King Leon!

Welcome the world of Jude Stringfellow.

I was just sitting at my desk the other day, minding my own business; because that is what I do. I mind my own business you know. I was typing, reading, answering phones calls, just being the producer that I am here at Timber Creek Productions in Gainesville, Texas, when my Executive Producer Buck Stienke informed me that he wanted me to attend the Board of Directors meeting for the local animal shelter called Noah's Ark. Buck is on the Board, and he wanted to show me what it was all about - - seems he had a plan. I was of course part of that plan. Buck wants me on the Board - and I can only imagine it would be because I'm such a great producer!

Can you see me laughing? I'm a marketer. I market. I find money for people. I do wish I could spin my wheels and find money for myself from time to time, but I'm so darn busy finding money for everyone else you see. It was decided that I would go to the meeting and after I fell in love with the idea I would be introduced to the group as their new Marketing Director. I think we're holding off until next month to make it official.

The Noah's Ark Animal Center had a birthday celebration on Friday the 13th at the shelter, and of course Faith was invited. Not only was Faith invited, but I was invited and my daughter Caity was invited, and that's the big mistake I made...I brought my daughter Caity to an animal shelter where there are dogs to be adopted. I brought my daughter Caity to an animal shelter where there are dogs to be adopted and I will be named the Marketing Director soon. I brought my daughter Caity to an animal shelter where dogs are being adopted, where I will be on the Board soon, and everyone there knew I couldn't possibly say no to them asking me to adopt a dog or a cat! Given my options I was stuck!

Naturally Caity decided on the largest dog in the facility...correction, in the state of Texas.

Caity picked up this 11 pound dog whose eyes are as blue as the sky. His body screams of being a very very large breed, his face and markings are identical to those of Beethoven the St. Bernard, and the intake papers only confirm my thoughts of him being a mega-mutt...yes, we will have the biggest dog in the county soon. At 8 weeks he is currently 11 pounds and already rather floppy and bumbly, he's incredibly observant and has a mind of his own when it comes to sharing anything that hits the floor that resembles food. Poor Rupert will be stepped on.

We'll be taking our new monster, I mean puppy, who Caity has aptly named for King Leonidas from the movie "300" - - to therapy school, obedience training school, and to PetSmart every single week in order to train him to be polite and courteous. He'll be trained under very strict guidelines soon so that he will become a military therapy dog - - and we'll have him helping injured soldiers to stand up from a sitting position, or to sit from a standing position. Something tells me that plan will be a ways off - - if he starts that practice now the poor soldiers will be on their faces with a big furry dog licking them to death, trying to get to the dinner before they can. We've got plans for this blue eyed beauty!

So, maybe being on the Board wasn't such a bad idea - - I get to do what I do, I can force Caity to volunteer (when I say "force" I'm caught laughing, as if I could stop her. She's out there already - - rolling around in puppies) at the shelter. I can have my pick of all the dogs I want - - please stop me God, please, please, please!

I know when I get to Heaven there will be a big back yard just outside my house. I have no doubt that every unadoptable dog will be waiting for me too. I tell you, God just won't let up! (Thank you, Jesus)

I Love My Job!

You know, sometimes you get up and you get dressed and go to work and nothing cool happens. You just work, or drink your coffee hoping that someone comes into the office to make the day jump. Actually, with my new job I'm the one jumping. I get up earlier and earlier, and I find myself not even putting my makeup on. I just want to get out the door and go to work! I love this place. I love my new job. Not only am I working for and with two of the greatest guys - - they're filmmakers. We're making the movie "FAITH" or "Sgt. Faith" and we're in the middle of the prep work now. We'll start the production in a couple more months.

Denton Blane Everett is our leading man for this film. He's standing in our office in the top shot holding the award given to him by the Trail Dance Film Festival this year for "BEST ACTOR"! The film was another film that my guys made. Timber Creek Production,LLC is the name of our production company. They finished "Rockabilly Baby" before I came into town and took over the Consulting Producer role. Denton played the lead in this film as well, and his character literally POPS on stage. You'll see his fire, you'll feel his compassion in "Rockabilly Baby", then you get to see and feel him in "FAITH" as a wounded American solider. Faith, my dog Faith, plays the leading female role - - as herself of course. Denton's character was created with several men in mind. He's already working out to get his upper body in shape to play the role - - it's hard to roll yourself, lift yourself, and to be without legs for too long. (Think Lt. Dan, then drop that thought and think Monte Miller! Denton has other issues and he is NOT Lt. Dan Taylor.)

