Kristine's Karma Korner

Remembering Our Troops!

2009-12-07T09:02:00.000-08:00

Merry Christmas, My Friend
by Corporal James M. Schmidt, former U.S. Marine
First published in "Leatherneck Magazine", December 1991

'Twas the night before Christmas, he lived all alone,
In a one-bedroom house made of plaster and stone.
I had come down the chimney, with presents to give
and to see just who in this home did live.

As I looked all about, a strange sight I did see,
no tinsel, no presents, not even a tree.
No stocking by the fire, just boots filled with sand.
On the wall hung pictures of a far distant land.

With medals and badges, awards of all kind,
a sobering thought soon came to my mind.
For this house was different, unlike any I'd seen.
This was the home of a U.S. Marine.

I'd heard stories about them, I had to see more,
so I walked down the hall and pushed open the door.
And there he lay sleeping, silent, alone,
Curled up on the floor in his one-bedroom home. ,

He seemed so gentle, his face so serene,
Not how I pictured a U.S. Marine.
Was this the hero, of whom I’d just read?
Curled up in his poncho, a floor for his bed?

His head was clean-shaven, his weathered face tan.
I soon understood, this was more than a man.
For I realized the families that I saw that night,
owed their lives to these men, who were willing to fight.

Soon around the Nation, the children would play,
And grown-ups would celebrate on a bright Christmas day.
They all enjoyed freedom, each month and all year,
because of Marines like this one lying here.

I couldn’t help wonder how many lay alone,
on a cold Christmas Eve, in a land far from home.
Just the very thought brought a tear to my eye.
I dropped to my knees and I started to cry.

He must have awoken, for I heard a rough voice,
"Santa, don't cry, this life is my choice
I fight for freedom, I don't ask for more.
My life is my God, my country, my Corps."

With that he rolled over, drifted off into sleep,
I couldn't control it, I continued to weep.

I watched him for hours, so silent and still.
I noticed he shivered from the cold night's chill.
So I took off my jacket, the one made of red,
and covered this Marine from his toes to his head.
Then I put on his T-shirt of scarlet and gold,
with an eagle, globe and anchor emblazoned so bold.
And although it barely fit me, I began to swell with pride,
and for one shining moment, I was Marine Corps deep inside.

I didn't want to leave him so quiet in the night,
this guardian of honor so willing to fight.
But half asleep he rolled over, and in a voice clean and pure,
said "Carry on, Santa, it's Christmas Day, all secure."
One look at my watch and I knew he was right,
Merry Christmas my friend, Semper Fi and goodnight.

Prayer Request....

2009-01-12T19:55:00.000-08:00

My mother goes in for back surgery tomorrow, she has a cyst on her back, which is causing pain.
At the ripe age of 68, any surgery is a big deal, and I am a zillion miles away.
I ask my friends to pray for her, for the surgeon performing the surgery, and for the family members who will be handling her post-op.

Happy New Year

2008-12-30T18:54:00.000-08:00

Happy New Year to All my friends and followers out there in cyber land. Here is a year in review.... enjoy.

Cheers to another year with ya'll!!!

Merry Christmas to All!!!

2008-12-22T22:27:00.000-08:00

'Christmas Bells'

by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

1807-1882

I heard the bells on Christmas Day

Their old, familiar carols play,

And wild and sweet

The words repeat

Of peace on earth, good-will to men!

And thought how, as the day had come,

The belfries of all Christendom

Had rolled along

The unbroken song

Of peace on earth, good-will to men!

Till, ringing, singing on its way

The world revolved from night to day,

A voice, a chime,

A chant sublime

Of peace on earth, good-will to men!

Then from each black, accursed mouth

The cannon thundered in the South,

And with the sound

The Carols drowned

Of peace on earth, good-will to men!

And in despair I bowed my head;

‘There is no peace on earth,’ I said;

‘For hate is strong,And mocks the song

Of peace on earth, good-will to men!’

Then pealed the bells more loud and deep:

‘God is not dead; nor doth he sleep!

The Wrong shall fail,

The Right prevail,

With peace on earth, good-will to men!’

