Here I Am, Lord

I, the Lord of sea and sky, I have heard My people cry.
All who dwell in dark and sin, My hand will save.
I who made the stars of night, I will make their darkness bright.
Who will bear My light to them? Whom shall I send?
 Here I am Lord, Is it I Lord? I have heard You calling in the night.
I will go Lord, if You lead me.
 I will hold Your people in my heart.-    James Kilbane

Quentin's Theme

Dark Shadows was one of my favorite shows back in the late 60's. I  particularly loved David Selby and his portral of the ghost Quentin Collins. Aside from the occasional fits of maniacal laughter,  or turning into a werewolf now and then, Quentin Collins remained silent for quite some time as he haunted the Collinwood Estate.I was so happy to find this on the internet and hear the lovely music that he used to play on his gramophone again. Beautiful.  

QUENTIN'S THEME by Charles Randolph Grean Sounde

Shadows of the night...
Falling silently
Echo of the past...
Calling you to me
Haunting memory...
Veiled in misty glow
Phantom melody...
Playing soft and low

In this world that we know now
Life is here, then gone
But somewhere in the afterglow
Love lives on and on

Dreams of long ago...
Meet in rendezvous
Shadows of the night...
Calling me to you

Calling me to you

Don't ever mistake my silence for ignorance
My calmness for acceptance,
My kindness for weakness.

My Lost Youth- Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

My Lost Youth -  Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

There are things of which I may not speak;
There are dreams that cannot die;
There are thoughts that make the strong heart weak,
And bring a pallor into the cheek,
And a mist before the eye.
And the words of that fatal song
Come over me like a chill:
"A boy's will is the wind's will,
And the thoughts of youth are long, long thoughts."

Strange to me now are the forms I meet
When I visit the dear old town;
But the native air is pure and sweet,
And the trees that o'ershadow each well-known street,
As they balance up and down,
Are singing the beautiful song,
Are sighing and whispering still:
"A boy's will is the wind's will, 

And the thoughts of youth are long, long thoughts."

And Deering's Woods are fresh and fair,
And with joy that is almost pain
My heart goes back to wander there,
And among the dreams of the days that were,
I find my lost youth again.
And the strange and beautiful song,
The groves are repeating it still:
"A boy's will is the wind's will,
And the thoughts of youth are long, long thoughts."

Special Woman-For Grandma Sarah

An original song written for my Grandma Sarah. 1974

SPECIAL WOMAN

By Joanne H. 1974

Time goes by and I wonder

      how you managed to be here with me.

Miles and trials that you conquered with pride,

     tears and fears that you kept deep inside.

Grandmother, wise and true,

     someday I hope to be just like you.

Special woman, teach me your ways,

     the lessons you’ve learned through your long struggling days.

Years go by and I wonder

      how you climbed to reach your goals.

Times were hard but you stuck to your dreams,

      whenever they tore, you sewed back the seams?

Grandmother wise and strong,

      I learned of life from how you got along.

Special woman, life cant be done

      Till you’ve waited with our Lord for forever to come.

Life goes by and now you wonder

       how a young mind can truly see

back through years of an ageless lifetime

       and from it learn how to conquer and climb.

Grandmother wisest of minds,

      of values, virtue, love and good times.

Special woman, wonder no more it’s true…..

      All this I have learned and found in you.

Happy Birthday Mike

You finally asked me to dance on the last slow song
Beneath that moon that was really a disco ball
I can still feel my head on your shoulder
And hoping that song would never be over.

I haven't seen you in ages
Sometimes I find myself wondering where you are
For me you'll always be eighteen and beautiful
And dancing away with my heart

Read more: Lady Antebellum - Dancing Away With My Heart Lyrics | MetroLyrics 

Grace- Carolyn Hamlin

Lord, as I seek Your guidance for the day,
I find my thoughts unyielding,
confusion crowds my way.

But then when I bow to You,
the challenges You guide me through,
Your promises are ever new,
I claim them for today.

Your will cannot lead me where Your grace will not keep me.
Your hand will protect me, I rest in Your care.
Your eyes will watch over me, Your love will forgive me,
And when I am faltering, I still will find You there.

Eternity is a long time to be wrong about Jesus.

35th Wedding Anniversary!

Bill O'Reilly: Talking Points; The Immigration Crisis

There are some very common sense suggestions here. Not so sure if or how this would work, but at least it's a start to a very serious situation.

The Factor's Plan to Solve the Immigration Crisis

By: Bill O'ReillyJuly 1, 2014

Talking Points has come up with a plan to solve the immigration crisis that is fair, humane, and can be implemented quickly.

Number one, in order to stop the border madness, President Obama must demand that Mexico police its own borders. That means stopping tens of thousands of illegal aliens from crossing into Mexico from Guatemala. Not a hard thing to do if you post the military at border check points.

In addition, the Mexican army must patrol the border with the USA stopping the human smugglers and border intruders. On the other side of the border, the American army will also be patrolling to back up the U-S Border Patrol at the hottest spots like the Rio Grande Valley in Texas. The National Guard should have been ordered to the border a long time ago. Its presence alone would inhibit people from paying the smugglers. It would also inhibit drug trafficking.

If Mexico does not cooperate on its borders, President Obama should issue trade sanctions against that country quickly. Mexico is the primary reason we have so much immigration chaos and it's time our federal government acted responsibly to hold that country accountable. We here on the Factor have called for Americans to boycott Mexico. No traveling there. Don't buy their stuff until they stop the massive corruption that has enveloped the entire country. Mexico should allow American planes to conduct surveillance in its air space to pinpoint illegal immigration camps and stop the flow of folks. Strong action by President Obama is needed right now and the Mexican government would respond to any threat of trade sanctions.

And what about the undocumented aliens who are already here? First they all must register at their local post office within three months providing name, age, family members, country of origin and address in the USA. Every illegal alien adult must do that. If they don't, it's a felony. They go to a federal prison upon conviction. Once the foreign national registers, he or she is sent a tamper-proof ID card allowing them to apply for working papers. They can apply to be citizens and their applications will be placed behind those applying legally.

Under my immigration plan, the feds have the power to immediately deport anyone whom they feel is undesirable for criminal or social reasons. Also, the aliens could not receive entitlements although their children could. If an immigrant cannot find work he or she is deportable up to Homeland Security to make that decision.

So there's no amnesty. There's a vetting process but there's also hope that a hard-working, honest, foreign national might build a life here. But no guarantee. It is a fair plan that would put a severe dent in a problem that has been vexing America for decades.

The rules for full citizenship would be tough and it would take a long time but in the end that kind of immigration plan would strengthen the country and show the world we are a humane nation but not a soft one.