As I'm writing this blog Ken and Buck are meeting with a military expert and going over language, terms, situations, scenarios, and weapons we'll be using in the movie. Neither Denton nor I have been in the military, we're learning this from scratch! I can't tell you how much more I appreciate our military when you stop and consider the mental aspect of it as well as the physical requirements and drains. Denton's going to need those extra pounds Ken and I are talking him into...just to provide the muscle to haul the dog around and push himself up the ramps. (I'm bringing my video, I have a feeling there are going to be a few really really good bloopers for the Special Features DVD!) LOL

Check out Denton Blane Everett on www.imdb.com and the trailer with him playing the role of Baby Boy Watkins in "Rockabilly Baby" at www.rockabillybabymovie.com

He's a hottie. I don't mind saying it - - I could look at him all day...can't wait til I get to. Oh, and then there's Todd Farr too! Yes, it is true, I love my job. I love my job, I love my job!!!

It's Been a While

OK....we have been working on the movie "FAITH" and getting the script just right. The men working on the script are my Executive Producer Buck Stienke and my Director Ken Farmer (Seen with Denton and the statue for Best Actor) I can't tell you how great they are. You'll have to see it for yourself when you pick up your ticket next year and see the movie in theatres all around the world. This movie has already been talked about, written about, discussed and even in some cases lied about - - (You know who you are, Eric!) LOL So that must mean we're doing our job huh?

Ken and Buck celebrated this past week with a GIANT boost as their first film "Rockabilly Baby" starring Denton Blane Everett, Todd Farr, and Brandi Price, took Audience Choice at the Trail Dance Film Festival. Denton took home the coveted Best Actor..there were 84 films at the festival!

Of course you know by now that Tanker will be playing the part of Faith in the movie. He'll have to be a little puppy without arms, so it's really a good thing that Tanker is actually a little puppy that was born without his front arms! We're adopting his little fuzzy mutt body soon - - and I can't wait. He's fat, fluffy, rolling around, scooting, and crying like the baby that he is. I'm sure he'll fit right in. I Googled him the other day and the thought occurred to me that not every one is able to Google their own dog. They should be able to. Here's what you do; you sign up on Blogger.com and you write out stories about your beloved mutt - - then in a few days you start Googling and there you go -- your dog is on the internet. If your dog is like any of my dogs they'll be picked up by another blogger, talked about, photos will be shared and instantly you're the mom or the dad of an internet celebrity! Just like that!

Faith and Matrix are quite used to it. Rupert has a little bit of an edge still - - can't figure out what all the fuss is about. Little Tanker won't know that this isn't the norm. He'll have cameras and people buzzing around him all of his life. I'm planning on taking him to work with me every day - - since I'm a producer for film company it stands to reason that he'll become quite used to the noise, the buzz, the people, the lights, the action, and all the glory of moving sets around for hours waiting for that one 30 second shot - - and of course the hot actors! Oh yes, we wouldn't do this job without the hotties!! Enter Todd Farr and Denton Blane Everett and Jodie Moore! You know, Brandi Price is cute too, but she's a girl -- all girl. She's about nine feet tall too, so she scares me! Not really. I'm kidding...stop Brandi, I'm kidding..AAAAHHHHHH!

Well, here you go - - my first blog in a week or more. I'm not making excuses I've been working on the script, driving back and forth from my former home in Oklahoma to my new home in Gainesville, Texas where the shirts I wear will still be as crimson as they ever were...Boomer Sooner. You can't cross into Texas without feeling the change of air, the generosity of the people, and the immediate knowledge that as a Sooner fan you're outnumbered...nevertheless, if you only drink bottled water that hasn't been opened you won't be sucked into the Longhorn Fan Club. All is well!

OUch!

