I live in a city of 230,000 people, located in the top-central part of northwestern North Carolina: Winston-Salem was incorporated in 1913, after the two communities of Winston and Salem agreed to combine. If you travel by auto, Winston-Salem will be this far away:
From the Queen City of Charlotte, about 1 hour going north.
From the Virginia state line, 45 minutes driving south.
From the Blue Ridge Mountains and Asheville, approximately 2-1/2 hours to the east.
From the Atlantic Ocean and Outer Banks, anywhere from 3-1/2 to 4 hours west of the sea.
If you board a plane from two major cities in the same region, Atlanta (Georgia) and Washington, D.C., they are both 45 minutes from Winston-Salem!
North Carolina is the 9th-largest state and 10th-fastest growing in the U.S. THE TAR HEEL STATE is an interesting mix of coastal plain, foothills, and mountain views. The Outer Banks has The Cape Hatteras Lighthouse, the country's tallest, and Mount Mitchell is the tallest mountain east of the Mississippii River (the U.S. East Coast)! And of course, the Wright Brothers from Ohio successfully made the first heavier-than-air plane flight from the shores of North Carolina back in 1903!
Winston-Salem is one of the three major cities in THE TRIAD REGION of North Carolina (Greensboro, Winston-Salem and High Point):
GREENSBORO (275,000) by car is 25 minutes going east.
HIGH POINT (105,000) is 20 minutes driving southeast.
ALWAYS REMEMBER: Winston-Salem, Greensboro, and High Point are located in THE TRIAD REGION. Raleigh (the state capital), Durham, and Chapel Hill are located in THE TRIANGLE REGION. Two sets of threes, but each set has a very distinctive personality! Welcome to my world...Peace, Blessings, Joy, and Shalom to you!!!
This weekend, I have decided - for the third time in my life - to grow a beard. It seems like the manly thing to do. After visiting the personal pages of Earl Allen, The Oil Derrick, I am convinced that if I am in the process of grooming myself in the direction of walking the Walk (as well as talking the Talk), then I will need to become more consistent in following Scripture, which as I see it, has not been "done away with," as some would have us believe. Yes, there are some passages (mainly in the Old Testament) that no longer apply to this day and age because of the Death and Resurrection of our Messiah Immanuel, Son of the Most High. I am not here to create fire-laced discussions that tend to end up with people on both sides feeling hurt and full of bad blood, which does little to enhance friendships (I would like my pages to greet y'all with a spirit of wholesomeness and invitation, while at the same time you're feeling encouraged to leave some feedback)! Although I may not always sound like it, I firmly and truly believe that everything in the Holy Scriptures is nothing but the supernatural and everlasting Truth: But I also believe in allowing you the right to present your views, no matter how much I may or may not agree! If I have a valid reason to confront anyone concerning that person's views on a particular moral or spiritual matter that I definitely know is wrong or goes against what Scripture says, then I will attempt to communicate with the person in private first, because every person deserves to be treated with the utmost dignity, regardless of who you are or where you come from. Respect, they say, is a two-way street: In order to receive it, we have to first be willing to give it! Hallelujah, Amen!
Now getting back to my goatee-becoming-beard: Yes, there are some people (and corporations) who hate facial hair, especially beards! But our Creator has embedded within the human male facial hair, which helps us tell the difference between men and women. OK, so there are women who seem to have lots of hair in places on their bodies normally reserved for men...that's another story for another place and time, yes? And before I get jumped on over what I'm about to express, please know that this is my opinion, and no one else's! Drum roll, please!Men should grow beards, it's an honorable thing to do! Some people will locate Scripture to help defend their views that our Creator also sports a hairy face, hence the Creation of the first man with facial hair! I can't help but wonder if Michelangelo had done lots of studying before painting those immortal images of our Eternal Master on the Sistine Chapel ceiling! Funny thing, though, if men were created in His Image, then why didn't Big M paint Adam sporting a beard as well? I'll bet you a Mexican peso and two Canadian quarters that Adam did indeed sport a beard in the Garden on his first day of existence! You can read more about the beard in Leviticus 19, Verse 27. And be sure to visit the Oil Derrick at:
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This comes to us from the Greensboro, N.C., News and Record Online. This news story about a 39-year-old truck driver who stole meat from his company is really sad but slightly humorous, and might be an indicator of how bad things are becoming for a lot of people in the U.S. This story exposes a taste of greed and poor thinking on the part of both men participating in these crimes! Of course, criminals come from all ethnic, educational, social, and family backgrounds -- these men got caught, but there might very well be other truck drivers around the country doing similar crimes who have never been caught! I believe that overall, the majority of truckers are honest, hard-working, and law-abiding people.... Will the former driver pictured in this story spend his time behind bars munching on pig's feet and pork chops??? That's a $21-thousand question!
