IMMIGRATION AND THE NIGHT VISITORS (A CHRISTMAS MIRACLE)

We huddled around the little wood stove; so close that you could smell our trousers beginning to burn. We wore triple layers of clothes and two jackets to protect us from the 17 degree weather. Outside, the wolves were howling and it was deathly still as all of nature waited for the snowfall to begin. It had been a slow year financially and we had barely been able to put another coat of tar on the roof. Now, it was Christmas Eve and under the little "tree" we had made out of two branches from the bottom of a pine tree and a single string of lights, were the two little presents we had managed to get for Jared and Brucie. I felt like I had failed as a parent because I could not provide more for the boys. The boys worked so hard every day, before and after school. It was hard work digging in the tunnel and taking wheelbarrows full of rocks out to the dump. Then there was always the struggle to bring water home and fill the barrels on the roof so that we could have "running" water in the kitchen sink. The boys had to use an outhouse which was located about 200 feet away from the house and up a dark hill which was always slippery with ice at this time of year. While they were gone, I got the blues and wondered why I had ever thought it would be good for us to move to the gold mine and scrabble out a living from the rugged mountains. We lived on the Chariot Canyon Truck Trail (part of the Pacific Crest Trail) in Julian, California. Our nearest neighbor, and phone, was four miles away. The road was not kept up and so it had deep ruts and was not navigable without four wheel drive. It took 45 minutes to go those four miles and if it started to snow you could not leave the house because vehicles tended to slide off the road and into the deep canyons next to them.

The boys came back from the outhouse and we decided that it was time to turn off the generator. It was after midnight and the rocks had been in the stove getting hot, ready to stick in the foot of our beds to keep us warm at night. We sat in the semi-dark and were loath to leave our little patch of warmth and go into the ice cold bedrooms.

"Hola! Hola!"

We all tensed up. Who, or what, was outside of our home? Bruce Sr. was still wearing his enormous 6-shooter on his hip, as he always did except when in bed, but who could be out in this freezing night, on Christmas Eve, and what could he (they) want? Bruce got up and, telling us to remain in our seats, he went outside to see who was here and what they needed. Bruce could speak quite a bit of Spanish because we lived so close to the border with Mexico and he had deep feelings for the poor souls who walked all the way from the border, through the desert and the steep mountains in order to hope for more opportunity for their families. Living on the Pacific Crest Trail we had many (5 or 6) visitors a year who were heading for Canada. We also saw small groups of Mexicans as they made their tortured path to freedom and a new lease on life. We, as did many who lived out here in the wilderness, put out gallons of water and packets of canned foods with a can opener and marked the spot with a monument so that it could be found by anyone needing the basics for survival.

"Hola!" shouted Bruce as he held up a rifle pointed at the road.

"Hola, senior!" a voice answered from the darkness.

Then there was a short exchange of words that I did not understand, but I heard the tone of Bruce's voice, and I could tell that whoever it was, they were in trouble.

Bruce came back inside and began to give instructions. There was a very large family group outside who had walked for days and were exhausted and ill. There were two pregnant women, mothers with small children, and three elderly family members. There were also eight men who were the fathers and husbands and sons of this little group. Bruce had invited all of the family to come inside and get something to eat and drink and take a rest before continuing back down the trail to the Banner Grade and cars that would take them into Los Angeles. If, indeed, the cars ever came, and if they did not meet up with the Border Patrol who watched the Truck Trail knowing that it was an artery for the immigrants to enter the U.S. The Border Patrol was hated and feared because they knew no compassion and would shoot to kill if anyone tried to run away from them or resist.

Bruce put the generator back on and the little family straggled up the hill to our home and the women and children came inside. Except for checking out the interior first, the men stayed outside throughout the long visit and Bruce stayed with them and reassured them that we would not tell the authorities of their visit. The boys and I found chairs for everyone to sit on and began to serve them water, milk, beans and tortillas, and fruit. The women were silent except to say "Gracias" for everything we brought to them. When they were served, I sat and observed these incredibly strong women and their children. Some of them did not have adequate jackets and most of their shoes were in tatters. The elderly visitors were in pain from walking all of those miles over rough ground and without food or water. The poor pregnant women were totally exhausted and desperation was etched in their faces. The little ones stared at the little Christmas tree in awe and the boys decided that they should have one of their gifts apiece. We had a few stocking stuffers for Santa to leave the boys and we just gave something to every child instead. We had extra coats and jackets and we gave one to each of those without jackets. Then we filled a pillowcase with canned food, water, bread, tortillas, and a can opener.

 As suddenly as they had come, the men called for the women to come out and resume their trek. I could hear the creaking of joints as the women and the elderly slowly stood up and walked outside. But I also saw faces full of love and joy and thanksgiving that could not have been expressed in words anyway, but spoke clearly to the human heart.

We never learned whether they reached safety and Los Angeles, but they have never left our hearts and memories. We never went to bed that night but spent the rest of the night talking about our new friends and realizing how blessed we were to live in the country and have our warm little home and plenty to eat and drink. The boys were happy without presents and were so glad that they had had something to share with the little children. I do believe that it was the finest Christmas that we ever experienced. We knew that we had witnessed the strength and determination of a fine people who were willing to give up life itself in order for their family to have a small chance of making it into American society and all of the opportunities that we so take for granted. It was a holy and blessed Christmas and we had witnessed a Christmas miracle.

God bless each and every one of you on this most blessed day of the year. May you have a Christmas miracle in your own lives and may we all thank the Holy One for all of the blessings that He has given to us throughout this past year and on this day.

P.S. I love you forever.

BI-POLAR BLUES AND THE HOLIDAYS

Merry Christmas, Happy Kwanza, Happy New Years, and a blessing on all of the holidays you may be celebrating. I think that none of us really know what to expect in the next couple of months with the extension of unemployment up for a vote in a practically useless Congress, new health laws to take effect in about three weeks, and no word on receiving any extra increase in our Social Security. Overall, a tense time of year and a little hesitancy about our plans for the future make this a cautious time for spending money on a lot of gifts. I think we are all watching our pennies.

