“It isn’t what you have,
or who you are,
or where you are,
or what you are doing
that makes you happy or unhappy.
It is what you think about.”
~ Dale Carnegie
R. J. get his first Love Letter – from Ian.
The stories of our lives need to be told. These tales, after our lives are over, may be all that is left of life. They may become our life, in the hearts and minds of those we leave behind. And a beautiful story will tell of a beautiful life. Please take the time to share your stories. They will be appreciated. They will be needed. They will be you.
Rosie Junior first fell in Love with his Tiger.
Allow me to share
another one with you.
This story is not really about dogs. Oh, there are cherished canine friends in this one. But, it is really a story about Love, a Love so vibrant, so real, that it brings tears to my eyes even to this day. And I feel that I must share it with you. Not for what it says, but for what it made me feel. For Love is not a story about Life. It is Life. Or it is nothing at all.
He gave a typically warm greeting to him every day.
Love is not in the details. For Life, if it is fully lived, is a vibrant and beautiful Love story, written for you, with your permission, by the very Hand of God.
So very many Blessings have come my way, that I cannot adequately begin to express my gratitude. But allow me to try.
One thing always leads to another. And the Love I felt in my heart, when I was in the third grade, for a stunningly gorgeous Collie dog that wandered onto the school playground, has led to so very many Blessings. This Love, I believe, was an expression of the Love of God for a lonely little boy in need of Love. Allow me to explain.
In a few months the Tiger was a bit overwhelmed.
At this time in my life, my Mother and I lived in a small, two story Apartment, just across the street from the Fire Department (thank God) and the County Courthouse. I remember being told later, that the rent was one dollar per day. We lived on the second floor, facing all the action of the Fire trucks. I privately felt happy about our location, because everyone in this small complex smoked constantly.
R. J. cannot write back but the look says it all. Is this the look of Love or hunger?
The one room we lived in was about twelve feet by ten. There was one single bed for both of us and, believe it or not, we shared a bathroom with the man next door.
We also shared a giant white refrigerator, at first a real ICE box, with everyone on the second floor. Everyone! One pay telephone was available on the first floor – 5 cents per call.
Let me bounce this idea off of you.
I remember, as a child, observing that the men living there, and there were nothing but other older, single, lonely men, would remove their cigarets just long enough to drink more beer. And in between these rhythms, they would utter a few syllables, usually in greeting, agreeing, disagreeing or departing. And they always had a big warm smile.
These were remarkable men. There was absolutely nothing they would not do for me or my Mother or for each other. My first lessons in compassion came from these hard working, lonely guys who drank alcohol in excess to alleviate the misery of a meager existence.
Our annual Chess tournament is underway.
I remember listening on the radio to many exciting adventures about Roy Rogers and Gene Autry. And since this medium engaged the fertile soil of imagination, I was truly entertained. No, we did not yet own a television. I do not know where we would have put it. My Mother warmed up food on a small, single hot plate, since there was not even room for a stove. But we had room for a small radio and a small cage for my wonderful friend, a parakeet named Pee Wee.
I also had one, and only one, toy – a plastic train made of small cubes with little animals inside. I keep it in my office to show our students what little it takes to be truly happy. And was I happy? Oh my God! These were the best days of my life. I was so joyful that I cannot remember ever having a sad moment. I felt like I was in Heaven on earth. And, I was.
Did Dr. A really buy a Flag larger than the school?
My young life taught me many important lessons. And one of them was this: what you do not have is far more important than what you do have. And the Blessings in life do not come from things – not from any thing. Things can come to possess you. Blessings do come from the hugs and laughter and warm smiles and precious time spent sharing and caring. I found out that Heaven is within you, and can from time to time, fit neatly within the space between you and someone you love.
I remember visiting a man named Joe each day. I would go to his corner room and always find the door open. Inside was a man who had little to share, but he always gave me an Almond Joy bar and a very warm greeting. I cannot purchase one of these today because I would start to cry. You see, it does not take much to convey your love to someone else. And those precious moments of sharing and caring stay with you forever. Love never dies.
Well, back to my story. I spotted a really beautiful Collie dog on the playground at school. It had no collar, so I supplied one made of twine. And yep! I took her home.
