The Little Spider who Saved Jesus

This is a story about a little baby spider who saved Jesus' life.

King Herod was very much afraid of the baby Messiah. He had been visited by Wise Men and Kings from foreign lands. All traveled to pay tribute to the newborn baby who is destined to bring a new kingdom to the World. He had become fearful of losing power, especially to a baby, and placed orders for all children two years and younger to be killed. Sometimes even the parents were killed trying to protect their children. Jesus' parents, as well as other who had heard the news, fled to Egypt for safety. They traveled mostly during the night so they would not see them. But the vast Roman army was quickly catching up to guard the borders.

It was much quicker to cross the open plains but very difficult to go over the rugged mountain terrain, especially when you are carrying a newborn baby. Guided by Angels, they started their journey over the mountain tops. From their viewpoint at night time, they could see the campfires of the approaching Romans soldiers and at times they were able to hear their voices. Mary was very fatigued and needed some rest. 

After all, she had just recently given birth and had very little time to recover before fleeing for their safety.

As they traveled over one of the mountain tops, they came across a series of caves. Joseph, lighting a torch, looked into the caves to see which one was better suited to hide in. Mary was already sleeping on the ground when Joseph returned. Jesus as well was calmly sleeping in Mary's arms. Joseph carried them as quickly as he could to the back of one of these caves. Before leaving, Joseph being a carpenter and therefore skilled with his hands, had made a sword. While Mary and Jesus hid, Joseph kept guard just in case the soldiers entered the cave.

They were so far in the cave that they could not see the opening any more. This was Joseph's strategy. For what soldier would want to search a deep, dark cave with the chance of meeting a wild animal in one of them. By nightfall, the Roman army was already at the bottom of the mountain terrain where Joseph and his family were hiding. The solders were preparing their evening meals, sharpening their weapons and sharing war stories. By morning they would surely be searching the caves.

The cave Joseph and his family were hiding in did not have a wild animal in it, but it did have another inhabitant: a little baby spider. This spider was awakened when Joseph carried his family into the cave. He was curious as to why anybody would want to enter a cave. So when Joseph came out of the cave to check on the soldiers, the little spider climbed onto Joseph and journeyed with him to the mountain's edge. There they saw and heard the soldiers.

With tears in his eyes, Joseph quietly prayed to God.

“Father of Abraham, I was guided by a dream to be with Mary; I was guided by you to protect her and the baby. I see only death within reach of me and those I love. I see nothing beyond the next day but those who have already passed away. To quietly leave now, unseen by the Romans and those you blessed me with would be a fate worse than death itself. I may never fully understand but I do know that I would rather die living than to live dead. And I chose to follow my heart and stand ready to do what my mind says otherwise. I am scared but I will protect them with my life. You do not have to worry about me.”

The little spider hearing Joseph's prayer and was deeply moved. He did not know anything about the baby Messiah, but his heart was moved by the love and sacrifice of a father. When Joseph returned to the cave to check on his family, the little spider jumped off of him. The little spider wanted to help but what could a spider do; especially a baby spider? So he thought for a moment, and immediately had an idea.

The spider crawled to the cave's opening and began to make a spider's web, but not any ordinary spider's web. This would be his first spider's web and he wanted it to be the biggest and best of any kind. After all, he wanted to help the family whom he had heard Joseph praying about. And so, during the long cold night, this little baby spider kept weaving his beautiful web. Never once did he take a rest or slow down. Running along strands of web and swinging through the air, this spider was focusing everything he had on completing his first spider's web.

As the sun was coming up over the horizon, the Roman soldiers were preparing their journey up the mountainside. Joseph was deep in the cave never to have gone to sleep. The baby spider was very slow compared to the much older and experienced spiders, but he kept working as fast as he could while the soldiers came closer and closer. As the soldiers approached the opening of the cave where Joseph's family was in, they stopped.   

There before them was a wall of web. A web pattern the like none have never seen before. The morning dew was already covering the web, and as the morning light was hitting the web, an array of incredibly beautiful colors was reflecting off of it. It looked as if a rainbow were covering the cave's entrance. And to add more beauty to it, as the solders moved around they could see the changing colors of the web. A combination of morning dew and light has blinded them. It was as if they were looking upon the door to Heaven.

The army commander, as well as the others, was so impressed with the beauty of the web that they stared at it for what appeared to be for eternity. Not just the colors shining off of it but the patterns within patterns. Soldiers were seeing all sorts of shapes and symbols; artwork like no one has ever created before. No one wished to damage it and excuses were being made to protect it.

The commanding officer reasoned that it would have taken many days to weave such a magnificent web and if anyone had entered the cave would have surely damaged the web. He gave orders to protect the spiders’ web. Joseph being at the back of the cave and hearing every word the soldiers were saying was curious about the spider's web which he surely would have seen when he entered the cave. By evening, when the army had moved onward towards the other mountains terrains, Joseph awoke Mary and they made their way to the caves entrance.