As those of you who read this blog know, I have been practically out of commission for the last two to three months. I have been drowning in a sea of regrets and feelings of grave inadequacy. At this time of the year I dream of being near to my children and grandchildren and great-grandchildren. However, 90% of them are very far away across this country and hold their own holiday parties with their immediate families. Sometimes I will hear a word from them on Christmas day, or New Years, but I feel scared and alone on the holidays. I constantly re-live the years when all of the children were young and we would have such boisterous good times as they tore through the packages, then dressed quickly and went outside to play with their new toys. I long for a living room full of crumpled papers and ribbons dangling from the ceiling, and then the production of THE DINNER. It was so much fun cooking for them all and the food tasted so good; it was a great joy to be a mother. Now, my wonderful son does the cooking and cleaning and he is an excellent cook; much better than I. I sit and watch him and enjoy watching the babies play with their toys and help the older ones put together their crafts and cars. A delightful job, but then they are gone outside too fast and I have to hope that one of them will want to sit and talk to me instead; but I never mention it. Let them have their day and enjoy it.

I have been having a great melt-down emotionally. I have been unable to do more than take care of myself physically. There seemed to be such struggles just to get the initiative to take a bath or wash the clothes, but it got done in short phases. And now I am swinging back again into a happier climate. I hope to be able to maintain this joy and love of living into the new year and be able to once again write interesting blogs. My second book got started and was moving along nicely when suddenly I hit a wall when I realized that I was not making good logic and had to start all over again. I have a beautiful, strong, hate-filled Satan who has determined to make another bid to take over Heaven and this time destroy God and all of His angels and followers. He wants to take over the Throne of Heaven and depose God, destroy all of His children who love Him, and turn Heaven into a place where there is no Freedom of Choice or Free Will. He would then raise up children of his own who naturally tend to be very negative and coerce them to obey his every commandment-all of which would leave them helplessly in his clutches. He desires to re-create the Cosmos and revel in all of the evil and pain that he can create. His greatest desire is to break the heart and will of God and leave God on one barren planet without any powers. He would change all the laws of nature and science in his redistribution of power. Hate and malevolency would reign supreme, BUT God knows his plan and prepares one true soul to stand against Satan; to stand up for righteousness and freedom of choice. And thus the second war in Heaven begins.

I feel really badly for letting you, my readers, down by not writing my blog more regularly. Bi-polar Disorder is insidious and pins you to the ground with great black clouds obstructing any beauty or hope. Feelings of longing for death overcome you and it is hard to eat or exercise or relate to others in a positive manner. But, thank the good Lord, He never gives up on you and finally He lifts you out of your stupor and shows you the little joys of life again.. And so, here I am struggling to overcome and begin to use my mind again. My goal is to write two or three blogs a week and I hope that they will be sufficiently interesting to make up for the past void.

My prayer is that you will enjoy your holidays and the family gathering around and that this will be the best Christmas and New Years, and Kwanza that you have ever experienced. God bless us; each and every one!

BLACK FRIDAY & OTHER THANKSGIVING DAY ANOMALIES

Hello my dear friends! I want to wish you a very happy Thanksgiving day and the early date (on the Julian calendar) for Channukah this year of 5774.

I first would like to thank you for your continuing support and understanding throughout this past year. It has really been an up and down year for me with the positive news of publishing my first book and the more negative times of deep depressions and writer's block. Altogether, the year has been a great one with the birth of two great-grandchildren that are both doing very well and also receiving my first royalty check for the book. I have been blessed with the outline and first five chapters of my new book, THE GOD GAMES: Satan's Challenge. This book will focus on the history of Satan challenging God (ONE) for the right to rule Heaven and is about a second challenge to ONE, and His power, that stakes Satan against Thomas (Tom) Boyle (one of the energynauts from Legend of Kor) in a to-the-death struggle with the winner (if it is Satan)  taking control of Heaven and the Throne of ONE. There is time travel, teleportation, and shape-shifting  involved as the two combatants visit Vlad the Impaler, the Black Death, and other desperate times on Earth and in the Cosmos.

I particularly want to thank the Holy One for preserving William's life this year and for bringing him to a good state of health; a time of normality for both William, his Uncle David, myself, and the rest of the family. I also thank Him for giving me a return to good health and the ability to walk for a mile or two and take the bus to and from doctor's appointments, all things it has been 3 years since I was able to do.

Recovering health has been due to a dramatic change in my diet. I began eating the Paleo lifestyle (a back-to-basics plan that removes grains, dairy (except for butter), all sugars and sweeteners, and all processed food from my diet and replaces it with a diet that is composed of eating only meat, fish, eggs, fruits, vegetables, olive oil, and nuts. my blood sugars have dropped as has the amount of insulin I need to keep my blood sugars level. My high blood pressure and diabetic neuropathy pain have decreased and my stamina and energy has improved by 100%. Now I need to improve my exercise routine during this coming year and the weight will come off much faster.

I have found a new outlet for my writing skills with Zerys.com, a company that hires writers for freelance writing assignments on subjects with which they have some personal experience. It is my hope that I can gain some income to do marketing for my books and to support the writing process, i.e. adequate food and office supplies. It looks very promising and I recommend this company if you are a writer and need to make some money using the internet. There are so many gimmics and false leads for trying to make money on-line that I will keep you updated on this new prospect. When I have actually received a PayPal check for my writing then I will let you know for sure that this is a valid route.

Across America, on Thursday, we celebrate a special time to eat a huge meal and give thanks for all of the blessings that have been happening in our lives and the lives of all of those that we love. The traditional food includes a Turkey with stuffing, cranberries, potatoes, vegetables, salads, and a raft of luscious desserts beginning with Pumpkin pie and other pies and cakes and cookies. It is the one day that most Americans can eat a well-rounded meal. Social organizations such as the Salvation Army and the Red Cross provide food for millions, and most people donate food and personal items to help out those less fortunate. It is a quiet family day that is rudely destroyed in the evening by most retail stores holding what they call a Black Friday which begins in some stores on Thanksgiving evening and in others about 5:00 a.m., or even earlier, on Friday morning. The stores discount many items by 60% or more and there is such a crowd that gathers for the first moment of opening that there is always someone, or many, who are crushed by the mobs as they all try to push through the door at the same moment. I have never been to a Black Friday because it sounds too scary for me, but I must admit that the bargains are awesome. Black Friday signals the beginning of the Christmas rush for buying gifts and services and for a lot of people it signals the time to break out the old Christmas tree and begin to decorate the house and yard for Christmas. I am an early bird for decorating and put up my Christmas decorations last week so that the grandchildren can enjoy it on Thanksgiving day.

