THE GREAT PUMPKIN

When carving the face on your Halloween pumpkin, take a few minutes to think about the blessings of life. 

Just like the Great Pumpkin, you're growing in a beautiful garden.  When ripe and ready, God picks you up and washes you clean from the surrounding dirt.  Then all the undesirable portions are scooped out and discarded.  The seeds of doubt, the seeds of hatred, and the seeds of greed are all removed.  A bright and beautiful smile is carved upon your face and a warm light glows from within. This brilliant light shines throughout the darkness and provides hope to others. 

Happy Halloween to all the Pumpkins who understand the price of life and the power of their own presence in an ever changing world.  This message is for those who grow in their own garden and provide enough light to lead others out of the dark shadows.  This magnificent light glowing from within makes the difference in one becoming a “Great Pumpkin” or remaining "just a little squash!" Let your light shine so brilliant that it cannot be extinguished in this ever challenging world. Written by Linda Sumner Urza for: onefineday11.blogspot.com 

This blog is dedicated to my grandchildren, Alexis, Sierra, Katlyn, Tristin, Alec, Karlie, Savanna, Gentry, Travler, Jabez, Asher, Mya, Celine, Livia, Eva, Ayla, Adelyn, Knox, Soleil, Sariah and Trigo. These are the "Great Pumpkins" in my life!

DYING TO LIVE! (Let's end bullying.)

October is Stop Bullying Month and I am reposting this blog to remind us how deep the wounds can go. Let us all make a commitment to make this world a better place in which to live, by being kind!

Dear Diary, today is Thursday. It was not a good day!  I got on the bus again, but no one would let me sit down and as I walked through the isles, I became the human punching bag.  It’s awful how one kid starts something and the others follow behind, like they have no conscience of their own. They are mean to me and I wish they knew, just for one day, how bad it hurts!  Sometimes I wonder if it’s worth it. 

Mom asked me how school was going, but I didn’t have the heart to tell her the truth!  I don’t want her to know; She’s too sensitive right now with Dad gone and everything! It would crush her if she found out what they were doing to me and Mom has too many things to worry about right now!  Nine month have passed since Dad left for Afghanistan and it's hard not having him here.  I’ll never forget the fear that I saw in Mom’s eyes when he boarded the airplane, for a split second she hesitated and let down her guard.  She pretended to be brave, but I could see that she was really frightened!   

Sometimes, I am afraid - so afraid that I can't sleep at night.  I feel like the world is closing in on me.  I want to be brave and strong like my parents, but at times it’s just too hard! Tomorrow is school and I’m trying to focus on my grades.  If there’s anyway the kids at school wouldn’t happen to notice me...that would be really great!  Goodnight diary,  Janni 

Journal Entry, Friday

It’s been months since I boarded the plane to Afghanistan.  This is a different world over here and believe me Dorothy was right, "there's no place like home!"  The people of this country are striving to make ends meet, much like the folks back in the states, but there’s a hidden darkness of oppression and despair that surrounds us.  There’s nothing more priceless than freedom, but freedom didn’t come without a price and the debt has been paid by many! 

This morning a bomb exploded not far from where we are stationed, it killed several civilians and three American soldiers.  War is not a friendly place and there are nights when I fear that I will not see the break of dawn - or my family again.  This is hell being in a strange world and millions of miles away from home.  I miss my wife and daughter Janni!  To me, they are the light reflecting off the sun and I know that everyday I’m here, I’m one day closer to going home! 

Dear Diary, today is Friday.

Someone stole my purse and dumped my things all over in the hallway.  I guess they wanted to feel really important!!!  All the pictures in my wallet were torn up and scattered on the floor, including the picture of my dad! It made me so mad and it was hard to fight back the tears.  How do people grow up to become so cruel? 

Mr. Tanner, my History teacher, helped me pick up all my things.  He was so kind and I was glad that he was there.  He apologized to me, even though it wasn’t his fault and I got the feeling that if he could have made it all go away, he would have done that for me.  

He told me not to let the bad things that other people do determine who I am and that I’m a person of great worth!  It made me feel better to know that he cared about my feelings.  Today, it was my favorite day of all and I was glad to be alive.  I hope tomorrow will be just as great. Goodnight diary,  Janni

Journal Entry, Sunday

It was a long night without any sleep.  My division was in charge of a reconnaissance mission and we were up for 36 hour straight, but one good thing, the mail sack was distributed this morning and I had three letters from home.  Maryanne and Janni, if you ever get a chance to read this journal, I love you both and it's hard to live each day without you!  Janni, I read your letters today and you have a marvelous way of making life seem so much better.  I'm grateful for your support!  I know you’re taking good care of your mother and I'm glad you have each other. If anything happens to me, I want both of you to know that my world was a better place when it was surround by the two of you!