The Real Story of the Candy Cane

2008-12-22T06:37:00.000-08:00

Legend has it that in the 18th Century somewhere in Europe any public display of Christianity was forbidden. No crosses or Bibles were allowed and the Christians were greatly oppressed. One old man, a candy maker by profession, was particularly distressed by this. He loved the Lord with all of his heart and couldn't stand to not share that love with the world. His heart especially went out to the children when Christmas drew near and no one was allowed to have a nativity scene (or crèche`) on display in their homes. He prayed for God to show him some way to make Christmas gifts for the children which would teach them the story of Christ.
The answer was the candy cane. The candy cane was in the shape of a shepherd"s staff to show them Jesus is our Shepherd and we are His flock. A sheep follows his own shepherd, knows his voice, and trusts him and knows that he is totally safe with him. The sheep will follow no other shepherd but their own. This is how we are to be with Jesus if we truly follow Him ( John 10:11; Psalm 23:1; Isaiah 40:11) Upside down the candy cane was a "J", the first letter of Jesus' name. ( Luke 1:31) It was made of hard candy to remind us that Christ is the rock of our salvation. The wide red stripes on the candy cane were to represent the blood He shed on the cross for each one of us so that we can have eternal life through Him. He redeems us and cleanses us with His shed blood - the only thing that can wash away our sin. ( Luke 22:20) . The white stripes on a candy cane represented the virgin birth, sinless life and purity of our Lord. He is the only human being who ever lived on this earth who never committed a single sin. Even though He was tempted just as we are, He never sinned. ( I Peter: 22) The three narrow red stripes on candy canes symbolized that by His stripes, or wounds, we are healed and the Trinity - the Father, Son (Jesus) and Holy Spirit. Before the crucifixion Jesus was beaten; the crown of thorns was placed on His head; His back was raw from the whip. We are healed by those wounds. He bore our sorrows and by His stripes we are healed. ( Isaiah 53:3) The flavoring in the candy cane was peppermint, which is similar to hyssop. Hyssop is of the mint family and was used in Old Testament times for purification and sacrifice just as Jesus sacrificed His life for ours. ( John 19:29; Psalm 51:7) The old candy maker told them that when we break our candy cane it reminds us that Jesus' body was broken for us. When we have communion it is a reminder of what He did for us. ( I Cor. 11:24) If we share our candy cane and give some to someone else in love because we want to, it represents that same love of Jesus because He is to be shared with one another in love. ( I John 4:7,8) God gave Himself to us when He sent Jesus. He loved us so much He wants us to spend eternal life with Him... which we can do if we accept Jesus in our hearts as Savior and Lord. ( John 1:12; John 3:3,16) Some people believe this story of the candy cane is just a legend. Others believe it really happened. We do not know for sure exactly how the candy cane was invented, but there is one thing for certain... it is an excellent picture of Christ and His love for you.

Vegas Snow!!

2008-12-18T19:18:00.000-08:00

So today the children of the Clark County School District had their first snow day... who would of thought such a mess would occur with such a slight snow fall. This video is from two days ago, we received a total of 2 1/2 inches at our house. Enjoy the show....

Snow in Vegas!!!

2008-12-16T06:29:00.000-08:00

It snowed. Yes, you read that correctly. It snowed in Vegas. At our house we received about 2-2 1/2 inches. A mere sprinkling of snow in some parts of the country, but for Vegas...This is nothing short of a miracle. I have to wonder just what Heat Miser had to give up to let it snow, for just one day, in Vegas.

Enjoy the pictures...

Sydney

Regan

Always Time for Playing Ball!!

Shocker!!!

2008-11-26T12:17:00.000-08:00

The vet came to see Camelot this morning...never a good sign that your horse is lame and not showing improvement. So we call the vet. What is the diagnosis? A torn digital suspensory on his left hind. For all you non horsey readers, this is a tear in the tendon of the lower leg between the "ankle and knee".
What does it mean? Six months to a year recovery. Stall rest for the next 10 days, that is for certain. Next Camelot will be hand walked, followed by a slow return to normal work. Medicine that cost a fortune, administered twice a day and hour before he eats, so 4:30 am and 5 pm for the next 30- 60 days.
Needless to say, I will be indentured to my vet from now until I'm buried. I will need to find a second job as Jean will not want to lease a horse that she can not ride.
So pray for me friends, I need it!!

Twilight Trailer...

2008-10-10T17:10:00.000-07:00

The movie is almost here...New trailer out....ENJOY!

Horse Terms

2008-10-03T08:51:00.000-07:00

I share this with all my Horsey friends... Enjoy the Laugh. Esther, Thanks for Sharing with me......

HORSE TERMS

Hock: Financial condition of all horse owners.
Stall: What your rig does at rush hour in an unfamiliar city on the way to a big horse show
A Bit: What you have left in your pocket after you've been to your favorite tack shop.
Fence: Decorative structure built to provide your horse with something to chew on.
Horse Auction: What you think of having after your horse bucks you off.
Pinto: Green coat pattern found on freshly washed light colored horses left unattended for 2 minutes.
Well Mannered: Hasn't stepped on, bitten, or kicked anyone for a week.
Rasp: Abrasive metal tool used to remove excess skin from ones knuckles.
Lunging: Popular training method in which a horse exercises their owner by spinning them in circles until dizzy.
Gallop: Customary gait a horse chooses when returning back to the barn.
Nicely Started: Lunges, but not enough health insurance to even think about riding him.
Colic: Gastrointestinal result of eating at horse fair food stands.Colt: What your mare gives you when you want a filly.
Easy to Load: Only takes 3 hours, 4 men, a 50lb bag of oats, and a tractor with loader.
Easy to Catch: In a 10x10 stall.
Easy Rider: Rides good in a trailer; not to be confused with "ride-able".
Endurance Ride: End result when your horse spooks and runs away with you.
Hives: What you get when receive the vet bill for your 6 horses, 3 dogs, 4 cats, and 1 donkey.
Hobbles: Walking gait of a horse owner after their foot has been stepped on by their horse.
Feed: Expensive substance used to manufacture manure.
Dog House: What you are in when you spend too much money on grooming supplies and pretty halters.
Light Cribber: We can't afford to build anymore fencing or box stalls for this buzz saw on four legs.
Three Gaited Horse: A horse that. 1) trips, 2)stumbles, 3) falls.

