Greatest man in history, named Jesus, had no servants, yet they called him Master.

Had no degree, yet they called him Teacher. Had no medicines, yet they called him

Healer. He had no army, yet kings feared Him. He won no military battles, yet he

conquered the world. He committed no crime, yet they crucified Him...He was buried

in a tomb,conquered the grave & lives today! Hallelujah What a Savior!!

When Elvis Came to Town - a live theater production!

7:00 PM -
When: April 15–17, 2011

Elvis in Citrus County!
Elvis Presley and his entourage arrived in the humid Florida summer of 1961 to film his ninth movie "Follow that Dream". The sleepy county of Citrus woke up to actors, extras, screaming star stuck fans and a lot of fun. 50 years later, Follow that Dream-2011, the King Returns- in an original play/musical presented in the original 1912 Courthouse where the criticaly acclaimed courtroom scene was filmed in Inverness, Florida.


Where: Historic courthouse in
downtown Inverness, Florida (90
min. northwest of Disney World
and Universal; 60 min. from
Tampa Bay area; address: 1 Courthouse Square, Inverness, FL 34450

What: 3 shows, each starting at
7:00 p.m. with featured
appearances offstage by Elvis
tribute artists!

Why: All proceeds go to benefit
the Citrus County Historical
Society and its efforts to restore
and maintain the Citrus County
Courthouse and Historical
Museum.

For more information visit elvisinflorida.com or call 352-341-6436

Elvis Presley's Filming History on Florida's Nature Coast

Elvis Presley's Filming History on Florida's Nature Coast
from the website www.visitflorida.com


November 12, 2010

At the request of a reader, I've done some research on Elvis and the time he spent filming on Florida's Nature Coast. Of course, it wasn't called "Nature Coast" back then. Elvis filmed primarily in Yankeetown, which sits on the Withlacoochee River a few miles inland from the Gulf. This is what I learned after a bit of digging on www.inglisyankeetown.org:

"The Elvis Presley movie, "Follow that Dream," [was filmed] in our historic courthouse. When you visit Inverness, you will be struck by the beauty and quaintness of our historic "Courthouse Square" shopping district, the centerpiece of which is our stately Historic Courthouse... It was placed on the National Registry of Historic Places on April 2, 1992."

During the shooting, Elvis apparently stayed in Crystal River. From there, it was an easy drive to the locations that took him to Inverness, Yankeetown, Ocala and Tampa. Yankeetown has a marker commemorating the shoot, and it also named a highway after Elvis, the Follow That Dream Highway.


To get to the spot in Yankeetown where the fishing scenes from the movie were filmed back in 1961, you need to travel to the end of Highway 40 West at the Gulf of Mexico. There, at the bridge that goes over Bird Creek, you'll also see some of the most glorious sunsets in the entire state.

Like Elvis, many people before and after have followed their dream to Florida.

From My Friend Naz~ Inspiring

Inspiration for Christmas straight from Prison

I came across this letter from my cousin and thought it appropriate to share with you all to help you remember what the Christmas spirit is all about. Never lose hope, never give up. Santa lives within us all………

From my cousin:

I address this letter to the youth as well as to the young men and women in Rockaway who may be involved in any type of negative or delinquent life style. My name is Joey LaMarca, and I write this letter from my cell inside Attica Maximum Security Prison.

In 1996 I was involved in a crime that took place in Rockaway. I was arrested, found guilty, and now spend my days and nights regretting the ignorant past I once lived. I have now been incarcerated for the past seven years, and any light at the end of the tunnel remains years away.

My so-called reasons for committing my crime I now realize weren't reasons at all. I know this because the fact is there are no reasons or justification to commit criminal acts! I was living in a mind frame where I was concentrating on things such as my reputation instead of on the consequences of my actions.

I never thought about the individuals I hurt. I did things out of greed, out of ignorance, and from my misconception on what I thought life was about. The sad reality now for me is that I am told when I can eat, when I can sleep, when I can go outside, when I can make a phone call, what I can wear, and even what I'm permitted to say. The truth is I never dreamed imprisonment would happen to me. My family were very respected high ranking law enforcement. So, if it can happen to me, it can happen to you! Prison is a second by second assault on the soul, each day an echo of the day before, and at times I feel as if I'm choking in silent pain.

It is said that hindsight is 20/20, and when I reflect back on the choices I made I realize my enormous mistakes. I have learned that life is about educating yourself, building a family, being responsible, helping your neighbor, and really just trying to enjoy life in general.

It now has been fourteen (updated) years since I have seen the beach or the boardwalk. The Atlantic Ocean you are steps away from, I can only now dream of. I now realize I took many things for granted. If any of you reading this have a dream or a positive goal in life, GO FOR IT! When you talk about your goal it's a dream. When you plan for your goal, it becomes possible. But, when you go after that goal, when you become determined, that's when it becomes your reality! At this time I am living life as it is from a steel and cement cell, but all of you have the chance and the opportunity to live life as it should be. It's not only possible to have and achieve your dream, tell yourself it's necessary! I ask you to never let success go to your head, and never let failure go to your heart.

I would like to close with a short story. There is a tree called 'The Chinese Bamboo Tree.' When you plant the seed of this tree in the ground it takes five years of watering the seed everyday just for the tree to break free from the ground. But after it does break the ground, in just FIVE WEEKS it grows over 90 FEET TALL.

So for everyday for five years this man would water the same spot on his grass with no results. All his so-called friends and neighbors would call him crazy and stupid. But, after five year's of dedication and belief, and NEVER GIVING UP on the dream of his tree, one day it popped up! Then, five weeks later he had a beautiful Chinese Bamboo Tree in his front yard, which was over 90 feet tall! This man placed his favorite comfortable chair under the tree, and because of his dedication, hard work, and faith, he was able to sit back and relax.
The same so-called friends that called him crazy and stupid were stuck in the summer heat, but this man sat back in the shade. Yes, it takes hard work to reach certain goals in life, but if you do it right the rewards will last forever! I beg of you all, DO IT RIGHT! Take it from me, it's worth it!

I would like to thank my wife Kim and our friend Lauren for both being a positive inspiration in my life. My best to all of you out there. Stay safe, smart, happy, and healthy in all you do.

JOSEPH LAMARCA

DESCRIPTIVE PARAGRAGH

My favorite season of the year is fall. I mostly enjoy fall because the trees become colorful. The way the hues of the leaves blend together is like seeing a real life painting. It's a pretty site to see to wake up at sunrise. The morning dew blankets the already fallen leaves. The dew glistens and looks like shiney diamonds on the various colors of the leaves. Although I am an adult, I still like to run and tumble in a pile of raked leaves. It feels like a cushion to land on. I especialy like to play in a pile of oak tree leaves because it has a robust smell of coffee roasting on a campfire. It reminds me of the fun times when I was just a little country girl and life seemed much simplier.

Sam Phillips Deserves a United States Postage Stamp

Sam Phillips deserves a United States Postage Stamp because he was an honorable American icon. He demonstrated the courage to break racial barriers in music during the segregated 1950's of the South. Phillips discovered many well known talented artists. My favorite amongst them was Elvis Presley.

Phillips had a talented ear for sound. He heard what most seasoned record producers couldn't hear. Phillips was self-taught and was intune with the heart and soul of music. He didnt judge a person if they could carry tune, but he did critique the originality of the artists' style. He wasn't interested in doing things the same way. For example, country music was already king in Nashville. Electric Blues was already being done in Chicago. In his mind, the world didn't need another Frank Sinatra, Hank Williams Sr., or another Dinah Washington because the record companies were trying to mimic what was already being done with newer artists. He wanted his artists to create their own sound. He also wanted to bring various generes of music together so that it would appeal to both black and white people. He opened up the Memphis Recording Service, now known as Sun Studio, in 1950. The motto he used was "We create anything, anywhere, anytime."

Phillips accomplished his goal to bring black and white music together when he recorded Elvis Presley. Elvis had the negro feel in his voice in a white person's skin. Phillips didnt like that term 'race music,' which was used to describe the music listened to by only black people. On July 5, 1954, Rock n' Roll music was born with the recording of "That's Alright Mama." This was Presley's first big hit record. This breakthrough opened many doors for this new kind of music that brought forth many influential artists. It will be an honor for Phillips' birthtown in Florence, Alabama to host the official ceremony when the stamp is realized.