Happy Thanksgiving, and if you are Jewish, Happy Channukah (which begins tomorrow evening at sundown)! I am going to be baking and cooking tomorrow so this will probably be my last blog until Friday morning when I will let you know how everything turns out for our family. I hope Thursday will be special for each one of you and that you will have family and friends to share the day with. God bless each one of you and your family and friends.

ADDRESSING THE 70s

Hello again my dear friends. I have been struggling with skin cancer, two surgeries, and a profound writer's block this month. I am so sorry for dropping the ball. I have been thinking of you during this time and felt as though I had nothing more to add, but at the same time kicking myself because I could not think of anything worthy of your time to write about. Since you are here today I want to apologize for my lapse into self-centeredness and begin all over anew.

To catch you up with life, all three of my daughter, Debby's, children have found the loves of their lives during this last two months. I think it is the very first time that I have seen my granddaughter, Laura's, face lit up with joy. Sheera seems so positive and happy, and James has found a lady who makes him truly ecstatic. I begin to see that Debby's life is also in a period of great change as she has filed for Disability and is getting good treatment for her Rheumatoid Arthritis and Fibromyalgia.

William's health continues to improve; he is growing up so fast and soon will be totally off of the cortizone and the anti-immunity medication.

The e-book, THE GOD GAMES: Legend of Kor, has not been moving too well lately, but it is going on sale at Amazon.com on November 25, 2013 and will be on sale for $ .99 (a 67% discount); until November 28th when it will be on sale for $1.99 (a 34% discount); and will remain on sale at this price until December 1st, 2013. The print copy of the book is also on sale at Amazon.com at a much-reduced price for the Holiday Season.

Currently, I am working on two books. The second book in the trilogy, THE GOD GAMES: Satan's Challenge is in the rough draft stage and consumes most of my time, and the third book in the trilogy, THE GOD GAMES: Heaven & Hell, is in rough-draft form, has been edited, and is now in the revision and re-write stages. At the beginning of this process Heaven & Hell was to be the first book published, but at the advisement of my editor it is to be the last book of the trilogy.

I am contemplating my approaching 70th birthday in July. What a profound place in life. You have had many experiences and adventures: love and pain; new births and the death of so many family members and friends; I have acted with honor quite often, but I have also been extremely negative and often destructive to myself and others. What a mixed bag my life has been and I contemplate living to be 100 years old, or more. I finally have an answer to my diet problems and am living the paleo lifestyle which has caused my blood pressure to improve and bringing my AC1 (a measurement of your average blood glucose levels over a several-month span) down to 6.3 which is getting very close to normal levels. I believe that 5.0 is non-diabetic so that is my goal.

I still have not conquered my horrible habit of judging too quickly, but now when I make those snap-judgments I am aware of making them and so I stop myself and re-think my first impressions. I realize that the person I am judging may just turn out to become my best friend forever so I force myself to slow down and throw out first impressions and replace them with all of the good points that I see in the person. Usually the people I judge the harshest turn out to be absolutely excellent human beings, whereas the person I judge quickly to be of excellent quality turns out to be a really negative person under pressure. I have a hard time with gullibility and naivete and still spend too much time chasing rainbows that evaporate upon closer inspection.

This next six months I will be examining my life and sharing with you some of my thought processes as I continue to age and experience the positive and the negative that life can throw at you. One of the positive things happening in my heart is that I have come to a new appreciation of my adopted mom and all that she taught and instilled in me over the years. I realize that although the past had some really hard moments in it that I have been blessed to have learned about life at her knee for it is those hard-won lessons that have enabled me to reach 70 years of age and still have a positive view of life.

I will be back tomorrow and begin talking about the Holiday plans this year and also William is fast approaching his bar mitzvah and we will be planning what we will be teaching him so that he is aware of his responsibilities to God and can take his role as a man in Israel. Have a great day and know that you are very appreciated in my life and I am very thankful that you continue to return to this blog.                                                                                                                                                                                                   

PASSION OF THE PUERTO RICAN SOUL

No, I am not suddenly Puerto Rican but I would be honored to be able to say that I was.

My love affair with the Puerto Rican people started in 2005 when I came to live in New Jersey and met my new son-in-law who is Puerto Rican. But meeting Alex did not end there, he came with a wonderful family attached to him and as the years have passed they have become my family, my people, my heart. My son, David, and Alex broke up a couple of years ago, but our relationship is still as close as ever to him and to "our" family.

The holidays, the parties, the barbecues, the football games, the family from Grandma Isabel to the grand and great-grand children who run and play under such loving, protective love that they are truly free and chase each other and play video games...and sit near to the elders, or in their arms, and listen to the stories of family, friends, and great ideas and ideals.

I cherish the members of this family who have gone out of their way to honor and respect me and gave me the greatest gift of all...to be a member of their family. From my beloved sister, Marie, to my dear brother, Steve-who has been such a support and helped me to complete many ideas that are in my book-each member of the family has welcomed me in their own loving way and I would count myself lost if I could not spend some time with them. They allow me to soak up the love which permeates this family and then I go home and write like mad because they have inspired me to write about love and loyalty.

Am I saying that they do not have problems, challenges, or anger issues? No. They have the same rate of problems as any of us do, it is just that the strong web of family is like a trapeze-artist's safety-net beneath them, and leaves them free to fly as far as they can go and know that they will be supported every step along the way.  A very rich family are they; in love and loyalty.

Into this wonderful mixture that is my family, came baby Malachi, my great-grandson. Malachi's mother is from Puerto Rico and she has the same wonderful loving family structure as Alex's family. They opened up their arms to us and brought us into the family and now I have another sister, in Lula's (Malachi's mother's) mother and I am rejoicing that now I have a blood connection to Puerto Rico.

