Nothing

"Nothing can match the strength of those whose lives have been shaped and forged through challenging and overcoming hardships. Such people fear nothing."

Rihanna - Take A Bow

Dedicated to Steven Edward Patterson. It's over TRAMP!!

Dream Tonight

Ever look to the sky
ask yourself and wonder why
When a heart breaks and wants to cry
It mends for another try
Gaze into the heaven above
Searching for one true love
the sky transforms into night
Hazing your mind with sight

And Dream

Oh Yea Dream

Dream on with all your might
Dream on throughout the night
Ponder your thoughts away 
Dreams turning night to day

So Dream

Oh Yeah Dream

The power of love at night

Like a dream a vision of light

sparks fly every which way

Turns day to night so they say

So Dream

Oh Yea Dream

Miracles do come true
Clouds go, the sky turns blue
The darkness of night comes by
so dreams can fill the sky
Dream on with all your might
Dream on throughout the night
The power of love at night
Like dreams. A vision of light

So Dream

Oh Yea Dream

Gaze to the heaven above
seek out your one true love
Ponder your thoughts away 
Dreams turning night to day
Sparks fly every which way
Turns day to night so they say

So Dream

Oh Yea Dream

Dream Oh Yea Dream

Dream

Charice Pempengco/Awesome Voice in a Little Body

HOPE

After you once raised your voice to me

Then your hand

Then your fist

I lost respect

for you

for myself

for us...What we once were

and never will be again.

I live in hope

that you will change

that I won't feel guilty

that we will be happy

that you will stop drinking

that you will DIE

My hope is a pipe-dream

I live in hope.

-By: Mary Marecek

S.P.E.M. PRAYER

SPEM Prayer
ODB RADIO: Listen Now DownloadREAD: Ephesians 3:14-21

I bow my knees to the Father . . . that He would grant you . . . to be strengthened with might through His Spirit. —Ephesians 3:14,16
A friend sent me an e-mail that concluded with a list of prayer requests. She said, “Spiritually, I am confused, so pray for understanding. Physically, I am tired, so pray for rest. Emotionally, I am very weak, so pray for strength. Mentally, I am worried, so pray for peace.”

When I saw her later, I told her, “I’ve been SPEM praying for you.” She looked confused, so I told her I was praying for her spiritual, physical, emotional, and mental well-being.

Scripture illustrates God’s care in each of these areas.

Spiritual: Jesus prayed for His disciples: “Sanctify them by Your truth” (John 17:17). Truth leads to spiritual understanding, eliminating confusion.

Physical: Peter had a physical need—release from jail. His friends prayed—and he got out (Acts 12:1-11). In God’s care we find security and rest (Ps. 16:9).

Emotional: Often the psalmists asked God for relief from distress (4:1; 18:6; 107:6-7). He brings hope.

Mental: Insight and wisdom are promised for those who cry out to God (Prov. 2:3-6; James 1:5-7). Through prayer and reading His Word, the peace of God can be found.

Are you struggling? Ask God for spiritual, physical, emotional, and mental assistance. — Dave Branon

What a Friend we have in Jesus,

All our sins and griefs to bear!

What a privilege to carry

Everything to God in prayer! —Scriven

Turn your cares into prayers.

Tips on pumping Gas... Very intersting!!

ON PUMPING GAS

we're paying $3.53 a gallon for regular unleaded her in Washington. Here are some tips from someone working in petrolium..

I don't know what you guys are paying for gasoline.... but here in California we are also paying higher, up to $3.50 per gallon. But my line of work is in petroleum for about 31 years now, so here are

some tricks to get more of your money's worth for every gallon..

Here at the Kinder Morgan Pipeline where I work in San Jose , CA we deliver about 4 million gallons in a 24-hour period thru the pipeline. One day is diesel the next day is jet fuel, and gasoline, regular and premium grades. We have 34-storage tanks here with a total capacity of 16,800,000 gallons.