My Least Favorite Place

My Least Favorite Place

Riverbend Center for Mental Health in Florence is an uncomfortable place for me. It looks like a building from a horror film. There is also a strong, disgusting, and old odor inside, and the ringing phones aren't loud enough. Riverbend's purpose in the community is to assist people with mental disabilities, but the whole feel, smell and look of the facility defeats the purpose it is supposed to serve. Furthermore, it is difficult to see Riverbend as a helpful resource because of the look, smell, and the low-volumed telephones.

The first thing that is always noticeable about the facility is its odd shape and colors on the outside of the building. The faded, cream colored, cone shaped columns in the front and left side of the building looks like they were made by aliens. I am not sure what the shape of the building is. It comes close to a twisted hexagon. The bricks are light brown and vomit yellow color. Since Riverbend is a place for the mentally ill, it doesn't look inviting. It looks depressing. It should be more of an upbeat, cheerful and modernized building for these 'special' people who visit here. In addition, as you walk inside it, it appears to be a reality Twilight Zone.

The sight of Riverbend and the smell inside are equally dreadful. I always get dizzy, but mostly nauseous when I walk through the front foyer. The smell hits you in the face like a baseball bat; it's that bad! The facility is clean and thoroughly sanitized, but the building is so old and outdated it is difficult to tell. I am not making fun of people that have to go there; I am an outpatient client also. I am so fortunate that I have access to a daily shower and proper hygiene. Many people who go there are weird and appear to be homeless. They smell bad because of the lack of bathing and keeping their clothes clean. I feel bad for them, but it makes me uncomfortable to be around some of them. It makes me sad that Riverbend is owned by the state of Alabama. The state neglected to provide the financial support and other resources to make it a better place for the treatment of the various forms of depression. Regardless of their unlimited or limited hygiene procedures, the facility could reach out to more people if it weren't for the state.

The sounds in the building are not disturbing. People do not talk loud and the phones are soft sounding. When I have heard the phones ringing, I often wonder if someone will hear it. It may be a person in need of services. Sometimes the phones are unanswered because of the lack of employees to manage the calls. They have a radio in the ceiling speakers that isn't loud either. It plays Oldies Rock n' Roll music, which is one of my favorite genres. I never have heard of any complaints about the music. Even though the sounds you might hear at Riverbend aren't negative, the place for the most part is.

The sight and smell of the building makes me more depressed. More people would voluntarily seek services if it weren't for these negatives. Maybe this is why the doctors seem to prescribe strong doses of medication to keep some sanity in their patients when they have an appointment.

My Least Favorite Place

Riverbend Center for Mental Health in Florence is an uncomfortable place for me. It looks like a building from a horror film. There is also a strong, disgusting, and old odor inside, and the ringing phones aren't loud enough. Riverbend's purpose in the community is to assist people with mental disabilities, but the whole feel, smell and look of the facility defeats the purpose it is supposed to serve. Furthermore, it is difficult to see Riverbend as a helpful resource because of the look, smell, and the low-volumed telephones.

The first thing that is always noticeable about the facility is its odd shape and colors on the outside of the building. The faded, cream colored, cone shaped columns in the front and left side of the building looks like they were made by aliens. I am not sure what the shape of the building is. It comes close to a twisted hexagon. The bricks are light brown and vomit yellow color. Since Riverbend is a place for the mentally ill, it doesn't look inviting. It looks depressing. It should be more of an upbeat, cheerful and modernized building for these 'special' people who visit here. In addition, as you walk inside it, it appears to be a reality Twilight Zone.

The sight of Riverbend and the smell inside are equally dreadful. I always get dizzy, but mostly nauseous when I walk through the front foyer. The smell hits you in the face like a baseball bat; it's that bad! The facility is clean and thoroughly sanitized, but the building is so old and outdated it is difficult to tell. I am not making fun of people that have to go there; I am an outpatient client also. I am so fortunate that I have access to a daily shower and proper hygiene. Many people who go there are weird and appear to be homeless. They smell bad because of the lack of bathing and keeping their clothes clean. I feel bad for them, but it makes me uncomfortable to be around some of them. It makes me sad that Riverbend is owned by the state of Alabama. The state neglected to provide the financial support and other resources to make it a better place for the treatment of the various forms of depression. Regardless of their unlimited or limited hygiene procedures, the facility could reach out to more people if it weren't for the state.

The sounds in the building are not disturbing. People do not talk loud and the phones are soft sounding. When I have heard the phones ringing, I often wonder if someone will hear it. It may be a person in need of services. Sometimes the phones are unanswered because of the lack of employees to manage the calls. They have a radio in the ceiling speakers that isn't loud either. It plays Oldies Rock n' Roll music, which is one of my favorite genres. I never have heard of any complaints about the music. Even though the sounds you might hear at Riverbend aren't negative, the place for the most part is.

The sight and smell of the building makes me more depressed. More people would voluntarily seek services if it weren't for these negatives. Maybe this is why the doctors seem to prescribe strong doses of medication to keep some sanity in their patients when they have an appointment.

Vocational Field Article Summary

In "Public-Relations Professionals Hire Freelance Writers for a Host of Lucrative Assignments," Robert Bly states that PR writing is four times more profitable than journalism. The writer, who is called a ghostwriter, is paid more money per article and the writer will not spend a lot of time on their writing assignments. Ghostwriting is a unique term to describe a writer who gets no credit for their work. The ghostwriter isn't known to the company's editor. This writer is hired by a corporation or nonprofit agency. The majority of the PR work is done for trade and consumer magazines. There are seven types of PR writing: press releases, case studies, speeches, newsletters, how-to, selection guides, and consumer-awareness guides.

Bly contrasted the difference between public-relations and journalism to prove his point. He states that conventional journalism takes more time than public-relations writing. He gave a great explanation. In journalism, the writer is expected to do all the research and write the article. In contrast, the PR writer's job is simplified. The client who hires you will supply you with all the information to do your work. Another example to back up his point is that in journalism, the writer has to interview many people for one story. This is very time consuming. In PR writing, the client will give you access to SM E's, subject-matter experts, if additional information is needed for the article. SME's are told by the client to work with you; therefore, getting additional information will not be frustrating.

This article was interesting to me because I enjoy writing. Writing is my passion. After I graduate from Northwest-Shoals Community College, I will have an Associate of Arts degree in General Liberal Arts. From there, I will attend Roosevelt University, in Chicago, to pursue a Bachelor of Professional Studies degree in Communications. The area I want to focus on is public-relations. I learned a little more about the profession after I read this article. I am impressed that most companies don't use people from within their organization to do their PR work. When I first read the term, 'ghostwriter,' I immediately assumed that it was talking about writing stories on the paranormal.

An example that comes to mind about ghostwriting, are letters I get on occasion from Roosevelt University alumni members. It makes sense that a ghostwriter writes the letter for that person. For example, I have received letters from Anne Roosevelt (President Franklin and Eleanor Roosevelt's granddaughter), Roosevelt's president, Chuck Middleton, Congresswoman Melissa Bean and alumni who own well known companies. Last month, I received a letter from an executive who works with Quaker Oats. It makes sense why their signature is electronically signed too. I am sure that other new enrolled students have received the same letter. The only difference is, my name was printed on the envelope and letter.

These days, companies are doing everything that they can to cut costs. The cost of printing, paper and postage is not cheap. To achieve this, marketers are sending their newsletters out by email. Most colleges have stopped printing catalogs. Instead, you can access the entire catalog on the school's website. Many companies have done away with paper employment applications since they can utilize the cost-efficient way of accessing the applicant's information they submitted on the company's website.

I would recommend this article to anybody who needs brief information on how companies handle the bulk of their writing communications. Electronic marketing is the profession to choose for writers who have the passion I have for the art of putting words together that make a lasting impression on the reader. This article has inspired me to do more research in this line of work and how I can continue to improve my writing skills.

