Help a Real Live Veteran TODAY

(Originally posted over at that OTHER Mother Goose Blog: mothergoosesalutes.wordpress.com)

So many friends of Mother Goose want to make a difference in the world. Here’s a HUGE way to help! A friend of mine, Richard Casper, is working with another disabled veteran, Jesse, to make a music video to go along with the song they wrote recently in Nashville with the amazing country band, Blackjack Billy.

Who doesn’t love a good old fashioned country song written by a veteran of the Iraq war? Who WOULDN’T want to see this go to the next level and get some national exposure? Who’s heart isn’t breaking for all of the brave disabled veterans out there?

Friends and loyal readers, here is a link to the crowd-funding site where they are raising up some bucks to help get the video together for Jesse’s song, “Til It Feels Like Home”. I believe that with all of us working together, we’ll make this dream a reality for these guys.

http://igg.me/p/music-video-for-a-disabled-veteran/x/3648667

And here’s a video clip of Blackjack Billy singing the song.

Just imagine how this song could help vets all around the world! Let’s get behind this project, OK?

Feel free to hit that “share” button and God bless you!

One Word Wednesday

Cheerful

A Mystery Novelist

A mystery novelist typing away,
She works through the night
She works day by day
Plots so twisty,
Characters so strange
To make the mystery look
Pre-arranged.

Only in Nordern Minnesota

The winters last so long up north.
The sports fishermen set up their camps thirty miles out on the frozen Lake of the Woods.
They fish for the elusive walleye and talk to their faithful dogs.
They wait.
They watch TV and cook pizza in their microwaves.
They hibernate for weeks on end.
Then their hearts begin to stir.
They emerge from their camper caves.
If they see their shadows, will spring arrive in six weeks?

Mitch McVicker and Mother Goose — Part One

Well, surprise, surprise! Mother Goose had another grand adventure last night! We were blessed beyond measure in seeing Mitch McVicker in concert at the Elburn Hill Church way out there in Elburn, Illinois. A forty mile drive during Friday rush hour was a small price to pay for a musical evening with this dear old friend.

Not that my friend is old…

Mitch has been touring the country for close to twenty years — our friendship began about fifteen years ago when he was still recovering from injuries he suffered as a result of a tragic car accident which took the life of his friend, Rich Mullins. Rich flew away that night on a dark Illinois highway, but the Lord left Mitch here with us, though for the longest time, he couldn’t answer the question of “why?”

Why would God take a man who is on the top of his career, with songs and albums all over the Christian Top 40 charts, making millions of dollars from royalties and giving it all away to charitable causes and Native American children? It didn’t make sense to Mitch then just as it didn’t make sense to so many other people in September 1997 and since that time.

“But the faithfulness of Jesus persists.”

After nearly a year of physical therapy and hard work, Mitch recovered his voice, his vision, his mobility and his love of life. He rises each day full of hope and faith and love — he gladly shares his story of healing. And God gladly uses Mitch’s story to bring hope and healing to others.

Others includes Mother Goose.

It was the hot summer of 2002 and the place was Oshkosh, Wisconsin. It was Lifest, a family-friendly festival of Christian music and Mitch McVicker was on the agenda of performing artists. Of course, Mother Goose was in the audience with her family. Though she was always glad to see her friend up on the stage, on this day the tears rolled down her feathery cheeks.

She was feeling overwhelmed and confused — she had recently received the news that she would be having another baby. Baby number six at the age of forty-four.

In the heat and humidity of that outdoor concert, Mother Goose could only bow her head and pray that she and the baby would be healthy, that the family would be accepting of this new and exciting yet completely unexpected and soon-to-arrive gift from above. Mother Goose had feelings of inadequacy, feelings of loneliness, feelings of confusion, but mostly feelings of fear.

What if the baby wasn’t healthy? What if being in the “expectant way” triggered an MS flare up? What if her husband couldn’t provide for this growing family in an unstable economy? How could she manage all the needs of the older children and still meet the demands of a new baby? What in the world was God thinking?

I do not think that Mitch could see or read my face from up there on the stage, but he began to introduce a new song that he had just written. It was called “Don’t Let Your Heart Be Troubled”. He explained in his homey way how he doesn’t like to write songs from God’s perspective because he doesn’t feel qualified to put words in God’s mouth. And yet, here he was doing just that. The words he sang came straight from the Gospel of John, straight from the lips of Jesus. And they were headed straight for the heart of Mother Goose.

This is Jesus speaking:

Even in your roughest times you won’t be overcome.
So when that ache bites your heart feel my love.