THE 12 "MOST IMPORTANT" THINGS YOU NEED TO KNOW IF YOU OWN A HORSE..
-To induce labor in a mare? Take a nap.
-To cure equine constipation? Load them in a clean trailer.
-To cure equine insomnia? Take them in a halter class.
-To get a horse to stay very calm and laid back? Enter them in a liberty class.
-To get a horse to wash their own feet? Clean the water trough and fill it with fresh water.
-To get a mare to come in heat? Take her to a show.
-To get a mare in foal the first cover? Let the wrong stallion get out of his stall.
-To make sure that a mare has that beautiful, perfectly marked foal you always wanted? Sell her before she foals.
-To get a show horse to set up perfect and really stretch? Get him out late at night or anytime no one is around to see him.
-To induce a cold snap in the weather? Clip a horse.
-To make it rain? Mow a field of hay.
-To make a small fortune in the horse business? Start with a large one.

October

2008-09-30T20:05:00.000-07:00

As many of you know, I grew up in Connecticut, met a boy and decided to move. Why? I was in love. Webster's has it wrong, love means STUPID. Why? You do dumb things. Not all done in the name of love is dumb, some great things come from love, but some choices made for love... I will say no more.
This brings me to October. How? Just keep with me people. I am from New England. Weekends were made for taking a drive to see the colors. What colors you ask...

This is a real photo people. Yet, still does not do justice. You miss the crispness in the air, the smell and sounds of leaves underfoot and under wheel. It is something that must be experienced. I gave this up for love and miss all that Connecticut had to offer. I do not miss the cost of living and would not trade my husband and daughter, hubby maybe. But if wishes were horses, I would have a full stable with grooms for each horse, in New England, of course. I have been gone for along time and it still is hard every autumn when Vegas is still hot and different shades of brown and there is no crisp morning air or the red of a maple.

There is a pull from New England I always feel. My family is there, and I miss them terribly. The beauty is unparallelled in my eyes as yet. So in my thoughts I take a walk today inside the woods at the Bartlett Arboretum, Stamford Connecticut, join me and enjoy the October I am missing...

Its Business Time!!!

2008-09-18T15:45:00.000-07:00

We all need a good laugh, so watch this video and let me know what ya'll think.
I enjoyed it...

Fetching Queen!

2008-09-11T09:22:00.000-07:00

This one is for Jeanine. A little diddy I put together to show off my puppy.

Enjoy.

Middle School Angst !!

2008-08-25T18:11:00.000-07:00

Today was the first day of school here in hot, hot, hot and dusty Las Vegas, Nevada. The day anxiously awaited for by parents since the last day of school. A day to see old friends and make new ones. To find out what teacher you have and which one your going to beg to be removed from.

For me, today went better than expected. I know I stressed out about Junior High more than my Sydney did. Why, lets just say Junior High is a boil on the butt of humanity.

If we survey 10 people how many would say that Junior High was a fabulously brilliant time of growth? Hhhmmm. One. I was not that one. Middle School sucked!! It is an odd time of development for the male and female of the species. Add to this the "mean girls", who post therapy you find were actually more insecure than you. Why does it take adulthood to appreciate the irony here?

Now a word about current fashions. My daughter has finally been admitted into the denim wearing club (Thank you for all prayers over the years, Hallelujah!!!). In shopping for clothing articles for the current school year I had intermittent moments of deja vu. I was and am a product of the "80's". Middle School and High School were completed during 1982-1988. I seems that the skinny jean is back, pair this with an over sized shirt and the fashion gods will smile on you. I wore mine with pumps the same color as my shirt, duh! Leggings are back and eeeekkk, the leg warmer. If Syd comes home from school wanting some aqua-net so we can get her hair to "proper height" I will adamantly refuse, I am from Connecticut not Jersey for Cripes Sake and no child of mine will look like a Jersey Girl.

With all of this said I wish all a great school year. May it be a time of growth and happiness. My advise for all 'Say No to Mall Bangs'. TTFN.

Gold Medal in ShowJumping!

