Confessions of a Christmas Champion

Have you conquered commercialized Christmas yet??? Here's my plan...

Stockings Hung By the Chimney with Care

I'm completely done decorating. Cleaning and cooking is a constant chore/delight depending on what day of the week it is. The Gift of Christmas CD project is now complete. We gear up for a super busy week. I wouldn't trade it for anything. With great tenderness, I devote my heart to this project.

I'm thankful and reminded about counting every blessing in life. My recent interview with Scott Seelye is a reminder to find joy...no matter what.

Not Just Another Song in The Key of G

Tonight, as I prepare my heart, home, and family for Thanksgiving I heard lyrics for the first time.

I've heard them many times before. I've sung them many times before. Sung them right in the midst of where the Lord was getting geared up to prove them in my life. I've strummed these chords in the key of G that make up this tune a million times.

Tonight. I heard them again for the first time.

My eyes are turning to You, I turn to You. Hope is stirring, hearts are yearning for You, we long for You.

When we see you - that's when we find strength to face the day.
All our fears are washed away....where? in Your presence.

You are the God Who saves us.

Hear the sound of hearts returning to you.
Where are broken lives made new? ....in Your kingdom.



Oh how many times I have sung this song. God wants to bless the broken road. He's got a grander plan that's coming true.

Who's On First?

Baseball? It's just a game - as simple as a ball and a bat. Yet, as complex as the American spirit it symbolizes. It's a sport, business - and sometimes even religion. ~Ernie Harwell, "The Game for All America," 1955


When Douglass Wallop penned the 1954 novel The Year The Yankees Lost the Pennant, he had no idea what a historical foreshadowing he had just captured in his work. Written during a time in which the New York Yankees were dominating Major League baseball, the novel was adapted into a musical by Richard Adler and Jerry Ross and appropriately entitled Damn Yankees.

Opening on 5/5/55, the musical's protagonist, Joe Boyd, a disgruntled lifetime fan of the ever-defeated Washington Senators to long time nemesis New York Yankees proclaimed, "I'd sell my soul for one long-ball hitter!"

To read more, click here.

Home for The Holidays

What to do on Thanksgiving in Dallas....

My Heart....In San Francisco

So The San Francisco Giants have taken a piece of my heart last night by beating The Texas Rangers in the final game of the World Series. So long baseball. Until next year.

Granny Smith Surprises

8 Granny Smith Apples
1 stick butter
1 Cup brown sugar
8 cinnamon sticks
1/4 Cup fresh grated ginger
4 oz. FRESH mozzarella cheese
1/2 Cup cinnamon

Core eight Granny Smith Apples. Fill each apple with 1 TBS butter, 1 TBS brown sugar, 1 cinnamon stick (upright), a dash of grated ginger, top with fresh mozzarella cheese and sprinkle with cinnamon. Bake at 375 for 30 - 45 minutes or until desired consistency.

Insane Black Bean Soup

(Overnight Method)

1 bag black beans
2 tbs cumin
4 large cloves garlic
2 stalks of fresh celery finely chopped
1/2 jalapeno finely chopped
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp red pepper
1/4 tsp black pepper
1 tbs ground oregano
1 cup chopped cilantro
1 ham shank

Cover with water and cook on low in crock pot overnight

Next day:

Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 large yellow onion finely diced
2 carrots finely diced
4 bay leaves
1 lb. diced turkey sausage
1 cup chicken broth

Sautee vegetables and ham shank in saucepan until wilted and carmelization causes them to stick to the bottom of the pan. Add chicken broth. Cook another 10 minutes. Transfer to large soup pot, pouring beans from crock in as well. Simmer on medium-low heat until desired texture - 1 hour should be fine.

Serve over rice with garnish:

Fresh mozarella cheese
cilantro
finely chopped red onion
finely chopped radish
lime juice
toasted pumpkin seeds
habanero salsa


INSANE!!!

Got Fall?

Fall Flowers are a must. Texas in October is grand.

Taylor Storch Family Meets Heart Recipient

I have never been in a church service before and felt a hush across the room and instantaneous sobs as this story was shared by Pastor Jack Graham at Prestonwood last week to thousands of people.

I met Todd Storch at Healthy Me Cafe recently and was able to visit with him. Please look for them tomorrow on The Today Show.

The heart is an amazing something....This story is reminiscent of the film Return To Me.