Believe me, if you called me last night or today to give me heck about the game I would be the first person to shake your hand to agree with you. JUST LIKE last year when West Virginia beat us and I passed a guy on the boardwalk on Venice Beach wearing a West Virginia hoodie - - I bought him coffee. We didn't suck last night, it wasn't that we were playing all that badly, we just didn't seem to have the heat that we have had all season long. We weren't out there losing the game on purpose - - well, except for a couple of plays that looked a bit sketchy, and I'm sure Stoops will point those out this afternoon if he hasn't already to the team.

We could go on and on about the refs, the line-judges, the fact that they didn't call holding penalties on Florida or that they didn't give the Gators penalties for moving the damn ball at the line, which they did. You don't have 11 players pointing and screaming without something going on - - but it wasn't called. We could go on and on about the first touch down which was very clearly NOT a touch down, but a butt-down on the ground, and could talk about the clipping call that wasn't called that resulted in the bobble of the ball when we were going into the end zone.

Rather than going over the game with microscopes - - let's hope the BCS realizes that you don't play a game in Florida if one of the teams is from that state. It's clearly a conflict of interest and in this case it was a loss of a National title possibly. Tebow was great, he was there, he showed up, I think he was more motivated than Sam, but it could have been because he wanted it more. I don't know. It was the 3rd time Florida has won, and OU has won 7 National titles. Maybe we went in that game thinking it was our game. Well, if that's the case, we got chomped!

It's a bit obvious to everyone when the cameras are focused 90/10 on the Florida fans, and cheerleaders, or taking sideline questions from Florida fans and/or ex-players that the media may have been a bit skewed...it shouldn't be, and it wouldn't have been in say Arizona, California, Hawaii. Tickets should have been offered to the Oklahoma fans like they were to the Florida fans - - and yes, the refs should be from separate conferences. A holding call is a holding call rather it's from Oklahoma or Florida -- not calling it is wrong, and although we're rather used to it by now when we play in Florida, it still bites that they feel they have to cheat to win... I think Tebow and his crew could have done it without the refs, but we'll never know will we?

I will say this: Bob...I love you, but you should have challenged more. I'll keep you around another few years because you're the man, you're the best, and the Sooners absolutely thrive under your coaching....BUT...who in the HELL was letting #8 over that line last night? He was Sooner material, call the boy and see if he's wanting to jump ship and eat a little beef next season!

Congratulations to the Florida Gators, to Mr. & Mrs. Tebow for raising such a great kid, and to Tim - - for your courage to wear the black pads under your eyes encouraging all of us to read John 3:16. Damn the torpedoes and praise God! Next year Sooners.

My Other Son Matt (Spc. Clark)

I don't say enough about my other son....Matthew Douglas Clark. I have to talk about Matty, he's getting MARRIED in a month!!

Some of you may say that I don't talk about Matt as much as I do Reuben because, well, let's face it, I'm not his real mom. I adopted Matt last year when he and Reuben met in Alaska; nevertheless he is my baby too.

Matt and Reuben are out there in the sand and wind finding better and more better ways to protect you and me from the world and what-would-be bad guys of the world. I can say this without reservations even after looking at his most recent photos, that I trust my life in Matt's hands....as long as someones watching Matt to make sure he's still standing. From what I hear he and Reuben trade off falling down laughing when they're together, so maybe I'd actually feel more comfortable putting my life in someone else's hands when those two are together. Just maybe.

Mr. Matt is getting married in a few weeks so you can see from the photos that he's been practicing what he is thinking about doing as soon as he gets back home and find that pretty bride, but what he doesn't realize is that I've posted these pictures and I've kidnapped pretty Brit so that he'll have to a least work on his form before I let her go running into his muscled up arms. WAIT....if he's here and getting married in a few weeks; whose going to be protecting ME? MY GOD, that leaves only Reuben! Do we think that's such a good idea?

Matt Clark has been achieving great and fantastic goals since he left his home in Iowa to become one of the two best looking, best acting, best performing, and best dressed soldiers in the United States Army. He's managed to survive the Arctic cold, the heat in Iraq, the spit flying from yet another First Sergeant's mouth as he/she cries out another ridiculous order before dawn has a chance to dust off its feet to stand guard over the day! He's learned to dance, he's learned to squat to pick up the soap, he's learned to load the right end of a rocket launcher, and he's lived through a few...shall we say...tests.

