March of the Gems

These are posts from fellow bloggers that caught my attention this month.


Friday's Child
Aurora Antonovic
Pat Paulk
J. Andrew Lockhart
Some Person
Dave
Iamb
Nabeel
Aurora Anonovic
Aurora Antonovic

I just found out about this blog program called "Perfect Post" where everyone participating gets to choose their favorite post of the month. For March, I chose Aurora's poem, Number Nine Special

Friendly Friday

Hi to the all the members of the FFMB! Before we start our regular march, I want to take a detour along memory lane.

J. Andrew, our trombonist and instrument repair man, found these memorabilia stored away at the FFMB headquarters while he was there repairing some of the instruments.

Remember this group photo from the 80's? J. Andrew and his future wife are smiling from the back row.

Do you see them?





Here is a photo of the first uniform the band used.



















Here is the rain cover we used to wear for the marches during the rainy season.

What memories they bring back!












I asked Mango, the flag bearer and blog groupie if she would do today's special duty of choosing the sites to visit. She is always so meticulous in viewing the sites on the parade routes plus she has the advantage of being the tuba player's best friend, you know.

So welcome this week's guest host, Mango...

Dear Carol,
I want to thank you for this opportunity to do the honour of picking
today`s sites. It has been fun to read over these blogs.

Today`s featured site is Excellent Walker. She is a single New Yorker
who gathers observations as she walks the streets
of her city. Why do I like this blog?

• It`s definitely a slice of New York life.
• She is a former journalist who also writes fiction.
• She cares about the world and is grateful for what she has.
  

Shannon from Second Starr on the Right is a fellow domestic engineer
with three beautiful children. Her love for her family
is obvious in this blog and seems to have had a rather interesting
childhood.

Loni is the writer of Journaling through the Valley. She is a
spiritually minded person with nine(!) children. Although she has
endured much pain in her life, she maintains a good dispostion.

Thanks again for allowing me to sit in the leader`s seat. Yeah, it`s
real nice. Oh, the feeling of power! Can`t I sit here a
little while longer? Okay, I`ll go back to my blogless existence
(sniff).

Mango Lane


Thank you Mango for doing an excellent job and Andrew for giving a hand this Friendly Friday.









For those wondering how the band works:
To join the Friends of the Friendless Marching Band, leave a comment stating that you wish to join then choose any instrument you like. (ability isn't an issue for this cyber band) We have three piano players, a harpist, a theramin and french horn player plus a variety of more so you get the idea that any instrument is possible.
On Fridays, the band meets to visit the chosen friendless sites which I list. Then the band leaves friendly comments for our honored recipients. Let them know that you are from the FFMB.
Get to know other band members. There is sure to be someone you can connect with.
Nominate friendless sites. They can be bloggers you know or ones that you come across in your blog surfs. Think unique. These sites have less than 5 comments/post and be posting currently. Leave me a comment with their address or email me at Carol_ffmb at yahoo.ca. I will let you know whether they have met the friendless criteria.

Banners are available here.

On a more serious note, to join another on-line march which protests against global warming, visit "Stop Global Warming".

See you next week!

What I Saw Today at the...

Eurasia

Twirling elephants
bowing to lift a man friend
what if it was me?

Creatures of the Night

Entering the dark
hesitating by the door
I exit their sleep

Rainforest

Black foot rests on pane
until grass is tossed in play
ignorer, he turns

African Savannah

Hippos, teaching young,
swim surprisingly by, while
the camera fails

Conservatory

Examining species
of carnivorous flytraps
and tempting cacti

You Should Be A Poet

You craft words well, in creative and unexpected ways. And you have a great talent for evoking beautiful imagery... Or describing the most intense heartbreak ever. You're already naturally a poet, even if you've never written a poem.

What Type of Writer Should You Be?

Pearl, FFMB's korean drummer, found this quiz.

You Are Winter!

Intelligent Serious Cozy Calm Shy

What Season Are You?

I found this through Art Puppy 94, a FFMB pianist!