Pink's Glitter in The Air Grammy Performance 2010

I still cannot get over Pink's Grammy performance from February. Every time I hear the song Glitter in The Air, I have to pull this up on youtube.com.

She starts out by looking beautiful in a tunic, walking down stairs, taking the tunic off, being hoist into a stretchy acrobatic sling, "cirque-du-soleiling" while suspended fifty feet in the air in front of about 8,000 people, dipped in water, being spun around like crazy, then hanging upside down from one leg on the sling all WHILE SINGING!

What Happens When You Marry a Frenchman, Volume 11

The Cajun teething ring.




To read all What Happens When You Marry a Frenchman posts, click here.

Sometimes It Pays To Be a Tri Sigma

Today I created a new label for my blog called "birthday gone bad". Last year for Bob's birthday, the 49 candles accidentally set the homemade cake on fire.

So it was my Mom's 60th birthday. My sister Ava and I planned the perfect surprise birthday party for her. Ava came up with a 60's theme in typical Ava fashion. Once a Tri Sigma President always a Tri Sigma President. Sigma Sigma Sigma. She managed the social event like the best of 'em. Me -- well, I just rolled in at the last minute, flat-ironed my hair, put on some red lipstick and greeted everyone.

The moment of truth: Debbie and Jim were one mile away. The guests are all waiting with expectation, ready to yell, "Surprise!" while sweating and fighting off mosquitoes, the Louisiana state bird, when we suddenly we get a call. They have a flat tire. Ava had not formulated Plan B, but was ready to take action almost instantaneously while "shushing" the crowd (A.K.A. Big Daddy Didi) as to not create any background noise that might alert Debbie to the heist.

For Mom's birthday tribute, click here.

We All Fall Down

Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you at the proper time, casting all your anxiety upon Him because He cares for you.
--1 Peter 5:6 - 7

If I had my life to live over again, I'd try to make more mistakes next time.
I would relax, I would limber up, I would be sillier than I have been this trip.
I know of very few things I would take seriously.
I would take more trips. I would be crazier.
I would climb more mountains, swim more rivers, and watch more sunsets.
I would do more walking and looking.
I would eat more ice cream and less beans.
I would have more actual troubles, and fewer imaginary ones.
You see, I'm one of those people who lives life prophylactically and sensibly hour after hour, day after day. Oh, I've had my moments, and if I had to do it over again I'd have more of them.
In fact, I'd try to have nothing else, just moments, one after another, instead of living so many years ahead each day. I've been one of those people who never go anywhere without a thermometer, a hot-water bottle, a gargle, a raincoat, aspirin, and a parachute.
If I had to do it over again I would go places, do things, and travel lighter than I have.
If I had my life to live over I would start barefooted earlier in the spring and stay that way later in the fall.
I would play hookey more.
I wouldn't make such good grades, except by accident.
I would ride on more merry-go-rounds.
I'd pick more daisies.

--Anonymous

When I Miss My Silver Spoon

Last week, I was in the studio at Lightning Bear TV shooting my world famous Red Beans and Rice dish that is our College Gameday staple meal! This, in lieu of writing a 1300 word column in the Cross Timbers Gazette, was going to be a month off of research, deep thinking, and word processing in the night.

Little did I know that it would turn out to be three times the work!! Why? First, I had to actually formulate the recipe. Second, I had to buy the ingredients in triplicate, cook the recipe, prep the veggies, and pack every pot, pan, and dishrag necessary to make this yummy concoction! My next goal: finding parking in Downtown Dallas that would be nearest to the 4th floor studio. A lingering question: "How in the world am I going to leave two boxes of food in the hundred degree heat to haul box three up to the studio?" Enter "fresh out of Beverly Hills" Executive Producer J. Michael Brown sauntering onto the scene, shades and all, still in the afterglow of the Lightning Bear TV Open House just hours before. Stepping out of his Red Porsche I inquire,"Can you help?" Agreed. Whew!
I unload the three boxes of food in the lobby. He stands guard while I attempt to find a legal and adequate parking place for my new car, my baby. I find a nearby pay and park lot. Distracted by the presence of a homeless man sleeping in a nearby alley, I pull into space 12. I fumble through my rather deep purse in the heat and retrieve my last $5, exactly what I need to pay for parking. Still shaken up at the thought of anyone having to sleep outdoors in the Texas heat, I accidentally put the money into slot 15. Darn. I can still barely see the edge of the five dollar bill, but since I clipped my fingernails for the cooking show, there was no way to retrieve it. I have an idea.