Everyday, there are many children that leave the safety of their homes and enter into a hostile environment where they are abused by bullies.   They walk through the war zones of  our schools, but they are not alone.  Their teachers are forced to walk among the land mines that are set by those who terrorize the innocent with their ignorance.   

What will it take for our society to shed the evilness of bigotry, prejudice and hatred?  There are many children just like Janni, who dodge the bullets daily and who are fighting to survive in a place that should be a safe zone for our children. 

Janni’s dilemma is not much different from the world where her father is serving in Afghanistan, only she comes face to face with bullies every day!   Children's fears are real and it's expressed through the passion and intensity of their tears.  They get extremely depressed, frightened, and lonely.   When their world is threatened, they carry that weight upon their shoulders and in many cases never share the burdens with anyone!

I wrote this story for my granddaughter, who had an experience similar to this in school. Fortunately, it was brought to the attention of her teacher, but only because another student had the integrity to tell his parents.  The teacher questioned each students, made those involved write a letter to their parents admitting their actions and then she called their parents individually.   The teacher also reassured my daughter that she would monitor this situation throughout the year and with a sincere desire to prevent this from ever happening again.  

We commend the dignity of those noble teachers who walk upon the unsteady and shifting ground in our schools, and we honor those children who have the courage and integrity to stand up for what is right - "for this is the wisdom and courage of  greatness!"

Dear Diary, today is Monday.

Some of the bullies were picking on the new girl during lunch hour.  At first I was relieved because it took some of the pressure off me. Then I remembered how I felt when my teacher, Mr. Tanner, showed up in my life!  I moved my tray over to her table and introduced myself.  She’s so cool, I think we're going to be best friends!  It felt good to do the right thing and there’s power in numbers!  

Maybe one fine day there will be no wars, everyone will be accepted for their individual beauty and people won't have to die in fear, so that others can live in peace!
by, Linda Sumner Urza, One fine day


"We have the ability to change the world through our actions. The light from one small candle can illuminate the entire world when it's shared with others!"

STOP POLITICAL BULLYING!

Isn’t it wonderful how we rally to protect our children from bullies? Without a second thought, we all lunge forward to stop this horrible act and demand accountability. "How dare anyone bully or discriminate against our children," we declare! “After all, what kind of examples would it be for future generations, if we allowed this kind of behavior to prevail?” 

What is totally unacceptable for our children has become acceptable in the political arena. I am appalled at the level of bullying coming from left wing liberals and I consider it no less offensive than that perpetuated in third world countries. We expect our children to act accordingly, but we stand back while adult men and women, in the news media, verbally rape the great individuals serving our country!   

Below I have listed just a few hateful statements that recently surfaced from the left wing. These examples are filthy, disgusting and demeaning to all women and reprehensible to those who stoop to this level!

Democratic radio host, Ed Schultz, called conservative political commentator Laura Ingraham a “right winged slut” on his radio show. Now, if anyone in the conservative party made such a statement, they would be fired. Left winged liberals say they support and respect women, but public figures Ed Schultz, Bill Maher and Jason Biggs seem to be exceptions to all the rules! 

Liberal democrat Bill Maher made sexist remarks against “all stay at home mothers” when he said, “Ann Romney has never gotten her ass out of the house to work!”  It appears Maher is saying that women who choose to stay home and raise their children have less value than those who work outside the home?  His comment is highly inflammatory and sexist, and I am personally offended by this level of discrimination. Perhaps Bill’s mother was not a stay at home mom when he was a little boy and that’s why his heart and conscience are five sizes too small!

The liberal left wingers challenged Chick-fil-A after the owner made a statement that he “supported family values."  That’s when the feathers began to fly. Liberals asked everyone to ban Chick-fil-A, but their plan backfired. Thousands of good people, who were not chicken to stand up for their beliefs, came out in support. It wasn't long before the liberals flew the coop!

Left wing actor Jason Biggs tweeted sexual comments about Ann Romney and Janna Ryan. These statements were beyond filth!  He was not terminated by the network nor reprimanded for these excessively obscene and offensive comments. He didn’t release an apology to these women or to the public, but then again, this is routine in the liberal world. Nothing is sacred in their political arena and everyone becomes a target... even your mother! If you don't mind being mopped up in the nasty left winged liberal rhetoric, then cast your vote in their favor.