Kylee jumped head over heals with joy at Flight Deck.
She was larger than I was. But she quickly became the Love of my life. And you can just imagine the expression on the face of my Mother. There was, of course, no place to put her. So I solved that problem. I tied her to a telephone pole just outside of our room so I could keep an eye on her. Ever few minutes I would run downstairs to love on her and give her snacks. She was full of Almond Joys. I think Joe thought that I ate all of those.
Three days later a smartly dressed cowboy showed up to claim his prize cow dog. He had been looking for him since he disappeared. After he explained his ownership and his need and love for my new friend, my Mother, pictured through my tears, gave him back to this man. But in parting, he said something profound. He pointed to me and softly told my Mother, “The boy needs a dog. And a yard to keep it in”.
Fun and games!
I remember moving shortly after that, to a real house I have treasured in my memory. In the yard my Mother kept twenty three Geese (they were the greatest watch dogs ever. Trust me, when someone arrived you knew about it during the process of losing some of your hearing! And no one opened the gate or they would have died from Goose bite. No one. Even the postman made an appointment.)
Alden had fun squared. Or, was it cubed?
It was in this house that we got our very first television set – a black and white Curtis Mathis. And we received ONE channel (9) from Abilene. And was I happy? Well, just ask Superman or the Lone Ranger. I never missed a show. Today I can get hundreds of channels and I am no longer happy. Most of my time is spent selecting something to watch or watch again for the thirty third time. What you do not have is truly more important than what you do have. The Buddhists (and Alex) were right – Less is More.
My friends, if your child needs to change a behavior, or two, please do not force feed some dangerous chemical substance you know nothing about, like good old carcinogenic Ritalin, down his throat. There is no real need for harsh discipline either. You do not need to raise your voice and get angry. Then you will need pills for high blood pressure, depression, constipation, etc., etc., etc., ad nauseam.
Diana enjoyed a break.
Just smile! Relax. And hand him a puppy. And then leave. Quietly leave and keep your dignity intact. You will leave a legacy of a tail wagging and Love everlasting.
No. You will not really need to say a thing. The puppy will speak volumes for you and convey a depth of warmth and compassion that you could never say. The new puppy will direct your child’s emotions like a maestro conducting an orchestra, only better. And all of the songs will be Love songs.
Yes. To a child the word Love begins with the letter P and ends with its tail wagging. So fess up, stop fussing and enjoy the laughter, the endless play and the joyful barking.
The end of my story about the beautiful Collie dog was, actually, the beginning of one of the greatest chapters in my life. Giving up my new found friend resulted in finding a new home, with a large yard, and being given a truly great Love of my life – a new puppy I named Ginger.
Sia was on top of the world.
I was told that she was a Chinese Terrier, but I could never find any record that such a breed existed.
My Mother never really spanked me that much. But, I was a little (maybe a BIG) rascal and deserved far, far more than I got. But all that suddenly changed one day.
I built a Tree House, with the help of my friends, in the back yard. It was a platform with steps (boards) hammered into the trunk. Well, one day I deserved a spanking. And, you guessed it, I scampered up the tree and into the tree house. My Mother could not get to me! At last I found the secret to avoiding justice. And as I stared down from on high, I discovered that “Judge” Mom had alternative methods to deal with an unruly boy.
She looked down on the ground and spotted my dog, Ginger, picked her up and spanked her. And my heart was broken. I remember actually feeling each stroke. Now, don’t get me wrong, my Mother spanked Ginger lightly and only a couple of swats. And then she said, “If you cannot be man enough to take your spanking, I will spank your dog.”
A good time was had by all.
Oh my God! This could not be. My poor little dog, Ginger, having to take my punishment. What a horrible miscarriage of justice. Where was the Supreme Court when you needed them?
So guess what I did? Such injustice simply could not prevail, so I trained Ginger to get into a bucket, tied to a rope, and stay in the bucket while I hauled her up into the tree house to be with me. Ginger was very smart and in many ways, smarter than me (although she did get a spanking).
