In today's society, where you live, where you work, where you're from, your family surname seem to play a huge role in how other people see you. If you say you live in a trailer park in the mountains. They probably see you as a hick without any brains. If you say you live in a mansion in Malibu, they probably see you as an intelligent person.
Let's say you send your kids to private school, you're most likely considered rich. Because other than a few fee's at the beginning of the year and lunches, public schools are perceived for the not so rich. If you go to church you're considered a nice person, if you don't...you're considered a bad person.
Homeless people must be lazy, as I've heard alot say. Illegal immigrants are thieves and druggies. If you hear of a murder in your hometown, you automatically think it's someone of color that committed this horrible crime. If there's a bad wreck on I 81, you automatically assume it's an elderly person that has bad vision or a drunk.
How about just once we see people for who they REALLY are. That person living in the trailer in the mountains, might enjoy being in the gut of God's country, maybe not needing anything bigger than that trailer. Have you ever sat and asked a homeless person how they got in that position? I have and they all have a heart breaking story. Laziness wasn't apart of their story. Guess what? Thieves, druggies, murderers come in all shape, sizes, color and nationality. There's nice people that don't go to church and there's hateful people that do go to church.
Until you know that person's heart, that persons story...dont judge. Dont put them in front of the firing squad before you get to know them. And if then, you still dont care too much for them....move on. Dont cause trouble, dont judge them, dont be hateful to them and certainly dont put yourself above them. God created all of us in His image.
Saturday, July 19, 2008
Friday, July 18, 2008
Swimming Pools In This Area
I take my kids, nieces, nephews and their friends swimming alot during the summer. And because I get bored very quickly, I like to switch pools we go to. But I found that we keep going back to one pool. That is Broadway Pool down in Broadway, Virginia. Now keep in mind, I haven't been to all the pools. Here is the pools we have visited this year and past years. Grand Caverns Pool, Grottoes, Virginia, Timberville Pool, Timberville, Virginia, and West Over pool in Harrisonburg . I haven't gotten up to Natural Chimney's pool, but my niece goes up there with her maternal Grandparents and they like it. Now those names are not the "official" names of them, but that's what I call them because of where they're located at.
Timberville pool is alot smaller than most, the floor of the pool is horrible. It's very rough and your feet end up feeling rough and cut when you're done. But they do have diving boards. So the kids seem to like that. They don't have enough chairs to sit on to take a break, eat, etc. So you end up sitting in an uncomfortable place...dry grass or hard cement. They do have a decent changing area that seems to be kept clean and a decent snack bar, with cool varieties of treats. The Grand Caverns Pool, has went down hill over the past few years. This year was no different. I took a large group up there, without visiting it this summer first. And well, we wont be back. No snack bar, changing area was okay, little if any chairs to sit it, the grass was really dry, hurt your feet to walk from the pool to your blanket area. And no diving boards. I took a bunch of kids up there, most of them love to dive...no diving board.One positive thing is, the pool is a nice size. But I keep in mind...I should have checked first, my bad.
Westover Pool in Harrisonburg, has alot more activities, like slides, diving boards, etc. But for me personally it's too big and too crowded. As I've said before, I take alot of kids and it's nearly impossible for me to keep watch on all of them. In conclusion, I love Broadway Pool. It's very nice, big and has nice diving boards. They have alot of seats, nice snack bar, nice changing area and the floor of the pool is very nice. I cant say the life guards are the friendliest, but I guess they're not there to make friends. All the pools have good prices, so if you want a cheap place to go. And sometimes we pack our lunches, so that helps with cost.
Where ever you go, enjoy your summer, wear sun block and keep everyone safe!! By the way...we're leaving to go swimming now.
*I do not work for any of the above pools, nor the towns there located in. This is just my opinion on area pools.*
Timberville pool is alot smaller than most, the floor of the pool is horrible. It's very rough and your feet end up feeling rough and cut when you're done. But they do have diving boards. So the kids seem to like that. They don't have enough chairs to sit on to take a break, eat, etc. So you end up sitting in an uncomfortable place...dry grass or hard cement. They do have a decent changing area that seems to be kept clean and a decent snack bar, with cool varieties of treats. The Grand Caverns Pool, has went down hill over the past few years. This year was no different. I took a large group up there, without visiting it this summer first. And well, we wont be back. No snack bar, changing area was okay, little if any chairs to sit it, the grass was really dry, hurt your feet to walk from the pool to your blanket area. And no diving boards. I took a bunch of kids up there, most of them love to dive...no diving board.One positive thing is, the pool is a nice size. But I keep in mind...I should have checked first, my bad.
