Holiday List - August 2016

August 2016 

1 - National Psychic Day / US Air Force Day

2 - National Coloring Book Day

3 - National Watermelon

4 - National Chocolate Chip Day

5 - International Beer Day / National Homemade Pie Day

6 - National Fresh Breath Day

7 - Sea Serpent Day

8 - International Cat Day

9 - National Rice Pudding Day

10 - National Duran Duran Appreciation

11 - Play in the Sand Day

12 - Vinyl Record Day

13 - International Lefthander's Day

14 - National Creamsicle Day

15 - National Relaxation Day

16 - National Rollercoaster Day / National Rum Day

17 - National Thrift Shop

18 - Bad Poetry Day

19 - International Orangutan Day

20 - Lemonade Day

21 - Poet's Day

22 - Take Your Cat to the Vet Day

23 - National Sponge Cake Day

24 - Knife Day

25 - National Whiskey Sour Day

26 - National Dog Day

27 - Banana Lovers Day

28 - Go Topless Day

29 - More Herbs, Less Salt Day

30 - National Toasted Marshmallow Day

31 - National Trail Mix Day

Aaaand, here is the disclaimer. I do not make up these holidays. These are all real holidays, celebrated somewhere in the world (mostly the US, and when at all possible, Texas - I like to keep it local). Some days have more than one holiday - I am aware of this, and I have chosen the one I like best. It was my idea to post the holidays for you, so I get to pick. Mainly though, because, which would you rather celebrate, World Choral Day or Pretend to Be a Time Traveler Day (Dec 8)? Sure, about three of you said World Choral Day because you have really nice singing voices and like to sing in public (sorry). The rest of us will be acting like we just showed up from the future and are looking for a flux capacitor. What I mean to say is, if you don't like the holiday, just wait until the next day - I'm sure it will be better suited for you.

Fan Girl Friday - Peace

This #FanGirlFriday is a little different than the others. Most Fridays, I'm sharing a product, a company, a brand or another entity that I'm fond of. Last night when I want to bed, I thought today would be about one of those kinds of things. Turns out, I'll save that for another Friday.

Today, I am a fan of PEACE. I am a fan of LOVE. I am a fan of COMMUNITY. I am a fan of FRIENDSHIP. I am a fan of FAMILY. I am a fan of JESUS CHRIST.

On Monday, we celebrated Independence Day and Freedom and our Country. The next day, a man was killed by police in Baton Rouge. The day after that, another man was killed by police in Minneapolis. The day after that, at a peaceful protest, five police officers were killed and seven other officers and two civilians were wounded by snipers in Dallas. None of this seems like Independence or Freedom to me. 

I can't stop thinking about this. I listened to a little radio, but I cannot watch television coverage. It makes my heart hurt and makes me sick to my stomach. I keep thinking about the families of all the people involved, and how easy it will be for them to let hatred creep into their hearts. Hatred for the police. Hatred for the shooter(s) in Dallas. Hatred for one another. Hatred for blacks. Hatred for whites. Hatred for those who are different, in whatever way. Hate. Hate. Hate.

We live in the greatest country in the world, yet we are still a nation divided. We're divided along political lines, socio-economic lines, ethnicity lines. All the strides toward narrowing that division we thought we might have been making over the past few decades are really just a drop in the bucket. We don't have segregated bathrooms, and we don't have different water fountains, and anyone can sit where they want to on the bus. But we also don't have unity, and we don't have common ground, and we don't have peace. It seems we are no closer to being a nation united today than we were fifty years ago. Division brings fear. Fear brings hatred. Hatred brings death. 

I know people who are afraid for their children right now. People who are afraid that their black sons and daughters will be targeted solely because of the color of their skin. My heart breaks for those parents.

I know people who are afraid for their children right now. People who are afraid that their police officer sons and daughters will be targeted solely because of their chosen profession. My heart breaks for those parents.

Right now, I am afraid of the chaos and anarchy and lawlessness that seems to be looming around every corner. I am afraid for all our children. My heart breaks for us all. But, I will not allow that fear to take over and fill my broken heart with hate. 