The online newspaper here in Winston-Salem reprinted a story about this man who is currently working in one of the psychiatric hospitals located in one of the lower Hudson River Valley communities just outside New York City. The original source of the story comes from The Journal News, a suburban New York City newspaper.
What's so amusing about this story: 1.The man is not homeless, and he spent 3 years living in a storage shed on his employer's property! 2. His yearly income is around $100 thousand!3. He has to pay his employer for the time he spent in the shed, and it's not a bad deal, either!
Do you think that this will encourage others to find their homes in storage buildings?
Throughout this month, I will be presenting special features, to add a bit of variety to my pages. This feature is no exception, with mostly instrumental and oldies but goodies. What makes this feature interesting is that many of the singers and performers were either born in North Carolina, or have lived in the state for quite a number of years! (The "5" Royales hailed from Winston-Salem.) Whether these performers happened to be natives or transplants, these musicians and their tunes are now marked forever in the pages of history!
Unfiltered news, commentary, and interviews without the hype! You won't find this on your mainstream corporate channels. Find out what you've been missing, and experience the difference!
My red eye problemhas improved this week, but I'm not out of the woods yet! I expect a full recovery by the end of the week!!! Stay tuned for an update...soon!
Another view of much of the Downtown. Winston-Salem skyline. MISSING FROM THIS VIEW: The Wachovia bank tower, which had been the corporate headquarters for what is now a Charlotte, NC, based bank, the result of a merger between First Union (Charlotte) and Wachovia (Winston-Salem)_some years ago.
For the last 10 days, I have been dealing with “red eye,” and have no idea how I got it! I definitely will not be doing much reading or writing online while I am dealing with this problem: It was an interesting experience for me to get this short notice out to you! Your patience has been greatly appreciated, and as soon as the problem is cleared up, I will once again join you as an active part of your cyberworld!!! Have a great Sabbath Weekend...May His Peace, Love and Mercy always be yours!!!
For the last few weeks, I had some computer problems (bad hard drive), but that has been taken care of, and I look forward to being with you on a more regular basis from today. My apologies to my friend Tracy, who just celebrated her birthday on the 1st:HAPPYBIRTHDAY,TRACY!!!May Everyone Have A Most Blessed and Spirit-Filled Time!
Another view of the Twin City, looking up 4th Street towards the center of town. Through the rest of this year, I will feature a variety of background scenes from around the city and my region! Do you see that Empire State-looking skyscraper on the right? That building (the R.J. Reynolds Building) was the inspiration for the real Empire State Building in New York City! At night, the top of the building can be illuminated in all kinds of colors! Now look for the smokestack to the right of the Reynolds Building: This is a former tobacco-processing plant, just recently converted to high-scale condominiums. The ground floor has a parking garage for tenants. Construction is over half completed on another high-scale condo project a few blocks west, where prices will hit the $1-million range!!! As the Southern U.S. changes, so does the Camel City! I pray and hope that the rest of us won't be left behind!
From 2002: On the platform at one of the stations along the Washington, D.C., Metro line. A late-evening shot, taken as the train was pulling out. The Metro trains are fast and comfortable, and a popular way for tourists to get around town. I always enjoy the ride whenever I visit the Capitol City.... The last time I rode was 3-1/2 months ago, but I had to endure some rainy weather. That did not stand in the way of a pleasant trip....
