FORREST GUMP GOES TO HEAVEN

The day finally arrived. Forrest Gump dies and goes to heaven.

He is at the Pearly Gates, met by St. Peter himself. However, the gates are
closed,and Forrest approaches the gatekeeper.

St. Peter said, "Well, Forrest, it is certainly good to see you. We have
heard a lot about you. I must tell you, though, that the place is filling
up fast, and we have been administering an entrance examination for
everyone. The test is short, but you have to pass it before you can get into Heaven."

Forrest responds, "It sure is good to be here, St. Peter, sir. But nobody
ever told me about any entrance exam.. I sure hope that the test ain't too
hard. Life was a big enough test as it was."

St. Peter continued, 'Yes, I know, Forrest, but the test is only three
questions.

First: What two days of the week begin with the letter T?

Second: How many seconds are there in a year?

Third: What is God's first name?'

Forrest leaves to think the questions over. He returns the next day and
sees St. Peter, who waves him up, and says, "Now that you have had a chance to
think the questions over, tell me your answers."

Forrest replied, "Well, the first one -- which two days in the week begins
with the letter 'T'?"

"Shucks, that one is easy. That would be Today and Tomorrow."

The Saint's eyes opened wide and he exclaimed, "Forrest, that is not what I
was thinking, but you do have a point, and I guess I did not specify, so I
will give you credit for that answer. How about the next one?" asked St. Peter.

"How many seconds in a year?"

"Now that one is harder," replied Forrest, "but I thunk and thunk about
that, and I guess the only answer can be twelve."

Astounded, St.. Peter said, "Twelve? Twelve? Forrest, how in Heaven's
name could you come up with twelve seconds in a year?"

Forrest replied, "Shucks, there's got to be twelve: January 2nd, February
2nd, March 2nd... "

"Hold it," interrupts St. Peter. "I see where you are going with this, and
I see your point, though that was not quite what I had in mind....but I
will have to give you credit for that one, too. Let us go on with the third
and final question."

"Can you tell me God's first name?"

"Sure," Forrest replied, "it's Andy."

"Andy?" exclaimed an exasperated and frustrated St Peter.

"Ok, I can understand how you came up with your answers to my first two
questions, but just how in the world did you come up with the name Andy as
the first name of God?"

"Shucks, that was the easiest one of all, "Forrest replied. "I learnt it
from the song, ANDY WALKS WITH ME, ANDY TALKS WITH ME, ANDY TELLS ME I AM HIS OWN."

the view from my balcony is usually awesome. Today I was surprised and horrified to see the intercoastal filled with dead fish floating by. There were hundreds of fish. I don't know if their death was a result of the cold or something else but it was definitely an unexpected and sad, smelly sight.

“Don't say you don't have enough time. You have exactly the same number of hours per day that were given to Helen Keller, Pasteur, Michelangelo, Mother Teresa,
Leonardo da Vinci,Thomas Jefferson, and Albert Einstein.”
H. Jackson Brown, Jr

American Red Cross redcross.org

Internation Red Cross icrc.org

To check on relatives in Haiti the U.S. State Department is working with the American Citizen Services and has set up a phone line. The number is 1-888-407-4747

Many Churches and various organizations are also reaching out to provide supplies and help.

Remember prayers are powerful free and can be done anywhere. They make a positive difference.

It is beyond my comprehension how frightening and horrific the circumstances in Haiti are today. I find myself praying for those affected, strength and wisdom for those who are able to help and saying thank you for the good health and safety of myself and those I love.

The number of people effected is so enormous. It is too huge to imagine much like Katrina and the Tsunami. So very many people's life ended and other's changed forever.

In the coming days I am hoping to learn how to help.

YIKES! It is still in the 30's this morning and dropped as low as 25 overnight. I understand that many places have much colder temperatures however most of them are more prepared.

Warm clothes and heaters are all but gone from the store shelves. The news this morning was filled with tragic stories of fires resulting from people trying to stay warm. Our shelters are setting records for the number of days they have been open and people are being rescued after foolishly using barbecue grills to heat their homes causing carbon monoxide poisoning.

The cold weather up north filled up our hotels and resorts but unfortunately the cold weather here has frustrated tourists and they are checking out early. Some of the attractions have cut their hours or closed completely until it gets warmer.

The impact on our farmers is yet to be determined. They are working throughout the night to keep the strawberry and oranges okay.

On the happy side the sun is shining. We don't have day after day of gray skies and that seems to help moods. Mother Nature is certainly dishing out challenges for people and the economy as we start this new year. I hope where ever you are you are warm and safe and have the opportunity to have a marvelous Monday.

If you have any warm clothes not fitting in your closet remember to pass them on. It is a great time of the year to clean out your closet and donate to shelters, Good Will and the Salvation Army.

I am headed to do my own drop off and then to the mall to walk in their warmth as I continue my quest to increase my stamina and decrease my weight. My hair is slightly more than stubble now so I can wear my baseball cap and my skull doesn't show in the back - yeah! I am happy.

May you have reasons to make yourself smile.

It was my 8th year attending the Epiphany Celebration in Tarpon Springs. This year it was very, very cold. We had blankets, wore warm coats, took chairs and hot chocolate. We even had marshmallows so compared to most of the spectators we were warm and toasty as well as comfortable. We even found a great vantage point in the sunshine. It was a fun day. I even had Chicken Soulvaki for lunch.

Below is an excerpt from the press coverage.

TARPON SPRINGS, FL Dozens of teenagers plunged into some very cold water Wednesday afternoon as part of the decades-old Epiphany celebration.

In the end only one boy, 16-year-old Dimitrios Kalogiannis of New Port Richey, ended up with the cross. It took the Gulfport High student less than 20 seconds to retrieve it from Spring Bayou.

His dad dove for the cross when he was a boy in Greece, but never got it.

Today's dive, which was scheduled for 1:00 p.m., happened 30 minutes earlier due to weather. The frigid temperatures had some voicing concern for the divers' welfare. At last word, everyone was fine.

According to tradition, Dimitrios receives a year of good luck for finding the cross.

As 2010 begins I wish each of you good health, happiness, prosperity and time for fun.



I am starting this year feeling enormously blessed that I have survived another trip around the sun.