America's Team - but not in Philly!

When I was 8 years old, my grandparents took me to IHOP.  They were giving away miniature football helmets with the purchase of an ice cream sundae, and wow, wouldn't it be cool to have my own mini football helmet?  Now back then I didn't know one football team from another, so when asked which helmet I'd like, I thought the silver one with the blue star was neater than the rest.  So I came home with my prized possession, and became a Dallas Cowboys fan.  Nothing wrong with that, right?  Well, that Christmas, a good majority of my presents were Dallas Cowboys related - a new winter jacket, ski hat, sweater, gloves... I thought I'd be the coolest kid on the block - maybe even the whole school!  

 

Boy was I wrong!  See, I grew up in Pennsylvania, near Philadelphia, and with the hometown Eagles being bitter division rivals, being a Cowboys fan was totally uncool. Sure, the Cowboys were a better team, making it to the Super Bowl in 1976, 1978, and 1979, even winning a championship by beating the Denver Broncos 27-10 in Super Bowl XII.  The Eagles would have their day in the sun though. After losing to the Cowboys in all but 3 games from 1967-1979, the Eagles finished first in the NFC East in 1980, and beat Dallas 20-7 to advance to their first ever Super Bowl, in which they lost to the Oakland Raiders. 33 years later, they are still seeking that elusive Super Bowl Championship ring, while the Cowboys have 5, and are promoted as "America's Team". The Eagles do have 3 NFL championships to their credit, but the last was in 1960, ironically, the year before the Cowboys came into existence.   Their rivalry has been one of the higher profile rivalries in the NFL over the past 3 decades, and it continues next Thursday in front of a national TV audience on Thanksgiving Day.   

The Day The Music Died

Many people say "the music died" February 3, 1959, when rock and roll musicians Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens and  J.P "The Big Bopper" Richardson died in a plane crash near Clear Lake, Iowa.  Others, of course, remember Elvis' passing on August 16, 1977 as the day the music died.

For me, the day the music died was 33 years ago today - November 12, 1981.  Although I've lost loved ones since, no ones passing affected me as much as when Burl Strevel died. 

I credit him, his love, his friendship, and his music with The Blue Ridge Quartet for making me the man I am today.  Others have shared similar thoughts with me - "He was loved and he also was a GREAT MAN!!"  "Great Man and Great Entertainer..They don't make People like this anymore..."  "We could use a world full of Burl Strevel's !!!"  "Burl always had a smile and word for everybody. I have seen him take rough situations they were handed and turn them into winners time and time again.!" 

Thank you, to his family, for sharing this wonderful man with me, and with all of the Blue Ridge Quartet's fans.  My thoughts are with you today, and always.  May this last thought, from my friend Robbie bring you peace:  "I've said it 100 times...if Burl Strevel didn't make it to Heaven, not much use in the rest of us trying."

The music and memories live on - visit fellow fans at
Blue Ridge Quartet Fans, Friends, and Family

Honey Boo Boo

So I read where "Honey Boo Boo" got cancelled.

Alright, I confess...  I had no idea what "Honey Boo Boo" was.  Still don't, actually.  And all I knew about Boo Boo is he is Yogi's bear friend, who is more interested in pic-a-nic baskets than honey. 

But anyway, I decided I better do some research and get up to speed on this newsworthy event.  And pretty much, I'm sorry I did!  This Mama June character brings a new meaning to "trailer trash".  I wonder how many of Jeff Foxworthy's "You Might Be A Redneck..." jokes were written about her?  On second thought, no, rednecks might be offended by my associating her with them!  I won't even begin to get into the sordid details and accusations - I'll just say it's a good thing this "Mama" won't be exploiting her daughter on TV any longer. 

Halloween and Christianity

Some may say that Halloween isn't a Christian holiday.  I can see their point, with witches, goblins, devils, skeletons and the like running around haunted houses. But
Halloween most certainly is a Christian Holiday.  The definition of Halloween is literally "Hallowed evening" or "holy evening".  It marks the beginning of a feast dedicated
to remembering the dead, including saints, martyrs, and all the faithful departed Christian believers. 