There they saw the same rainbow effect from the evening sunset which the Roman soldiers had seen from the morning sunrise. During the whole day not once did Jesus cry or make trouble in endanger his parents' as well as his own life. Mary awoke Jesus so he could see the beautiful web. He saw the different colors and began laughing with great joy. After the sun had set, Joseph used his sword to cut an opening to continue their journey to Egypt.

Leaving the cave, Jesus began smiling and waving towards an area of the cave. Mary was curiously looking around to see what he was looking at but saw nothing. Jesus was waving directly towards the little spider that had saved him and his family from certain death. Making their way through the terrain and safely entered Egypt, avoiding the armies that King Herod had sent out with orders to kill the King of the Jews, they stayed until it was safe to return home.

The little spider was honored to have saved their life. Taught by a prayer, the little spider learned to help others to best way he could. From the sacrifice of the whole night's rest, the whole world was able to come much closer to understanding this. Creating a thing of beauty that has inspired the world with a love for others to be a part of.

Raking the Leaves

Nothing like raking leaves as the sun is going down. 

Especially if done with a lawn mower while listening to an MP3 player.

Bojangles Seasoning

link here

We go through about 20 pounds of potatoes a week. Largely due to the great seasoning that Bojangles is selling now in their stores and online. Even makes pork, chicken, steak and hamburger taste even better than using salt.

Pretzel Rolos

This is the easiest recipe to make.

Items needed:

1.      Mini pretzels

2.      Rolo candies

3.      Parchment paper

4.      Nuts – pecans, walnuts or other large size nuts

(M&M’s, sugar drop candies or your choice as a topping can be used)

Here’s what you do:

1.      Preheat oven to 300 degrees

2.      Cut parchment paper to fit on cooking tray (pizza tray can also be used)

3.      Spread out the mini pretzels onto tray

4.      Remove the wrapper of each Rolo and place one Rolo on one pretzel

5.      Once done, place tray in the over for 5 minutes

6.      After 5 minutes, remove from oven

The appearance of the Rolos looks unchanged but the they are melted so as to continue to the next step:

1.      Do not remove from the cooking tray just yet

2.      Take what topping you like and place one topping onto a Rolo

3.      Press lightly

4.      Let cool for a while

5.      Moved to a plate and begin eating

Who Was Jesus?

There were 3 good arguments that Jesus was Black:

1. He called everyone brother.

2. He liked Gospel.

3. He didn't get a fair trial.

But then there were 3 equally good arguments that Jesus was Jewish:

1. He went into His Father’s business.

2. He lived at home until he was 33.

3. He was sure his Mother was a virgin and his Mother was sure He was God.

But then there were 3 equally good arguments that Jesus was Italian:

1. He talked with His hands.

2. He had wine with His meals.

3. He used olive oil.

But then there were 3 equally good arguments that Jesus was a Californian:

1. He never cut His hair.

2. He walked around barefoot all the time.

3. He started a new religion.

But then there were 3 equally good arguments that Jesus was an American Indian:

1. He was at peace with nature.

2. He ate a lot of fish.

3. He talked about the Great Spirit.

But then there were 3 equally good arguments that Jesus was Irish:

1. He never got married.

2. He was always telling stories.

3. He loved green pastures.

But then there were 3 equally good arguments that Jesus was a Redneck:

1. He does a lot of fishing.

2. Always in trouble with local officials.

3. Hangs out with crooks, low-life’s and prostitutes.

But the most compelling evidence of all is proof that Jesus was a woman:

1.  He fed a crowd at a moment’s notice when there was virtually no food.

2.  He kept trying to get a message across to a bunch of men who just didn't get it.

3.  And even when He was dead, He had to get up because there was still work to do.

How Was Your Day?

Does anyone what to know how my day went? I was working towards having an easy day servicing the grocery stores as the rest of mankind was at the mall and department stores. And so on this day, Murphy's Law reared its ugly head and made me its whipping boy.

The whole endcap section collapsed. Completely full of 1.5 Pepsi bottles and 18 pack can drinks on the front shelves. The side sections held Cheez-It's and store brand chips. It took eight(8) shopping carts to carry everything to the backroom for me to clean up. Including mopping the sales floor and the trail of soda leading to the backroom. 

Show Me the Money

In a small town a congressman, running for re-election, told a story during his speech…..

“There was a father who gave 100 dollars each to his 3 sons and asked them to go and buy things to completely fill up a room.

The first son bought $100 worth of hay but couldn't fill the room.

The second son bought $100 worth of cotton but he too couldn't fill the room.

The third son bought a candle for 50 cents: lighting it up, he completely filled the room with its light.”