An Experience of Success That Revealed My Passion

An Experience of Success That Revealed My Passion



I have been an Elvis Presley fan since I was two years old. Growing up as one of his most dedicated fans I never imagined that I would become an Elvis fan club president, become friends with the Sam Phillips Family and become acquainted with several people who were close to Elvis. Furthermore, my dedicated involvement in the Elvis world showed me I have the natural ability and talent to coordinate and plan special events. This is not an easy thing to do; it requires what I call the "Three P's" of event management: patience, persistence and passion. In addition, my "Three P's" have given birth to the annual Sam Phillips Music Celebration that is held in Florence and a 2006 Commemorative United States Postal Cancellation of Sam's image. I have taken on a bigger role now as the coordinator for the Sam Phillips United States Postage Stamp Campaign, now in its fifth year. Sam Phillips, who was from Florence, was the man who discovered music greats such as Elvis, Johnny Cash, Jerry Lee Lewis, Carl Perkins, Roy Orbison, B.B. King, Rufus Thomas, Little Milton, Charlie Rich, Conway Twitty, Howlin’ Wolf, Sonny Burgess and the Pacers and several others. Sam is my hero, but Elvis is my American Idol.

I first discovered how natural I am in the event management and public-relations fields when I coordinated my first event. I will never forget it. It was on Friday, December 13, 2002. For some people, Friday the 13th is an unlucky day, but it wasn't for me. It was a rainy, blustery, cold day in Nashville, Tennessee. My co-workers at the Ernest Tubb Record Shop were my biggest fans; they were like family to me. When I asked my manager, we all affectionately called Big Dave, if I could host a book and CD signing with Scotty Moore (Elvis' first guitar player), D.J. Fontana (Elvis' first drummer) and country legend Ronnie McDowell (whose voice closely resembles Elvis), he, without hesitation said, "it will be a pleasure Liz!" During this time in my life, I was living in a bad marriage, I had low self-esteem, and I was empty; I didn't know what my purpose in life was. As soon as Big Dave gave me authorization to host this exciting event inside the little historic record shop located at 417 Broadway, my life looked upwards. There was a fire that ignited in me for the first time in my life. It was overwhelming, but it sure felt good! Coordinating and planning this event was not only an exciting thing for me, but it was very bold, I rarely did anything bold because of fear. Thus, this was the beginning for me to come out of the wall I built around me when I was a child.

The day of the event, as anyone can imagine, I was nervous. I really wanted this to be a magical day for me. I rarely did anything for myself. I felt I deserved it. I deserved to walk into a new open door of possibilities that would improve my life and make me a happier woman. Before I got to work, I stopped off at H.G. Hills Food Store in West Nashville for 3 cold Cokes and 3 bottles of cold water. I am not sure why I thought of this, but I felt this would be the considerate thing to do for my special guests. After all, they were donating their time. As soon as I clocked in at work, I remembered that I forgot my camera and voice recorder. This did not help my anxiety at all. Usually, one of my co-workers, Kelly keeps a camera on hand in case someone of importance comes in to visit. He didn't have it with him. I used to keep a disposable camera in my desk drawer, but forgot to replace the one I had. As I walked to mail order, Rick, who worked in my department, was at the coffee pot refilling his cup. He asked me if I wanted a cup and I said, "That would make me want to climb the ceiling. I already feel I could climb the wall." He laughed and said, "Why? What's wrong?" I replied, shaking a little, "I am so nervous I can't think! I thought I had everything together to bring with me today. I just realized I forgot my camera and voice recorder!" He chuckled and assured me that everything will be alright. He told me before I begin answering the phones, get me some water, sit down, and breathe. As Rick and I were talking, Big Dave was at his desk getting orders ready to be packaged. He was smiling as he was working. I know that he heard every word.

After I sat down, in his gentle, deep, northern accented voice, he said, "Lizzy, you will do fine. I believe in you." Big Dave always knew how to encourage the employees and to make them feel right at home. That is one of the reasons why we all loved him so much. Then, with the same smile on his face, Big Dave, printing a receipt for an order said, "If you want to Liz, you can go to my office to visit with Scotty. It will be comfortable and quiet up there." I had always wanted to sit in his big, leather, executive chair. I exclaimed, "Oh thank you so much Big Dave, thank you so much!" Laughing, he responded in his Elvis voice, with his right upper lip curled like Elvis, "Thank ya, thank ya very much!" That was so funny! Rick, who we affectionately called Hillbilly Rick, made me laugh even more, because he was laughing. His laugh was contagious. Laughter definitely is the best medicine!

I decided to take an early lunch break. Big Dave allowed me to take an hour. I still had a lot to do to get prepared. I decided I would chance getting soaked in the rain to walk up to Walgreen's to find me a voice recorder and disposable camera. I found a camera and a voice recorder, but I didn't have enough money to buy the voice recorder. Instead, I bought me a small notebook and a comfortable ink pen so I could take really good notes during my conversation with Scotty. After I got back to the shop, I went straight to the bathroom to dry off, fix my thick hair-sprayed curly blond hair, and to try to make myself look like I hadn't been through hell. The closer to time that Scotty was to arrive; I could not concentrate on my work, nor keep seated. I had to constantly walk around. Big Dave didn't say anything to me about it. When I would walk through the mail order department, all he would do was smile while he worked. When I finally made myself sit down to take a break, the back door bell rang. I was so nervous that I surprisingly could not hear it. Bill, our shipping guy exclaimed as he comes into the mail order room, "Liz, Scotty is here!" I took a big breath, put on my smile, composed myself, and walked into the shipping room. There he was, the man who was there with Elvis in the beginning. Here he was, the man whose guitar you hear clearly on such Elvis records like "Heartbreak Hotel," "Don't Be Cruel," "All Shook Up," "That's Alright (Mama)," "Hound Dog," and so many other famous Elvis songs too numerous to list. Scotty can be seen in three Elvis movies. He played guitar in the movies "Jailhouse Rock," "Loving You," and "King Creole." When I saw him, he appeared larger than life to me. I could not believe that I was seconds away from meeting the legendary Scotty Moore; this was reality!

I first shook hands with Gail Pollock, his personal and professional assistant. She hugged me and said, "Liz, don't be nervous. I understand why you are, but think of him as a regular guy." I never thought of it that way before; think of Scotty Moore as an everyday person. Doing this, I was able to put away the awkwardness, uneasy, and uncomfortable feelings I had about meeting a celebrity. I felt I had to be perfect and that this day had to be perfect. I learned my first important lesson that day. Celebrities are people too and they are not perfect. Since then, I don't get nervous around them; I treat them like I would want to be treated with no special favors. It is the courteous thing to do to show your special visitor hospitality, like you would an out of town family member or friend. You would want to make sure their accommodations are met and they will come back again. When I shook Scotty's hand and introduced myself to him, I thanked him for coming and that it means so much to me to finally get to meet him. He smiled and said, "Liz it is good to meet you too. I haven't been in this old record shop in more than 50 years." I was so glad that he said that, because I was blank. I did not know how to open up a conversation. I said, "Scotty, would you like to walk upstairs and see the shop before we sit down and talk?" He said, "Sure!"

Scotty, Gail and I walked upstairs to the store part of the shop. When we got up there, Scotty paused at the doorway, looked to his right and said, "There’s the stage. It hasn't changed a bit." Then he said, "It sure is clean in here. It wasn't this nice back then." Puzzled as to why he would say that, I asked him, "How did the store look 50 years ago?" With a slight grin he said, "It was dirty in here. Those old record bins and floor was dirty." Then I said, "The floor must have not been waxed back then." Scotty said, still looking around and making detailed observations, "it looked dull and wasn't as organized and clean. This old place looks great!" As we turned to walk into Big Dave's office, Scotty said, "You sure couldn't stir the people in there with a stick. It was so crowded up there." As we sat down, Bill come upstairs and asked Scotty if he would like to have some coffee. I thought in the back of my mind, "Liz, you idiot, you forgot to ask him that." Scotty said he would like it black. Then I realized, I forgot to bring my camera, notebook and pen upstairs. Feeling embarrassed, I didn't ask Bill to bring it up for me. Instead, I saw a sheet of white computer paper and an ink pen on Big Dave's desk. I figured that he wouldn't mind me using it.