To stop the hate, we must stop the fear. To stop the fear, we must stop preaching division and start preaching love. And, I'm not talking about religion. Religion can make people crazy. We see that every day with those who preach hate and intolerance, and with those who seek to destroy us. I'm talking about following Jesus, and preaching and teaching love. Followers of Jesus love one another, because Jesus taught us love. Jesus said more than once that we are to love one another. It is a commandment second only to loving God with all your heart, soul and mind. It's pretty important. When we love with our whole heart and with our soul, there is no room for hate. I wish you love. 

Much LOVE,
~ME:)

Holiday List - July 2016

July 2016 

1 - International Joke Day

2 - International Cherry Pit Spitting Day

3 - Compliment Your Mirror Day

4 - Tom Sawyer Fence Painting Day

5 - National Apple Turnover Day

6 - International Kissing Day

7 - Tell the Truth Day

8 - Coca Cola Day

9 - National Sugar Cookie Day

10 - Pina Colada Day

11 - Cheer Up the Lonely Day / Slurpee Day

12 - National Pecan Pie Day

13 - Gruntled Workers Day

14 - International Nude Day

15 - Cow Appreciation Day

16 - National Hot Dog Day

17 - National Ice Cream Day

18 - National Get Out of the Doghouse Day

19 - Stick Your Tongue Out Day

20 - National Lollipop Day / International Cake Day

21 - National Junk Food Day

22 - Pied Piper of Hamlin Day

23 - Hot Enough for Ya Day / Gorgeous Grandma Day

24 - Tell an Old Joke Day / National Tequila Day

25 - Merry-Go-Round Day

26 - National Coffee Milkshake Day

27 - Take Your Houseplant for a Walk Day

28 - National Chili Dog Day

29 - National Chicken Wing Day

30 - National Dance Day

31 - Uncommon Instruments Awareness Day

Aaaand, here is the disclaimer. I do not make up these holidays. These are all real holidays, celebrated somewhere in the world (mostly the US, and when at all possible, Texas - I like to keep it local). Some days have more than one holiday - I am aware of this, and I have chosen the one I like best. It was my idea to post the holidays for you, so I get to pick. Mainly though, because, which would you rather celebrate, World Choral Day or Pretend to Be a Time Traveler Day (Dec 8)? Sure, about three of you said World Choral Day because you have really nice singing voices and like to sing in public (sorry). The rest of us will be acting like we just showed up from the future and are looking for a flux capacitor. What I mean to say is, if you don't like the holiday, just wait until the next day - I'm sure it will be better suited for you.

Holiday List - May 2016

May 2016 

1 - National Bubba Day

2 - Robert's Rules of Order Day

3 - National Teacher Day

4 - Star Wars Day (May the 4th Be With You)

5 - National Day of Prayer / Cinco de Mayo

6 - No Diet Day

7 - World Naked Gardening Day

8 - Mother's Day / No Socks Day

9 - National Moscato Day

10 - Clean Up Your Room Day

11 - Eat What You Want Day / Hostess Cupcake Day

12 - Limerick Day

13 - Blame Someone Else Day / National Apple Pie Day

14 - National Chicken Dance Day

15 - Straw Hat Day

16 - National Sea Monkey Day

17 - National Cherry Cobbler Day

18 - Visit Your Relatives Day / I Love Reeses Day

19 - Circus Day

20 - Eliza Doolittle Day / National Pizza Party Day

21 - National Waitstaff Day / Do Dah Day

22 - Neighbor Day

23 - National Taffy Day

24 - International Tiara Day

25 - National Tap Dance Day / National Wine Day

26 - Red Nose Day

27 - Cellophane Tape Day

28 - National Hamburger Day

29 - Learn About Composting Day

30 - Memorial Day

31 - World No Tobacco Day / What You Think Upon Grows Day

Aaaand, here is the disclaimer. I do not make up these holidays. These are all real holidays, celebrated somewhere in the world (mostly the US, and when at all possible, Texas - I like to keep it local). Some days have more than one holiday - I am aware of this, and I have chosen the one I like best. It was my idea to post the holidays for you, so I get to pick. Mainly though, because, which would you rather celebrate, World Choral Day or Pretend to Be a Time Traveler Day (Dec 8)? Sure, about three of you said World Choral Day because you have really nice singing voices and like to sing in public (sorry). The rest of us will be acting like we just showed up from the future and are looking for a flux capacitor. What I mean to say is, if you don't like the holiday, just wait until the next day - I'm sure it will be better suited for you.