Only buy or fill up your car or truck in the early morning when the ground temperature is still cold. Remember that all service stations have their storage tanks buried below ground. The colder the ground the more dense the gasoline, when it gets warmer gasoline expands, so buying in the afternoon or in the evening....your gallon is not exactly a gallon. In the petroleum business, the specific gravity and the temperature of the gasoline, diesel and jet fuel, ethanol and other petroleum products plays an important role.

A 1-degree rise in temperature is a big deal for this business. But the service stations do not have temperature compensation at the pumps.

When you're filling up do not squeeze the trigger of the nozzle to a fast mode. If you look you will see that the trigger has three (3)stages: low, middle, and high. In slow mode you should be pumping on low speed, thereby minimizing the vapors that are create ed while you are pumping. All hoses at the pump have a vapor return. If you are pumping on the fast rate, some other liquid that goes to your tank becomes vapor. Those vapors are being sucked up and back into the underground storage tank so you're getting less worth for your money.

One of the most important tips is to fill up when your gas tank is HALF FULL or HALF EMPTY. The reason for this is, the more gas you have in your tank the less air occupying its empty space. Gasoline evaporates faster than you can imagine. Gasoline storage tanks have an internal floating roof. This roof serves as zero clearance between the gas and the atmosphere, so it minimizes the evaporation. Unlike service stations, here where I work, every truck that we load is temperature compensated so that every gallon is actually the exact amount.

Another reminder, if there is a gasoline truck pumping into the storage tanks when you stop to buy gas, DO NOT fill up--most likely the gasoline is being stirred up as the gas is being delivered, and you might pick up some of the dirt that normally settles on the bottom. Hope this will help you get the most value for your money.

DO SHARE THESE TIPS WITH OTHERS!

WHERE TO BUY USA GAS, THIS IS VERY IMPORTANT TO KNOW. READ ON

Gas rationing in the 80's worked even though we grumbled about it. It might even be good for us! The Saudis are boycotting American goods. We should return the favor.

An interesting thought is to boycott their GAS.

Every time you fill up the car, you can avoid putting more money into the pockets of Saudi Arabians . Just buy from gas companies that don't import their oil from the Saudis.

Nothing is more frustrating than the feeling that every time I fill-up the tank, I am sending my money to people who are trying to kill me , my family, and my friends.

I thought it might be interesting for you to know which oil companies are the best to buy gas from and which major companies import Middle Eastern oil.

These companies import Middle Eastern oil:

Shell........................... 205,742,000 barrels

Chevron/Texaco......... 144,332,000 barrels

Exxon/Mobil............... 130,082,000 barrels

Marathon/Speedway... 117,740,000 barrels

Amoco............................62,231,000 barrels

Citgo gas is from South America , from a Dictator who hates Americans. If you do the math at $30/barrel, these imports amount to over $18 BILLION! (oil is now $90 - $100 a barrel

Here are some large companies that do not import Middle Eastern oil:

Sunoco..................0 barrels

Conoco................. .0 barrels

Sinclair..................0 barrels

BP/ Phillip s.............0 barrels

Hess......................0 barrels

ARC0.....................0 barrels

If you go to Sunoco.com <" target=_blankhttp://sunoco.com/>; , you will get a list of the station locations near you.

All of this information is available from the Department of Energy and each is required to state where they get their oil and how much they are importing.

But to have an impact, we need to reach literally millions of gas buyers. It's really simple to do.

Now, don't wimp out at this point.... keep reading and I'll explain how simple it is to reach millions of people!!

This was sent to me by a relative in an e-mail. Feel free to copy this message on your blog or wherever!!

I'm sending this note to about thirty people. If each of you send it to at least ten more (30 x 10 = 300)...and those 300 send it to at least ten more (300 x 10 = 3,000) .. and so on, by the ti me the me ssage reaches the sixth generation of people, we will have reached over THREE MILLION consumers!!!! If those three million get excited and pass this on to ten friends each, then 30 million people will have been contacted!