Westover Pool in Harrisonburg, has alot more activities, like slides, diving boards, etc. But for me personally it's too big and too crowded. As I've said before, I take alot of kids and it's nearly impossible for me to keep watch on all of them. In conclusion, I love Broadway Pool. It's very nice, big and has nice diving boards. They have alot of seats, nice snack bar, nice changing area and the floor of the pool is very nice. I cant say the life guards are the friendliest, but I guess they're not there to make friends. All the pools have good prices, so if you want a cheap place to go. And sometimes we pack our lunches, so that helps with cost.
Where ever you go, enjoy your summer, wear sun block and keep everyone safe!! By the way...we're leaving to go swimming now.
*I do not work for any of the above pools, nor the towns there located in. This is just my opinion on area pools.*
Tuesday, July 15, 2008
Our Veterans Deserve Better
In today's Daily News Record, Harrisonburg, Virginia. There's an editorial about Vets deserving better medical care. www.dnronline.com
These men and women, risked their lives for OUR freedom. They risk their lives, so WE can sit in our comfy house, enjoy satellite tv and have a nice meal. Whether they fought for 1 day, months, years or never made it home alive. They deserve our respect and thanks. My Dad enlisted to go to Vietnam. He's had some rough years and he has more of those years to come. But he has never once regretted going over there to fight. He fought for our freedom just like other soldiers. When he got back home, he was treated like dirt by hippies and war protesters who had the FREEDOM to stand at the airport and the bus station that Dad arrived at. My Dad and alot of others, fought so those people could have the freedom to do that. Sad but true.
Veterans need better health care; physical and mental, better benefits in all areas. Each Veteran needs to wake up each day with the medicine he/she needs and not worry about how they're going to have to pay for the next supply of medicine they need, wake up with a place to live and food they need. They need to know if they have a mental break down, (and it's likely to happen) they will get the help they need without all the "red tape". Which lets face it, slows them down for years.
I have a huge soft spot in my heart for Veterans, but especially homeless Veterans. Alot of people send millions of dollars to other countries helping others with food, physical and health needs and other causes these people find. But what about our Veterans? They're here in your community, but you reach over seas to help others. Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying stop helping others. Because it is important to help others in need. But our priority should be on those who fought for us. Some people are so against fighting in the war(s) that they wont even look at a soldier.
This world is hard enough. And the government and some people, treat soldiers as if they have a skunk attached to them. Come on people, our Veterans stood up and fought for us, we owe them so and we can never repay them. Their service was invaluable and without their service, I may not be able to sit here and type all this or wear the clothes I want. I might not be able to go to the church of my choice or choose what religion they want. Next time you see a Veteran or active Soldier, shake their hand and thank them for serving our country. And Thanks Dad!!
These men and women, risked their lives for OUR freedom. They risk their lives, so WE can sit in our comfy house, enjoy satellite tv and have a nice meal. Whether they fought for 1 day, months, years or never made it home alive. They deserve our respect and thanks. My Dad enlisted to go to Vietnam. He's had some rough years and he has more of those years to come. But he has never once regretted going over there to fight. He fought for our freedom just like other soldiers. When he got back home, he was treated like dirt by hippies and war protesters who had the FREEDOM to stand at the airport and the bus station that Dad arrived at. My Dad and alot of others, fought so those people could have the freedom to do that. Sad but true.
Veterans need better health care; physical and mental, better benefits in all areas. Each Veteran needs to wake up each day with the medicine he/she needs and not worry about how they're going to have to pay for the next supply of medicine they need, wake up with a place to live and food they need. They need to know if they have a mental break down, (and it's likely to happen) they will get the help they need without all the "red tape". Which lets face it, slows them down for years.
I have a huge soft spot in my heart for Veterans, but especially homeless Veterans. Alot of people send millions of dollars to other countries helping others with food, physical and health needs and other causes these people find. But what about our Veterans? They're here in your community, but you reach over seas to help others. Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying stop helping others. Because it is important to help others in need. But our priority should be on those who fought for us. Some people are so against fighting in the war(s) that they wont even look at a soldier.
This world is hard enough. And the government and some people, treat soldiers as if they have a skunk attached to them. Come on people, our Veterans stood up and fought for us, we owe them so and we can never repay them. Their service was invaluable and without their service, I may not be able to sit here and type all this or wear the clothes I want. I might not be able to go to the church of my choice or choose what religion they want. Next time you see a Veteran or active Soldier, shake their hand and thank them for serving our country. And Thanks Dad!!
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