The next time you see a Jack-O-Lantern, think of how being a Christian is just like carving that pumpkin.  God lifts you up, takes you in, and washes all the dirt off of you.  He opens
you up, touches you deep inside and scoops out all the yucky stuff - including the seeds of doubt, hate, greed, etc.  Then He carves you a new smiling face and puts His light inside you to shine for all the world to see! 

Nobody Bakes A Cake As Tasty As A Tastykake!

One of my college roommates once told me "There's no melon like a Howell melon." Now I've never been to Howell, Michigan, and I've never tried a Howell melon, but when I think of my love for Tastykakes, I just might be inclined to believe him! What Tim was really saying, is that there is a certain pride one can take in a "homegrown" product, and when you taste anyone else's similar offering, it is inferior to the one you grew up with. For me, Hostess, Drakes, and Little Debbies will never come close to the satisfaction I get eating a Tastykake!

The first Tastykakes were baked 100 years ago, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1914. The concept was to bake individual size snack cakes, and deliver them fresh daily. For this reason, until the 1980's, Tastykakes weren't available outside of the Pennsylvania, New York, and New Jersey area.

Improved distribution made the cakes available as far west as Ohio, and as far south as Florida. A 2011 merger with Flowers Foods has allowed Tastykake to bring their snack cakes to stores around the country, introducing millions of Americans to one of Philadelphia's best loved treats. And making them available to me in Texas! Indeed, "Nobody Bakes A Cake As Tasty As A Tastykake!"

Sweetest Singing This Side Of Heaven

I first became acquainted with the Blue Ridge Quartet in 1973, after my grandmother had seen them on their TV show "Music For All America".  The lead singer at that time was LaVerne Tripp, and she felt such a strong spirit from his voice and the words he was singing.  He certainly blessed her life, and after my first concert, they blessed my life - and even though they disbanded in 1986, they continue to bless my life and the lives of many others.  Their music and message are timeless!    
   

The Blue Ridge Quartet was formed in Raleigh, North Carolina in 1946.  At the close of World War II, when the warm secure feeling of peace once again shrouded the world, returning servicemen put into reality their dreams of resuming their life's vocation.  Each rushed hurriedly to his calling - business, labor, teaching, preaching, singing - oh yes - SINGING!  And though the personnel in the group changed over the years, they became one of the premier gospel singing groups, and were billed as "The Sweetest Singing This Side Of Heaven".  As Robbie Huber states on the Blue Ridge Quartet's Facebook group page - "The first time you saw them you were a fan, the second time you were a friend, after that you were family!"  And those aren't just words - the Blue Ridge were, and are, friends and family.

Check out some of the "sweetest singing" in these videos, and join the family!

How Rare A Possession!

The introduction page of The Book of Mormon states:
"The Book of Mormon is a volume of scripture comparable to the Bible.  It is a record of God's dealings with ancient inhabitants of the Americas and contains the fulness of the everlasting gospel."
"We invite men everywhere to read the Book of Mormon, to ponder in their hearts the message it contains, and then to ask God, the Eternal Father, in the name of Christ if the book is true.  Those who pursue this course and ask in faith will gain a testimony of its truth and divinity by the power of the Holy Ghost."
On a recent episode of Pawn Stars, an 1842 edition of The Book of Mormon was brought into the shop.  Owner Rick Harrison knew the book was potentially valuable, but even he was surprised at HOW valuable it really was.  He brought in his "book expert", who appraised the volume of scripture at $40,000!                                         

Of course, you don't need to spend that amount of cash to read The Book of Mormon, in fact, missionaries from The Church Of Jesus Christ Of Latter Day Saints will be happy to give you a copy for free.  After reading it, you just might agree with Mormons worldwide who know just how priceless a possession it is!