If it goes one level further, you guessed it ..... THREE HUNDRED MILLION PEOPLE!!!

Again, all you have to do is send this to 10 people. How long would all that take?

Check out my new home based internet business.

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NubianGraphics.com

There Comes A Time...

There comes a time in every woman's life when she has to take a close look at herself. Not at her circumstance, not at what she did, not how unfair life is, or at who made you do it. She has to just look at herself in all her glory and imperfection. Have you ever admired a woman who has been through changes in her life? Or have you made up your mind that she is just messed up. Before you make this mistake, take a closer look. A woman who has endured the most unusual life is someone of wisdom, someone who has been chosen by God to go through things that have made her stronger.

Think of all the great women in the Bible: Mary Magdalene, Ruth and Naomi, the woman with an issue of blood, and Esther, to name a few. Mary was a prostitute, a very uneasy woman. But by the time Jesus was done with her, she was His closest follower. Esther was unfortunate in marrying an abusive man, but by the time God was done with her, she had married one of the wealthiest men in the land!

Women are so quick to beat the next one down instead of trying to hold her up. Before you wonder, "What's up with her?" ask yourself, "What's up with me?" That woman could be my mother, sister, aunt, in-law, stepmother, niece, grandmother, great-grandmother, neighbor, friend, or co-worker, etc. that woman could be ME.

Women are the carriers of life, not the channels of death. Let's build and encourage each other, as did Ruth and Naomi. Pass this on to all the women in your life. Encourage and love, forgive and forget, and trust that the woman that receives this will be touched in some way.

May the Peace and Love of Christ be upon you!

Little thugs. Adonis 2years old, and Andolis 3 years old

The Boys at Kimma's house. Dodo, Jarrod, D'andre, Adris, Isaiah, Adonis

Happy New Year!!!!

I'm Gonna Party My Ass Off Like A Brain Dead Test Monkey!

$20 Dollar Bill

A well-known speaker started off his seminar by holding up a $20.00 bill.
In the room of 200, he asked, "Who would like this $20 bill?"
Hands started going up.
He said, "I am going to give this $20 to one of you but first, let me do this.
He proceeded to crumple up the $20 dollar bill.
He then asked, "Who still wants it?"
Still the hands were up in the air.
Well, he replied, "What if I do this?"
And he dropped it on the ground and started to grind it into the floor with his shoe.
He picked it up, now crumpled and dirty. "Now, who still wants it?"
Still the hands went into the air.
My friends, we have all learned a very valuable lesson.
No matter what I did to the money, you still wanted it because it did not decrease in value.
It was still worth $20.
Many times in our lives, we are dropped, crumpled, and ground into the dirt by the decisions we make and the circumstances that come our way.
We feel as though we are worthless. But no matter what has happened or what will happen, you will never lose your value. Dirty or clean, crumpled or finely creased, you are still priceless to those who DO LOVE you. The worth of our lives comes not in what we do or who we know, but by WHO WE ARE and WHOSE WE ARE. You are special - Don't EVER forget it." If you do not pass this on, you may never know the lives it touches, the hurting hearts it speaks to, or the hope that it can bring. Count your blessings, not your problems. "And remember: amateurs built the ark .. professionals built the Titanic. If God brings you to it - He will bring you through it.

If there is anyone who needs to read this it is this woman, Holly. Inocent until proven guilty, right?

Police: Intoxicated Woman Let 5-Year-Old Son Drive. read more....

HOW MUCH HOOD DO YOU HAVE IN YOU??

GET A PENCIL AND PAPER BEFORE YOU START THIS. JUST HOW GHETTO IS U??

1. You've ever used an album cover for a dustpan.

(5 points)

2. If you've ever run a race barefoot in the middle of the street.

(10 points)

3. You had a candy lady in your neighborhood.

(5 + 5 extra points if your house was the candy lady)

4. If you ever had to pick your own switch or belt.

(3 points for each)

5. If you have ever had to walk to school or walked home from school.

(2 points)

6. If you have ever used dishwashing liquid for bubble bath.

(5 points)

7. If you ever mixed Kool-Aid one glass at a time because you got tired of other people drinking up the Kool-Aid you just made.