I run back to slot 15 and it is still available. No one has used it because of the shotty parking jobs of Mr. 14 and Mrs. 16. Nothing more than crazed stage Moms trying to get their kid to the ensuing auditions at Lightning Bear for an upcoming Coca-Cola commercial. But I think I can squeeze my car in there. I run to slot 12, start the car, and rush to grab slot 15 and park legally. Meanwhile, J. Michael...still waiting with the wilting vegetables.

My flat-ironed curly hair is threatening to rebel. I'm sweating. This is why Rachael Ray has a personal assistant, valet, hairdresser, make-up artist, and kitchen prep crew. I tell myself "...So I'm not Rachael Ray" and think what a good country song that might be!

We finally get the food upstairs and I am all calmed down, prepped, and ready for action. Enter Ulises, pop artist preparing for music video in a few hours. He decides to help out on the scene and becomes a great comfort to me on the set with his encouraging words and feedback. Between takes, we share life stories and I listen to his amazing voice. There is promise there...a star in the making. He could rival the fame of Lady Gaga with his artistry and talent. After a few hours, we all high five, and enjoy a bowl of red beans and rice together--watching all my bloopers and blunders!

I convince the guys to help me carry the food down to my car so I can rush off to Argyle. We all look funny walking the streets of downtown Dallas with hot pots of beans. A homeless man approaches. "I won't harm you," he says. "Is that food I smell? I'm hungry."

My first Samaritan inclination was to tell this man that I didn't have anything in which to serve the food. In addition, I had already spent thirty minutes packing it up so it wouldn't spill inside my new car. Did he really expect me to open up a pot of beans and ladle it over rice INSIDE my car?? After all, I had to get to church! But the thought was very short lived when I looked into the eyes of this man. They were filled with hunger--more than the physical kind.

I told the man to bear with me while I disassembled my good packaging job, glancing at J. Michael and Ulises with eyes that pleaded, "Don't dare leave me out here." They stayed right with me, even though time was getting away and they needed to get to work on the music video.

I found a Rubbermaid container with the leftover rice and ladled the beans and sausage over it. "Today's your lucky day," J. Michael told the man.

The only spoon I had to give the man was my silver spoon from my family's flatware. It was a small sacrifice. "Sir, whenever you use this spoon from this day forward, I want you to remember to put your trust in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ." I told him. "I already do." He said. Right there with Ulises and J. Michael, we were able to fill the need of one soul. Oh how I wished I could have done more! Everytime I am missing a silver spoon from my table, I will remember this man. Sometimes the absence of something we once had is the reminder that we have emptied of ourselves, just waiting for God's promise to fill us again.

School Begins

So it's the first day of school. My candles are burning, my heart is ready. To me, it's the official kick off of Fall AND another great year begins for my child. By this time next year...we'll be eyeball to eyeball. I'm sure of that.

So Long Fish Bowl

In the past, I lived in the fishbowl. Now, I just fish or bowl.--Brandi Chambless, August 19, 2010

So today's the last day of combat in Iraq, as troops depart to begin Operation New Dawn. The past three years have been an Operation New Dawn of my own as God has allowed the unraveling of everything I knew as He has begun weaving together something I can't quite understand that will hopefully be useful and interesting...but definitely different.

Faith unwavering: check. Childlike faith: not necessarily. I would say that my faith has been more childish than childlike, holding on to every last fiber God stripped from my old tapestry. Like a child at play whose Daddy made an attempt to pry a sucker from her hands readying her for a more substantial meal of meat and potatoes, this has been the story of my life. Little tantrum girl.

And then there are mornings like today when I thank God for what He is doing. My head is clear. My heart is collected. I'm ready to do His will. Thank you, Lord.

To read about the life I've left behind, click here.

Sometimes It Takes a Shipwreck

Can you imagine being arrested, appearing before authorities, being shipped off to a new place, living through a raging storm for about two weeks with very little food, being shipwrecked at sea, swimming to shore in turbulent waters, depending on the kindness of strangers for three months, then ultimately making your way to your destination as a prisoner ALL to be allowed to rent a home for two years just in time to fulfill your God-given destiny?

Wow. That was Paul's story in the New Testament Book of Acts.

I got to thinking...sometimes it takes a shipwreck before we can get to exactly where we need to be for God to use us as He had planned. If you are in the turbulent waters now, my friend, do not let your heart be troubled. For God knows the very number of hairs on your head. He may be waiting for a surrender of your own will, for an admission of trust in His plan, for a readiness to go wherever...do whatever.