OK...true colors. Matt likes to show them off now and then, and from the looks of it so do his best buds and compadres...those colors would be red, white, blue, and a bit of dingy green mixed with dusty brown. That's why we love you Matt...that's why we love you....that and you helped Reuben wipe his butt when he hurt his hand last year, wow, that was going beyond the call Spc. Clark, you ARE a true friend.

Congrats on the marriage thing - - hope that soldier you're "doing" doesn't get all jealous and stuff when you come back.

Apparently - I Did It All Wrong

I didn't raise my son correctly, and I made a lot of mistakes. This is what I'm being told by all the things I read in contemporary books about how to raise a kid. Seems you're not suppose to feed them anything other than breast milk or formula, but at the time I couldn't make one and I couldn't afford the other.

When I brought my son home from the hospital I had no idea what a mom did with such a little baby all the time. I didn't have a steady job and no day care would take him under 10 weeks so it looked like I was going to be there for a while -- holding him and you know, being a mommy. One of the first memories I have of my inability to be said mommy was when I woke up with him next to me and realized I hadn't put him back in his crib. I could have rolled over on him and not realized it.

The same day, a little later on, I realized I hadn't fed him. I realized I had completely forgotten to do it, and I also realized that I had diapered him with his hand stuck inside the diaper! Wow. This was really going to take some thought huh?

Something else I wasn't expecting happened. When I brought Reuben home from the hospital I also brought home a condition which didn't allow me to breastfeed for more than a couple of weeks. I was told the best formula to start him one was milk based and I tried that - but we found ourselves at the hospital with what appeared to be meningitis, but it turned out to be a severe allergic reaction to milk based formula. OK. I get it, I've just about killed my kid a couple of times and I've only had him for less than a month. I think I even dropped him once. It was snowing and I lost my footing. At least he landed in the grass.

When I couldn't afford formula and was too proud to get on welfare, I remember something my mom told me about a formula she either made for us, or she heard about. It would have been a 60's thing, not something any sane person would have tried in the late 80's, but I was poor and I never claimed to be sane, I was just a mom without a job and without any means of feeding my kid properly. I had options you know, there were people at my church that wanted me to let them adopt my son. This was settled before I gave birth with me screaming at them and I think I used the one-finger salute in the hallway of God's house...not my best moment. If anyone thought I would give up my baby they didn't know me. Hell, he's 22 and I still wouldn't let anyone have him - - they could pry my dead fingers off of him before trying. (oh, and yes, that goes for Caity Baby too, I tease, but I wouldn't ever really let her go.)

I bought a can of Milnot brand canned milk and poured it in a pitcher. I added 3 more cans of water, and 2 tablespoons of maple syrup. THAT became my child's formula. I know, I know, I'm the worst mom in the world, I should be arrested for child abuse, I should be hung by the neck until dead...but as you see, he's fine. Milnot cost about 25 cents a can and you know, I probably even got the generic brand if it were a few cents cheaper. I know I used tap water, which is something I probably wouldn't do now either - - and the maple syrup came into play because I didn't want to use just sugar. It dissolved better and when you mixed it up it looked like formula so no one complained at the church, or at the daycare when they finally took him at nearly 3 months.

Something else I did that we're told not to do. I spanked my kid. Yes, yes I did, I admit it, I turned him over my knee and let him have it a few times. I even popped him in public - - in front of GOD and everyone. I was actually approached once and I told the woman I was within my religious rights to spank my child. She asked if I was a Pagan, I told her no. I explained that I was a Baptist - - we do that still. (Keep in mind that was 1988 I don't know if Baptists still spank or not, I haven't needed to do that for 15 years or so.) LOL

Well - there you have it. I bought him 2nd hand clothes, used books, old school supplies, let him eat pizza off of plates at Chuck E. Cheese rather than paying for a pizza when we went to parties. I never stopped him from rolling down hills, playing in the pond water, and from time to time I even yelled at him from the bleachers like a hillbilly - - telling him to "KILL" someone. I meant the quarterback of the other team usually, but he knew what I meant. We had hand signals too, I could have been a Defensive Coordinator - - he got every call.

