WITHOUT A SONG

The following poem was written by my good friend, Dr. Dan Armstrong.

They will bury Alvin today
Sixty-three and not a gray hair
He owned a first-class guitar
It had been in and out of hock
He wrote songs, all unpublished
His voice was deep but rattled here and there
He cut hair, painted houses and barns
His first love was to write songs and sing
Maybe it was his second love
His vision of musical success was blurred
Alcohol was his greatest love affair
He lived in and out of the city tank
He knew the real world
Slept in parks and inside cardboard boxes
He always spoke of going straight
Of publishing songs and being famous
But he never got around to it
Today he was published for the first time
The obituary column had the barest of details
They will bury Alvin today . . . without a song.

Dan C. Armstrong, D. Min.
1737 Nottingham Road
Gate City, VA 24251

In Memoriam...

"Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends." (John 15:13)

More Regina Brett-- Age 90

34. God loves you because of who God is, not because of what you did or didn't do.

35. Don't audit life. Show up and make the most of it now.

36. Growing old beats the alternative -- dying young.

37. Your children get only one childhood.

38. All that truly matters in the end is that you loved.

39. Get outside every day. Miracles are waiting everywhere.

40. If we all threw our problems in a pile and saw everyone else's, we'd grab ours back.

41. Envy is a waste of time. You already have all you need.

42. The best is yet to come.

43. No matter how you feel, get up, suit up and show up.

44. Life isn't tied with a bow, but it's still a gift.

I'm learning...

I'm learning...

that it's hard to determine where to draw the line
between being nice and not hurting someone's feelings
and standing up for what I truly believe.

I'm learning...

a person can have many failures, but you aren't a failure until you start blaming someone else.

I'm learning...

that no matter how bad my heart gets broken,
the world doesn't stop for my grief.

I'm learning...

that it isn't enough to be forgiven by others,
the trick is to learn to forgive myself.

Mark Twain Quotes

Humor is the great thing, the saving thing. The minute it crops up, all our irritations and resentments slip away and a sunny spirit takes their place.

I am opposed to millionaires, but it would be dangerous to offer me the position.

I didn't attend the funeral, but I sent a nice letter saying that I approved of it.

I have a higher and grander standard of principle than George Washington. He could not lie; I can, but I won't.

I have been through some terrible things in my life, some of which actually happened.

I have never let my schooling interfere with my education.

I thoroughly disapprove of duels. If a man should challenge me, I would take him kindly and forgivingly by the hand and lead him to a quiet place and kill him.

Grin and Bare It

Bubba climbs to the top of Mt. Sinai to get close enough to talk to
God. He asks, "God, what does a million years mean to you?"

The Lord replies, "A minute."

Bubba asks, "And what does a million dollars mean to you?"

The Lord replies, "A penny."

Bubba asks, "Can I have a penny?"

The Lord replies, "In a minute."

I'm Learning...

I'm learning...
that even when I think I have no more to give, when a friend cries out to me, I will find the strength to help.

I'm learning...
that the people I care about most in life will be taken from me much too soon.

I'm learning...
that true friendship continues to grow, even over the longest distance.

I'm learning...
that just because someone doesn't love me the way I want them to doesn't mean they don't love me with all they have.

I'm learning...
that sometimes the people I expect to kick me when I'm down will be the ones that help me get back up.

Regina's Still On a Roll

21. Burn the candles, use the nice sheets, wear the fancy lingerie. Don't save it for a special occasion. Today is special.

22. Over prepare, then go with the flow.

23. Be eccentric now. Don't wait for old age to wear purple.

24. The most important sex organ is the brain.

25. No one is in charge of your happiness but you.

26. Frame every so-called disaster with these wordsIn five years, will this matter?

27. Always choose life.

28. Forgive everyone everything.

29. What other people think of you is none of your business.

30. Time heals almost everything. Give time time.

More Regina Brett-- Age 90

11. Make peace with your past so it won't screw up the present.

12. It's OK to let your children see you cry.

13. Don't compare your life to others.You have no idea what their journey is all about.

14. If a relationship has to be a secret,you shouldn't be in it.

15. Everything can change in the blink of an eye. But don't worry; God never blinks.

16. Take a deep breath. It calms the mind.

17. Get rid of anything that isn't useful,beautiful or joyful.

18. Whatever doesn't kill you really does make you stronger.

19.. It's never too late to have a happy childhood. But the second one is up to you and no one else.

I'm Learning...

I'm learning...
that my history may have influenced who I am but I am responsible for who I become.

I'm learning...
that I don't have to change friends if I understand that friends change.

I'm learning...
that two people can hear the exact same thing and hear something toally different.

I'm learning...
that credentials on the wall do not make me a decent human being.

I'm learning...
that no matter how I try to protect my children,
they will eventually get hurt and I will hurt in the process.

Written by Regina Brett-- age 90

1. Life isn't fair, but it's still good.

2. When in doubt, just take the next small step.

3. Life is too short to waste time hating anyone.

4. Your job won't take care of you when you are sick. Your friends and parents will. Stay in touch.

5. Pay off your credit cards every month.

6. You don't have to win every argument. Agree to disagree.

7. Cry with someone. It's more healing than crying alone.

8. It's OK to get angry with God. He can take it.

9. Save for retirement-- starting with your first paycheck.

10. When it comes to chocolate, resistance is futile.

More Pondering...

How important does a person have to be before they are considered assassinated instead of just murdered?

How is it that we put a man on the moon before we figured out it would be a good idea to put wheels on luggage?

Why is it that people say they slept like a baby when babies wake up every two hours?

If a deaf person has to go to court, is it still called a hearing?

Why do people pay to go up on tall buildings and then put money in binoculars to look at things on the ground?