From my viewpoint, the great passion of the Puerto Rican soul is Family. Each Family member is deeply loved and their relationships are cherished and watered well. This is reflected in the music of Puerto Rico and the rhythms that inflame your very being. The second greatest passion is FOOD, and it is running neck to neck with Family. The food is to die for and is unique to the Island. Great bowls and trays of food are constantly refilled and every guest is treated with honor and respect. Lula and her mother prepared a feast to celebrate her upcoming baby and our first visit to their home. There were so many dishes of food, each one better than the last, and we stuffed ourselves and enjoyed every moment of it.

Thank you Puerto Rico for your people who have made us family, addicted us to their cuisine, and love us unconditionally. We love you!

GOG, THE SCOURGE OF ALL BEINGS NOT GREEN

GOG, is the ego-maniacal dictator of the land of Selve, a country (one of four) in the land of Kor. He believes that the green Selves are superior beings; with a higher intellect and superior strength than the citizens of Wale, Voun, and Emon. He has written a treatise that calls for the total extermination of the abhored orange Wales and his troops infiltrate the land of Wale to kill any Wale they happen across or to transport the Wales that they capture to a horrific concentration camp where they are forced to labor and at any sign of weakness they are killed and their bodies stacked like wood to extreme heights. To take care of all of these bodies, Gog orders his men to build two crematoriums to take care of all of the remains.

The lavender Vouns and the blue Emons are also hated, or rather, disregarded, and Gog's plans are to enslave all of these people and put them to work as personal slaves, or to do the labor in his gold and silver mines. He sends his troops into Voun and Emon to capture slaves and also to rape, pillage, and destroy their villages. The slaves are chained together and marched hundreds of miles to a Labor Camp several miles away from the death camp of the Wales. There, they are worked without break, and if they weaken they are shot on the spot and buried in deep pits.

Everyone on Kor, who is not a Selve, is terrified for their own lives and for the lives of their children, family, and friends. Since they are all peace loving and content to remain in their own countries and raise their families, they have never developed an army that could defend them, and even though the Wales have developed a small Army they do not have enough weaponry to protect their own lives, let alone to be able to reach out to their neighbors and help them.

Gog gloats over all of the death and destruction and seeks to make the conditions in the camps even more horrific. He addresses the people of Selve in large outdoor gatherings and stokes the flame of their rage against the Wales and the other inhabitants of Kor. He has a deep, well-modulated voice and a great stage presence and his goal during these rallies is to turn all Selves into hate machines that love only him and his message and to whip up the populace into wanting to rid Kor of all of the hated Wales. He promises that all Selves will receive a large plot of Walean land and property for their efforts, and he leads the people in the rant, "Whale the Wales! Whale the Wales!! Whale the Wales!!!" and the Selves scream back, "Gog! Gog! Gog!" until the stadium is rocked by the rage that has been built up in the people.

Gog, personally, is a very large man, and he has very great dreams and aims of being the sole ruler of Kor and all of her remaining people. We watch as his thought patterns become more and more radical and he becomes consumed by his hatred of the Wales. Gog hates the Wales because one of them had raped and murdered his first, adored, wife and he is in constant sorrow over his loss. He also hates the Wales and their hideous orange color because he is hiding a secret that one of his great-grandmothers was a Wale who had married his great-grandfather, a Selve. This happened at a time when there had been no inter-marriage among the four groups of Korians and he suffered the teasing and bullying of his classmates for having two such ignorant and crazy relatives. He vowed as a young child to become so powerful that he could bring death to anyone with the coloring of orange.

The one thing that Gog really loves is his beloved bathroom. This room has golden faucets and knobs, and can use both salt water and regular water as he chooses. His huge tub has a switch that can turn the bath into a large bubbling massage therapy pool. He spends a great deal of time in this tub pondering what his next move would be. His second favorite possession is a large swimming pool from which he directs his troops and contemplates his goals and ambitions. This pool also has the choice of salt or regular water and Gog prefers the salt water as it makes him very light and agile in the water.

To say more about Gog would reveal the plot lines in the book, but he is certainly the most evil and hated Korian and his subjects obey him out of a fear for their lives and also their own predilection for murder, rape, and pillaging which they consider to be the gravy, the best reward, that Gog allows them.

All of this genocide is noted by ONE and He sends His energynauts to sort out all of the problems and aid the three maligned groups in turning the tables on Gog.

THE GOD GAMES: Legend of Kor, is a book that studies man's inhumanity to man, and how just a few leaders demonstrate how to stop the carnage with courage, passion, and a love of ONE. The book keeps you on the edge of your seat and may give you a few gray hairs before the conclusion of the book.

Thank you for your patience and encouragement. The book was written with you in mind and will give you experiences that you will never forget.

                                                                ~~~~~~~~~~

You can find THE GOD GAMES: Legend of Kor, by D.R. Hirsch at Amazon.com, Barnes & Noble (stores or .com), or on its website at: www.outskirtspress.com/thegodgames. It is in soft cover print form, as well as in e-book format. Thank you for your support and understanding, I hope that you will really live-in and enjoy the book.

ENERGYNAUTS: OPERATION ANSWER

The Holy ONE, Blessed Be He, created each of us from His own energy. (ONE is the total of all energy. ONE is the sum of all frequencies.) He took a heart-full of His own energy and crafted your energy form.

Since you are a part of ONE, your every thought, feeling, and experience is also His thought, feeling, and experience. When you have a need, He is aware of it before it has even occurred to you. When you cry out to Providence, Fate, God, Allah, Jesus, Buddha, or whatever name your soul calls the greatest Force in the Cosmos, you have already been heard.

When ONE created the laws and forces that contain the Cosmos, He set up a system that He could not interfere with; a system of checks and balances; and a supreme law of cause and effect. If He were to interfere with the laws that He set into motion, then the Cosmos would be destroyed by chaos. His great plan to allow His children to have free will and freedom of choice depends on having a Cosmos that is balanced at the end of the day, and to answer one soul's prayer when another soul is praying for the opposite results would mean that He has taken sides and that would interfere in the natural consequences that have been put into play by both sides. So ONE is essentially an observer of life, and must allow nature's laws to play out as they will. HOWEVER, that does not mean that ONE does not help us out when we pray to him. He sends out messages to all of His children to help them find an answer to their problem from within themselves, He sends His angels to comfort us and give us strength, and He uses everyone in our radius to respond with help and aid-they are His Earth Angels. ONE has no fear of technology and uses every possible tool to influence our hearts. You may find the answer to your problem in a song on the radio, or a program on TV, or on Facebook, Instagram or Pinterest, by a tweet, by overhearing strangers on the bus...I could go on forever. To aid the process further, He has set up a bureau in Heaven and staffed it with energynauts.