I let him drive without a license. I know I bailed him out of trouble too often, and yes, I lied to the school secretary several times when he just didn't' feel like going to school - or when I wanted to spend time with him. I screwed up big time I guess, but even after all the faults, and all the drama I put upon this kid he became a man. He did it. He grew up, and he made good decisions. He worked for over a year at his first job, again for more than a year at his second (granted it was Hooters, and any boy would show up for that one) but you know what - - he turned out fine. Oh, and he got over the milk thing too. I don't know when, but by the time he was 11 he was drinking nearly a gallon of regular Whole Vitamin D milk every day! Tell me that wasn't expensive! I was working then. Thank God.

So, go ahead young moms...make mistakes. It's part of the plan. Just remember even if you forget to feed them - - to love them. Somehow that seems to be the key to success...that, and prayer.

Faith and Hope vs. Shock and Awe

Shock and Awe! It may bring back memories to you that aren't pleasant to think about, try to remember the reason we set out to make our statement in the first place. Please try to remember that we don't obtain freedom freely, and that the peacemakers are the ones who usually hold the guns. Pray for them.

Faith goes to as many as she can go - and I know that means that I need to take her. I pray that this continues, as I believe her calling is more important than what I can comprehend with my mind and heart. I am always moved to tears when I see her with soldiers. I am always the one to cry first - - and hug the longest when we have to say good bye.

Whether we see these faithful and brave men and women at USOs, airports, base PX/BX, or at military hospitals we know they have been through more than we will know, they have been through more than we will ever attempt. (Basic would flat out kill me!) Faith has never been disappointing, never has she not been 100% accepted by each and every soldier we see - - even some that were a little afraid of dogs or didn't' grow up with them want to know Faith because of her courage, her tenacity, and her spirit. We don't have to be Christian to believe in the power of a higher force, but for me it is the only way I know. I hope through Christ and His grace that Faith can continue her journey.

This video was created and distributed by a wonderful man near that GREAT city of NYC. He's an impressive soul with a giant heart not only for animals, but for the troops. He, like I, wish the Shock and Awe were over. Faith and Hope should remain.
Come home guys, come home girls. We're here to love you when you do, and we thank you now knowing you are protecting us and defending our nation - - voluntarily! Godspeed.

Here is the link to the YouTube created by Randall Goya aka "Decibel.Places"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OdqhDcAoQuc

Farewell Steve - We Will Miss You

Steve (Named after Steve Irwin before he passed away actually)

Our little guy is gone. I wish now I would have taken more pictures of the kids inside of him, but then again I'm glad that some of the things my kids did inside of Steve are NOT recorded (Reuben!) Laura was so funny the other day when she got a call from Reuben and let him know that Steve was being sold at an auction. She said "I really do hope they don't find your DNA and trace it back to us." To which Reuben responded "Laura, we owned the car, of course they'll trace it back to us!"

It's true. The creditor has spoken! I thought Reuben was paying for Steve and he thought I was paying for him. The fact that we missed two payments wasn't brought home until the day after Thanksgiving when BAM...5:00 a.m. my doorbell rings and it's not Avon, it's not even the lady next door that sometimes locks herself out and needs me to give her the key she trusted me with. It was - - Emilio Estevez...no, wait, he played the Repo Man...it was the Repo Man!

What was really nice, and I mean this with everything in my heart - they actually allowed Caity to drive Steve to work one last time so she wouldn't lose her job. It was the day after Thanksgiving after all, and she does work in the mall! She had to be at work in 15 minutes and they followed her. Actually, they put one of the helpers in the car with her - - she was a little freaked that she was driving a few miles with a man she'd never met, but with the assurance that she could take her brother down so she could probably handle this guy - - Reuben is a Spc. in the Army and trained to kill. You know, I say it all the time, I wish the Army took people with Asthma! Caity would be the perfect assassin! She would be good - - and she would get into her job! She'd love it!