Your Brain's Pattern

Your mind is an incubator for good ideas, it just takes a while for them to develop. But when you think of something, watch out! Your thoughts tend to be huge, and they come on quickly - like an explosion. You tend to be quiet around others, unless you're inspired by your next big idea.

What Pattern Is Your Brain?

from Killired, one of FFMB's flutists.

-Jesus Not to be Taken Literally-

Michael Baigent's The Jesus Papers; Exposing the Greatest Cover-Up in History.

Some are real dolls...

Discussing Creationism Part VII

Many people dismiss the Genesis account of the flood as being a myth, not to be taken literally. Many people even of religious persuasion have accepted the words of the the scientists and scholars, following along with the notion that the story is too fanciful to have really occurred.

What does the Bible have to say about the reality of Noah and the flood?

The book of Genesis is written as a historical account of the creation of the world and the patriarchs from these beginning days. Adam, Noah, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob and Joseph are all included in Genesis. In the 5th chapter of Genesis, a geneology is given from Adam to Noah. To the Jewish people, geneologies are very important. They would not have recorded the descendants of mythological characters. Genesis 10 gives the geneology of the sons of Noah. Chapter 11 focuses on the descendants of Shem, Noah's son, after the flood. From Shem's line, Abraham, the Jewish nation and eventually Jesus would arise. Both Noah and Adam are mentioned in the geneology of Jesus in Luke 3. Obviously, Noah was not mythological according to the Jewish records that were kept.

Noah is mentioned as a man of great faith in Hebrews 11:7. "By faith Noah, being warned by God about things not yet seen, in reverence prepared an ark for the salvation of his household, by which he condemned the world, and became an heir of the righteousness which is according to faith."

Again, Noah is mentioned by the apostle, Peter, talking about God not sparing the ancient world, "but preserved Noah, a preacher of righteousness, with seven others, when He brought a flood upon the world of the ungodly." 2Peter 2:4-5

Both of the above passages clearly state that Noah existed and that the flood occurred. According to the Bible, Noah, the ark and the flood were not a myth.


Discussing Creationism Part I
Part II
Part III
Part IV
Part V
Part VI

Saturday's Photo Scavenger Hunt

TNChick has started a new weekly photo game.
She will have a different theme each Saturday.
I thought that today's theme was "white".
Actually, the theme was "cold".
Oops.

This is another photo that my Eldest took.
We are all older now.
And it wasn't cold, that day.

Friendly Friday

Keep on Marching" by Emily , tambourine player

Hi Friends of the Friendless Marching Band! My you are all looking spiffy today!
Just a moment...
Dave, are those regulation boots??
Art Puppy94, remember I said, "No heels!"
Hmm, no matter, there is no time to change now. just don't complain at the end of the day.

The featured site of this week is Chris and Liz's Adoption News. I like this blog because:

• they are adopting a Guatamalan baby boy named Carson.
  
• of those cute baby pictures.
• they should be rewarded for their patience as they wait for all the paper work to go through!
• I was on their blogroll before I even met them! There was even a FFMB banner. Well, ya gotta love that...
  

Then go and see Lightseeker at Lightseeker's View. She loves lighthouses. I think she loves quizzes too because I found out her blogging type is "artistic and passionate".

Visit Frog Legs at Scrapping Survivor too. She is an avid scrapbooker that holds contests for other enthusiasts.

For those wondering how the band works:
To join the Friends of the Friendless Marching Band, leave a comment stating that you wish to join then choose any instrument you like. (ability isn't an issue for this cyber band) We have three piano players, a harpist, theramin and french horn player plus a variety of more so you get the idea that any instrument is possible.
On Fridays, the band meets to visit the chosen friendless sites which I list. Then the band leaves friendly comments for our honored recipients. Let them know that you are from the FFMB.
Get to know other band members. There is sure to be someone you can connect with.
Nominate friendless sites. They can be bloggers you know or ones that you come across in your blog surfs. Think unique. These sites have less than 5 comments/post and be posting currently. Leave me a comment with their address or email me at Carol_ffmb at yahoo.ca. I will let you know whether they have met the friendless criteria.
The banners are here.