The congressman added “I am like the third son. From the first day I took office, our state has been filled with the bright light of prosperity”

A voice from the back asked “Where’s the rest of the money?”

The Greatest Thanksgiving Episode EVER

On October 30, 1978 the Pinedale Shopping Mall located in Cincinnati, Ohio was bombed. A Thanksgiving giveaway went terribly wrong as the event turned into death and destruction. And according to TV Guide magazine it was listed at top 40^th of the top 100 greatest episodes of all time.

And to me by far, the best Thanksgiving related TV episode of all time. Below is a condensed version of the TV show WKRP in Cincinnati episode called ‘Turkeys Away’. The full version of the episode can be found at Hula.com. You just have to get use to a few commercials along the way.

Happy Thanksgiving

I have to work this Thanksgiving so I want to wish everyone a wonderful Thanksgiving and hope your family gatherings are more enjoyable than the turkeys.

The Death of Thanksgiving

link 1   link 2   link 3

I enjoy Thanksgiving. It is a time to remember those who came to this continent and survived their first winter. Over the years that event has evolved to morning parades followed by football games while fighting over the last bread roll with relatives you see once a year. The joy of getting paid not to work. But all that has now changed. And the culprit’s responsible for this are everywhere.

Being in my mid 40’s I have seen a great deal of lifestyle changes over the years. The one that went to a quick death was having Sunday off. It used to be that grocery store and other types of businesses were closed on Sunday. That changed as a few grocery stores started opening up after Sunday service. It didn’t take long for other stores to join in to eventually every form of business turned Sunday into another work day. The culprits responsible for this enjoyed it with glee.

Soon other holidays began to change as well because of these people. Easter was the last holiday where all stores were closed. People went to church, had cook outs and spent time with their family. Now it’s just another work day. There used to be other holidays that kids had a day off from school and paid holidays for the working people. But all that changed. Holidays merged together. Labor Day is now a regular work day as others were downgraded in importance to a simple memo on a calendar.

Now with Christmas being the last major holiday where individuals and families are truly home together to celebrate this day as Thanksgiving has fallen into the category of just another work day. Grocery stores are opened to nearly 6 PM. Even some department stores are doing the same thing. And if grocery stores and department stores are opened means that vendors have to work to service those stores.

And on this 2012 Thanksgiving many of those department stores like Target and Wal-Mart are ether staying open all day or opening up at 6 PM Thanksgiving Evening. Many grumblings have gone out with threats of a strike from Wal-Mart employees as Target employees are not that far behind. Employees basically have an early Thanksgiving dinner with their families, if possible, then try to get some sleep as they will be required to work all through the night and into the next day.

It should be noted that several years ago a grocery store chain called Winn-Dixie had the idea of staying open on Christmas day. They did very little to no business that day as that publicity stunt cost the company plenty. Public reaction was swift and by the following year the grocery store company closed down all their stores with the exception of a few in Florida.  

The ones responsible for grocery and department stores staying open this Thanksgiving Day, for turning Easter and Labor Day into another work day, the ones who convinced store owners to open up business on Sunday are the same people who stand in front of stores complaining about having to wait to get in. The customers.

These people want everything at their disposal. They were given stores and restaurants that stay open 24 hours. They turned Easter into a day of special shopping deals as kids dye eggs and eat chocolate rabbits. Christians can be found walking the malls and department stores as this holiday gets watered down more and more each year.

Grocery and department stores have bent over backwards for these people. And now as another holiday is going down in flames these stores continue in giving what the customers want. These same customers, who some of them are vendors; now have to adjust to working on another holiday, as others people are finding out that their place of employment is staying open for the holiday.

So as grocery stores are closing up Thanksgiving evening, look at the people inside the stores or banging on the doors to get in five minutes after the store closes. These are the ones who are making everybody else go to work. Their wanting has been given to them at the cost of our holiday.

Driving Mystery

The Bermuda Triangle, The Mystery Spot in Northern California, Stonehenge, underwater pyramids off the coast of Okinawa and seashells on the back of women’s toilets; these are just a few mysteries found around the world. And today there is another mystery to add to the book of life. A section of highway 64 between Raleigh and Wendell, North Carolina has been ground zero to a driving mystery since that section of road was completed a few years ago.

A 70 MPH speed zone between Raleigh, NC to the Outer Banks but those driving on this 10 mile stretch of road have been hypnotized into driving in the middle lane at less than the posted speed limit. The fastest lane to be in to pass this long line of cars has become the right lane. Even though the far left lane has long been considered the fast lane for cars, in this lane they tend to travel just a few miles faster than those in the middle lane.

During the morning and evening rush hour traffic the long line of cars gives off the eerie feeling of a funeral procession. Although no major accidents have happened yet, the police do setup patrol cars at different points of this stretch of highway. Do to the growing fact that cars traveling in the far right line will drive almost instinctively at considerable higher speeds of nearly 80 MPH and more or as people in this area would call it cruising speed.