I told Scotty that I am not going to ask him the same questions that people have asked him for years about Elvis. I told him that I wanted him to talk about what he wanted to. It didn't have to relate to Elvis. Looking to his left, he saw an Elvis clock on the wall. It had a picture of Elvis on it in his black leather suit holding an electric guitar. Scotty said, "That was the best time of my life. The guitar Elvis is holding in that picture was mine. He used it during the 68' Comeback Special. I don't know what happened to it. I don't remember." Bill came in, gave Scotty his coffee, smiled and winked at me for good luck and then closed the door. I asked Scotty about the 68' Special and why it was a special time for him. Without hesitation, sipping on his coffee, he sits up in his chair and shares memories that I didn't know. He said that this was the last time he saw and got to talk to Elvis. He also said that he, Elvis and DJ Fontana discussed back stage about reuniting and going on an overseas tour. Elvis' manager, Col. Tom Parker didn't allow Elvis to perform out of the country. The only performances he did do out of the States was in Canada. This was in the 50's at the very beginning of Elvis' career. Unfortunately, Col. Parker told Elvis he didn't want him to tour overseas. For years it has been rumored that the reason was because Col. Parker was not a legal United States citizen.

With only 15 more minutes till time for Scotty to join Ronnie and DJ in the store, I asked Scotty if seeing the inside of the store today brought back any memories of that night he, Elvis and Bill Black (Bill was their bass player) appeared on that little stage on the Ernest Tubb Midnight Jamboree. He said that it was such a long time ago that all he remembered was the store was so overcrowded with young people, there was so much noise from the screaming girls, and that Mr. Tubb was the nicest person to them in Nashville. I asked him, "Were there people from the Opry mean to y'all? How was he nice to y'all?" He said, still sipping on his steamy coffee, "The Opry performance was humiliating to Elvis. The audience didn't boo him off the stage like some books say. There simply wasn't any reaction from them. They were not sure what they just heard." In addition to Scotty describing being on stage on the legendary Grand Ole Opry, he commented on how rude Opry stars like Bill Monroe and Roy Acuff was to Elvis. They made fun of him and judged him. Scotty described what Elvis was wearing in detail. He also said that Bill Monroe didn't like Elvis recording his song, "Blue Moon of Kentucky." Nevertheless, Mr. Monroe later re-corded the song to a more up-tempo beat after he realized that Elvis made a hit out of it. When he re-recorded the song, Mr. Monroe sold more copies than the slower original version.

Scotty said that after the performance at the Opry, the three of them went out the back door and went into Tootsie's Orchard Lounge. "Bill had to let out some energy," said Scotty. "Bill got up on top of the counter with his bass and played like a wild man." Scotty laughed as he reminisced. He said that Bill was the clown of their group. Mr. Tubb got word that Elvis was across the street at Tootsie's. Elvis and The Blue Moon Boys, the three were called, were personally invited to make a guest appearance on Mr. Tubb's live radio show, The Midnight Jamboree. I asked Scotty, "What songs did y'all do?" Scotty chuckled and said, "The only ones we knew, "That's Alright (Mama)" and "Blue Moon of Kentucky." He said that their trip to Nashville turned out to not be as bad as they thought it would be after they got off the Opry stage. Never forgetting the kindness and generosity Mr. Tubb showed them, Elvis sent a box of chocolates to him every Christmas until 1976, the last year that Elvis lived.

Gail, Scotty and I spent nearly 45 minutes talking. Scotty did most of the talking and I listened. It was a pleasure to be allowed to spend this time with him. Most people who interview Scotty, have to go through many channels to get to do so. I didn't have to. The privilege was given to me by a dear friend who worked as Graceland's public-relations manager at the time. Her name was Patsy Andersen. If it weren't for Patsy, getting this event to happen with three busy and famous musicians would not have happened. Not only was it this first event I coordinated that inspired me to go into the career field I am preparing for, Patsy was the other source and would later become my mentor on how to do this kind of work. When Scotty walked back into the store, Ronnie and DJ were already there at the table speaking to fans and signing autographs. Before Scotty sat down, I shyly said to Gail, "Would you take our picture before the guys get really busy?" She said, "I would love to Liz!" Ronnie looked up at me, got up and gave me the biggest hug I have ever got from anybody. It was nice. I liked it. He thanked me for having him and the guys there. Gail, gathered the four of us together, took two pictures and then the guys went back to their seats to greet the fans.

When the end of my work day came, I was so exhausted. I felt liberated though. I felt validated and on top of the world. I made an important discovery that I wouldn't have realized and experienced if it weren't for Patsy, Big Dave, the support from my ET family and my spark for life. Since I felt adopted by my ET family, I know without a doubt, their support helped me the most get through this entire day. All of the frustrations, my sore feet, burning eyes and headache I had were worth it. I never knew until three years later that I would see Scotty and Ronnie again. I become an Elvis fan club president in 2003. My fan club, "Alabama Fans TCB for Elvis" became active in 2004. These two men have performed at some of my fan club benefit shows and they are in support of the Sam Phillips United States Postage Stamp. Life is full of surprises and I am so thankful that I was granted this surprise.

HAVE YOU HEARD THE NEWS???!!??

The 1972 "ELVIS ON TOUR" will be released on DVD for the FIRST TIME EVER THIS AUGUST!!!! It's about dern time!!!! "Elvis On Tour" was one of the final 'motion pictures' he made that came out in theaters at the time. Elvis is telling you the story HIMSELF of being on the road, his life, music and the practical jokes on and off stage with band members. If you don't own a single Elvis Presley movie...get this one!!! IT WILL BE WORTH IT!!!

The powder blue suit you see him in...is my absolute fav!!!

'Candy' For REAL Women ;-)

Eye candy or any kind of candy a woman wants him to be! Yummmy!!! TAKE ME NOW ELVIS!!! I'M ALLLL YOURS HUNY!!!

Through My Eyes ~April 11, 2010 - Sunday

Dear Friends,

Today I finally got the rest of my trip pictures developed. As I was putting them into an album, my mind took me into the future, how I envision it. There is no doubt in my mind that once I am free from home, the possibilities will be endless for me. I have climbed a lot of mountains; some scarier than others. Some that have really tested me to the core of my inner strength, my abilities and my faith. When a person has been through so much trauma, hard times and sickness, that person will look at the world and look at life a lot differently than before. It is that person's choice to look at it in a positive way or in a bad way. There are so many lessons to be learned from the bad times that we either choose to become courageous enough to be aware, learn, apply and share or we can just keep running, give no effort and allow no progress in our lives. We can choose to allow our circumstances to humble us or harden our hearts.




As difficult as it has been for me, there are times when I have wanted to pull my covers over my head and not go forward. I have been scared stiff, sometimes giving myself a pity party. I have at times become angry, in denial and blamed others instead of owning the responsibility myself for the outcomes. Sometimes it is difficult to feel so human; so weak. When I have felt like giving up I asked God to "take me"; "I'm done", "I don't want this anymore", "just make the pain stop." God always reminds me in His loving gentle way of who I really am and how much He truly loves. He lets me know that my presence in the world helps it to be so wonderful.

He reminds me how far I have come in my life. He reminds me all that I have accomplished and that there is more. He reminds me that He has more for me to do, see and experience. He reminds me that many more blessings are coming my way to make what I am and have been going through a sweet experience that is helping me grow. He reminds me that He is with me always and that He has me in the place where I need to be so that later I can do better at something He has planned for me to take another shot at or something that He wants me to do for the first time. He reminds me that I refuse to allow the words 'quit' and 'give up' in my vocabulary. He knows that I strive to live my life to please Him and that someday when it is my time to come before Him, I want no regrets. I want to look back on my life satisfied with a bright sunny smile on my face knowing that I did my very best and I had fun at it too. He warms my heart with His never ending love. He wraps His arms around me to console my hurting heart. He feels my pain and He understands. I am special to Him, so I am on a special mission for Him.



When I start school this fall, I intend to do better than I did when I was in school 13 + years ago. I wasn't a goof off. I didn't believe in myself. I was slow, severely depressed, didn't have the encouragement and support to succeed and to exercise my talents, abilities and to enjoy learning. I was quiet, timid, shy and afraid to be me. I was intimidated too easily. I didn't know how to make friends, in fact I was scared to. I was just an average student. This time I will become more than an average student. Giving my very, very best I aim to succeed. I am not afraid to become the woman God wants me to become. I am looking forward to it. I say, "come on, bring it on baby, bring it on!" Once I preferred the back seat of the classroom, now I prefer the front seat and nothing less.