An energynaut is a person such as you and I, who has lived several life games and gathered much experience, and then wins his/her last life game and returns to Heaven where they will live eternally. There are many levels of awareness in Heaven and much learning to absorb, and when you have reached a certain level you are considered for a position as an energynaut. Very few souls are suitable for serving as an energynaut for you must have suffered great pain and loss in your life games and yet come through it with a heart filled with love for all of your brothers and sisters across the Cosmos.

Let me say before I go on, that ONE does have the power to create miracles and He has been known to do so in very (relatively) rare instances. But it must be done without taking freedom of choice away from those who are concerned in the matter.

In THE GOD GAMES: Legend of Kor, ONE sends four energynauts to the planet Kor. They are not sent to do miracles or to interfere in the choices that the Korians make. They are to go to Kor and listen to the prayers of all of the people and assess the situation, then meet with the leaders of the four races on Kor and help them find a way to work together to stop the malignant dictator, Gog, of Selve.

There are many heroes in this book as each of the leaders look within themselves for strength and learn to work with others that they thought very different from themselves. As the energynauts work with each of the leaders, they use encouragement and their own hard labor to guide the leaders to come to good decisions by themselves. Soon, skin color becomes only a cosmetic difference to the Korians as they realize that their feelings and goals are the same.

The four energynauts in our story are Ed and Ann Nelson, and Thomas (Tom) and Glenna Boyle, two married couples. They each have led very different life games and have unique contributions to make to the team.

The energynauts are able to communicate telepathically, teletransport themselves and others, shape-shift so that they will blend in with those that they are helping, and disappear at the press of a button on their operational belt. They arrive in Kor on a spaceship composed of crystal and gold that is powered by the meeting of matter and anti-matter. They use the spaceship to hold meetings with the leaders of Kor and later for spying missions, and also to show the leaders of Kor the wonders of the worlds beyond Kor.

                                                               ~~~~~~~~~~

THE GOD GAMES: Legend of Kor can be found at Amazon and Barnes & Noble (store and .com) and at
its website at:  www.outskirtspress.com/thegodgames


Tomorrow I will be having an operation that will take several hours so I am not sure if I will be writing a blog or not, but the next day that I write, we will be talking about the green, ego-maniacal dictator of Selve, Gog, and his edict to exterminate the orange Wales, and force into slavery the lavender Vouns, and Blue Emons.

THE ESSENCE OF THE GOD GAMES

I hope you had a really lovely weekend and are just panting to know about more ideas and thoughts.

I thought that I would take some time this week and go over some of the basic ideas written about in THE GOD GAMES: Legend of Kor. The Holiday Season is upon us and I am hoping to intrigue you into being willing to buy a copy of the book in softcover or E-Book for yourself, your family, or your friends.

First of all, the book moves at a rapid pace and once you start reading it it is hard to put down. The characters feel like old friends and some of my readers are asking for a sequel to the book as soon as possible. I am working on the second book of the Trilogy right now and it will be called: THE GOD GAMES: Satan's Challenge.

Legend of Kor takes a close look at man's inhumanity to man and follows a group composed of three maligned races, one of which, the orange Wales, are being totally exterminated by the evil dictator Gog, who is green and the leader of the Selves, and the other two groups composed of the lavender Vouns and the blue Emons who are being terrorized and rounded up to be slaves in Gog's gold and silver mines.

ONE (God) has sent a group of four energynauts to the planet Kor to listen to the people's prayers and decide how best to help out the three terrorized races band together and defeat Gog.

There are battles and a great deal of human interactions which bring love and passion to the story, and the story behind the ego-maniacal Gog who is rapidly disintegrating into absolute madness.

Being Jewish, and loving ONE a very great deal, the book explains a lot of what was happening behind the scenes in horrible concentration camps during the Holocaust, why the Holocaust came to be, and how the poor internees were actually treated every day. But the book does not drown in sorrow or horror, but instead looks at the extreme good found in the average citizens of Kor and how they unselfishly put their lives on the line to stop the night terrors and confiscations and ultimately turn their world around.

The book also gives an understanding of teletransportation, telepathy, shape-shifting, and the general steps needed to win your life game and return to ONE for all eternity. It also gives you an idea of what life in Heaven is all about and the work that you and I will one day experience when we return home from this planet having won our life games.

Today we will discuss life games. When ONE created the Cosmos he yearned to have companions to talk to and to love. He wanted them to have free will and freedom of choice so that they would not merely be sycophants, but choose to love Him and desire to be with Him on their own. ONE created energy forms which are made totally of energy and yet have the form of humans. These energy forms are trained in Heaven before coming to Earth-or any other planet of their choice in the Cosmos-and they make choices as to their color palate, sex and sexual attractions; who they want as parents and which energy forms desire to be their children; where they will live on the planet of their choice; and lastly they build game boards that set their goals in life and mark the hardships and challenges that they will have to overcome. They are taught the rules of successful living and spiritual growth and then sent down to their planet to be born into the family of their choice and to have many experiences of all kinds. It is up to each energy form to choose what paths that they will follow, and all memory of the Heavenly experience is covered with a veil so they each must rely on their internal senses and decide on their own how they will address-or not address-ONE during their life games, and to choose to ignore ONE or to love Him and His commandments. Each person's path is different and their relationship (or lack of relationship) with ONE is unique to their own heart and mind. Relationships and all belief systems that teach love have truth in them and are equally valid. Or you can choose to blow up the world on your own, or with help.

When you win your life game you return to Heaven and remain there for all eternity. If you do not win your life game, then you return to Heaven and begin the process of choosing your next life game, after which you once again return to the planet of your choice and try again. It may take hundreds...thousands...of life games to be able to become aware enough to win the game. And, how do you win the game? You come to the end of your life and know that you are love, and one with ONE and all other creations and energy forms in the Cosmos. It is all about love.