My dear friend Andy Magee's famous last words before one of my incredible journeys...."Hang on for the ride."

GLEE's Mark Salling CD Set to Release in October

Mark Salling of GLEE recently announced that he will be releasing his debut CD project Pipe Dreams on October 12.

A Dallas native, Salling's lyrics are filled with scriptural references such as "equally yoked", reference to the Son of God, and the Heavenly Father. The CD will be released as a rock/jazz project inspired by Nine Inch Nails, Miles Davis, Alice in Chains, and Herbie Hancock.

These lyrics from "Yoked Equally" speak to the righteous religious leaving behind those are in the fight of their lives against the principalities and darkness.

Cause the only road I've known goes down, down
where the ride seems so righteous
they've left us on the ground
There's a reward for capturing my soul
so, let the heavenly father shine down on me
til the day I am yoked equally

To view the official website of Mark Salling's project, go to www.marksallingmusic.com.

Until Next Year: Goodbye Creative Arts Camp

We said goodbye to The Music Man yesterday. To read why this musical is so special to us click here.

Best Freelance Writers of Dallas

When I began writing years ago, I had no idea of the wonderful opportunities my hobby would bring. I have met so many wonderful people and become a student of my life experiences. In this short video segment, my work in the real estate industry is highlighted.



Video produced by Lightning Bear Productions, Downtown Dallas.

Eli Meets The Pitchfork

Mrs. Dawn introduces Eli to his pitchfork in rehearsal at Creative Arts Camp yesterday. He will play the role of the farmer as introduced in the famous painting American Gothic. "The pitchfork is very dangerous."

Waiting For Autumn Rains

My soul yearns, even faints, for the courts of the Lord.

My heart and flesh cry out for the living God.

Blessed are those whose strength is in you, who have their hearts set on pilgrimage. As they pass through the Valley of Baca, they make it a place of springs; the autumn rains also cover it with pools.--Excerpts from Psalm 84

Valley of Baca....the place of deepest grief ever known to man, a valley of tears, adversity.

This person found God turning tears into a well of water.

We are to set our heart on the journey.

Do not turn from the Valley of Baca for your promise awaits on the other side.

The Strange Beauty of Autumn

Beauty is not caused. It is. --Emily Dickinson

Wisdom is the abstract of the past, but beauty is the promise of the future. --Oliver Wendell Holmes

Somehow, uniquely, God desires to use those difficult moments of our lives to bring forth something extraordinarily beautiful. Even the natural creation attests to this truth. In fall, we marvel at the gorgeous, lush colors of burnt amber, burnished orange, brilliant red, and bright yellow leaves, even as that beauty belies the slow and gradual death of those leaves. Winter buries those leaves under the cold, dark blanket of snow and frost. And yet, death brings forth life. Spring bursts forth year after year with jonquils, iris, lilies, and all the beautiful pastels of new life. --Jill Carattini, Slice of Infinity


Fall is coming. My favorite time of year. I haven't felt it in the air just yet, but these words above from Jill Carattini reminded me that there will be another October soon. I'm glad. I come alive in October. It's the best month God ever created.

If the Lord is willing, I will be burning candles, cooking soups, and riding horses. I will be nesting and putting burnt orange silk arrangements on my front doorstep in this fair time. I will listen to the music of James Taylor and Eva Cassidy and sense the strange beauty of life again. The sign on my door will say, "Welcome," and I will paint my walls hues of amber and laugh with the ones I love.

Dinner at Five Sixty

Pan fried sea bass. It's what's for dinner at Wolfgang Puck's Five Sixty Downtown Dallas at Reunion Tower. My friends from New York treated me to a nice dinner on the town, compliments of AMBI Skincare line for women with richer toned complexions.









Liz and Ty.
Joy Marcelle gives a back stage tour to the wig room of DREAMGIRLS starring Syesha Mercado as Deena Jones.



Tracking down Syesha after the performance, I get an exclusive interview with her. To read more, click here.

Johnson and Johnson Does Dallas

Brandi Chambless and Ty Tradelius smile for the camera before attending the Dallas Summer Musicals DREAMGIRLS production at Fair Park starring Syesha Mercado. The evening was sponsored by the The AMBI® Brand Skincare line of Johnson and Johnson.