If you are wondering if I’m around
I have never left your side.
You are never by yourself.
You are not alone tonight.

Chorus
So now don’t you let your heart be troubled.
The peace I bring to you is not of this world.
I set your mind at ease, I quiet down your soul.
I give you peace, don’t let your heart be troubled.

I can dry your tear filled eyes.

I can hear your heavy heart.
So don’t you be afraid tonight.
My light is shining through your dark.

If you’re wondering where I’m at now,
In your despair I’m gonna be your hope.
I am always there, you’re never ever by yourself.
You are not alone.

Chorus

I can still your swirling soul.
In your darkness my light grows.
Don’t let your heart be troubled,
I give you peace

Ten years later, here’s the “gift from above” with Mitch and yours truly, Mother Goose.

The faithfulness of Jesus persists…

Did you know?

GYA today

Fall arrives in the Northern Hemisphere tomorrow, September 22, 2012. I love fall. But, I’m not in a hurry for it to arrive, I will happily wait one more day and enjoy today. That’s because today, September 21, is one of my favorite days. Besides being the last day of summer, it is also World Gratitude Day, which was established globally in 1965 and has been slowly gaining steam.

To commemorate World Gratitude Day, I have compiled my 50 favorite quotes on gratitude and appreciation. Since I painstakingly etched them on a parchment scroll, I thought I should share them. So, I have unfurled the scroll below for all to see. Collectively, they all lead back to the same benefits, but they each have their own subtle nuance or shade. Hence the title, 50 Shades of… oh well, you know what I mean.

This collection is not all-inclusive, of course, so…

View original post 50 more words

As Busy As A Goose

We’ve all heard the expression “as busy as a bee”. And that’s really busy, I know. The bee is a tireless worker — they take the work ethic to the next level and then the next one after that. It’s a common “bee expression”.

A honey bee at work…

But what about a goose? Is there an expression for a busy goose?

Here are some common (and also some uncommon) expressions about a goose I’ve discovered at this website:

“What’s good for the goose is good for the gander.”

We’ve used that one before, haven’t we? But what does it mean, for gooseness sakes? What is good for one person is good for another; often what is good for the man is good for the woman. Have you heard this version? What’s sauce for the goose is sauce for the gander? I like that one!

“She doesn’t have the sense God gave geese.”

Simply put, it means the person is stupid, perhaps more stupid that a goose. Mother Goose finds this expression very offensive…

“The goose hangs high.”

This expression means that everything is good. I find it ominous…

“It’s as slick as goose grease.”

Well hmmmpph…how about it’s as slick as human grease…

“The story gave her goose flesh.”

Of course, this is the bumpy condition of the skin induced by cold, fear, etc., caused by contraction of the muscles at the base of the hair follicles with consequent erection of papillae: so called because of the resemblance to the skin of a freshly-plucked fowl. Also called: goose bumps, goose pimples, goose skin. Mother Goose is alarmed at the thought of freshly-plucked fowl! Please know that I apply multiple hand lotions and creams all over my bumpy goose skin.

“The soldiers were goose-stepping through Berlin.”

This is a military march step in which the leg is swung rigidly to an exaggerated height. Perhaps you’ve seen footage of the Third Reich army… This is definitely not a positive image for the goose.

“All his geese are swans.”

This saying refers to the person who constantly exaggerates the importance of a person or thing. And is there a reason why a goose should ever wish she was a swan…

“To cook someone’s goose”

This expression means to spoil someone’s plan or bring about their demise. Again, Mother Goose takes offense.

“To kill the goose that lays the golden eggs.”

And we know this expression suggests the sacrifice of future benefits for the sake of momentary present needs. Very troubling indeed…

“To goose a person” is to prod them playfully in the behind. I do not think this is an appropriate expression at all. It seems to imply that a goose would run up behind a person to bite their bottom…

“As often as a goose goes barefoot.”

This is a new saying to Mother Goose. It simply means ALL THE TIME. Looking down at my own webbed and rubbery feet, I quickly grasp the meaning.

“She cannot say boo to a goose.”

This is a way to describe a shy person. Believe me, plenty of introverted and shy people have said “boo” to this goose!

“Off on a wild-goose chase.”

Mr. Charles Funk defines this expression as a vain pursuit of something, which even if attained, would be worthless. OMIGOOSENESS to attain a goose is worthless? Perhaps I need to goose Mr. Funk once and for all…

Well, dear reader, that gives us much to ponder!

Tomorrow we will explore just how BUSY this goose was on Saturday. I have pictures to prove it! Hmmmpphhh…. HONK!!

As busy as a goose…