2008-08-18T17:43:00.000-07:00

Go Team USA!!! We earned ourselves a gold medal. McLain Ward, a phenomenal rider, had a brilliant day and was poetry to watch. California resident Will Simpson had a clear in the jump off as did Laura Kraut on her mount Cedric. Video of all rounds can be found at http://www.nbcolympics.com/.

Old favorite's including Ian Miller of Canada and Ludger Beerbaum of Germany, as well as Meredith Michaels-Beerbaum (who is an American who married a kraut - ha, now she rides for Germany), Madonna's riding instructor- William Fox-Pitt riding under the Union Jack (that's the Brit's - for all you ignorant Americans) and my new favorite to watch... a young Brit, Ben Maher. Who was having an awful year but finishid well enough to make it to Beijing. Well done to all the riders... So much goes into getting to the Olympics, again shame on NBC to not show coverage.

Sydney's 15 Seconds of Fame

2008-08-10T20:26:00.000-07:00

An old patient of our's is Shane "Scooter" Christensen who is now a Harlem Globetrotter said he would do "tricks" for Skittle's and look what happened.

Thank you to Shane for being such a great sport with all of us at Leaver & Gardner Orthodontics. Most of all thanks for showing my girl how to spin a ball and giving her a memory she will not soon forget.

P.S. Shane, this will be on YouTube also :)!!!!

2008 Beijing Olympics

2008-08-03T18:03:00.000-07:00

Once again the Olympics are fast approaching. We will be hopeful that drug testing, and eminent failing of said test, will be a small percentage of what is covered by our news media.

Those who know me know I am an equestrian sports fan. What does this mean for me? My sport is one that is aired in the early morning hours, fighting for air time with such greats as ping-pong and archery. The majority of coverage will go to the swimmers, gymnasts, and track and field. I assume for some these sports are more exciting than seeing man/woman work in unison for a seemingly unattainable goal. The athletic ability needed for a horse to compete at this level is a rare find. Once a talented horse is found it is then another task to bring the animal to its full potential. Taking several years with proper care and the right rider to obtain. Yet when it is obtained, it is truly magical. I wish all the competitors luck. Yet, I do not think it is a matter of luck. Hard work and dedication to the athlete's sport has enabled them to arrive at the Olympics and this will see them onto the podium.

Picture's From My Holiday.

2008-07-09T09:49:00.000-07:00

Holiday thoughts...

2008-07-09T06:58:00.000-07:00

How was my Holiday? Fabulous. Insightful. Breath takingly beautiful. Too Short. Six full days in Connecticut with family I see too rarely, yet thanks to modern cellular phones talk to almost daily. We ate, got pedicures, ate, went into NYC, ate, went to Mystic, ate, went for a hike in the woods. Did I mention we ate? My sister-in-law, Debbie, is a fantastic cook. Ken and Deb have a great house - a home where all are made to feel welcome and no one leaves hungry. This is a true gift.

It was great to see my mom, Carolyn. She will be 68 in September and has energy for days. As Bill says, "If only we could bottle that energy." She went walking in NYC, on a hike, walked through Mystic Aquarium and though she was not the quickest, her determination kept her going.

We got our thunder storm! While waiting for passage to Ellis Island on the southern tip of Manhattan. Thunder and lightning, hail, and a downpour that had people scurrying for cover. Thankfully, we were stopped at the door exiting security and got a front seat view of the carnage without a drop of moisture upon us. The photo of the pending storm shows the Statue of Liberty to the left of the frame, Ellis Island is on the right. This is approximately 15 minutes before the soaking. Lady Liberty was beautiful, a sight to be seen. Some tidbits of information about her: She was a gift from France, errected and dedicated in 1886, making her an immigrant, viewed by thousands of immigrants who passed through the halls of Ellis Island.

The east coast is filled with rich history. I hope those who are near it, seek it out and appreciate it. Until the next posting...TTFN!

Enter the Dark Side

2008-06-27T14:35:00.000-07:00

It was the best of times, it was the worst of times. Wait, that's been used somewhere before. If I use it again is it plagiarism?? Anyway.

Truth is. I'm Blogging Now. Watch out world. I'm sure there are some of my family and friends who will pick apart my vocabulary and sentencing structures. Too bad- that's the beauty of the Blog. Random dribble that I come up with. I pity you readers.

This is a picture of Syd and I on our last trip to Connecticut. We are leaving in the morning for a week of fun with my family. Excited. You Bet. Syd and I are hoping for rain. A good summer down pour with thunder and extreme temperature drop. Bill is hoping for low humidity. I'm looking forward to seeing my mom (Carolyn), brothers (Keith and Ken), sister (Debbie - married to Ken), and the Ruggieri Familia (Deb's Family).

So I exit my first post. Connecticut here we come. Vegas, sorry, but I am glad to be leaving.

TTFN!!