During training, I gently set her in the bucket and then scampered up the tree and pulled her up. Well, guess what happened? I needed another predictable spanking! But I was prepared. Justice denied was justice delayed.
I well remember the screen door slamming behind me as my Mother raced to catch me. God only knows what horrible deed was done. But I do remember deserving a good spanking. After all, I was American, spoiled and an only child (what a combination!).
And the race was on. . . . .
Up the tree I scampered. And when I had ascended to the height of my ego and my imagination, I called down below . . . . “Ginger! Ginger! Get in the bucket! Get in the bucket!” And she did.
Angry Al is introduced by Gavin and Wyatt’s dad, Nick. (We enrolled him in anger management class)
At the very moment she obeyed, the screen door slammed behind my Mother as she approached me with menacing eyes and a determined look. And that is when a miracle happened. Yes, such moments as this made me believe in God. My Mother witnessed my little dog, Ginger, being hoisted up to the tree house, where I posed with pride and glee. Ginger actually stayed in the basket until I pulled her all the way up and then she flew into my arms. I was overjoyed. I felt better than the boys who escaped from Alcatraz.
I peered down over the side of my tree house, to enjoy the full effect of my victory on the face of the Angel of Injustice. And what I saw stunned and astonished me. My Mother was laughing so hard that she fell on the ground. I think she laughed for several minutes. Later, she would exclaim, I was now too old to spank and she could never catch me anyway.
We embraced when I came down and she apologized for spanking
Jack said he fell in love with two hot chicks. And here they are!
Ginger. And I vowed, a west Texas vow, never to misbehave again.
And Ginger, she became a Folk Hero. Not only for this act, but my Mother came to love her as no other. You see, when a large (I mean, really BIG) rattle snake cornered my Mother, by surprise, in the Kitchen after it snuck in when the door was propped open, it was little Ginger that placed herself between the snake and Mom and me. Ginger barked and growled and kept her little body between the snake and us, as it kept recoiling and striking but missing my little dog. Believe it or not, my Mother swept the snake out the door with a broom. Ah, these west Texas women! You never want to get them really mad!
Yes, Ginger became a life saving heroine and was literally worshiped by both of us. She ate with us, slept on the bed with us, traveled everywhere with us and loved us until the day she disappeared. As I recall, it was the day Richard Nixon was given the oath of office as President (perhaps an omen). And I looked for my Rosie, non-stop, for three full days.
We had moved to Abilene so that I could attend Hardin-Simmons University (my Mother was an H.S.U. graduate). So the territory was unfamiliar to Ginger or me. I feel like she went “mooching” because almost every neighbor we had in our previous neighborhood fed her. She made the rounds every morning. The whole neighborhood loved Ginger. Our love expressed itself, after so many years, in the shape of a very large, rotund, small dog. Sometimes, Love reveals itself that way.
Love can also be found in a bucket on its way to Heaven above, surrounded by uncontrollable laughter, tears of joy, treasured memories and a Mother’s great sense of humor and deep and abiding love.
You know, we never had much. And I could not have asked for more.
“While the word is yet unspoken,
you are master of it;
when once it is spoken
it is master of you.”
~ Arab Proverb
Vaccine Debate Misses Target
My friends, the debate over vaccines has totally missed the target. Yes, we need to (virtually) all be vaccinated. And yes, deaths and horrible disabilities have resulted from being vaccinated. But let’s take a close look at EXACTLY what our targets should be.
One thing you can do is space vaccines out to prevent problems. Many physicians recommend spacing ALL vaccinations (for individual diseases) out at least two months apart to give our very fragile and very biological organs and the neurological systems time to absorb the impact of these chemicals.
Multi-dose formulations are highly suspect in damaging our delicate neurological systems / brain. Rather than getting in a convenience mode (you know, the good Doctor want to spend less time and just get it over), take the time to research this important topic and then take the time necessary to reduce the very real and serious risk to your child’s health, happiness and future. Space vaccines out.
Please take a look at The Vaccine Book by Dr. Robert W. Sears prior to giving big round of vaccinations to your child.
Dr. Sears never says that vaccinations are dangerous. He is cautious about the effects of giving small children aggressive dosages of medicine. He recommends spacing out the vaccinations instead of giving them all at once. If your Doctor seems unwilling to do so, find another physician!