Tomorrow we will discuss what an energynaut is and how they help ONE to answer the prayers of His children.

Legend of Kor is available on Amazon or at Barnes & Noble (store or .com) and it has a website where you can look over the book and some of the chapters to see if this is what you really want. The website is:
www.outskirtspress.com/thegodgames        and you can also buy the book on the website...but Amazon has the best deals on the book. Thank you for reading this blog and I hope you will be tempted to buy the book for Holiday presents.

MISSED HAPPINESS, OR THE ATTEMPT TO GAIN IT

Right now, I am not a happy camper. My grandsons have jerked the rug out from underneath me when they stole the few dollars that I had left to get me through this month. The worst of the pain is because I don't know when I'll ever see them again, and if I do, what will I talk with them about? I love them so much and want the best for them and in order for the future to be brighter for them I had to speak out and let them know that I am very upset about their actions. I have to make a stand against what they have done, or risk the action being repeated any time my back is turned. God bless and keep you, grandsons, I know that things are tight right now-for all of us-but I expect that you will see the error of your ways and take steps to improve your lives and your good name. Christmas and Hanukkah are coming and I want this subject to be taken care of so that we can all join in the festivities and have a great family day.

Life has so many sides to it and so dwelling on one bad scene for a long time will get you nothing but a confused mind and a hurting heart. There is so much going on that has nothing to do with the grandsons and all I have to do is focus on the positive things in my life and I can not remain unhappy for very long.

I am making great progress on the second book in the Trilogy, and sometimes when you have sad feelings, if you can let them go for a spell, your creativity kicks in and you find yourself happily at the computer tapping out some great adventure, or your characters come to life-in your brain-and they demand that you continue telling their stories. Either way, you are back in the groove and pressing to complete your story. The boys issues move far away and you feel calm and confident once again. I guess that the bottom line is that if you can find the strength to go back to the project you are working on, you will soon feel a part of the work and such things as money just fade away into the woodwork.

The Paleo diet has been amazing. After losing 10 pounds in a week and a half at the start, I have not gone down to check on my weight again. We're supposed to wait until the first 30 days are over before re-checking your weight, but the suspense is killing me. After two weeks on the diet I find that I can now walk to the buses and travel around the county for the first time in years. What perfect delight! I have grown very accustomed to the foods on the diet and have absolutely no desire to eat candy bars or cake, but look forward to chicken livers smothered in onions and dipped in apple cider vinegar. The diet fits all of my needs and I have stopped taking about half of my vitamins, minerals, and supplements because I am eating a wide range of vegies, fruits, nuts, oil, and meats and can now get all of my nutrition from the foods that I eat. Coconut flour, oil, milk, and meat are scrumptious and make everything taste superb. You can eat a teaspoon a day of coconut oil and it will rev up your system and make you healthy; and it tastes like heaven.

The rest of my very large family is supportive of me, except that William is missing his brothers and is a little torqued at me for making a "big deal" about what happened. His visit this weekend has been cancelled. I hope that it is just because uncle David wants to spend the weekend with him and go walking on the Boardwalk and playing pin ball.

Oh well, time is getting away and I am going to spend the day writing and revising. I feel my mood level rise and I can hardly wait to get going. Happiness can be found in the work you love and in your relationships within your family and your circle of friends. Actually, I love facebook because I get to keep in touch with all of my friends and we can spend hours or days together catching up on family and friend news.

Starting next week I am going to write about how I came to write a book; both the positive and negative challenges that you face. I am also going to be discussing the ideas that the book espouses and try to explain what got me started writing a book in the first place. Have a wonderful weekend with family and/or friends and I will see you back on next Monday as we begin our journey through the mind and heart. Work, wonderful Work!                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   

THE ODDS OF BEING HAPPY AS A PARENT/GRANDPARENT

The little baby, snuggled in his blankets, looks up into your eyes and squeezes your index finger with his little fist. Your heart is stolen in that moment. You can clearly see the future and this special child will bring so much uniqueness to the family and make you proud of him all of his life. Great swells of emotion bind you to this little soul and you dream of all that he might accomplish in life. You know that you will always be there to encourage and support him and you look forward to interacting with him all of his life.

The child grows and each year is celebrated and his special talents and the tenderness of his heart is noted and approved by all. The years pass and the child is obedient and respectful of life and all that he meets. Then real life happens and the child losses a father or a mother, and sometimes both, and the loss makes the child separate from others because he has begun not to trust life anymore. As he grows older the temptations of life and the life of others his own age lead him to try what everyone insists will change his life forever. The drugs, alcohol, and tobacco do change his life for evermore and he relies on these props to get him through the day.

He has a child of his own that he truly loves with all of his heart and the little girl idolizes her dad. There are a few years where the father works hard and accomplishes much, but the pressures of life get to him and he becomes unstable and does not keep his word anymore. The little girl does not understand why her daddy is no longer around as much and yet her heart loves him even more and she develops excuses for him and becomes very sure that one day her daddy will return and once again be the father that she once knew. She is a highly motivated little girl and puts forth all of her heart and talents to be sure to always make her daddy proud of her. She excels in school and has many family members and friends who love her dearly. But she watches the months and years pass by and hears from her father for only very short moments on a forbidden phone call. Her mom tries to protect her from further pain, but the little girl has a mature heart and listens to her mother but at the same time makes many excuses for her father's absence.

We look at the heartbreak of this little child and how strong it makes her, and our hearts break with the intensity of our love for this little hero and our prayers every day ask for a reunion of this father and child. But life continues and the father seems to be sinking deeper and deeper into chronic addiction and the thoughts of his child remain fleeting and the effort to grow up and be able to see her again is second to the love of a cold aluminum can filled with ambrosia.

This is not what we planned when we first felt his little fist cling to our finger, so many years ago. What do we do, as parents and grandparents? First, we continue to love the person, as much and usually more than before. We pray for a wake-up call for this child/grandchild/father. We reach out to help as much as possible and often give what we do not really have to give. We seek out opportunities for whom is now a grown and aging man, but every opportunity comes to a dead end. But still we love and pray and hope for a better day to arrive.