A Special Message From My Friend On A Special Day

Today was extra special as I was able to visit with a blast from the past, former NFL Defensive Back Scott Turner. I met Scott Turner after hearing him speak to the Lewisville Chamber of Commerce in August of 2008. His message and subsequent prayer was so compelling that it has been a major impact on my life over the last couple of years. He is a "way" guy when the world is telling you "no way", a man of great faith.

Over the weekend, I have been working on my feature column for the Cross Timbers Gazette. When I heard Scott's message this AM, it was such a confirmation that I am on the right track. He used some of the same exact words and references that have made impressions my work throughout the last 48 hours. Today is also the third day in a row that Psalm 139 has been brought before me. You know my concerns, God.

Suffice it to say that my race has been run with greater fervor because of experiencing Jesus Christ through Scott. He has been a major part of my testimony. To read more about my initial meeting with Scott, click here.

Nicole Murphy Honored Today

Blessings to the Murphy family today as they honor their beloved Nicole's life, a young woman with great dreams and ambition, a life cut short.

May all who mourn the death of Nicole Murphy today be comforted and blessed. May she dance in the arms of her Heavenly Father. You are all in my prayers.



How can I help??

A Message To Ava From Syesha Mercado

Gobble Gobble Chicken

What you need:

Chicken a Bowl
Olive Oil - 1 Cup
Minced Garlic - 1/2 Teaspoon
Minced Onions - 1/2 Tablespoon
Ground Thyme Leaves - 1 Teaspoon
Smoked Paprika - 1/4 Teaspoon
Oregano - 1/8 Teaspoon
Parsley Flakes - 1/2 Tablespoon
Lemon Pepper - 1 Teaspoon
Kitchen Paintbrush
a Fork



What to do:
1. Get a pan.
2. Put the chicken on the pan (breast side up).
3. Grab the bowl & the spices.
4. First put the olive oil in the bowl.
5. Add all other ingredients to olive oil and mix with a fork.
6. When you are done mixing, grab the kitchen paintbrush and paint the chickenʼs belly.
7. Flip the chicken and paint itʼs back side.
8. There should be a hole on the back side of the chicken that shows the
chicken's inside.
9. Then, paint the inside.
10. Carefully grab the chicken by grabbing it from itʼs hole and put it in your oven.
11. Roast it for about an hour at 350 degrees. 12. Take it out and gobble it up!

Returning To The Dance

A few nights ago I returned to my friend Monica's dance class. I felt like I had visited an old friend again. Not just Monica...my friend, the dance.

The Beautiful Joanna Herman

Mary Ann Haynes and Joanna Herman

Sweet Joanna Herman from the "children's choir" at FBC West Monroe, Louisiana....all grown up. Sweet memories. Precious young lady. Always showed a love for the Lord and an obvious talent for using her gifts to honor Christ.

To hear her sing click here.

Tech Divas Workshop

Caught on video...Brandi Chambless and Ramona Thompson Tech Divas Workshop at Turner's Pizza Depot in Flower Mound.

My Infamous Aunt Nippy's Son Speaks Out on Oil Spill

James Carville speaks out on the oil spill in Louisiana and how BP should have taken action sooner. I have never met the famous/infamous son of my "Aunt Nippy", though I anonymously worked with him for my eight hour film debut in All The King's Men as I stood in the freezing cold weather on the Louisiana State Capital in a vintage 1930's dress and heels for the filming of the funeral scene of Huey P. Long, a scene with Jude Law and Patricia Heaton that never made it into the movie.

That was the day I decided I would rather be a star than an extra anytime because of all the perks like palettable snackage, hot coffee whenever necessary, and fur wraps during the breaks.

Pants On The Ground

Arts and culture review posted in The Cross Timbers Gazette, May 2010

Pants On The Ground

by Brandi Chambless

What Happens When You Marry a Frenchman, Vol. 10

To read all of Brandi's What Happens When You Marry a Frenchman posts, click here.

So my niece Annie is almost seven months old now....I can hardly believe it. I was home in Louisiana for her arrival here on this earth, back for a visit at Thanksgiving, home for Christmas, a class reunion in January, and then a visit at Easter. She is such a little snuggle bug, though Aunt Bebe has to share the love with my entire extended Cajun family. This little Cajun girl is definitely our princess. She is a happy soul that we all enjoy.

Here she is pictured with her Dad's Abita Strawberry Beer. Yep, here's what happens when you marry a Frenchman. You get a little taste of Dad's beer at an early age. Every girl likes strawberries, right?

