Ships Ahoy...or Bon Voyage

Hubby and I are excited as we and about 50 friends are about to leave together by bus and go to 'what's left of Galveston"...transfer onto a neat Carnival ship for a Caribbean cruise. As our travel agency met with all of us the other day for snacks, snickers and signings---I came across the following cute and almost scary thing below and thought you'd enjoy reading the humor.... to start off your new year. Everybody can use a laugh or two.

For our upcoming cruise, we have a hilarious Hostess (who is ironically, one of my Childhood friends ....all the way back to 4-H competitions in elementary school---isn't that coincidental)---- She BEGAN with greatest sincerity &.... WARNED us all---right off the bat...that."as IN-LANDERS....please, people.... STAY AWAY from the side railings of the ship!!! " I'm taking 53 people and want to return with 53. ha ha And also since the news is filled with the story of the "lady that 'went OVER BOARD"..(unknown presently if by her desire or someone else's design).....but from...ME and Carnival Cruise Line, please know that this is not a requirement of the cruise line or the travel agencies involved. "

(ha you can bet on that part)

This problem. however is not a worry to us...there are tons of things to do/see----(tho this really was a very, very sad/horrible situation). We love to vacation by cruise ships and look forward to this one as well. As most of you know this is part of our 50th wedding anniversary celebration. We were also planning to use up hubby's extra vacation week later on in the Spring ....and FLY on a neat excursion vacation... (that my beloved niece who is an American Airlines Flight Attendant and always gives us offers for 'special deals'). Buuuut...after I picked up this following cutie below... about the top 10 AIRLINE announcements---I am now a wee bit apprehensive. ha ha read on....and YOU might see why.... haha

Top 10 Announcements made on AIRLINES.....

1. "Welcome aboard Southwest Airlines. In the event of a sudden loss of cabin pressure, oxygen masks will descend from the ceiling. Stop screaming, and place it over your face!"

2. "Please use caution when opening the overhead bin. After a horrible landing like this, you can be certain your luggage has shifted."

3. "Thanks for choosing TWA. We ask you to please remain seated as Captain Kangaroo bounces us to the terminal."

4. "Thank you for flying Delta Business Express. We hope you enjoyed giving us the business, as much as we enjoyed taking you for a ride!"

5. "Thank you for flying the friendly skies of United. Last one off the plane cleans it!"

6. "Please remember your cushion can be used for flotation. In the event of an emergency water landing, please take the cushion----compliments of Reno Airways.

7. ...after a high-speed landing in Phoenix, Arizona---"Whoa, Big Fella, Whoa!"

8. "This is a NONsmoking flight. If you MUST smoke, please step out on the wing and watch our in-flight movie, "Gone with the Wind".

9. "As you exit, please remember----there are 50 ways to leave your lover---but only 4 ways out of this airplane!"

10. "At American Airlines, we are pleased to have some of the very best fight attendants in the industry...Unfortunately, none are on this flight!"

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Would this NOT make a person think twice. ha ha Have a happy day and may your next flight be the greatest and safest ever! We'll be 'cruising' for a while and let ya know later on if we had any interesting encounters of the unknown! Be blessed. Areeeba, Areeeba!

(ariva)

Looking Backwards to 2008..& Forward to 2009...

Happy New Year, may all of God's Richest of Blessings be yours for good health, success and happiness in all your endeavors.

This is an exciting time of the year...a time to reflect...maybe regret... but also one to celebrate the good, the joy and even with bad things happening to everyone at some point or another. We are still so blessed...because it could have certainly been so much worse. ---America look to the war fronts and poverty all over this earth!

Today, as I personally look backwards, I know this was one of my greatest years of blessings....but through the experience, I also have to quickly say that it has also been one of the MOST PHYSICALLY PAINFUL years of my life. Awful, and a large amount of that time feeling alone and very insignificant. Pain does that to people very quickly, especially if hope depletes. Daily I try to joke and use humor, just for the fun of making other people laugh...but also for the selfish feeling of having fun inspite of the pain. Thus, people like me, create their own 'circle of woe' because when you laugh---other people disregard your hurts, your suffering when you really need them the most. Isn't that a crazy cycle and yet I am not alone in doing this coverup, ha ha.