While I am in school, I plan to get involved in school activities, organizations and functions. I look forward making new friends. I am so anxious to learn new things and refresh on things I already have learned. I love knowledge!! When I travel, I look at it as an opportunity to see places, meet new people and experience new adventures that I only dreamed about years ago. I enjoy travel. It's so exciting! I have goals that I will make happen and dreams that will come true. I don't feel sorry for anyone that tries to stand in my way.

When I was growing up, I was always told "no", "you can't do this," "you can't do that," "we don't have the money," "You can't do that because I tried it before," "I don't have the time," "stop dreaming, it useless," and always more "no, no, no!" I say "YES, YES, YES I CAN AND BY GOLLY I WILL!"

I thank my Jesus for being the wonderful Teacher that He is. I thank Him for the amazing love He has for me. I thank Him for His remarkable healing. I thank Him for His vigilant guidance on me. I thank Him for his patience with me. I thank Him for the family I have, my friends, talents and mostly I thank Him for my life. I am so happy that I am His. He is truly so good. I hope that someday I can use these lessons and experiences; both good and bad in my life, to help motivate and encourage someone along my journey. I can't live my life without Him. I need Him. Like the hymn sings, "Because He Lives, I can face tomorrow."

In God's Amazing Grace,
Liz

From My Friend Naz~"Men Dont' Cry"~WONDERFUL Writing!

How do I know this to be true? Easy, my grandfather told me so and my father told me so.

It’s even more amazing with this Italian heritage thing I grew up with. I remember being told by a certain young lady’s mom one time (as I was meeting her daughter) how she had warned her daughter never to get involved with an Italian man. Lucky for me she included many reasons why she felt as she did. Unlucky for me, the young lady I cared so much about sat and listened to everything her mom had to tell me. I know her daughter knew I was Italian but I wouldn’t swear if her mom did and was just letting me know to stay away. She may have just spoken what she believed without regard to whom I was or how I felt.

Growing up in a strict Italian family was quite a learning experience. I watched mostly as a young man, I was never really one to be told what to do. I know, what a surprise right? I took in the heritage I was born with, observed what it was all about.

The interesting part was the things I learned. About fifty percent of it was how to behave in later life and the other was how not to. I learned so many lessons, so many things. Although I was always able to separate the good and what needed to be applied as I took my life’s journey from the behavior completely unacceptable. (I promised myself never to be so much of this heritage when I grew up). The one thing I was always told and seemed to have adopted was “Italian men don’t cry”.

Forgetting about the whole Italian thing, the entire concept of men crying I’ve always found fascinating. When asked, most ladies will tell you that the perfect man will be strong, able to take care of and protect them, yet in touch with his feelings, able to express himself and willing to share or communicate how he really feels. Yet the first time a man breaks into tears in front of his gal he is looked at as weak and unable to protect her. (Admit it ladies, you hate to see your man cry)

A lady is allowed to cry when she’s joyous, happy, or thrilled, she will also cry when she’s heartbroken, sad, or feels a loss. In fact she can cry for what most men will feel is no reason at all. When the crying starts for a guy the instinct is to grab her in your arms, hold her tight, and assure her everything is going to be okay now. It matters not if you know her just that you make her feel better and stop her need to cry.

If a lady is among her friends and feels the need to cry then at least one of her friends will do exactly what the male instinct dictates and she will give her a caring hug or more likely you will witness the true meaning of a “Group Hug”.

Imagine this for a moment, it’s the last few seconds of the Superbowl, the guys are yelling and screaming at the poor television (Cause we all know what we say to the TV matters to the game), the kick sails through the uprights as the seconds tick off the clock and you watch your team lose. At that moment you start to cry uncontrollably, your body shakes, and you can barely speak or even catch your breath. Do the guys (or gals) watching come over and give you hug, tell you it’s going to be okay and there is always next year? I think not. Best case scenario is one of the gals in the room will eventually take pity on the guy and tell the rest of them to “Leave him alone” although she will keep her distance as she makes this proclamation. That’s just not what she meant when she said she wanted a guy to be able to communicate his feelings.

Isn’t it amazing how two human beings of different genders can have such different views on something as simple as a tear?

When one throws in the Italian factor the phenomenon becomes even more fascinating. The stereo typical Italian man (As described by the mother above) is passionate, puts his woman on a pedestal, and is a man’s man. Yet he is not to be trusted because he is also uncaring, aloof, egotistical and a perfect candidate to cheat on a loved one.

Of all the things I learned from my family of what not to do, I don’t know that I ever really realized how important not crying seemed to be to me. I’ve noticed it as I’ve grown older, watching a great movie, seeing a moving experience, or even watching TV. There is this overwhelming feeling of emotion that you feel in your heart, it rushes up your body until it hits your tear ducts. The second you feel your eyes water you put your hand to your face, get up and leave the room, or look around you to be sure nobody notices. No matter what the situation nobody is to see you actually cry.

I wonder sometimes if this uncontrollable need to withhold the emotion of a simple cry has affected my life, the life of other men, and the lives of the people we care most about. Would we be better or worse if allowed to shake and cry uncontrollably? Is this the reason men have a shorter life span?

I have news for you all, men do cry, they feel, they hurt, they shake uncontrollably and the dog runs for cover in fear of being hugged to death. What we don’t do is ever admit it or let you see it happen.

Because we all know, men don’t cry.


Have thoughts on this? Leave a comment I’ll be sure to give you an opinion!!

STAMP CAMPAIGN NOW ON FACEBOOK!! PLEASE SUPPORT!!

Join the SAM PHILLIPS U.S. STAMP CAMPAIGN group on Facebook! Look me up 1samphillipsmusicfan

You will find the Campaign listed in 'Groups' that I am a member of. Since I set this group up last night, I am almost at 50 members. If I can get 50 member per day up until July 30th 2010..the 7th anniversary of Sam' death, that will automatically be 4,400 supporters for Sam!!!!!! So that's 88 days to go and counting!!!!

I have been working so darn hard since the beginning of 2007 to make sure Sam is recognized with a US stamp. If it weren't for him would there be an Elvis? Johnny Cash? Jerry Lee Lewis? Roy Orbision? Carl Perkins? or a BB King? as we know and will enjoy for years to come??????

This stamp is not only a tribute to the man himself, but to all the artists that stepped inside Memphis Recording Service (SUN Records), the music, the artists of today who were influenced by these great men and of course YOU the FANS!!! Please help out. If you are a Facebooker, become a member of the Campaign's group! Then if you haven't signed the online petition, go ahead and do that....it wont take more than 2 minutes of your time!!! A direct link is there on the site.

On behalf of the family, we appreciate all the support from the Fans thus far.

Liz Scott,
Coordinator Sam Phillips US Stamp Campaign

Starting Over; Goodbye is Never Easy

An original poem by me....Liz Scott

Writing is one of the ways I use as an outlet of expressing my feelings, what is in my heart, my joys and sorrows. It has always helped me with the process for closure when I need it. Thank you Jesus for my writing abilities and the creative ways that I use my writing to express myself.

I am thankful for all the people in my life now and those in my past. To everyone we meet, we don't really know if this is a temporary relationship or one that will last until something happens to give us a clue. With every relationship there are lessons to be learned between both people. There is also happiness and pain.

This weekend I have been doing some much needed housekeeping in my life. I am not and will not bring any clutter, dust and stuff in my life now that may try to hinder me from the happiness I have worked so hard for and that I do deserve. I have come a long ways with my health recovery and the other 'junk' I have been dealing with for years.

It's time for me to move on, and I know I can because Jesus is with me every step, every second and every day. I also have wonderful friends who are good to me, pray for me, wont shut the door on me and do support me, even when I don't make any sense at all. I don't deserve table scraps and will not except it as 'ok' anymore.
Goodbye is never easy, but sometimes something we have to do.

I AM LIZ!! I AM BEAUTIFUL!! I AM WORTHY!! I AM IMPORTANT!!

