Tebow It

Regardless of what Tim Tebow & the Denver Broncos do against the New England Patriots today, you have to admire this man's enthusiasm and faith!

Communities in Mourning

2 senseless gun-related deaths occurred within 24 hours on Wednesday & Thursday, shocking the community in which I now live, and one I lived close to for over 9 years. The death of a 15 year-old leaves many unanswered questions, mainly, how did he get such a realistic weapon into the school? Many are outraged at the "excessive force" used by the Brownsville Police. My first reaction was, what if that gun was real, and the officers had been shot at? Would we be looking at this differently? Then early Thursday morning, the news broke that one of the 6 officers shot in Ogden Wednesday evening had passed away. The State of Utah is outraged as well, that someone sworn to protect and serve them lost his life in the line of duty. Which brings me back to my first reaction... The Brownsville Police were simply doing their job, protecting the lives of over 700 students who didn't bring a gun to school on Wednesday morning.

Brownsville police kill teen at middle school.

Officers shot and killed an eighth-grade student in a middle school hallway after he refused to drop the air gun he'd smuggled into school, police here said Wednesday.
Jaime Gonzalez, 15, was pronounced dead at a local hospital at 9:15 a.m., about an hour and 15 minutes after police responded to a 911 call reporting an individual with a gun at Cummings Middle School in downtown Brownsville.

“The suspect was ordered numerous times to drop this pistol and he disobeyed officers' commands,” interim Police Chief Orlando Rodriguez said at a news conference. “He pointed the weapon at the officers, at which point the officers that were actively engaged by the suspect fired at least twice.”
No other students or faculty were injured, he said.
The gun Gonzalez was carrying, a CO2.177-caliber pellet pistol, looked like a dangerous firearm, said Detective Jose Treviño a police spokesman.
“It has the exact appearance of Glock,” Treviño said.

Ogden Police Officer Killed, 6 Others Wounded In Drug Raid

An Ogden police officer has been killed and five other law enforcement officers wounded after gunfire erupted in an eastside neighborhood during an early evening drug raid Wednesday. The suspect in the case was also wounded. Conditions of the officers and suspect range from serious to critical.
The fallen officer has been identified as Jared Francom, a seven year veteran of the force, who was working as a member of the Weber-Morgan Narcotics Strike Force at the time of the shootout. He leaves behind a wife and two children.

Francom was shot while he and at least eleven other officers were executing a search warrant at a home at 3268 Jackson Avenue around 8:40 pm. Witnesses say there were prolonged exchanges of gunfire, including automatic weapons' fire.

Thankfulness & Gratitude

Earlier this year, I felt as if my life was an old "Hee Haw" song -

"Gloom, despair, and agony on me;

deep, dark depression, excessive misery.

If it weren't for bad luck, I'd have no luck at all.

Gloom, despair, and agony on me."

I was asked to speak on gratitude in church last Sunday, and in that talk I mentioned the post from earlier this month, which has made such a difference in my life:

As some of you may know, earlier this year I was falling victim to a debilitating illness known as depression. I was depressed over many things for a long time, and it was getting the best of me. Medication helped with some of the symptoms, such as insomnia and over eating, but even my doctor had told me, the pills will not be a cure. Losing my job only made things worse, as I focused so much on what I didn't have or couldn't do. Things did begin to change, however, first, as I provided comfort to a dear friend who had recently lost her mother. I also was able to be more active in assisting my parents, and by doing so, had less time to worry about my own problems. But the real road to recovery for me began when I was asked this question : "What if tomorrow morning, you woke up with only those things you thanked Heavenly Father for last night?" Each morning as I think back on that moment, I am amazed at just how blessed I really am! As we sing, "When upon life's billows you are tempest tossed, When you are discouraged thinking all is lost, Count your many blessings, name them one by one, and it will surprise you what the Lord has done." Recognizing those blessings, and expressing gratitude for them, has led me to an incredible feeling of peace, comfort, and joy!

Magnifying My Calling

“God does not begin by asking us about our ability, but only about our availability, and if we then prove our dependability, he will increase our capability.” - Neal A. Maxwell

This is how someone like myself, with no musical ability or training, can stand in front of the congregation each Sunday and lead the hymns. I am so thankful for my calling, and for the assistance from above that I receive!

PadreRitaVille

The 18th Annual World's Championship Shrimp Cook-Off was held on Sunday, November 6th, in Port Isabel, Texas. I attended this event last year, and was very impressed with the entry by PadreRitaVille, a new restaurant on South Padre Island. They were offering "Shrimp Diablo" - shrimp stuffed with cream cheese and jalapeno, and wrapped in bacon. They took home first place in presentation, and second place in taste, and I couldn't wait to visit their restaurant for more! I've been there 4 times in the last year, and have yet to be disappointed. This year's Shrimp Fest was no exception, where owners J. Michael & Cathy Laferty were serving up a crab-stuffed, bacon wrapped shrimp, drizzled with pineapple butter. A very unique & tasty creation!

If you enjoy shrimp, then you must give PadreRitaVille a try! Shrimp Diablo is now featured on the all-you-can-eat Prime Rib buffet, available for $23.95 on Friday & Saturday nights. You also won't want to miss South Padre Island's own Jimmy Buffet (J. Michael), singing in the evenings from Wed. to Sun.

And don't forget to say Hi to his wife Cathy, as she stops by your table to make sure your visit is an enjoyable one!

You may also visit PadreRitaVille on Facebook!

Papa Joe

46 years as head coach at Penn State and this is how it ends???

Joe Paterno being fired yesterday is pretty dramatic. Yes, what happened is sick, twisted, and disgusting. Those kids that were abused is what people should be concerned about. What happened to them was terrible. Joe Paterno had been associated with Penn State longer than a lot of people have been alive and then head coach for four decades, and certainly deserves better than this. His job was to win football games, and should not be the scapegoat for the failure to act of the entire university.

What'cha Gonna Do

Check out the latest from the Oak Ridge Boys!

The Oak Ridge Boys - What'cha Gonna Do

- Watch more Music Videos at Vodpod.