WONDERLAND WHIMSIES

Friday, June 17, 2011

IT'S ONLY A PAPER MOON!

Good Morning!

I want to share with you what the Lord sang to me this morning, but I think it would make more sense to you if you read the lyrics and listened to the song first, I don’t know how many of you are old enough to remember the song as it was written in 1933, thirteen years before I was even born and I will be 65 the end of this month, so it is for sure an oldie:

IT’S ONLY A PAPER MOON LYRICS

Songwriters: ROSE, BILLY / HARBURG,
E. Y. / ARLEN, HAROLD 1933

I never feel a thing is real
When I'm away from you
Out of your embrace
The world's a temporary parking place

Mmm, mm, mm, mm
A bubble for a minute
Mmm, mm, mm, mm
You smile, the bubble has a rainbow in it

Say, it’s only a paper moon
Sailing over a cardboard sea
But it wouldn't be make-believe
If you believed in me

Yes, it's only a canvas sky
Hanging over a muslin tree
But it wouldn't be make-believe
If you believed in me

Without your love
It's a honky-tonk parade
Without your love
It's a melody played in a penny arcade

It's a Barnum and Bailey world
Just as phony as it can be
But it wouldn't be make-believe
If you believed in me

Here is a super video on a BlogSpot with photos of people sitting on a paper moon and you can hear the song too!

http://postcardparadise.blogspot.com/2011/06/maybe-it-isnt-only-paper-moon.html

It's Only A Paper Moon lyrics © Warner/Chappell Music, Inc., S.A. MUSIC, "NEXT DECADE ENTERTAINMENT,INC."

Ella Fitzgerald and Nat King Cole is who I remember singing it when I was younger, so I have also included the YouTube video “It’s only a Paper Moon”

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gapCK5_rMuY&feature=related

I don’t know how many of you remember Baby Rosemarie, but she was a great little singer with a grown up voice back in the days of Shirley Temple. She sings some cute songs about the moon on this old video:

Baby Rosemarie - Take a picture of the Moon

http://vintagevivant.com/2011/01/24/paper-moon-inspiration/

But, first I need to give you a tiny history of how the Paper Moon got started.

Years ago, for a very brief while, my Grandmother was in Vaudeville! The mode of entertainment in those days was for performers to do skits and such onstage to amuse their audiences. The actresses and actors performed their plays and the like on an artificial stage much like the ones used today, but of course it was much more primitive back then.

A stage setup popular back then was with a large paper moon hung with a hidden seat for entertainers to sit on, so it looked as though they were sitting on the moon! Trees were made of painted muslin, stars were cut out of cardboard, painted yellow and hung with string, everything was fake. Waves were also cut out cardboard, painted and placed upright along the back of the stage to give the impression of the sea, and sometimes they would blow fans upon the waves so they looked like they were real!

IT’S ONLY A PAPER MOON

I woke up this morning with the song “Paper Moon” ringing in my ears. I could hear the voice of someone else singing the song from years ago in my head, a person I had heard doing a rendition of this song, but I knew it was God who was ultimately singing this song to me into my spirit. As I listened to the words going over in my head, I began to cry, thinking about the fact that His children are always on His mind and in His heart, and He so longs for closeness with them in love. It also put in my mind the scripture "He rejoices over us with singing".

He loves to see us smile and to be happy, there is promise in our smiles turned toward Him, a rainbow of color and joy! In the song it says “you smile, the bubble has a rainbow in it”, I realized He wants us to be lighthearted and carefree like a bubble ...when the “sunlight” hits it, and reflects prisms off the bubble... you can see a colorful rainbows, which are God’s promise to us. I had never considered that when we are turned to Him and centered on Him alone, and smiling, it is like a beautiful rainbow to Him. WOW! We are His bride and He is our bridegroom. It made me think about how when my husband smiles at me, it causes my heart to sing. The thought of Him singing to me this morning made my heart sing with great JOY, and it sure did make me smile and cry at the same time! When my husband and I were dating long distance ... he was from Iowa, and I was from Florida .. it was so difficult when we were not together ... it only seemed real when we were together .. as in the words to the song this morning.."I never feel a thing is real when I'm away from you, out of your embrace. Many people over the years have asked me why I am so excited to go home and be with the Lord? My answer has been "I have been there with Him ... nothing is more real than in His presence", it's true .. and to think God himself feels that way when we are apart.. He is just as excited waiting for us as we are for Him!!! We get a foretaste of this when we have alone time with God .. kind of like a loving long distance conversation with your betrothed, but there is nothing like being with him in person... all else fades.

The words to the song are for all of us. It is a call to draw near to Him. He misses us when our lives get so busy, we forget about Him. When we allow the cares of this world to pull us down, we frown and lose our smile. The world is plastic and artificial when we do not believe in Him, trusting and relying upon Him, our beloved. I think more than anything that is what He is trying to teach us in these days. Those who know God realize this world is only a temporary parking place, for we are sojourners on our way to a better place. Reality is knowing all that matters, is the relationship we have with Him, no matter what we see, ... the crazy three ring circus of this world

These days it is like a three ring circus ... so busy, with so much going on at the same time. It reminded me of a time when my son Todd had been with some friends and came home all excited saying: “Want to see me juggle?”! He was married and in college at the time and his life was jam packed. I thought to myself as he was working to keep all the balls up in the air... “My this is how life in the fast lane is”! He still manages to juggle well mainly I believe due to the fact that he has a strong sense of priorities. Not only busyness, but what I term chaos in these days in my opinion. God kindgom which many would consider make-believe is truly real.
We, as believers are in this world, but not of it. It certainly is becoming in my opinion more and more like a Freak show. Strange and bizarre occurrences happening more and more it seems daily, and having God first brings peace.