~~In God's Love, Liz~~

I have a heart of gold; a beautiful soul
I have a mind; knowledge is key
I am a woman who is out to achieve my goals
I am a woman who has broken free

I have feelings; I enjoy to laugh, but I do cry
That's ok because God made me that way
I am compassionate, fun and loving life
I am a go-getter, brave, strong, loyal & kind

Please don't hurt me, but if you do
I am loved by many who genuinely care
Just know that God is taking notes on you
I am just me; to be something I'm not I don't dare

Stay true to yourself is what I believe
Don't be influenced by the world & unGodly people
To become someone God doesn't want you to be
It saddens my heart when people I love hide behind the church steeple

I am a woman who deserves love, consideration and respect too
I'm ok, it's in God's Hands, this is the way it has to be
I wish you no pain nor any kind of harm to you
It's time I mosey on, God has big plans waiting for me


Liz is finished with the past, embracing the present and looking forward to the future. God has taken the lead; He needs no help doing it. Like the sparrow, He is ALWAYS watching over me.

A Reason, A Season, A Lifetime

People come into our life for a reason, a season or a lifetime. When we know which one it is, we will know what to do for that person.

When someone is in our life for a REASON, it is usually to meet a need we have expressed. They have come to assist us through a difficulty, to provide us with guidance and support, to aid us physically, emotionally or spiritually. They may seem like a godsend and they are. They are there for the reason we need them to be. Then, without any wrongdoing on our part or at an inconvenient time, this person will say or do something to bring the relationship to an end. Sometimes they walk away. Sometimes they act up and force us to take a stand. What we must realize is that our need has been met, our desire fulfilled, their work is done. The prayer you sent up has been answered and now it is time to move on.

Some people come into our life for a SEASON, because our turn has come to share, grow or learn. They bring us an experience of peace or make you laugh. They may teach us something we have never done. They usually give us an unbelievable amount of joy.
Believe it, it is real. But only for a season.!


LIFETIME relationships teach us lifetime lessons, things we must build upon in order to have a solid emotional foundation. Our job is to accept the lesson, love the person and put what you have learned to use in all other relationships areas of your life. It is said that love is blind but friendship is clairvoyant.

Thank you for being a part of my life, whether you were a reason, a season or a lifetime.

Perception and Reality, is there really a difference?

This is one of my favorite writings from my friend Naz. He is such a talented writer. He writes truth and doesn't stumble on telling it; when he speaks he is straightforward and I really appreciate that attribute in people His writings are all his, all original. ~Liz

As the story is told a young boy appears before his father with tears in his eyes. His father, a caring man asks his young son what’s the matter? The young boy tells his father that he has a paper due at school and is struggling mightily because he just can’t find the answers he needs and is afraid he will fail.

His father tells his young son to settle down, explain his problem and he assures him that he can help.

The boy wipes the tears from his eyes and explains to his dad that he needs to write a paper about the difference between perception and reality and he just can’t figure out the difference. Every time he thinks he knows he realizes that what he thought was true really was not.

His father tells his young son not to worry as the answer he seeks is really quite simple. He tells his son that his mom is down in the laundry room doing some laundry and tells him to go down and ask his mom if she would sleep with a total stranger for a million dollars.

A few moments later the young boy appears before his father and says mom said sure. The father smiles and tells his son his older sister is up in her room doing homework adding he should poke his head in her room and ask her the same question.

A few moments later the young boy returns to tell his father that his sister said yes as well.

So the father sits his young son down and tells him to listen carefully.

Son, the perception is we are millionaires; the reality is we live with a couple of sluts!


I never got a lot of advice growing up but one thing I was told was that it matters not what you really do, what matters is what people perceive you to do. I know many who will vehemently disagree with that advice but when you really look at it is it good or bad advice?

A corporation has a policy that states dating between co-workers is grounds for termination. A male and female employee enjoy each other’s company and conversation and find themselves going to lunch together every day. In no time at all the perception in the office is the two are having an affair. The reality is they are just friends and do nothing but talk and eat at lunch. Perception gets them terminated.

The difference between perception and reality often times gets so skewed that we ourselves begin to believe the perception we have and before we know it we think it’s reality.

Our perception is that the economy is horrible, everything that can go wrong is going wrong, and frankly our life just not fair right now. The reality is thousands of people just lost their lives and loved ones in an earthquake in Haiti and we should feel thankful that we were not there at the time.

Our perception is our boyfriend, girlfriend, spouse, or significant other is totally in love with us and we will live happily ever after. The reality is they are in love alright but with somebody else.

I could go on and one with example after example and the perception would be that I make a great point but the reality is I’m not saying anything you don’t already know.

The difference between perception and reality is actually so important that two people can look at the very same set of circumstances and because their perception of what happened is different they have diametrically opposed opinions of what they believe to be true.

My father, may he rest in peace, and I did not speak for years. We were and are two hard headed Italians neither willing to give on our opinion of what we believed and neither willing to see the others point of view. My perception was my father didn’t care what happened to me, didn’t have time for me, was selfish, and only cared about him. His perception was I was a hard headed kid that didn’t want to listen, thought he was always right, and wouldn’t take his advice even if he gave it so why bother.

The reality turned out to be that what my father wanted was for me to learn to be independent, strong, and able to take of myself so his indifference or what I perceived to be his uncaring was really nothing more than his way to force me to think my problems through and figure out the solutions myself whereby learning not to rely on others to make it through life.

Many of you who know me know that I have a brother that has been a lifelong drug addict in and out of jail, shelters, and living on the streets. My perception of him has always been he was lazy, spineless, and ran away from life’s challenges via a bottle be it alcohol or drugs. His perception was that society didn’t understand him, he didn’t fit in, and he could not get along with people. The reality is, now that he is in recovery, his health deteriorating at a rate that will not allow him to be with us much longer, is he has realized he as a person has never given society a chance because they never met him. They only met the drugs he was taking. I’ve recently learned the reality is my brother has more courage in his little finger than I could ever have in a lifetime.

I watched my brother listen intently as the doctors explained to him that the elective surgery he was about to undertake may well kill him. In fact the doctor told him “If I had to give you my top ten all time list of patients I would least like to operate on you would be on the top of the list”. You see, my brother recently fell and broke his hip due to a stroke which occurred from an operation back in September. The cause of the stroke was his failing livers ability to get his blood to clot. Nothing had changed in the past three months so the chance of another stroke with his new surgery was extremely high.

After hearing the doctor explain to him that surgery may well kill him but lack of surgery would mean he would never leave his bed again, my brother looked me in the eye and said “bro I’ve lived my whole life on drugs and I have to get out there and let people know how bad they are, I can’t accomplish that goal from bed” let’s do this thing.
So the next time you find yourself with your head in your hands feeling sorry for yourself, feeling sorry for someone else, wondering how life could be so unfair or how someone could do such a thing to you, don’t forget to ask yourself is what you are so worried about your perception or is it reality. And by all means if your worries involve another person make sure you talk to each other open and honestly about your perception and theirs because more often than not you will find you don’t disagree at all, you simply have different perceptions of reality.
Then when you’re done ask yourself was the advice I received as a young man really that bad?

DOES GOD REALLY ALLOW BAD THINGS TO HAPPEN?

Every time I hear about health care, Obama Care, Pelosi care or whatever they call it up there in D.C., I just want to preach!! It will completely ruin my day if I continue to listen or read on the latest. I did just that a few weeks back when I traveled 2 1/2 hours from my house to my doctor to complete the last steps before my Lap Band surgery be scheduled. Friends, those of you who have stood by me since 2008 will know the depths of hell I have had to fight in order to get the respect, compassion and dignity I deserve and to receive the BEST care for illnesses that drs. for too long have misdiagnosed.

The last steps in preparation for my surgery that I was looking forward to was a 'teaching' class on how I will eat and what I will be allowed/not allowed to eat after my Lap Band is in place. Then Dr. Britt would meet with me privately to answer any questions I might have and to go over the procedure. Then third, I would be scheduled! When I got there to sign in, I handed the receptionist some last minute records from my doctor in Nashville and showed her a new insurance card I had received the month prior. When I showed her my card, she had the weirdest look on her face. It was a Blue Cross Blue Shield card. She took it to the insurance manager. Her manager came up to me and said that she thought I had Medicare. I told her that I do have it and this is a supplemental they sent me.