Holiday List - January 2016

January 2016 

1 - Happy New Year!

2 - National Buffet Day

3 - Drinking Straw Day

4 - World Hypnotism Day

5 - National Bird Day

6 - Bean Day

7 - Harlem Globetrotter's Day

8 - Bubble Bath Day

9 - National Static Electricity Day

10 - Stephen Foster Day

11 - Milk Day

12 - National Poetry at Work Day

13 - Rubber Duckie Day

14 - Dress Up Your Pet Day

15 - Hat Day

16 - Appreciate a Dragon Day

17 - Popeye Day

18 - Thesaurus Day

19 - Popcorn Day

20 - National Disc Jockey Day / Penguin Awareness Day

21 - National Hugging Day / Squirrel Appreciation Day

22 - Answer Your Cats Questions Day

23 - National Handwriting Day / National Pie Day

24 - Belly Laugh Day / Beer Can Day / National Compliment Day

25 - National Irish Coffee Day

26 - Toad Hollow Day of Encouragement

27 - Thomas Crapper Day

28 - National Kazoo Day

29 - National Puzzle Day / Fun at Work Day

30 - Inane Answering Machine Message Day

31 - Backwards Day

Aaaand, here is the disclaimer. As I've said before, I do not make up these holidays. These are all real holidays, celebrated somewhere in the world (mostly the US, and when at all possible, Texas - I like to keep it local). Some days have more than one holiday - I am aware of this, and I have chosen the one I like best. It was my idea to post the holidays for you, so I get to pick. Mainly though, because, which would you rather celebrate, World Choral Day or Pretend to Be a Time Traveler Day (Dec 8)? Sure, about three of you said World Choral Day because you have really nice singing voices and like to sing in public (sorry). The rest of us will be acting like we just showed up from the future and are looking for a flux capacitor. What I mean to say is, if you don't like the holiday, just wait until the next day - I'm sure it will be better suited for you.

More or Less...Some Resolutions

Happy New Year! It's a Sweet 16 year, y'all. This millennium can drive now! Really, if this year was a teenager, this year would be a sophomore in high school. No longer the baby of the bunch, but not completely wise to the ways of the hallway. Not looked down on because of youth, but not looked up to for wisdom. This Sweet 16 year is somewhere in the middle. Maybe going on a first date. Maybe getting a first kiss. Oh! The possibilities for the next 365 days!

As we go into this New Year, I'm going to try and look at it with a new and youthful outlook. I'm going to set my goals with the innocence and bewilderment that I can reach those goals

But, Oh! What He DID Do!

"Great men show politeness in a particular way; 

a smile suffices to assure you that you are welcome, 

and keep about their avocations as if you were a member of the family."

 - John James Audubon

Today, we lay to rest a great man. A son, a brother, a husband, a father, a grandfather, a cousin, an uncle and a friend. He was so much to so many. Robert Lee Dehart was a great man. 

He never built  tall buildings or monuments, instead he built a foundation for his family of long-lasting, unconditional love. He never discovered a new world or a new drug or a new creature, however he discovered the good in almost everyone he met. He never became a millionaire, but he had wealth in love and in laughter. He never bestowed riches upon an institution, but he gave graciously from his heart to those in need. He never wrote literature or poetry that would carry on through the ages, but he wrote notes and letters to his sweetheart that she will keep dear to her heart always. 

His laugh was contagious. His smile was a mile wide. His heart was overflowing with love for us all. His life here on earth was brief, but he will live in our memories forever. 

His death was sudden and unexpected. It was a shock to us all. He will be missed greatly. 

He was a great man. 

Much love and many memories,
~ME:)

(For the Obituary, click <here>)