Be sure to check out this section of road when travelling through North Carolina. Before you know it, you too may join the others hypnotized into the middle lane as cars on both sides of you travel at posted speed limits. 

The Shining Kohl's

Just last night as I was watching TV I noticed that the twins from the movie ‘The Shining’ were now doing commercials for Kohl’s department store.

Rising Gas Prices After Election

As with all political elections, the compensation for all of the presidential elections is the lower gas prices we are “rewarded” for putting up with phone calls, TV and radio ads as well as pop-up ads on the internet that convinces us to vote for the candidate who least annoys us.  

No exception this year and just as soon as the election was finished the gas prices began to climb back up again. Living here in North Carolina I can only imagine how high these prices could get although I do know from a dear friend in California that they are currently paying over $4 a gallon. 

Wreck-It Ralph personnel review

Well after weeks of being bugged to death to take the family to see this movie, I finally said yes to my wife. It didn’t take much to convince our two boys to want to go as I myself was looking forward to seeing a few old game characters I grew up playing. And I must say, after almost spending nearly $70 on tickets and food, it was well worth it.

The main deciding point for me was that John Lasseter, the man who gave the world Toy Story, was the executive producer of this movie. And I could definitely see the PIXAR magic sprinkled throughout this wonderful feature film. The first clue was that with this being a Disney animated movie, the Broadway tunes were left out. Remember the Mulan musical number “I’ll Make a Man Out of You”. A Disney anime movie with a high death count as everyone is running around doing a musical production number.

The second one was a very believable story line that wasn't dumb-down too much. Disney movies were getting to the point to where you could predict what was going to happened next. A few low jokes sprinkled throughout the movie to kill the boredom but predictable no less. This movie though was somewhat predictable with a few low jokes. Mostly the 'duty' jokes which I do admit were funny. But the predictability of this movie was similar to Japanese anime movies in that life is not a fairy tale movie with happy endings. People do die, get hurt or are and remained scarred for life.

One of the closing songs was a song called Sugar Rush by a Japanese group called AKB48. 48 girls ages 13 and up who are right now very popular in Japan and other parts of the world to Otaku fans and pedophiles. Many of these girls after graduation from this group simply disappear or they find their way into the adult entertainment business in one form or another. The song was great to listen to but as I am in my mid 40’s, I do not wish to be associated with the types of fans that follow these young teenage girls.

This movie is worth seeing. The story development between Fix-It Felix Jr. and Sergent Tamora Jean Calhoun is very entertaining, especially the Nesquiksand scene. The bug infestation scene near the end of the movie was a bit scary for one little girl I saw and heard in the movie theater but she quickly got over it by the end of that scene. The movie did end with a Disney style happy ending but not without the sense that one day their game might be unplugged. 

Namie Amuro - Damage preview w/ lyrics

Damage

lyrics & music: Nao’ymt

note: (not an official translated version)

have you ever doubted your destiny

tell me who’s last standing, is it you or me?

have you ever seen the place that never sleeps

and the god who became a human being

lights flicker across the darkness

and a faint, strange smell is in the air

every day I come alive at night to win the game

this may be the labyrinth with the keys I need

and the clock’s ticking

I, I, I’m going insane

don’t, don’t, don’t put me in chains

I won’t control my brain

‘cause

I finally got

nothing left to cling

break out of my shell

no hesitating

I can’t stay here anymore

break out of my shell

nobody actually

wants to be alone

being negative

time and time again

how will that

change

anything?

how long am I

gonna float above

this backward world?

let me fall down, down, down

somebody save my life

down, down, down

I can’t heal this damage

the discomfort index is makin’ me sweat, heat’s rising

overwrought, I react to their aggressive attacks

killing my ears with noise

shut your mouths all you mosquitoes!

jus’ do your thing

I, I, I fear nothing

fly, fly, fly higher than me?

no one makes my life for me

I don’t

wanna take

anymore steps back

break out of my shell

no hesitating

I can’t stay here anymore

break out of my shell

nobody actually

wants to be alone

being negative

time and time again

how will that

change

anything?

how long am I

gonna float above

this backward world?

let me fall down, down, down

somebody save my life

down, down, down

I can’t heal this damage

I looked up

through the cracks

of the rubble

from my past

the red sun

used to shine

a little more light

on my future than it does now

never again will I

call forth worry

and I will rewrite

all the bad memories

without hiding away

the last of my liberty

cause I have enough pain

break out of my shell

no hesitating

I can’t stay here anymore

break out of my shell

nobody actually

wants to be alone

being negative

time and time again

how will that

change

anything?

how long am I

gonna float above

this backward world?

let me fall down, down, down

somebody save my life

down, down, down

I can’t heal this damage