Thanks again to Emily for the wonderful sketch she let me use today. The full title is
"Our feet are marching against war and our souls are set afire. Keep on Marching". She drew it to
honor the protesters against the war in Iraq this month.

Thankful Thursday

Thankful Thursday: Carol is thankful for blogging because: it provides me with an opportunity to be creative every day. it provides an outlet for my emotions. I have fun. I get to meet and converse with other creative people every day. I get to share what I think and feel. ... Links to other Thankful Thursdays (If you participate, leave your link in the comments and I'll post it below; or, you can post in the comments)

Click here for the Thankful Thursday code

Click here for Chrixean's blog


Trackbacks, pings, and comment links are accepted and encouraged!

View More Thankful Thursday Participants

Wordless Wednesday

Tasty Tuesday

On Tuesdays, Lazy Daisy lingers over tasty Brain or Soul food.

Last night as my family and I visited over a restaurant meal, I sat back to enjoy these growing children of mine. I remembered being a child myself, wishing never to depart my Mommy and Daddy but as the years progressed, I left eagerly.
Soon, it will be only my Husband and myself at the supper table. This special time as a family will be over.
Then I recall my Mother-in-law's 80th birthday that we had celebrated a few years ago. She and her Husband were surrounded by their children and their children's children. How blessed she looked and how happy.

It is sometimes difficult to imagine the next stage of life but thankfully when it happens, we are ready and waiting for it.

photo from Yellow Rose's blog

Monday Madness

Otto has a fun thing happening. I'm going to give it a try this Monday. Here's what she asked today...

"How about some 'fill-in-the-blanks' this week? Thanks for playing, everyone! =)"

1. When driving in my car, my radio station is usually tuned to an oldie station. I love singing along.
2. When I turn my television on, even if I'm not really paying close attention to it, it's usually on the channel that gives the weather and what's happening in the city.
3. If I owned a pet, I would own another cat, because I would love to find a cuddly one. My cat doesn't like to be held or snuggle but I love her anyway.
4. I own a Canon i850 printer. I bought it because of its good reviews for printing photos. My daughter takes a lot of pictures, I have yet to get my own digital camera.
5. You can find all kinds of books in my bookshelves, but mostly this type: literary classics.
6. I take about 0 pictures every month but my daughter sometimes will take one for me , maybe once or twice a month.
7. I blog about 30 times a month. I try to post every day, sometimes I just can't do it and I am finally able to live with that.
8. I've been really busy studying creationism and evolution lately. I find it fascinating.

If you want to join in, check out Otto's blog.

"Something to Keep You Blogging All Week" List

Monday Madness
Monday Memories

Tasty Tuesday
Self Portrait Tuesday

Whack-It Wednesday
Wordless Wednesday

Thankful Thursday
Thursday Thirteen

and don't forget, Friendly Friday!

Saturday's Photo Scavenger Hunt

I thought it would be fun to devote a week occasionally, to trying out some of these different weekly activities. Please let me know if you know of any others and I'll add them to this list, except for Friday and Sunday of course. Those two days are already taken.

Genesis 7:18

"Then the flood came upon the earth for forty days, and the water increased and lifted up the ark, so that it rose above the earth."

Discussing Creationism Part VI

There have been many accounts written about a devastating flood from ancient cultures. These vary in their details. To simplify this discussion however, I will refer to only one which was put forward several times in the past Sunday posts, the flood in the book of Gilgamesh.

