He's Calling!!!

There is a saying,

 “Faith is knowing there is an ocean when you can only see the stream.”

If we just release it all to God, and trust in Him,

there is no reason to worry

no reason to fear

no darkness

He is the light and He is calling!

Will you answer?

I did.

And since then I have been called again and again -
and just like a good friend -
our relationship is getting stronger and stronger!

I am not only called to write about my relationship with God,
but also to make music and worship Him,
AND
I do it all for HIM. 

I trust that if I do it all with Him in mind,
with Him in total control,
it will all work out
for His greater plan.

So I wrote a verse thinking of my many callings:

HE'S CALLING

Me: Ring! Ring! He's calling!
It's the Lord! It's the Lord!

Jesus: Answer me, please...

Me: Sing! Sing! It's my calling!
Praise the Lord! Praise the Lord!

Jesus: Sing from your knees...

Me: King! King! He's almighty!
He is Lord! He is Lord!

Jesus: I love you more...

Me: Bling! Bling! Hit the lottery!
I have scored! I have won!

Jesus:  Child, it's only just begun!

Me: Blink! Blink! I cannot see!
My heart shines! Shines His light!

Jesus: See, now you're free!!!

Me: Think! Think! Now I'm free!
Tell them all! Share His love!

Jesus: Let's meet in heaven above!

Me: Drink! Drink! His blood shed for me!
Eat! Eat! My testimony!

Jesus: I am the three...

The Father, The Son, Holy Spirit inside

Me: Call me home after the ride

Show me love when I walk through the door,
On earth as it is in heaven FOREVERMORE!

Jesus: AMEN!

Mandinella - Part 2

CONTINUED FROM PREVIOUS POST...

Revived with energy, we ran to him.

"Look!" he said as he pointed under the only chair left standing.

"Is it food?" Bubba begged leaning his head over my shoulder.

"No, it isn't food, Bubba," I said as I touched the found treasure delicately and placed it in my lap.

It was the most beautiful suitcase I'd ever seen in my whole life.  Diamonds, sapphires, rubies and every other precious gem decorated its entire area.  Gold rope chains embroidered the sides and every edge was marked with a precision cut of black onyx.  Its radiance was so breathtaking and mysterious that it would fit well in an Egyptian tomb.  The latch on it was made of pure gold, and it had a tiny engraving of a flower on it.

"What is this flower, Billabong?" I inquired.

B-Bong studied it briefly and answered, "It's a princess Willow - a flower symbolizing good fortune and prosperity."  He cocked his head, "Hmmm. That's odd."

"What's odd?" Mr. T asked.

Billabong explained, "That particular flower has been extinct for over 2,000 years."

"Well, what are you waiting for?  Open it!" Fabioli insisted.

I pulled lightly on the latch, lifted the case slowly, and found only one occupant inside.  A single lamp of the same caliber of beauty appeared and as the sunlight hit it, rainbows and prisms shined everywhere around our gang.

"Ooooh, I want to see it!" Bubba whined as he snatched the lamp from its priceless home.  Seconds later, the lamp gained life and hummed in the air. It began spinning and a purplish smoke rose from its long, narrow spout.

We all stood motionless and watched the miracle unfold before our eyes.  The lamp lowered to the ground and the most awesome womanly being levitated above it.

Noticing the four lower jaws of the men surrounding me nearly touching the ground, I greeted our new guest, "Wh-wh-wh-what's your name?" I finally spit it out after a few moments of actually realizing that the spectacle was, in fact, real and not a desert mirage.

"Hello there, my name is Mandinella, and my soul purpose here is to grant my master three wishes.  Thou shalt not exceed this maximum and shalt make the wishes respectfully, " she said.

A moment later she added, "and what is your name might I ask?"

"My name is Amanda, and my friends here are Bubba, Billabong, Trykelor and Fabioli," I told her.

Bubba chimed in, "So we get wishes?"

"Yes," she answered him humbly.

"Well then, I wish for..." and before anyone could stop him, he finished, "every kind of food in the whole wide world!"

And so it was done.  For the next few hours, we stuffed our faces with every delicacy known to man.  As we ate we discussed our next wish.

"I think we should wish for a big jumbo jet with five Tempurpedic beds inside, so we can sleep on the way home," Bubba offered his two cents.

"No, I think I am pretty much done with airplanes.  Why don't we ask Mandinella for her help?" I said.

She agreed to help and we simply wished for a way home, leaving the mode of transportation completely in her hands.

Out of nowhere, a magic carpet flew down and swooped us right off the ground into the air!

The trip over the Atlantic Ocean brought us close to all different species of sea life, from whales to sharks and she even dropped us off at a secret secluded island for a mid-flight swim.  We flew swiftly home, with the wind in our hair and smiles spread wide across our content faces.

We arrived back in our city, safe and sound, and thanked Mandinella numerous times for taking such amazing care of us and honoring our trust in her.  But, before we said our final goodbyes, we needed to make our final wish.

Our group huddled together a few moments like a football team, arms laced over each other's shoulders and after a quick gathering we emerged with smiling faces.

Simultaneously, we said, "Mandinella, we wish for you to become human!"

And in that very instant, a huge purple cloud covered us all and the winds blew and the earth rumbled. Once the smoke and dust cleared, we found ourselves at the steps of a huge mansion, built with the same ornate beauty as the jeweled case and the genie lamp. Mandinella stood in the doorway and invited us all inside to stay forever - happily ever after - each with our own room and Tempurpedic beds.