During the last few days, I have been enjoying a productive offline conversation with one of my online friends concerning Chapter 6 in the Book of Deuteronomy (D'barim), Verses 4 through 9, also known as the "Sh'ma." This is a famous passage throughout most of the world, especially among the Jewish people.
Does the Sh'ma apply to everyone, or just a select few? One way to find out if the Sh'ma can be applied to other nations and groups: Try substituting the word, "Israel..." with the title of your country or place. The Holy Scriptures (our living publication) werenot written only for the Jewish people, they are a guide for everyone who believes and trusts in the Almighty, Master YHWH the God of Israel and the entire world! Let's take a look at how I applied Chapter 6 in Deuteronomy, Verse 4 to my country and state:
"HEAR O UNITED STATES, YHWH the Lord our God is One, the Lord our God is one!" "HEAR O NORTH CAROLINA, YHWH the Lord our God is One, the Lord our God is one!" "HEAR O ISRAEL, YHWH the Lord our God is One, the Lord our God is one!"
I believe that many Christians may not understand that our Master YHWH God was not merely addressing the Jewish people from Mount Sinai over four thousand years ago, He was sending out His Commandments to everyone forever! If the Ten Commandments are an important cornerstone of the Christian faith, then the universal Sh'ma is an important commandment for all people to follow, whether we are talking about Jews, Gentiles, or Christians. When the Master gave out His commandments from Moses to the Jewish people, He was not addressing Israel exclusively!
THE SH'MA: Deuteronomy 6:4-9
"Hear, O Israel: "YHWH the Lord our God, "YHWH the Lord is One! "You shall love YHWH the Lord your God "with all your heart, with all your soul, "and with all your might. "And these words which I command you "today shall be in your heart. "You shall teach them diligently "to your children, and shall talk of them "when you sit in your house, "when you walk by the way, "when you lie down, and when you rise up. "You shall bind them as a sign on your hand, "and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes. "You shall write them on the doorposts "of your house and on your gates.
Our Master YHWH God Almighty issued these moral Commandments as an Eternal and binding contract upon all generations, which means they are still in force today!!! If a person commits an act in violation of what the Ten Commandments say must not be done, that person will be judged by the same standards on the final Judgement Day! By the same token, the Jewish people may have been the first to receive the Sh'ma, but it is an eternal commandment addressed to the entire world! Please take a few moments of your time to read the Sh'ma (Deuteronomy 6:4-9), and ask yourself how this commandment can be applied to your daily life. How can all of us secure the Sh'ma upon our doorposts, and teach His Commandments with diligent hearts and faithfulness? And May It Be So!!!
Footnote: In Deuteronomy 6:6: "And these words which I am commanding you today...," some versions of Holy Scripture use "commandments" in place of "words."
This weekend, I would like to take a short moment to share how I feel about an increasing trend among bloggers and webmasters: Web pages with auto-start music, video, and anything else!
I no longer program my music boxes or audiovisual applets to start by themselves, because I myself am already listening to my favorite music while surfing the web or editing my own pages. Sometimes, when I visit other people's pages, songs and videos seem to pop out of nowhere, thereby interfering with my own music and ruining the experience at that moment. There was a time when visitors to a website had to click on an applet to activate it, now it seems that so many people have opted to have everything on their pages start automatically, which sometimes may force me to scroll nearly all the way to the bottom of the page to find the applet and turn it off!!!
And while I'm at it, I would like to say something about those auto-start web pages with 6 or 7 video players on each page, which cause my browser to crash! Not everyone has unlimited memory and ample power to handle such large resources! Maybe in the not-too-distant future, I may finally have the opportunity to own a killer computer that can handle those killer apps, but for today, I will have to settle for a bit less....