The most contentious ingredient in vaccinations is aluminum. The FDA requires the aluminum content of IV feeding solutions be limited to 25 micrograms per liter. That is a small amount. Especially when you consider that the HIB vaccine alone has 225 micrograms of aluminum. Further FDA studies show that a 22-pound baby can safely handle 50 micrograms if they have healthy kidneys.
The typical baby would not be getting 25 or even 225 micrograms of aluminum per day but if he got the full cocktail of vaccines today, he would have received approximately 1,225 micrograms of aluminum. That is a lot for a baby or you! By the way, these vaccines also contain trace amounts of mercury, formaldehyde, and MSG.
There is a book about it called “What Your Doctor May Not Tell You About Children’s Vaccinations”, by Stephanie Cave, M.D., F.A.A.F.P and Deborah Mitchell.
Please recognize that you and I are alive today because of the miraculous discovery that we can be vaccinated against horrible diseases. Numerous plagues and other scourges have ravaged mankind for thousands of years. All of you know individuals who have died or suffered from such diseases as Polio, Small Pox and many others.
The debate that rages should not place one extreme point of view against the other. Both are actually correct to a degree. Now, let’s look at what we should be focused upon.
Some vaccine manufacturers are producing 2009 H1N1 influenza vaccines and others in single-dose units, which do not require the use of thimerosal as a preservative. In addition, the live-attenuated version of the vaccine, which is administered intranasally (through the nose), is produced in single-units and does not contain thimerosal.
People have a right to expect the vaccines they receive are safe and effective. CDC and FDA also hold vaccines to the highest standards of safety. That is why they continually evaluate new scientific information about the safety of vaccines. Since 2001, no new vaccine licensed by FDA for use in children has contained thimerosal as a preservative (Why?), and all vaccines routinely recommended by CDC for children under six years of age have been thimerosal-free, or contain only trace amounts, except for multi-dose formulations of influenza vaccine.
Since seasonal influenza vaccine is produced in large quantities for annual immunization campaigns, some of the vaccine is produced in multi-dose vials, and contains thimerosal.
Many families have alleged that vaccines have caused their children to become autistic. I personally know of one (the son of my wonderful cousin, Jim). Since 1999, almost 5000 families have filed claims with the government alleging their children developed autism as a result of routine vaccinations.
The most popular theory is that this preservative called thimerosal is to blame. Several scientific studies have found no association between autism and vaccines containing thimerosal. But parents respond that their children’s symptoms did not show up until after the vaccinations required by many schools. If these families win, the families will be entitled to compensation from a multi billion-dollar trust fund. read more here
I think something is wrong in giving these vaccinations all at once. What brilliant scientist decided to employ a toxic substance such as mercury to use in millions of doses of required vaccines for our fragile children.
Thimerosal was taken out of childhood vaccines in 2001. Why?
More than 500,000 children suffer from autism, and pediatricians diagnose more than 40,000 new cases every year. The disease was unknown until 1943, when autism was identified and diagnosed among 11 children born in the months after thimerosal was first added to baby vaccines in 1931.
Do all flu vaccines contain thimerosal?
Influenza (flu) vaccines are currently available in both thimerosal-containing and thimerosal-free versions. The total amount of flu vaccine without thimerosal as a preservative at times has been limited, but availability will increase as vaccine manufacturing capabilities are expanded. Take the time to locate thimerosal-free vaccine.
By the way, a clinical trial led by Mitsuyoshi Urashima and conducted by the Division of Molecular Epidemiology in the the Department of Pediatrics at the Jikei University School of Medicine Minato-ku in Tokyo found that vitamin D was extremely effective at halting influenza infections in children. The trial appears in the March, 2010 issue of the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition (Am J Clin Nutr (March 10, 2010). Learn more
Vitamin D could save billions of dollars in reduced health care costs. But no one can patent vitamin D, so it’s not being aggressively promoted. It is readily available to everyone for mere pennies a day. It is also FREE. Sunshine will synthesis vitamin D, so go for a walk! Your body is designed to get the vitamin D it needs by producing it when your bare skin is exposed to sunlight. The part of the sun’s rays that is important is ultraviolet B (UVB).