When you have a child, or a blessed grandchild, you never give up on them, but sometimes you become very discouraged, especially when that child turns on you, or disrespects you after you've spent so many years loving and protecting them. You get to a point when all you can ask is WHY? Or, what else can I do to help improve things? You feel that somehow the loss of this child is your own fault and you tear yourself apart.

The odds of your precious child becoming a drag on society or killing themselves slowly with drugs and/or alcohol is probably minimal over all, and a child surrounded by love and acceptance will usually look at the world with love and have goals and ambitions that last a lifetime. But if you have a large family the odds increase that at least one of them will struggle with addiction or will treat the whole world, and themselves, with disrespect and anger. EVEN IF YOU HAVE TREATED THEM THE SAME AS ALL THE OTHER CHILDREN. Some souls have to travel a dark road before they can mature and grow into the person you always believed they are.

How then, do you handle the problem of your dearly loved child? After 51 years of experience I must recommend tough-love. Love the child, but insist that they stay out of your life until they can become respectful once more. Send them words of love, but insist upon an apology and a change in actions before letting them back into the bosom of your home. This action MIGHT make the child/adult rethink their lives and then try to reconcile with you. You might have the power to make them think beyond their own needs and pleasures. But if you do not practice tough love and allow the person to come and go from your life on THEIR terms, then expect to be taken advantage of, or to be stolen from, at every opportunity. Demand respect for your person and for your belongings because only you will have the power to make them re-think their life and maybe try to grow up and become responsible.

If you have a child, or grandchild, who follows the above description, do not for one moment beat yourself up. Millions of wonderful families who are loving and supportive still have a child who does not follow the traditions of their families. Know that you are human, and not perfect, but also know that you gave this child all of your love and support-and still do-and what they choose to do with your teachings and leadership is what makes them unique as persons and there is no guarantee that they will listen to you at all. Remember that God also has children who do not listen to Him and who buck His authority and lead lives that hurt everyone around them. And God loves without end, sends support to those who flounder, but makes every one of His children face the consequences of their actions. We can follow His lead and love without condoning the actions that they are involved with.

I do not like "losing" a grandchild to the rough world around us, and I cry buckets when I am alone, but I have written an intention on my heart that I will not condone disrespect of myself or my home and if I expect my grandchild to change his life and goals then I must lead the way by not tolerating it personally, and never giving up my prayer vigil that he will see what he is doing, and change his direction. I love him unconditionally and will prove it by not ignoring his actions or sweeping them under the rug. Only then will there be a chance that his eyes will open and his heart reconsider his actions.

I hope that you do not have any such worries with your children or grandchildren, but if you do, know that you are definitely not alone and it is not because you didn't love the child enough. Freedom of choice gives us the opportunity to try many lifestyles until we - hopefully - find the one that brings us the greatest joy, and we cannot make the choices for other people. The odds are that all of your children will accomplish good works at some time in their lives and sometimes you might have to get tough for them to be able to find the way for themselves.

I hope that you have a great day and we will be back with you very soon again. Please, if you'd like to, send me a comment on how you would handle this problem. Thank you for listening.

FAMILY TRAGEDIES

So many things come to mind when we bring up the subject of family tragedy. Sometimes we refer to the death or ill health of a beloved family member. Sometimes we are talking about the loss of work or standing in for a relative who can no longer totally care for themselves. Families have both positive turmoil and negative turmoil over the years, and sometimes the tragedy is so great that the family falls apart and cannot be consoled over their loss of a beloved family member.

I adore my family...each member and all of their family and friends are part of our hearts. But let one member decide to not belong to the family, or who destroys the trust that we have in each other, and suddenly the whole family is hurt and puts up defenses to deal with the negative exploits of the one family member. Suddenly our heads are not carried as high and we tell the younger members what to watch out for when dealing with this person or persons.

As an example I tell you the story of my own family and how it was recently divided by the selfishness of one member. One of my many grandchildren has shown that he does not care about how his actions hurt his family, or himself. I had welcomed this member into my home and given him total trust. I was hoping that from my apartment he could search the internet and then go out and apply for jobs. He was someone that I totally love and pray for every day. He has had a string of bad luck, loosing his jobs and preferring to sit at his other grandma's home and watch television to going out and drumming up work. Still I knew that he was suffering from low self-esteem and I tried pumping him up and commentating on his many good qualities; my role as a grandmother is to love unconditionally and be their cheer-leading squad. At the time of this story I had a total of $7.00 in bills, and enough quarters to do four wash loads. The pantry and the refrigerator were almost bare and there would be no more money coming in for another two and a half weeks. However, knowing that God can help us stretch our money in a pinch, I did not hesitate to have him come and stay with me for a couple of days. I explained to him that I did not have money to give to him for cigarettes or to buy more food, but that we would make do with what we had. Then I started to find empty beer cans (40 oz.) under various pieces of furniture, and I wondered where he found the money to get beer with.

Then he was called by his other grandmother to get home immediately to take care of his dog, who was hungry. He left here leaving his clothes and belongings for when he returned. The I decided to do a load of wash while he was gone and I got my little round blue "quarter container" which I leave on one of my bureaus. The quarter container felt very light and I had a constriction in my stomach as I slowly opened it. Twenty Eight of my quarters were gone, and I barely had enough to do one load of wash. I felt as if someone had harpooned my heart and I wondered what else I was going to find that meant the difference between making it this month, or not. I was heartbroken that one of my own grandson had felt no compunctions about stealing from me when I was so broke. I had to face the fact that this young man was not honorable and did not truly love me.

I could not have him here now, because I had no food to feed him and all of my money options had disappeared. No one else had an opportunity to steal my wash money as I keep my home locked up, and no one else knew that I kept my wash money in the little blue box. So, I called the other grandmother and warned her to watch out for her belongings, then I gave my message to my grandson that I knew what he had done and that he was no longer welcome to stay in my home until he had gotten his life straightened out...and apologized to me-which entailed the words but also the action of returning my quarters.

I am sick inside, because this was my oldest grandson and I love him more than words can say. I love his visits, BUT I will not be exploited and disrespected in my own home. Now, I wonder if all of my other grandchildren will look down on me for putting my foot down on their cousin/brother. Will they say that my place is off-limits for evermore? Will any of my other grandchildren come to my house, or will they boycott me for putting their brother on a time-out?