(5 points)

8. If you have ever played any of the following games: hide and go seek, freeze, tag, Momma may I? or red light/green light.

(2 points each)

9. If your neighborhood had an ice cream man.

(2 points + 2 if he rang a bell)

10. If you refer to "Now and Later" candies as "Nighladers".

(5 points)

11. If you've ever run from the police on foot.

(5 points + 5 if you got away)

12. If you've ever had reusable bacon grease in a container on your stove.

(5 points + 15 if you still do it)

13. The batteries in your remote control ever been held in by a piece of tape.

(5 points)

14. If you have ever worn any of the following fragrances Brute, Hai Karate, Jean Nate, Old Spice, Chloe, English Leather, Stetson, Charlie, or Faberge.

(1 point each):

15. You've ever used Tussy Deodorant.

(5 points)

16. You've never been to the dentist.

(15 points)

17. If you have a friend or family member whose nickname is one word said twice: dee-dee, fee-fee, man-man, Kay-Kay, lee-lee, ree-ree, ray-ray, nay-nay, tee-tee etc.

(10 points)

18. You have ever paged yourself for any reason.

(3 points)

19. You've ever worn house shoes outside of the house.

(2 points)

20. You add "ED" or "T" to the end of words already in the past tense (e.g. Tooked, Light-Skinneded, kilt, ruint, etc.)

(5 points)

21 You use 'n'em to describe a certain group of people ( for example Craig'n'em or Momma 'n'em).

(5 points)

22. You've ever driven on a donut more than 2 weeks after your flat.

(5 points)

23. You have ever slept in a chair to avoid messing up your hair.

(10 points)

24. You've ever left a social gathering with a plate.

(2 points)

25. You can't hold a glass because of the length of your nails.

(5 points)

26. The gold teeth in your mouth spell words.

(10 points)

27. You don't have your own place but your child has a leather coat and a pair of Jordan 's.

(15 points)

28. You constantly hit *69 and ask, "Did you just call here?"

(10 points)

29. You think Tupac is still alive.

(20 points)

30. If you are going to have to use a calculator to add your points.

(25points)

-- Now the totals... 0 - 50 points - I guess you were raised in the suburbs

51 - 75 points - A bonafide ex-hood rat

76 - 150 points - Spent a little time in the projects, huh?

150 points or more - Still there, huh?

FORWARD AND PUT YOUR SCORE IN THE SUBJECT BOX SO PEOPLE CAN SEE HOW GHETTO YOU REALLY IS!!!

I scored an 84, so I did spend a little time in the projects.

I AM YOUR DISEASE

I hate meetings. I hate higher power. I hate anyone who has a program. To all who come in contact with me, I wish you death, and I wish you suffering.

Allow me to introduce myself. I am the disease of ALCOHOLISM, DRUG ADDICTION.

Cunning, baffling, and powerful. That's me. I have killed millions and I am pleased. I love to catch YOU WITH THE ELEMENT OF SURPRISE. I LOVE PRETENDING I AM YOUR FRIEND AND LOVER. I HAVE GIVEN YOU COMFORT, HAVE I NOT? WASN'T I THERE WHEN YOU WERE LONELY? WHEN YOU WANTED TO DIE, DIDN'T YOU CALL ME? I was there.

I love to make you hurt. I love to make you cry. Better yet, I love when I make you so numb you can neither hurt nor cry. You can't feel anything at all. This is true glory. I will give you instant gratification and all I ask of you is long term suffering. I've been there for you always. When things were going right in your life, you invited me. You said you didn't deserve these good things and I was the only one who would agree with you. Together we were able to destroy all things good in your life.