What "Egg Paquing" Looked Like When I Was a Kid

Click here for more on Buck Descant. Click here for more on the Dad of my dear friend Tammy...Paul Moreau, the one and only Avoyelles legend and owner of Crepe's Corner.

A Favorite Easter Tradition

For more of Bebe's writings on Egg Paquing, click here.

The Majesty of the Monarch

When I was a kid I specifically remember my Mama tying scarves to each of my pointer fingers for my one and only dance recital at Judy’s School of Dance. When the music played, ten little girls began to flit around on the stage like blue butterflies in flight. It wasn’t long before I abandoned the dance for the basketball court, only to watch my little sister Ava flourish under the teaching of Judy Descant.

Each spring at Ava’s dance recital I took account of winter’s work, realizing the extent of my sister’s growing grace, beauty, and skill. I counted myself as lucky that she never became a diva unless absolutely necessary, usually prompted by some injustice. I have not a single doubt in my mind that as my mother shares her daily coffee break with Judy to this day, the two empty nesters reminisce from time to time about all the debutantes who have grown up studying tap, ballet, and jazz in her care.

It’s funny how springtime remains as the season of beginnings for most everything from the making of college basketball stars to the awakening of God’s secret flowers, solemnly breaking through the snowy sod for their annual peek at the sun. Yet, humankind has chosen springtime as an “ending” of an era to honor people for the work of their imaginations and dreams. Little blue butterflies will soon dance beneath Daddy’s loving gaze, firstborn sons—now men—will shake the hand of the chancellor as they receive a life-altering piece of paper, and even Oprah graces the red carpet when Hollywood pauses to honor people like Gabourey Sidibe who have captured the human struggle on film at the 82nd Annual Academy Awards.

The pre-party and afterglow fashion Do’s and Don’ts may pose as the “leading lady” of every Oscar party, but they merely live up to the expectation of “supporting actress” at best, providing purpose for the botox-filled lips of the talking heads. The real prima donna is and always will be Best Picture, with 2010 going down in history as a banner year for James Cameron’s former wife Kathryn Bigelow who trumped the highest grossing film of all times Avatar with a win for The Hurt Locker, as well as being the first woman ever in history to be voted in by the Academy as Best Director. Being nominated in the two categories with the man who abandoned her prior to creating the highest grossing movie of all times once before back in 1998, I was surprised her acceptance speech didn’t include, “This is for Titanic!!!”

Whether a writer or director is recreating a true story like Michael Oher’s or a fictional account of someone’s imagined journey, the true blind side is perhaps the temporary departure from reality to unlock a fairy tale that will continue to speak to this generation and the ones to come.

Take the recent film adaptation of Lewis Carroll’s 1865 nonsensical novel Alice in
Wonderland. Tim Burton proliferates the myth of a hookah-smoking caterpillar, a mad hatter eternally punished by time standing still at high tea, a queen of hearts shouting “off with his head” at the slightest inconvenience, and even an allusion to the War of the Roses.

In the end, Alice must say goodbye once again to her friend the Mad Hatter and return to reality surer than ever that she’s still got dreams to fulfill apart from Underland. “You won’t remember me,” says he. With a final parting she returns to her life to become an apprentice for an entrepreneur and her life begins again with a journey into the unknown. A blue butterfly ascends from her shoulder as she says, “Hello Absalom” to her old friend the caterpillar.

Dear Reader, it is unlikely you will get a glimpse of the rare blue butterfly like Alice’s Absalom this spring unless you’re in the United Kingdom. But whenever you are blessed enough to witness the majesty of the Monarch in flight as it looms over the lantana of North Texas, remember that the Author of the universe is choreographing the dance of your life into a tale that is greater than one you could ever imagine. When what seems like the death of winter’s cocoon has held you in low-esteem, bound and chained, and whether your life story holds tragedy or triumph, we celebrate this time of year in remembrance of Christ overcoming the three darkest days known to all of mankind when the stone was rolled away. When we experience the majesty of the One True Monarch who is the Alpha and the Omega, we can thank God for the endings and new beginnings that our life stories will recant to the generations to come.

What Was I Thinking??

OK....I can't do it. Life without blogging leaves me with no portal to dump my daily brainwaves. Here it has been one month and four days of being blog free from The Soapbox and while it's been a nice respite from the daily grind, a time of valuable rest, and a little vacate --I'm finding myself starting all over again.

I hope you will join me for the new journey. I hope the theme of this blog will always be blind faith.