I feel in my heart that I cannot do otherwise that to get him out of my life for a time, for I am a nervous wreck, but I definitely want him to come back home for the Holidays. He is currently running with one of my younger grandsons who has followed him by dropping out of School and following this brother of his through thick and thin. I understand why the boys stick together so fast as their mom died in 2008 and their father is in prison for another 12 years. They feel that they have no foundation to come back to, to strive for, and I think they are right, but I still cannot condone letting them steal from me or putting me in a precarious position with the small amount of funds that I have to survive on.

What would you do in a similar situation? Would you let the boys stay away in the hopes that they will think about what they have done? Or would you just forget this minor incident? I hope that you will comment on this post so that I can see how you would handle the situation. Thank you so much for listening and also for communicating your feelings to me.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         

PERCEPTIONS OF REALITY

We are each seeing reality from a different perspective; colored by our own experiences, and just a thought away from the next person's (energy form's) perspective.

So who is "right" or "wrong" about any subject at all? The best we can do is to find a group with like perceptions, and like experiences, and come to some agreement as to our point of view. We all look to the stars for their beauty and direction, but wherever we are on earth we see the sky from a different perspective and some of us see the Big Dipper from our viewpoint, and some see entirely different constellations when they look up. What we see is different from winter to summer and from day to day, but are we only "right" if we see the Big Dipper when we look up? Of course, what is "right" is only "right" if you happen to look at the sky from your spot on earth and on a particular night. People in San Diego see the sky look one way, and the people in New Jersey look up and see the sky from a slightly different perspective and see the constellations in a different position. It all depends on where you are at the time when you look up. Are either one of them the only "right" view? Of course not. We just look at the sky from slightly different directions and all the views are "right" for where we are that night.

So it is with any item to be judged "right" or "wrong".  Say that you take the stance that stealing anything is "wrong" under any circumstances. You have five children and they are crying because their bellies are empty. It has been a week since there was any bread in the home. You are walking past a field that has a magnificent stand of wheat growing; it is September and the grain is ripe for picking. Can you pass the field and not stop to cut enough to make a loaf of bread? You have a picture of your starving 2 year old in your mind and you know that his stomach is cramping. Would you cut a small amount of wheat down and take it home and make bread? I would from my perspective, but the owner of the field might take a very different look at it and have you arrested for touching his property. He does not see your two year old starving, he sees his own family and the possibility that they might starve if he doesn't put enough food on the table. Two different perspectives on the same problem. Now enter a third perspective. The farmer is a righteous man with regard for those less fortunate than themselves. When he harvests his wheat he does not cut the grain growing in the corners of his property, but leaves the wheat growing in the corners for the poor to cut down and keep their families from starving. Three different scenarios. Three different perspectives to the same problem. Who is "right" and who is "wrong"? They are all three "right" from their own perspective so how do we proceed to judge the situation? The mind says to keep the letter of the law, but the heart says to provide for the poor children so that the father is not put into such a position that he needs to steal to keep his children from dying. What we decide to do will determine the course of our country's future. It is in such small details that the course of a country's future is determined for the positive or for the negative. A compassionate country will consider all of the people in their economy, protect the "have's" and make provision for the disenfranchised "have-not's". It is invariably true that if all of the citizens needs are met, that the country will flourish and be happy, but neglect the plight of the poor majority and you are facing the threat of mutiny and the disruption of peace and prosperity.

So we see that "right" and "wrong" is generally very subjective if we only make decisions from our mind, but enter the heart into the equation and we can be more objective and come from a positive perspective. Next time that you are called upon to make a decision remember to stand aside and look at the situation from many different perspectives, then make a decision as to what to do by following your heart. If you come from love, all of your actions will bear fruit and you will always make the "right" decision for yourself and for others.


Have a great week and pray for our country in this hour of great indecision. If we all look in our hearts for a solution we will find one that is right for all of our people and our country will once again flourish and grow.

RISING FROM THE ASHES

Yesterday I went down a rat hole and do not know where I was. Today I discovered that it was a wormhole that connected me to Heaven. I need to write about this or have a bee in my ear forever.

Yesterday my writing energy was constipated and I could not think of a thing relevant to say. Then I forced myself to sit down at the computer and wrote my blog, Notes From the Dark Side. As I wrote to you the dark cloud over my being broke apart and soon after that, as words began to flow, my heart began to sing with joy. It was a wild roller coaster ride from low to deep low and then high in the air again. Am I afraid the roller coaster will move on and start down the slippery slope again? Yes. I am scared. Since I do not know what triggered the depression, I also do not know the why for the high spirits. But what I do know is that my muse is back and that writing once again brings me joy and hope.

Most folks would shy away from the roller coaster experience preferring to take life on the level road. Myself, I love the passion and joy of the higher levels and bear the weight of depression knowing that as low as I go, I can also go to that higher level.

The rule of thumb is this: There is not joy without pain. There is not one without the other and the wider the swings between high and low-the greater the depression and the greater the joy-the higher the intensity of your life experience. If you wish to be happy-for the greatest majority of ourselves-you will also experience sadness. For how can you appreciate joy if you have not experienced the lack of joy? How can you feel the greatest depths of love unless you have first experienced the loss of love? What we see in life repeatedly is that the soul who suffers the most "slings of outrageous fortune" is usually the person who has the sweetest spirit and the most loving heart. For without pain we cannot grow and become strong; we can not see the chinks in our armor and seek change. Time passes and we remain on one level, content to survive and experience the lesser joys.

Decide to become parents and you throw yourself into the fray headfirst. It is the choice to open yourself to a person, who is part of yourself, with total abandon, knowing all the while that you could lose that child at any moment. It is the greatest risk we take in life to know total joy, and at the same moment realize the pain you will experience if you should lose that child. It is the great dichotomy, the eternal roller coaster that carries us up and down; but that we would choose over any other gift.

So here we are. Do we take the risk and go for love/pain? Or do we sit fenced off in our safe and comfortable lives and experience only gentle tides of emotion? Fortunately the choice is in our own hands and also, if you are not happy you can always choose to be subject to pain as you quest for joy. Totally depends on what you want out of life. I choose joy.