People don't take me seriously. They take strokes seriously, heart attacks, even diabetes they take seriously, fools that they are. They don't know that without my help, these things would not be possible.

I am such a hated disease. And yet, I do not come uninvited. You choose to have me. So many have chosen me over reality and peace.

More than you hate me, I hate all of you, who have a 12 Step Program. Your Program, your meetings, your higher power. All weaken me and I can't function in the manner I am accustomed to.

Now I must lie here Quietly. You don't see me, but I am growing, bigger than ever. When you only exist, I may live. When you live I only exist, but I am here...And until we meet again,....I wish you PAIN and SUFFERING, and DEATH!

Women have strengths that amaze men.

They bear hardships and they carry burdens, but they hold happiness, love and joy.

They smile when they want to scream.

They sing when they want to cry.

They cry when they are happy and laugh when they are nervous.

They fight for what they believe in.

They stand up to injustice.

They don't take "no" for an answer when they believe there is a better solution.

They go without so their family can have.

They go to the doctor with a frightened friend.

They love unconditionally.

They cry when their children excel and cheer when their friends get awards.

They are happy when they hear about a birth or a wedding.

Their hearts break when a friend dies.

They grieve at the loss of a family member, yet they are strong when they think there is no strength left.

They know that a hug and a kiss can heal a broken heart.

Women come in all shapes, sizes and colors.

They'll drive, fly, walk, run or e-mail you to show how much they care about you.

The heart of a woman is what makes the world keep turning.

They bring joy, hope and love.

They have the compassion and ideas.

They give moral support to their family and friends.

Women have vital things to say and everything to give.

HOWEVER, IF THERE IS ONE FLAW IN WOMEN, IT IS THAT THEY FORGET THEIR WORTH.

"Don't argue with an idiot; people watching may not be able to tell the difference."

Your Blues Ain't Like Mine

"Your Blues Ain't Like Mine" is what I should have told S.P. I was thinking about what he said to me while he rattled off all the things I don't have. Like a good job, car insurance, a driver license, my own apartment, and on and on. He asked me what I was doing 10 years ago and I said I was a cocktail hooker at The Muckelshoot Casino. I didn't get a chance to add that I also was heavy into using drugs and alcohol at the time. His reply was, see you're moving backwards. What kind of Shit is that. You don't know me like that Homey!!! The devil is gone give me my shit back!! S.P. said that he had gone through a lot, a lot more than I had because he is 11 years older than me, and how his Mom and Sister had been through a lot but they still keep their head up and smile. Yeah, but I bet you they cry in the middle of the night when no one is looking, like I do! He asked me 'why would I want to be with someone like that?' I replied 'So why are you even talking to me right now!! Goodbye! and I hung up the phone. So when I told him ( a couple of days later)I was reading "Your Blues Ain't Like Mine" he got kinda quiet. That conversation made me cry for a long time. I need someone in my life who can make me feel good about me. I no longer use drugs and I no longer drink myself into a stuipor because I can't deal with what life throws at me. That should make me feel good, right? I forgot, I also quit smoking them nasty ass cigarettes. No more stank ass smoke in my hair and in my clothes. No more worrying about having enough cigarettes to get me through the night.

I guess I'm giving him too much power over me. My feelings are hurt very easily by him. I will take my power back starting today!!!!! Good to get that out.

Often, women sing the blues. Sometimes we get so involved in each trying to sing our woeful tune with more volume and passion than the other, that we forget about the commonality of our blues and the commonality of the source of our blues. Rather than fuss and disagree about whose blues is the worst, we should realize that although our blues ain’t exactly the same, we are all hiding our faces and crying. by authur Bebe Moore Campbell


Following is the core story of the book "You're Blues Ain't Like Mine" by Bebe Moore Campbell:

Lily has dropped out of high school to marry Floyd. Floyd owns a pool hall that the colored people in the community regularly frequent. Lily is a young mother and a dreamer. Often she takes her baby to the train station to sit and dream of leaving Mississippi and going to some far away place like Memphis, Tennessee. It is at the often deserted train station that Lily meets and shares dreams with Ida.
Ida is a struggling young colored woman who also has a child. Ida dreams of going north and of making a better, and an educated, life for herself and for her child. By exchanging their stories and dreams, Lily and Ida realize their similarities and spiritual kinship, although they are as different as black and white.
The singing of the colored people, as they work in the fields, provides a comforting backdrop for Lily while she keeps house. Lily has a fascination with colored people and the music of their lives. One morning Lily awakens feeling aroused and manages to awaken Floyd and persuade him to take her to town with him. When they get to town, Floyd buys Lily the toilet water and lipstick she wants. Then he instructs her to stay in the truck while he takes care of some business.
Lily disobeys Floyd and walks curiously toward the pool hall that Floyd owns; it is full of colored men. She happens to peek into the pool hall where a fifteen-year-old black child from the north, Armstrong, is showing off by speaking French. Lily and Armstrong make eye contact. They are both amused; then she hurries out the pool hall. Later, a colored man who works for Floyd in the pool hall tells Floyd that Armstrong was talking French to his wife Lily. Floyd doesn’t quite know how to handle the situation. So he curses and threatens Armstrong and tells him to get out of his pool hall. When Floyd returns to his truck, he slaps Lily for getting out of the truck.
When Lily sees Ida at the train station that night, Lily is still quite upset about everything. Lily confides in Ida. When Ida learns who the colored boy is, she is especially distraught. The boy is a close family friend. Lily tells Ida not to worry, that the skirmish is over and that the boy is not in danger.
Still, Ida runs directly to the boy’s grandmother’s house. She is comforted when she learns that the boy is leaving on a bus to go away to school the next morning, and Ida persuades herself to believe her friend Lily that Armstrong is not in danger.
Earlier that same night, Floyd’s father and brother learn about what happened at the pool hall. They persuade Floyd that they must make an example of the boy, and they go with him to “handle” the situation. Although Floyd pulls the trigger, they all participate in the brutalization and the fatal shooting of the boy. Floyd later tells Lily that he killed the boy for her.

"Tryly Engaging.. Campbell has a storyteller's ear for dialogue and the visual sense of painting a picture and a place... There's a steam that keeps the story moving as the characters, and later their children, wrestle through racial, personal and cultural crisis."

-Los Angeles Times Book Review

I am almost done with this book (only 150 pages to go) and I really don't want it to end. When I heard Mrs. Campbell had passed away November 27, 2006, I collected all of her books. The next one I will read by her is "Brothers and Sisters." I know it won't let me down.

Loving Him Without Losing You

How to Stop Disappearing and Start Being Yourself
Loving Him without Losing You

With every man I have dated since I was 17 I have completely lost myself in my romantic relationships. I have neglected my jobs, family and friends.. I have definitely neglected my health, drinking too much, partying too hard and later regretting it. Whatever he was doing at the time I fell into. This is something I needed to work on in my life. Turn it all around. I needed to realize that being in love wasn’t everything. Well, more like being in love with the wrong man. I would jump into a relationship without first getting to know that person. What did we really have in common, partying, sex, and more partying? I was going nowhere fast.

I came across this book on my favorite web site (Paperback swap.) It’s called
“How to Stop Disappearing and Start Being Yourself; Loving Him without Losing You" by: Beverly Engel. I was in a relationship at the time (we’ll call him S.P.) and I found myself losing me again. I stopped working on my Blogs, I stopped reading, I didn’t spend much time with family members. Spending more time with him than the time my son needed me to spend with him. All I could do was day dream-about Him when I wasn’t with Him. This book helped me to put the brakes on, step back and take a deep breath. I think S.P. started to feel smothered also. So we decided to take a two-week break from each other. Well, it wasn’t a full two weeks, but we’re not seeing each other as much as we used to. I spend a lot more time with my son and I think we are both happier.