Vitamin D also significantly reduced asthma in children.
Another fascinating result from the trial is that if you remove those children from the study who were already being given vitamin D by their parents, so that you are only looking at children who started out with no vitamin D supplementation before the trial began, the results look even better as vitamin D reduced relative infection risk by nearly two-thirds.
How can I find out if thimerosal is in a vaccine?
For a complete list of vaccines and their thimerosal content level, you may visit the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Additionally, you may ask your health care provider or pharmacist for a copy of the vaccine package insert. It lists ingredients in the vaccine and discusses any known adverse reactions.
Allow me to tell you of one of my Heroes: author Mike Adams (aka the “Health Ranger“) is the founding editor of NaturalNews.com, the internet’s No. 1 natural health news website, reaching 7 million readers a month.
In 2013, Adams launched the Natural News Forensic Food Lab, where he conducts atomic spectroscopy research into food contaminants using high-end ICP-MS instrumentation. With this research, Adams has made numerous food safety breakthroughs such as revealing rice protein products imported from Asia to be contaminated with toxic heavy metals like lead, cadmium and tungsten. Adams was the first food science researcher to document high levels of tungsten in superfoods. He also discovered over 11 ppm lead in imported mangosteen powder, and led an industry-wide voluntary agreement to limit heavy metals in rice protein products to low levels by July 1, 2015.
In addition to his lab work, Adams is also the executive director of the non-profit Consumer Wellness Center, an organization that redirects 100% of its donations receipts to grant programs that teach children and women how to grow their own food or vastly improve their nutrition. Click here to see some of the success stories.
“All I have seen
teaches me to trust the Creator
for all I have not see.
– Ralph Waldo Emerson
FRIDAY TRIP INFORMATION
For Friday Feb. 13, 2015
By popular demand we will visit Main Event, 4801 City Lake Blvd. East (817-292-5555) at 10:45 a.m.
Pick-up will be at 2:30 p.m.
At 10:45 a.m. we will spend a few minutes getting our bowling shoes and socks on and getting ready for one hour of bowling (starting at 11:00 a.m.)
Our youth group special also includes lunch (2 slices of pizza and a medium soft drink), 1 hour of bowling, one game of Laser Tag & $10.00 video game card & tax. Please pay $17.00 to Dr. A.
Uniform pants with a belt & red monogrammed school shirts and polished shoes are required. PARENTS/GUARDIANS are always invited to participate on our study/fun trips. Students without shirts
tucked in, polished shoes, and belts on will not be allowed to participate.
Students are NOT to leave the MAIN EVENT at any time for any reason, including the need to secure a ride, without the knowledge and approval of Dr. or Mrs. Anderson. Students are required to let Dr. Anderson know when your ride has arrived and with whom you are leaving. Please ask your child if this has been done. ALL STUDENTS & PARENTS/GUARDIANS/FRIENDS/GUESTS are always invited to participate on our trips.
Pick-up will be at the Main Event at 2:30 p.m. If you arrive late, we will have departed with your child(ren) and will return to school. Please Do NOT drop your child(ren) off early or without Dr. and Mrs. Anderson present. Please let us know if you will be late. If you have questions, call 817-448-8484.
IMPORTANT DATES:
Feb. 1 Tuition Deposits were Due for 2015-16
Feb. 16 (Monday) President’s Day Holiday
Mar. 9-13 Spring Break Holidays
April 3 & 6 (Fri. & Mon.) Easter Holidays
April 28 Scarborough Renaissance Festival (Drama Competition is “Twelfth Night”)
May 4 & 5 (Mon. & Tues.) Anderson School Theatrical Production “Twelfth Night by William Shakespeare” at Stage West Theater
View trip details on William’s Weblog at andersonschool.net for trip details (posted each Wed. at 6:00 p.m.).
“Nothing is more dishonorable
than an old man,
heavy with years,
who has no other evidence
of having lived long
except his age.”
– Seneca
William's Weblog - Anderson Private School for the Gifted, Talented and Creative 