one. The whole time I went to PSU I never attended one of their concerts. It wasn't that I didn't want to, but I seemed never to be able to get the night off or had something else I took time off from work for rather than going to see these wonderful singers. There was one young man in the choir who the MC announced was about to graduate with his PhD, just before this young man came forward on the stage to sing his solo piece with the rest of the choir backing him up. The young man was so moved by the words he was singing, that he broke down in the middle of the song crying, realizing how it personally spoke to him and to all that he'd been through on his journey to become Doctor Nurse. Yes, his real last name is Nurse. (Although I am not sure if I have the spelling correct.) Here is the song:

Never Would Have Made It - Marvin Sapp



I have seen myself in that young man's shoes countless times over the years in one form or another, as I am sure all who read this and watch the video have. I have to say that I never would have made it to the point I am at now and each and every day, if it hadn't been for the faith I have come to know existed in me. Maybe some of you didn't see that coming from me, but my faith has been there much, much longer than I ever cared to admit it. It's a funny thing how some people perceive you when you openly acknowledge your faith in God. Some don't believe you, because they have see you act in "ungodly" ways, so you are perceived as a hypocrite. The most important thing I think I have learned in learning about my faith in the Lord is that it is there if I do good or I do wrong. It is just that when I do wrong, it is ME that is trying to take the reins of my life away from the Lord's hands who should have them always. When I don't like where he's leading me because I can't see what is up ahead, I struggle to hold them and steer myself. That is when things go the most wrong for me. But God doesn't ever relinquish His hold on them; He leads me where I ought to be when HE is ready for me to be there, not when I want it. It has taken me years to learn this; and I still struggle with it. I'm human. He knows it and forgives my pride and misjudgement. Thank goodness He does, because not everyone here is able to. For anyone who thinks that one "finds religion" just all of a sudden, that isn't the case. What happened with me, and what I think happens with others, is that my faith was in me all the time and finally it found it has a voice.

Madxme

Oh...for those of you who haven't seen them, I have been FINALLY adding the videos of the trip to England and France last year (and some of other things like my cat. I know, I have NO life! LOL) to my YouTube page...here's the url to copy and paste

http://www.youtube.com/user/madxme


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Lunch with a friend

This past week I met up with a friend in Albany who I had not seen since my undergraduate graduation back in 2005. We had been trying to plan to meet down there ever since that May, but for one reason or another our schedules didn't coincide until this week. Randi Murphy-Motley (though she might have dropped the "-Motley" as a result of her divorce last year) wanted to take me to a Chinese food place called PF Chang's at Colonie Center on Wolf Road. What more could a person ask for but good company and good food? For those of you who know her, and those who don't, I thought I would share the below picture the very flirtatious waiter took of us. His attentiveness in waiting on us earned him a good tip, and the flirting didn't hurt either. Over all it was great to see Randi again and catch up on what has gone on in each other's lives since 2005. She has graciously invited me to stay at her home on a visit to Buffalo I will plan at some point in the future. I would like to take Al and Chantelle to see Niagara Falls and to Marineland while out there. Hmm...sounds like travel plans for next summer!




(it's not the greatest shot of me...i've had better, but an excellent picture of the lovely Randi, in my opinion.)

p.s. Mary, Randi says "hi". I forgot to mention that at breakfast this morning.

Happy Easter

I couldn't resist. It's too funny! :)

But on a more serious note, and in honor of the spirit of sacrifice this Easter Day symbolizes, there is a dedication below in the other post I made today.

In dedication to "The Long Gray Line"

Shining Shield

Screaming sirens
and blaring horns
Tranquil silence
in moments torn

Destination
I know not where
I pray in time
you make it there

Their lives in need
Our world’s at stake
Thank God for all
the risk you take

Unsung hero,
Effort silent
save them all from
dangers violent

Stetson, handgun,
your shining shield
to enforce the law
And make them yield

Uphold honor,
Integrity…
Dignity…
Sincerity

Thank you Trooper
For what you do
to fight back crime
and ills pursue

Never forget
Please remember
your given oath
to be a Member

Honus Wagner

Some time ago I read a newspaper article about the sale of a baseball card of a long since dead ball player named Honus Wagner. (See the first link below.) I'd never heard of him before, so I looked him up. (See the second link below.) After reading it, it made me wonder what this man, who had come from such humble beginnings, would think about the price a baseball card with his likeness thereon fetched at an auction (in 2007).

It made me write one of the few poems I've written that are not personal in some way:

Honus Wagner

What kind of a man were you, Honus Wagner?
And what would you think of your likeness today?
A bit of paper should cost so much
by which the lives of thousands could benefit
Would you be ashamed to know the only
legacy that remains of you is the avarice
of others?
That meals are lost and young ones cry
with swollen bellies, while you sit in a frame
on a wall?
That confused priorities look down with disdain
at the masses, while they pass you from one
greedy hand to another?


I have no idea what this man was like in real life, except from the bit the Wiki article says about him that he was known as a nice guy around town. It just strikes me that having come from the beginnings he had, he might just roll over in his grave if he knew such money was wasted on a bit of paper with his picture on it. I mean, there's a good chance that a boy of 12 who quit school to work with his father in the coal mines of Pennsylvania would probably grow up to be a man who knows the value of a buck and the need of so many.


http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20070227&content_id=1817725&vkey=news_mlb&fext=.jsp&c_id=mlb

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Honus_Wagner

Retirement looks good on you!

Mary, at her retirement bash with her new 'do' that I think (as do many others) looks ABSOLUTELY FABULOUS on her!



Receiving a pin and a letter written by the Superintendent for her 25 years of untiring service to the Division and presented by Lt. Chuck Potthast



The couple of the hour. They retired together (well a few weeks apart) and had a joint party. There was a great turn out too! Mary and Dana are wonderful people and I am glad to be counted as one of their friends.



Maxine Perry with Mary. The two of them met through their meetings as members of the Domestic Violence Task Force. Incidentally, Maxine was also a very good friend of Myrtle's.



Mary, Morgan, Danielle, Casey and Dana



I couldn't decide which of the following two pictures was the better, so I put them both.





My only disappointment of the night, was that I didn't have anyone take a picture of me and Mary together. What WAS I thinking?