Oh, you want to know why they took Steve? Well, I lost my job you know - - my foundation didn't take off, and over the summer three would-be endorsements fell. Caity warned me about giving up my teaching position to take Faith around the country, but it just seemed that I was meant to do it, and I still actually feel as if I made the right decision...but maybe I could have planned a bit better. Why should someone at the detail shop somewhere at an auction have to put up with finding panties, pictures, Taco Bell wrappers, gum, peanut butter sandwiches, and probably a few butted out cigarettes in the backseat of a car we couldn't live without? I did get my rosary out of him, and that's about it. I lost too much to cry over now. You don't think about that until it's too late.

I took Steve to see Reuben graduate from Basic Training. I took him to see both Oceans - I took him to see Chicago, Seattle, Detroit (where I threatened him, he straightened up!) I took him to see the Grand Canyon, I took him to Texas over a dozen times and two of those times were in less than 24 hours when Laura decided to stay with the traveling band at Ozzfest on August 3, 2007 and then decided against it when I got home! I had to go right back down to Dallas in less than 12 hours from the time I went down the first time. STEVE...the hero!

You may remember that Steve spent 11 weeks in the shop this fall. He was hit by a woman leaving her church. She didn't have insurance and I had liability only. She was 74 and didn't have anything other than social security. I wasn't about to put her in jail for not paying...I just prayed about it. God sent Todd Freeman of Freeman Collision (405 942-6455 if you need him) and he did the work for free! Seriously - there are really some very nice people in this world, and Todd is certainly one of them. I didn't see my Steve for nearly 3 months, but he was in great hands.

We got Steve back at 5:30 p.m. the Wed. before Thanksgiving. I drove him to Stillwater to pick Laura up for Thanksgiving, and returned her that night. It's a good thing I didn't keep her another day - they came to get him early early early in the morning on Friday. When they say JOY comes in the morning - - I can say it does. I just watched them drive away with Caity, knowing he would be gone - but it hit me...it's not a bad thing. Now that Todd fixed Steve up he can be sold at the auction for a good price and I won't owe as much as I would have to the creditor had he been hit and not fixed. Jesus really does take care of me....I'll trust Him to find Steve a good home too.

Now, there's NO WAY whoever gets my little silver love will be able to match our compassion (and in Reuben's case, passion) for Steve - - we took him to see Carrie Underwood's house, Toby Keith's house, Garth Brook's farm, and then to Nashville to see where they live now. We took him to the lake and drove him into it to help pull out a boat that got stuck. We brought more than 50 animals home to foster and/or find homes for during the time we had Steve, and we ... well, we will truly miss him. His departure was a little like his namesake's....shocking, but now he's in better hands. Godspeed to you Steve. You will be remembered.

2008 Heisman Winner - SAM BRADFORD!

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO U! BOOMER - SOONER!!

You could hear Heisman Winner Billy Sims of Oklahoma screaming out "BOOMER" and Heisman Winners Steve Owen and Jason White from Oklahoma shouting back "SOONER!" just as soon as Sam Bradford's name was announced as the 74th Heisman Trophy Winner! You could also hear my son screaming it from the sands of Iraq! YES! 4:00 a.m. and he's pumped! I got the call! "Did you see it Mom, did you see SAM?"

Such a moment! Sam, being the best-boy that he is, hugged his mother first, before taking the stage; and yes, he thanked God first before reciting the litany of names he had memorized I'm sure - people in his life who brought him full-force to that stage tonight.

Not a single Oklahoman thought anyone else should have won - apparently quite a few Heisman votes were not cast his way, as Tim Tebow, the 73rd winner, and QB from Florida was actually the recipient of more 1st place votes...but those standings from all three places, 1st, 2nd, and 3rd, do count when you tally it all up. Those who wanted Colt to win voted for Sam to be second. Those who wanted Tim to win did the same! Sam's number 1 votes were plenty to be sure...HE WON!

Just a week ago Sam underwent surgery on his left hand, so there he stood on stage just like Tim Tebow did last year - with a cast! Naturally it was covered in CRIMSON gauze; and yes, he wore a crimson tie like his coach Bob Stoops. I thought Bob was going to cry when Sam came down stairs to hug him - he couldn't have been more proud of anyone. Sam's performance on and off the field have been monumental - being a member of the Cherokee Nation he has always had a strong foundation of what it is like to have honor, pride and a grounded sense of power and inspiration. He knew this award would only strengthen his abilities to forward several causes for the Nation, for the university, and certainly for the great state of Oklahoma. He will forever be a hero, a legend, and of course an Oklahoma Sooner. He'll be bronzed soon too, and join the great men who have been chosen before him to hold the title of the BEST football player in the nation!