Everything else aside, my computer is running well on the Internet. But like the transmission in a car, everything automatic is not the ultimate word on what kind of vehicle Mister Who gets to drive. Some people love to shift gears, some let the auto do the shifting, and a few would rather do both. If the vehicle is not suited for the driver, then we will have to endure one crazy ride! Mismatch the driver, and the vehicle may never touch the road!
I'm looking at our Internet experience in similar style: the web page is the roadway, and the user is the driver. Each user will have a particular kind of computer, operating system, browser, and maximum amount of memory -- I believe that anyone who has created web pages should be aware of all these differences. I say: Leave out the auto-start features, and let the users decide for themselves if they want to hear and see what's on the page. If they like what they discover, they will definitely return for more! And may it always be so!!!
For many believers in our Messiah, Pentecost is already gone: The Christian church, as a whole, counts 50 days from Easter, instead of counting from Passover. As you may already know, the traditional Pentecost began at sundown on Sunday, the 8th of June, and ends at sundown on Tuesday the 10th. Pentecost also happened on the very same days when the Prophet Moses (Mosheh) descended from Mount Sinai with the tablets of Commandments, which now stand as an important cornerstone of the Christian faith. This blog is simply a reminder to help you find the Day of Pentecost in the Scriptures, since it is indeed an earth-shattering day in the history of the world! Let's go to the Book of Acts, Chapter 2, Verse 2 (New King James):
VERSE 2:"And suddenly there came a sound from heaven, as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting."
VERSE 3:"Then there appeared to them divided tongues, as of fire, and one sat upon each of them."
VERSE 4:"And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance."
Please read the rest of Acts 2, and feel the Presence of His Holy Spirit rushing into your soul with His Endless Joy, Peace, Blessings, and Guaranteed Hope!!! Hallelujah and Shalom!
All three days of Shavuot are Holy Days: During this time, we are to refrain from working, as much as we possibly can! Go ahead, host a cookout and enjoy the day!
Holiday times are from sundown to sundown, in 24-hour increments. Times listed are approximate for North Carolina. Shalom and Peace!
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Fifty days after the second day of Passover is the Scriptural Pentecost, the day when the Holy Spirit came to dwell inside the 120 set-on-fire-for-Yahweh believers, who spoke in tongues and drew more than a community's attention among the people who witnessed this event from outside the building where this supernatural happening occurred. This is also the same day when the Prophet Moses came down from Mount Sinai to present to his people all of the commandments written in stone through the power of the Master's hand! A 3-day holiday, the ideal time for us to read and study our Father's Holy Word.... For those of us who observe the Shavuot period, all 3 days are Holy Days, which means that we should not work during this time. Cooking and having cookouts are permitted, however. Sunset times for North Carolina are approximate, please consult your local guides for correct times. Calendar can also be found at: http://www.chabad.org/library/article_cdo/aid/2144/jewish/Shavuot-Calendar-2008.htm
Thank you for your wishes for Gabriel Dwayne's 3rd month in this world ! Please keep his father (my son) in your prayers. He harbors so much hate in his heart that I fear for his future and that of his new family.
Jane...and Africa! Thanks for stopping by, and saying hello! My weekend and Sabbath were Spirit-Filled and full of Peace! Have a Wonderful Week, y'all hear?
This weekend, I have decided - for the third time in my life - to grow a beard. It seems like the manly thing to do. After visiting the personal pages of Earl Allen, The Oil Derrick, I am convinced that if I am in the process of grooming myself in the direction of walking the Walk (as well as talking the Talk), then I will need to become more consistent in following Scripture, which as I see it, has not been "done away with," as some would have us believe. Yes, there are some passages (mainly in the Old Testament) that no longer apply to this day and age because of the Death and Resurrection of our Messiah Immanuel, Son of the Most High. 
During the last few days, I have been enjoying a productive offline conversation with one of my online friends concerning Chapter 6 in the Book of Deuteronomy 
"HEAR O 
This weekend, I would like to take a short moment to share how I feel about an increasing trend among bloggers and webmasters: Web pages with auto-start music, video, and anything else!