What happened was the most devastating, sickening and disheartened thing that could ever happen to a person. I was finally at the finish line and on this day I was the happiest I had been in so long. I have been disabled for 2 years and I could see me getting my life back. Medicare allowed BS/BC to screw me like they did other people. It didn't take much for me to cry their at the receptionist window feeling like an 18-wheeler had just ran over me!!!

Blue Cross Blue Shield is one of the biggest insurance companies in the world They can do anything they please; illegal or legal, and nobody can touch them! They had sent out a nice brochure at the end of April to many people on Medicare advertising that to join is free and is medicare approved. Like me and no telling how many thousands that received the same brochure, thought it was supplemental; extra help. It said nothing about Medicare will discontinue my insurance with them so BS/BC would be my primary. How this was advertised and many medical professionals who have seen this very brochure will all agree "what BS/BC is doing is illegal how they 'pitched' this to people and because they are BS/BC, they are untouchable, nobody can hold them accountable."

One of the nurses who saw how upset I was told me to go on outside, take a walk around the hospital, get me some water then come back so her and I could sit down and talk. She had already read my health history from doctor reports, met me months earlier and knew that I was very serious about the surgery; some one who wouldn't 'fall off the wagon' after wards. The whole time my mind is racing. I ran to the bathroom, fell to the floor and cried my eyes out. I wasn't sure what to make of this. I said to myself, "Lord, don't you like me anymore? Why did this happen? I was just an inch away from the finish line. I am exhausted and I can't take another huge blow right now. Why did You allow this to happen?"

I picked myself up, shaken and splashed cold water on my face. Then I walked a little while around the hospital to try to overcome the shock and to figure things out. As I walked (and not like I was sight seeing either) I began cursing, in my mind this shat health care system and that sorry son of a biscuit eater President along with his clowns not doing a thing to help people who are trying so hard to help themselves get healthy again. I thought, "Those sorry bastards will be sorry if I ever get elected a Congresswoman because I wont back down until things are fixed or I breathe my last breath." I felt like Scarlett O'Hara when she said as she waved her fist in the air, "As God is my witness I will never be hungry again!"

In the car I called Blue Cross Blue Shield and Medicare. I was slightly calmer, but I was very stern, holding back the tears and very determined to get this straightened out. Without any problems, my BS/BC was canceled and as of this Thursday (July 1) I will be back on Medicare. So on Thursday, my paperwork will be refilled, then within a week I am expecting to hear something from my doctor about when I come in to complete those last steps. Dr. Britt's office has me top priority to call and schedule immediately as soon as Medicare contacts them. My surgery will more and likely happen between mid to late July.

I could've easily given up. I could've easily just thrown my hands up in the air and said "The crap with it!" But I didn't!! That is not who I am. It's not easy to stand up to people (companies) who are bigger than us. It is also not easy to stand up face difficult circumstances that that come unexpectedly. I felt for just a short time that God had neglected me. When things go terribly wrong, we blame God. But when things go great, we praise God. But why is this such an issue? For one, we make an issue because as humans we sometimes loose sight of the whole picture when things don't go our way or things 'just' happen, like with me. Over the weekend after I had gotten some much needed rest from all the chaos that happened for just one day, The Lord and I had a chat. He told me to go through my Bible and look at passages I had already marked as important to me. Then as I read these scriptures, see how many promises I come across. When I come across a 'promise' that God made, circle it and write the letter 'P' besides that verse. As I did this, I didn't feel like I was in a dilemma anymore. Things fell into place and made more sense.

God is eternal, infinite, omniscient, omnipresent, and omnipotent. Why should human beings expect to be able to fully understand God’s ways? Nobody will ever know why we will never understand some of God's ways, but I know for certain God was reminding me that no matter what life throws at me, He will never leave me and He will always do what He promises He will do. When I hurt, He hurts too. When my heart is broken into tiny pieces, He feels that pain too. What I have to do is lean closer to Him, put it in His Hands and not become discouraged.

The book of Job deals with this issue of why bad things happen to good people. God had allowed Satan to do everything he wanted to Job except kill him. What was Job’s reaction? “Though he slay me, yet will I hope in him” (Job 13:15). Job did not understand why God had allowed the things He did, but he knew God was good and therefore continued to trust in Him. Ultimately, that should be our reaction as well. ”Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight” (Proverbs 3:5-6).

Above all, however, we must remember that God is good, just, loving, and merciful. He draws me closer to Him and to Him I will rest in His Arms until the storm passes. He wants the very best for His children and when we continue to look up to Him, He will get us through the toughest times and rejoice with us in the sweetest of times.

Will the 'Cycle' Be Unbroken?

Just recently a friend & I were discussing the funny, but true fact that you can't pick your relatives, but you can pick your friends. We spoke a little about the 'strange birds' in our own families. Then he told me about a movie that he remembered seeing several years ago that was the perfect example of that very fact- “we can't pick our family”. He highly recommended for me to see it. Since I first watched it a week ago, I have already seen it 3 other times this past week. It's one of those few movies of this century I give the 'WOW' rating. It gives several all too familiar scenarios of how unhealthy (and sometimes destructive) 'cycles' in families continue down the generation line until (if ever) is broken.

Watching this great movie, “City By the Sea,” is one of those movies that made me really 'think' about my own personal life experiences. I use my failures as a learning tool for others and building blocks for me. Although my experiences are nothing compared with the problems the main characters, Vincent and Joey are faced with, I have lived through my own personal 'cycle' that to this day, I am still growing from.

But what is 'The Cycle' exactly? It could be a vast number of things. People who grow up in dysfunctional family environments have difficulty setting boundaries to take care of themselves. This is how 'cycles' begin. Setting boundaries is one way to to ease the tension in our day to day lives with not only family, but with friends and co-workers too. First of all, what does it mean to set a boundary? It means that I respect myself and I will protect myself from inappropriate behavior. It means that I will use those boundaries to foster behavior that I need and desire. It means that I have set a physical, emotional, intellectual or spiritual “space.” What boundaries are not walls. But in order for this to work, we have to make a commitment to uphold what is right and true for ourselves.

In the movie Joey makes the excuse that he has the violent 'genes' of his grandfather, Angelo who was convicted and executed for the murder of a kidnapping gone wrong. Joey's father, Vincent grows up without the love, support and positive guidance of his dad. After Vincent is married, Joey is old enough to remember his father hitting his mom when they would argue, his mom has an affair and his dad walks out the door when Joey is a small boy. By the time he is an adult, Joey is out on the streets doing drugs, staying drunk and gets convicted of murder. Then like his father, Joey walks out on his young son. Do you all see where I am going with this? See this 'Cycle'? When there is no intervention, there can be no healing. When there are no boundaries set, things will like a domino effect, continue out of control on down the family line.

Nobody, of course is perfect. And of course there are more and likely relatives in your own family whom you can't stand, those who are strange (you wonder if they might have been switched at birth) or have done something/s that has given the family a bad name. In that case, many families who have experienced or are going through this now; a horrible past that created a legacy that you wish could be erased, are either not mindfully aware they are keeping that poisonous 'legacy' alive, they are afraid of changing the behavior or they make excuses like “it's in my genes”. It is also partly a lack of understanding in society and educating oneself about the actions that keep the 'cycle' going- how to cope, manage and break those traits that have been 'passed down.' Because we are human and for no other reason, we have certain rights. However, each right carries with it a responsibility and a boundary.

We often do not know it, but did you know that we create our own 'cycles'? I define a 'cycle' as burdens. A great example of how we can stop our personal 'cycles' is by reading and understanding “The Serenity Prayer.” Do you really know what the Serenity Prayer is really talking about?

God grant me the serenity (this word meaning calm, tranquil & peaceful)

to accept the things I cannot change;
What are things I cannot Change? First of all, and I know this is difficult for many, but we cannot change people. We cannot change the way they feel about themselves. We cannot change their behaviors & their beliefs. We can encourage a person to change the way they feel about themselves (and others). We can encourage them to change their behavior or beliefs. But to try and change a person, going to great lengths to accomplish such a thing is a burden that we have created ourselves. I know this from experience.