THE END

Dr. Seuss Quote of the Day

One of my favorite childhood authors and greatest influences is Dr. Seuss-
Something he said is ringing true to me in my life these days and I wanted to share here with you. If you are a writer or any kind of creative individual, you may find this true as well.

Seuss said,

"You can get help from teachers, but you are going to have to learn a lot by yourself, sitting alone in a room."

On becoming a writer, NY Times (May 21, 1986)

Sounds boring and lonely, but one thing is for sure:

It is the only way to harness my creative energies, to revisit old ideas without being interrupted and most importantly, to avoid the noise of others who cannot see, feel or trust the instincts that come to a creative individual while in their quiet time.

I've had many people critique my ideas along the way and I think Dr. Seuss nails it right on the head! You learn the most from your experiences and finding what's right for you is an individual journey.

Happy Thursday!

xOx,
Ms. Panda

Mrs. MacDonald (Straight Off The Farm)

It was the first day of school and murmurs from gossiping children echoed throughout classroom twenty-four.

I was a second grader now and I'd finally made it to hall number two.  Hall two was a big deal for me because Mr. Dominic Hart was a teacher in it.  He had to be the funniest, most understanding man at Sigsbee Elementary School.  In fact, to me, he was the only man that existed at Sigsbee.  I loved him.

Terminating my thoughts on Mr. Hart, Billy Harvey's scratchy voice yelped, 

"Oh, yeah, and I wonder if she has a farm, too!"

Although scratchy, his voice aroused my thoughts and I enquiringly added, 

"What are you talking about, Billy?"

Now see, I was allowed to interrupt the steamy gossip ring, as well as Billy Harvey, 

because he happened to be my first boyfriend and the first boy I'd ever kissed.

"Don't you know, Mandy? Mrs. MacDonald is our new teacher," Billy stated.

"So what?  What's so bad about that?" I asked.

The whole class seemed to hold their breath as he concluded the conversation, 

"You'll see, Mandy.  Oh, you will see," he said with a hint of caution in his tone.  

Two seconds later, the fattest, most stern-faced old lady wobbled into the classroom.  With her cream colored, fifty pound patent leather purse in hand, she paraded into the center of the room.  Plopping into her rocking chair, she seemed to have captured the attention of the whole class.  

No words; No sounds.  Just that one "PLOP!" 

I feared for my life.

From the bucket chair in the front of the room, she began the introduction speech and after a while, I thought it would never end.  Her high pitched, old lady voice matched the drawl of a Mississippi native's voice.  

I couldn't help myself!  I had to get out!

"Oh yeah," I thought to myself, "Ten minutes to recess."

I sat impatiently in my desk, staring at the deformity of the apple shaped clock on the wall.  

When the minute hand started ticking backwards, I knew this would be the longest ten minutes of my recess worshiping childhood.  

The bell sounded, "Riiinnnggg!" and Mrs. MacDonald's entire class jumped up in relief.  

We must have all dragged out those ten minutes together!

"Sit down class!" Mrs. MacDonald shrieked.  "You aren't going anywhere."  

Through the helpless gasps of my classmates, I proclaimed, "WHY?"

"Recess is a time of ignorance, therefore, nap time is what we shall do instead," she answered.

I couldn't believe my ears!  I pleaded, "But Mrs. MacDonald, we like recess!!!!"

"Irrelevant. You are too young to know what is good for you!  

Now lay your heads down and it won't be as painful," she demanded.

Obeying orders, the class slumped in their desks and laid their heads down.  This was not fair!  

Recess was our time; the only time of the day to be free, other than P.E., of course.  

We were left with only one other choice...revenge.

Thinking everyone was asleep, Mrs. MacDonald rose from her seat and wobbled out of the room.  Little did she know, we were ready for the attack.  

About that time Billy got up and declared, "This is war!"

The whole class agreed and in a few short minutes, we derived a plan.

Taking charge I asked, "Now who's going to get the tacks?"

Peewee, the smallest boy in the second grade, volunteered to do the dirty work.  Grabbing a handful of thumb tacks from Mrs. MacDonald's top desk drawer, he scurried over to the rocking chair and placed each tack "on guard" for the perfect puncture position.  

From the door Billy cried out, "She's coming!"

In a matter of seconds, the whole class returned to "nap" mode and Mrs. MacDonald entered the room.  

She flipped on the lights and whispered in her crackly old voice, 

"Class, nap time is over.  I shall continue my introduction now."

As she headed toward the chair, snickers and giggles slipped from everyone's mouths.  

The only thing on my mind was "Revenge at last!"  

She stood in front of the chair and "PLOP!"

The class held their breath.  No words; No sounds.  Just that one "PLOP!"

I feared for my life.

Flying Frontier

Rollin' down the highway

In the sky way-

Seeing the point

So high in the line

And I see, finally,

The philosophy

Deep inside of me

Swimming in my dreams...

My mind in the clouds

And up here I see you

Doing a backstroke, too.

I wave slightly with my fingers

And you return the gesture.

We float on.

Then, I descend,

Close to land once again

Different now.

New from the changes

I spied in the sky.

Feet on the ground

I go.

Dear Blog

I miss you.

I have been meaning to write, but do not have an Internet connection and writing on my iPhone makes me go cross-eyed :p

I'll write soon. Promise.

All my love,
Ms. Panda