Bullies come in all sizes and when a bully doesn’t get their way, they resort to name calling, lies, and false accusations. They attempt to discredited the integrity of others by viciously attacking the opposing team. You see, bullies can’t run on their own merit and good deeds; the only way to make themselves look better is by attempting to by drag their opponents down.

Today, Obama called Romney a liar among other things. I am shocked to hear the President of the United States resort to this level of communication. It sets a poor example to the youth of this country and shows that Obama cannot stand on his own principles or merit. Obama stated without hesitation, “When you don’t have anything against your opponent, you discredit him.” 

I watched the debate October 3, not once but twice, and Romney explained in detail and with clarity his plans to lift this nation out of poverty and debt. His words were exceptionally honest and sincere.  My conclusion, "It was very apparent that Obama didn't want Romney to confuse him with the facts - he'd already made up his mind!"

A true man of integrity doesn't need to lie, resort to name calling or bully the opposing team! The truth works for him and not against him. A true man of integrity manifests his worth through actions and good deeds, and provides leadership for all of the people!

Written by Linda Sumner Urza, Onefineday11.blogspot.com
Please share this information with others. "The only way to stop discrimination and bullying is to unveil its ignorance." LSU

PLEASE, DON'T TAKE ANOTHER BILLION!

My grandson ask me, “How much is a billion dollars.”  I know the universal application of its value compared to a million, but in terms of how it's affecting my life at present is important to understand.  I went to the internet in search of the value of "one billion" and how it applies today. 

The next time you hear a politician use the word "billion" in a casual manner, make certain this 'politician' is spending YOUR TAX DOLLARS WISELY. 

A billion is a difficult number to comprehend, but recently one advertising agency put this amount into perspective:

A billion seconds ago it was 1959.

A billion minutes ago Jesus walked the earth.

A billion hours ago it was the Stone Age.

A billion days ago no-one walked on the earth on two feet.

BUT... A BILLION DOLLARS ago was only 8 hours and 20 minutes at the current rate of GOVERNMENT SPENDING! Soon we’ll be using the Debt Meter for an electric fan. 

While these thoughts are fresh in your mind, take a look at the figures that Louisiana Senator Mary Landrieu (D) asked Congress to divvy up to rebuild New Orleans. She asked for 250 billion dollars. 

What does this mean, you might ask? If you are one of the 484,674 residents of New Orleans, it means every man, woman, and child would each receive a whopping $516,528. If you have one of the 188,251 homes in New Orleans, your home gets $1,329,787, or if you are a family of four - your family gets $2,066,012.

Okay, if this doesn’t bother you, lets take a look at just a few of the taxes collected from the American people. 

Airline Tax, Building Permit Tax, CDL License Tax, Cigarette Tax, Corporate, Income Tax, Dog License Tax, Death Tax, Federal Income Tax (Fed), Federal Unemployment Tax (FU TA), Fishing License Tax, Food License Tax, Fuel Permit Tax, Gasoline Tax, Hunting License Tax, Inheritance Tax, Inventory Tax, IRS Interest Charges (tax on top of tax), IRS Penalties (tax on top of tax), Liquor Tax, Luxury Tax, Marriage License Tax, Medicare Tax, Property Tax; Real Estate Tax, Service charge Taxes, Social Security Tax, Road Usage Tax (Truckers), Sales Taxes, Recreational Vehicle Tax, School Tax, State Income Tax, State Unemployment Tax (SUTA), Telephone Federal Excise Tax, Telephone Federal Universal Service Fee Tax, Telephone Federal, State and Local Surcharge Tax, Telephone Minimum Usage Surcharge Tax, Telephone Recurring and Non-recurring Charges Tax, Telephone State and Local Tax, Telephone Usage Charge Tax, Utility Tax, Vehicle License Registration Tax, Vehicle Sales Tax, Watercraft Registration Tax, Well Permit Tax, Workers Compensation Tax... and I am most certain there are many, many more that I have not listed. 

We left Britain to avoid taxes! It’s important to understand not one of these taxes existed 100 years ago.  Our nation was the most prosperous in the world, we had no national debt, we had the largest middle class in the world and most families had only one income (mothers stayed home to raise their children).  

My father taught us, “You won’t know which way to go unless you first understand where you've been. It’s important to constantly evaluate your life and make certain you are headed in the right direction.” 

I don’t think I truly understood the depth of my father's words until I got older.  As I matured, I realized that the past is a starting point to future destinations. Also, I realized we can change the future by evaluating the past and in doing so, we can gain the wisdom to create a better future.  By Linda Sumner Urza, Written for: One fine day11.blogspot.com