I, myself, didn't realize that I was the one making myself miserable until a close friend of mine bluntly pointed this out to me. The first time I had ever heard of that word 'boundary,' was when I became overly concerned about his own life. I didn't like a few of his friends because I felt they were a bad influence on him. I felt this dire need to 'protect' my friend from getting hurt. In so many ways, I could see my brother in him and I didn't want him to make similar mistakes that he was already making in his own life. When my friend finally had enough of the constant exhausting 'concern' from me, he told me we are parting ways because I crossed too many boundaries. I expected too much of him, I didn't recognize that everyone has their own gift to contribute to our friendships, I was sometimes brutal with some of the comments I made to him about these friends I questioned. I had become judgmental and obsessed with worry that he was destroying his life.

Thus, I created my own unhealthy 'cycle'. He already has a sister and a mom that express their concerns about these friends of his and the questionable influence they have already made on him. What he needed from me in return was to just be a friend. Although the 'ways' of these friends are not consistent of living the Christian life that he talks about that he is, these things were of no concern of mine to try and 'change' him. To encourage is one thing, but to try and change a person is completely not acceptable no matter if the 'change' would be right or wrong for the well being.

For over a year this continued. I was so wrapped up in the 'cycle' that I had caused, I didn't realize why he become such a jerk to me on a regular basis, distant and sometimes cruel. Our conversations were no longer fun and our association was stressful all the time. When our friendship ended, we both said some things to each other that I wish could be taken back. If I had been aware of his boundaries, I would've never allowed my friend to cross mine. I had never defined for myself what mine are. Our friendship become something that we felt had to walk on pins and needles around each other. I miss this friend so much and I pray to this day that he and I, if God's Will allows it, to start over on a clean slate. I have already accepted that he may never be in my life again. I accept this difficult lesson learned and have moved on. God 'assigned' him certain gifts to offer our friendship; I never appreciated him enough because I was too 'involved' in his life to even notice.

I grew up in a dysfunctional home, but didn't ever know what it meant to set boundaries. Nobody in my family had any that I was aware of. I often wonder if there were some boundaries set, the Rogers household would've been more loving, respectful, accepting and securer to live in.


courage to change the things I can;

What kind of things would I need courage changing? Think of it this way, what things should be changed? For me, to continue my journey to a better me, I have the courage to change how I take care of myself. I have added exercise and become aware of food choices. I showed the courage when I had a meticulous surgery done in 2008 for Endometriosis. Since I have taken that first step to 'change' for better health, most of the health problems that disabled me most of my life have been resolved. I am continuing that 'courage' by getting my type 2 diabetes in control and loosing the weight that was put on during those years of sickness. I will have surgery that will make me more successful to live a longer and more productive life this month, which in turn I will have to learn before hand what I can and can't eat with Lap Band.

Other things that should (and can be changed) is the crisis going on in the Gulf, our monkey health care system and circus type governments we have. Everyday, people are trying to stop smoking, stop drinking or to change some kind of unhealthy behavior. People who stand up for animal rights, environmental concerns, volunteering in the community for an organization are things that take 'courage' to change.

and wisdom to know the difference. Amen.

I hope that this writing makes sense to you all. It was a challenge to write this because anytime we dig way deep in ourselves, we tend to dig where we haven't been before or discovered a place that we haven't had the 'courage' to take care of. It was a blessing and therapeutic that I wrote this. I hope it will be a blessing to you. And if you love drama and you are a fan of Robert DeNiro, watch “City By The Sea.” You'll be glad you did.


Trust in the LORD with all your heart
and lean not on your own understanding;
in all your ways acknowledge him,
and he will direct your paths.
Proverbs 3, 5-6

Spring

Warmer days has finally just begun
Butterflies, grasshoppers, bees and sun
Tulips, buttercups, dandelions, daisies
Gardening, spring break and tons of fun, fun, fun

I love the springtime because it's such a great time
Enjoy the outdoors to enjoy God's natural beauty
Cookouts, family gatherings, summer's coming and the 4th of July
Swimsuits, vacations, and outdoor movies with my friends & I

Sittin' outside on the back porch swing
Camp outs, fishin', sipping some sweet iced tea or some lemonade
School's out, Mother's Day, my birthday,Easter, ahhh spring!
Green grass, green trees, spring gets me excited, lets go out out & play

These are just some of my favorite thoughts
Go outside and soak in all the wonderful spring-like things God has brought.

Elizabeth J. Rogers
Spring 1999

Educational Videos on Sexual Assualt Centers

This is where I discovered my voice. When I did, it felt so good!! I discovered strength and power inside me I didn't know I ever had. This place was like my 2nd home....I felt safe, but when I completed my survivors work, I had the most difficult time letting go of Eric and leaving the very place where I felt safe to release all that I had bottled up inside of me for so many years. I am a much happier woman for getting help at the Sexual Assault Center in Nashville. I am free and not afraid anymore. I went a victim, became survivor, graduated a thriver! You can too.



If you have unresolved issues with sexual abuse, don't be afraid to seek help at your local center. The abuse wants you to be silent. Discover your voice, be heard and don't let your experiences go untold. You deserve to be heard! Throw away the veil of shame and silence that covers your face. You are worthy!!

The Lifeguard

There was a Young Woman who went out for a swim. All of a sudden, the water got choppy and the currents carried her into deeper water. She was drowning. She called out for help. A Lifeguard on the beach heard her distressing cry. He ran out into the water and swam out to the Young Woman. Just as her head was fixing to go under, the Lifeguard grabbed hold of her worn out body. He told her to hold on, as he swam her to safety.

As the Lifeguard came out of the water, he carried the Young Woman to the shore. There on the beach, the Lifeguard gently sat the Young Woman down on the sand. She was shaken and crying. Still holding on to him, her eyes shut tight, the scared Young Woman said to the Lifeguard, "Please don't let go of me. I am so afraid." The Lifeguard said calmly to the Young Woman, "You are OK. You are safe. You will be alright. It is time to let go."

The Young Woman said to the Lifeguard, "I don't know how to let go. I am afraid that if I do what might happen." The Lifeguard said, "Young Woman, you can let go because you are no longer in the water. You have nothing to be afraid of. The water will not harm you anymore. I have to go back out into the water and rescue other people; it's my job." With her eyes slowly opening, her grip to him not as tight, he says, "You are safe. You are OK. You will be alright."

There was another Man on the beach that day. His name was Jesus. He walked up to the Young Woman and warmly said, "My child, You are OK. You are safe. You will be alright. Come,hold my Hand and let Me walk you home." The Young Woman looks at Jesus and asks, "Jesus, how can I let my Lifeguard go? He kept me from drowning. I am so afraid, what if I need him again?" With a smile on His face, Jesus lovingly looks at the Young Woman, and puts His hands gently on her teary face, "My child, the Lifeguard is one of my chosen servants. He was only doing his job; the job he was sent here to do. It is never easy letting go. If you don't let go, how can he go back out into the water and rescue others like you? You are safe. You are OK. You will be alright."

With tears in her eyes, the Young Woman smiles and finds her inner strength to let go. She says to her Lifeguard, "Thank you for risking your life rescue me. How will I ever be able to repay you?" The Lifeguard smiles and says to the Young Woman, "You can repay me by moving on with your life and living every moment to the fullest."

Jesus helps the Young Woman up on her feet and He tells her, "My child, it's time to go." As Jesus and the Young Woman are walking along the beach, the Young Woman looks back at the Lifeguard. As he is heading back into the water, he turns to look back at her; he smiles and shouts "Young Woman I am so very proud of you. You are very brave. Take care." The Lifeguard then went quickly back into the water. Like a small innocent child, the Young Woman looks up at Jesus as they are walking and says, "You know what Jesus" I am safe. I am OK. I will be alright as long as you are always walking by my side."


Dedicated to my 'Lifeguard,' Eric. I gave him this story I had written personally for him for Christmas 2005. This a 'Thank You' for guiding me to conquer on my own, the difficult survivor issues related to my past childhood sexual abuse, that I was scared to face for so long. I am now free because I dealt with it, with perseverance, valor, the counsel of my 'Lifeguard' and the guidance of my Jesus. God Bless these faithful 'servants' who are dedicated to helping other people daily who know the devastating trauma and effects of such a evil.

Elizabeth Jean Rogers~Scott