As seen on my previous blogs...I've had an awesome year of celebrating our wonderful 50th wedding anniversary, a marvelous Thanksgiving and absolutely wonderful Christmas with family and friends. It simply could NOT have been ANY BETTER ...except for the physical pain. However the pain DOES make a person LOVE the JOY far, far more than they would have...if it had not been there! Good memories help to bring hope to the hopeless.

Yesterday, January 1st, 2009, hubby and I went to see the movie "Marley & Me" and tears upon tears....as parts of this cute movie brought back memories of our childhood and years of raising our kids and all our tons of precious beloved pets along the way. After the movie we were talking about the difference in the world back in our childhood & today. We agreed that Pets...are the bestest (haha) and neatest little 'side-effect' gift that God gives to mankind. they can be wonderful and they CAN BE AWFUL sometimes---but for the most part they are one of the BEAUTIFUL part of life and make great memories. My hubby laughed when I said it was sort of like my analysis of last year, America 2008 --(top dogs down to dirty dogs)-as I shared that ...like Marley & me movie was funny, touching and sad all at the same time...and like our Country---- it is totally AMAZING to me that...

We really ARE such A GREAT, GREAT NATION....but...

Today..."Gay" people fight in the courts to "GET MARRIED" (not God's choice)"

Straight'' people NO LONGER believe in marriage... (prefer sin & it's OK)

Girls (teenagers esp.) have numerous illegitimate babies, records breaking ABORTIONS & unwanted births, thus eventual records of numerous ABUSED little children, turned on to drugs, historically filling every prison systems in our nation... with children (as young as 8 years old) and adult parents (who SHOULD be working and providing for their children)----

Meanwhile---even sadder to say--- thousands of heartbroken, CHILDLESS, educated, WORKING COUPLES......BEG to ADOPT... but CANNOT ....due to ridiculous COST, FEES, RACKETEERING AND GOVERNMENTAL LAWS AND STUPIDITY THEREOF!

Equally as crazy is that everyday, in our wonderful country---home of the FREE---protesters continue to block roadways, work places; wasting millions of dollars and MAN hours SCREAMING discontent and lies---ignoring the fact that constantly--(while they protests---) morally corrupt TERRORISTIC plots are being stopped and defused BY wonderful leaders (known and unknown CIA/soldiers---working all over this earth--- American who LAY DOWN THEIR LIVES for Our freedom, for us....FOR THEM--- (totally UNKNOWN to John & Mary PUBLIC--who sit down to a warm table of food, pretty homes of safety...that are protected, with latest of modern technology, science, medicines...appliances, vehicles, fuel, and clothes on our backs---) PROTESTERS INCLUDED.

These BRAVE, DEDICATED people lay down their lives daily so that "dung for brains protesters" can have the freedom to SPEAK and WRITE...lies or criticism AGAINST our leaders, our Generals, soldiers). No America is not perfect but it IS the GREATEST and most charitable NATION on Earth....and yes, it GIVES away to other nations triple all other nations...and that EXcludes our mission charity groups gifts to feed, clothe, water, medicine... other starving nations by 10 fold. Not to overlook all the world earth/weather DISASTERS.

So....Do these critics ever stop to think....that IF it were not for these leaders....that

AMERICA could/would BE the WAR front of blood shed, pain, suffering, death and destruction and FEAR beyond human belief!

So, for 2009.... THANK YOU, DEAR GOD...for every leader, soldier, construction worker, missionary and liberator ...(at home or abroad)...who TRIES!!! And Lord, forgive the Fruitcakes that are filled with more nuts than a pecan tree...for truly....'they know not what they do'....and Lord if they do, ---please help/convict/convert hearts that refuse to see YOUR HAND . (We still love 'em anyway...warts & all. : ) ~~

However, I cannot say the above without also saying that as most of my co-hearts express, 'let us all pray this new year for our new president and new staff, our nation, little children, the hungry, hurting, helpless and homeless---where ever they are on this earth. This is my resolution for the New Year 2009. This I CAN do.

I have been blessed....and if by praying...I would like to BE a blessing.

And if I can actively DO something to help another....I pray that God will give the strength, physical & mental ability to carry it out.

I would hope that in 2009 that....

I can be THANKFUL for Everything...

I can be fearful of NOTHING....

I can be PRAYFUL about All Things....

and through Jesus Christ....I CAN DO (all) ANYTHING!!!

Happy New Year ....2009

All is Gonna Be FINE!!!

Smile and be blessed!