Gilgamesh was a Mesopotamian king around 2800-2500 BC. In this collection of
stories, written around 2150 BC , Gilgamesh is a hero that searches for fame and immortality. In one of the quests in the book, he comes upon Ut-napishtim who was a wise man building a boat to "save the seed of all living things." Gilgamesh stayed on the boat with Ut-napishtim and his wife. Later, Gilgamesh is offered a chance by Ut-napishtim to have eternal life but because of his human weakness, he loses his opportunity. (The fact that Gilgamesh was included in the infamous flood story is a witness to his popularity, similar to Ovid including Roman emperors in Metamorphosis. )

Unlike the Genesis account of the flood which is written in a matter of fact style, Gilgamesh is written poetically probably for entertainment purposes. "The specific purpose for which (Gilgamesh) was composed is a difficult question, but the general purpose for which the epic and its constituent stories existed in oral form is very probably entertainment." Myths from Mesopotamia: Creation, The Flood, Gilgamesh and Others-Stephanie Dalley

One of the questions brought up in this discussion was which account came first, the Biblical or Mesopotamian. Gilgamesh was written down around 2150 BC while the Biblical version was written around 1500 BC. Some might conclude that because the Mesopotamian version was written first means that it is the original version.

It is evident from the many similarities in these accounts that there was a common source. The fact that many early cultures have a flood story shows that there must've been an actual flood of devastating proportions. The common source would be the flood itself.

In the Biblical account, Noah has three sons, Shem, Ham and Japheth. From these three sons arose three distinct cultures from which further cultures arose. After the Tower of Babel, the people of the earth were separated because of their different languages. (another discussion, please) Memories of the flood would've been passed down from generation to another in these different separated cultures. Different versions would naturally arise as not all people believed in God but had various beliefs.
This explains the different versions of the same story. The Hebrew race were descended from Shem from which the Biblical version of the flood would have been passed down from.

Discussing Creationism Part I
Part II
Part III
Part IV
Part V

Friendly Friday

Hi FFMB!
Today is a special St. Patrick's Day parade! Wow, look at all the different colors of green. What a beautiful sight...

photos above were taken by Barbara, flutist

photoshopping by the Eldest

I asked Dwayne, drummer in the FFMB, what being in the band has done for him.


Well first off I know the FFMB has brought a lot of foot traffic to my site. I have made several good friends on this FFMB bunch. Plus what is great is there a lot of good Christians out there. This being St. Patrick's Day I hope everyone has there green on? I want to thanks Carol for letting me be a part of the FFMB. I can't forget Andrew I think he was the one to bring the FFMB to my site?

DwayneinBonanza

Thanks Dwayne.


Today's sites are all written by young lasses. The featured site is "Some Person" at 14 Years and Counting. I like her blog because:

• 14 is a great age to write from.
• I like her sense of humor. "I am learning to play electric but its going a bit slow since i don't have a guitar."
• I heard of a "peace-in" but not a "peace out"!
• I want to see if her blog actually does consume her. Go, girl...
  

Meet Srushti, an aspiring singer, at Me, Me, Me!!! I enjoyed reading her blog but she hasn't blogged since January 16th. I have to know if she got that audition.

Visit Sarah, an aspiring writer and clogger, at Nobody Girl.

Thanks everyone for taking the time out of your busy St. Patrick's Day celebrations to make the parade route with us. Remember to be happy and be green!

Get your banner here!

For those wondering how the band works:
To join the Friends of the Friendless Marching Band, leave a comment stating that you wish to join then choose any instrument you like. (ability isn't an issue for this cyber band) We have two piano players, a harpist, trombonist and french horn player plus a variety of more so you get the idea that any instrument is possible.
On Fridays, the band meets to visit the chosen friendless sites which I list. Leave friendly comments for our honored recipients. Let them know that you are from the FFMB.
Get to know other band members. There is sure to be someone you can connect with.
Nominate friendless sites. They can be bloggers you know or ones that you come across in your blog surfs. Think unique. These sites have less than 5 comments/post. Leave me a comment with their address.

Another Quiz because I am tired after that Olympic Training Session!

You Are Boston

Both modern and old school, you never forget your roots. Well educated and a little snobby, you demand the best. And quite frankly, you think you are the best. Famous people from the Boston area: Conan O'Brien, Ben Affleck, New Kids on the Block

What American City Are You?

I would definitely like to visit historical Boston
but only if I can drive there.
Umm, are there mountains to cross?
How nice would the border patrolman be?

Oh, where is the Olympic Training Session? It is at Barbara's. (I hope I am using that apostrophe correctly...)

One more little thing-I AM NOT A SNOB!