Sam, at 21 years old, just happens to be from the same school district as my children; having attended a rival school of my son Reuben. Reuben and Sam have suited up and played against each other at least twice, and even though those games didn't fare so well for Bradford - - he's made up for them and for every one of his fans (including Reuben) as an Oklahoma Sooner quarterback with excellence in his game, and victory in his heart. Boomer Sooner Sam!! BOOMER SOONER!!!

Nineveh! You Will Get There.

Oh, if it were easy EVERYONE would be riding in a whale to their own personal Nineveh. The fact is, it's not easy. It's not recommended either by the way. Me, I personally prefer to just fall on my face before God and say "Here I am - send me", it just seems to work out better for me. I get sea-sick easily.

There are those however, one in particular that I can think of, who just seem to think that living life as-is will suffice and that there really isn't that big of a hurry or urgency to make it to ... well, we'll say Nineveh. I don't feel it is my place to correct this man. I don't feel that it is my right to do so either. In fact, the truth is - - it really is between him and his God, which by the way happens to be MY God, and He just also happens to be the same God that sent the life-saving, obedience-teaching, gratitude forcing whale that scooped up our dear friend Jonah, and brought him to the ONE place God had told him over and over to go to in the first place.

This man, this wonderful, gregarious, gracious, fantastic man knows he's to do this ONE thing. He's been told, he's been told more than once, and it's gotten to the point that I have now been told through meditation, through dreaming, through feeling, and prayer - - I KNOW this man is suppose to do something specific and he hasn't. I don't fight it. I know I've been told so I can continue to ask God to hold back the whale...I can't promise however that God will, and I can't promise that holding back the whale is all that good - - what if God forces this good man to then SWIM himself rather than being carried for three days to the place he's suppose to go. Wouldn't that tire a man out? No thanks...falling on my face seems like such a better option.

You can catch me praying for the man. I do it every day. I sit on the middle of my bed, I'm with dogs, so you know I'm in good and blessed company. I hold certain rocks in my hand to pray. I don't pray TO the rocks, I pray WITH the rocks. The Bible is clear about rocks and their abilities to call out to God when we can't, or when we won't. I hold rocks to remind me to call to Him by name. I hold colored stones for different people; usually based on their birth stones. I have three children I have three colored stones for them. I was born in November, I have a yellow stone for me when I need extra loving from God and even from myself when I'm mad at me...I do that - I get mad at me. I have another rock, a blue rock, a rock for this man...and I hold it in the same hand that I hold the God-rock in. I want the rock to be as close to the God-rock as it can be when I begin to ask God to show mercy to the one I love....because I do love him.

Nineveh is often considered a place that one one wants to go - - understandable. However, it was created the same way and in the same day that God created the Garden of Eden, so I guess it goes to show that whatever He wants He gets - one way or the other. I'm hoping the whale comes along rather than an Angel with a fiery sword that cuts in every directions. I think I'd rather care for a man whose been vomited up than one that's been destroyed....that's just me, but then again, I'm the on face down on the floor at the very instant I think I'm being asked to do something odd....no chance of that fish finding me. I'm on the bus, I'm asking the conductor to step on it, "WHICH WAY TO NINEVEH? TAKE ME THERE NOW!" That's me. Coward that I am. I never challenge God, no thanks - too chicken. (He makes the chickens too you know) Wouldn't it be nice if we all just paid a little bit of attention to the beating of the heart? We aren't beating it ourselves you know.

So, if you see me sitting cross-legged in the middle of a bench, out in the park, or on the streets of a busy city...check my hands for rocks. If it looks like I need a blue tooth so I don't look crazy talking out loud - just bow for a second when you pass me, and know I'm not alone - you're not alone. "I CAN hear you now!" I love that...but of course you can Jonah! Because HE HAD YOUR NUMBER the entire time. One way or the other we will make our way to the Nineveh that we are called to visit.

Count on it.