The Penny Arcade back in the time this song was written was a game that was a form of gambling. They had the first forms of the pinball machine, where you used pennies to try your luck, and if you won, you would get a prize. They also had movies where you looked into the machine, and cards would flip really fast and you could see a mini film. The music that was played in the Penny Arcades was similar to carousel music, kind of the same thing over and over, flight of fancy melodious tunes you only heard back then in this place of non-reality. They also had fortune teller machines at the arcades, and other games of chance. How many today are going helter skelter trying to find answers to their dilemmas, instead of coming to the source? This is so easy to do when we are what seems to be hemmed in on all sides with no apparent way out. HELP LORD!

A honky tonk parade as sung in the song was a bar type atmosphere with country type music, maybe a smoke filled room with cheap music, girls and liquor. Others say it was a parade of souped up vehicles and trucks mainly that parade up and down the main thoroughfare on weekend nights as they do in Pigeon Forge and Gatlinburg, TN. People bring out their chairs and sit on the sidewalks just watching all the activity going by. It is always fun to do once a year or so and part of the flavor of the area. However, they didn’t have souped up vehicles back then that I know of, so the bar scene is what I think it is about. I am not a drinker, but I believe God was speaking to me this morning about those who are thinking reality is nothing but fun and games. He is all for us having clean fun, but He does not want us to live there. His desire for us is balance. I hope I am getting across here what I am trying to convey. I in no way am condemning, I just know God wants our focus to be Kingdom breathed.

I believe the message in His song to me this morning is that He wants and has always wanted a “REAL” relationship with those He has created.

Oh God how we need You every second of our lives. We know that only believing and trusting in you makes it real. You are reality. All the fake and worthless becomes meaningless in the reality of who You are and Your Kingdom causes us to stretch out our faith and our hand to You no matter what we see in this artificial world. I am now thinking of the book by Watchman Nee, I have so loved for over 27 years, “Normal Christian Life”. It made me realize that this world is turned topsy turvy from the real. The way the world sees things compared to those who live in the Kingdom of God is totally different.

I want to continually smile upon You no matter what I see in the natural, Father God. Help me in my unbelief in all areas. Cause my heart to trust, rely and believe in You for all things. Oh what joy Your song brought to my heart this morning to think the God of Creation would sing to his children, and that I would make you smile!

Oh, and Good Morning My Lord, and thank You for singing to me this morning, I am totally captivated with Your love!

Love,

Your adoring Donsie

donnatrex@yahoo.com

Tuesday, June 7, 2011

TAKE THAT YOU DIRTY RAT!!

I realized there were some things I forgot to tell you such as the unique and funny story of what happened to our disabled car that had run amuck. The battery kept going dead, the a/c did not work which meant I would not even go in the car, … as this fainting violet becomes overwhelmed in the heat. The power steering was totally gone too. Such a dilemma for us and no money to get it fixed. My mind kept going cha ching, cha ching, hmmm new a/c?? new battery? hmmm new power steering? … YIKES! It was out of our hands, In this topsy- turvy world all we could do was pray.

But, here is the GOOD News! I was counseling with a man the night before last who has a plumbing business in California and he used to work on cars. He made a suggestion which was SOOO God along with my son’s same suggestion.. WOW! Do I ever love confirmation from two or more people in a matter. We know God had this ALL worked out for us. Anyway, Joe on their suggestion took the car over to the tire place and asked them if they could just take a look at the belts and tell him if they saw anything wrong.

And, to make a long story short, they did find something.... are you ready??????~!!!!!! They found a dead RAT and a rats nest~~!!!!!! Can you believe???!! I am still in shock over it.. I told Joe, I cannot imagine how the rat got into a GATED community and into our car… how dare he ?? He didn’t even know the code! LOL!! Joe had said he heard sounds under the hood of the car weeks earlier when he had taken Gidget, our Pocket Yorkie outside. She loves hunting chameleons and it makes Joe and I laugh talking about her adventures. He said Gidget heard a noise one night under the hood of the car and she tried to investigate, but Joe just thought it was another chameleon. We now think it was a mama rat making her nest. I sure hope there were not babies in that nest when the mama died. So now we will have a new name for Gidget , "the Pied Piper" ..maybe we should put her in the business of sniffing out the dirty rats!! Amazing story, huh?!

We may need a new battery, but as Joe left the tire place, the car was then working perfectly after the elimination of the rat and the nest.. of which they charged us absolutely nothing.. can you believe?? God is SOOOOO good!! Ah, blessed air conditioning is back on… all’s right with the world… hahahaha!

donnatrex@yahoo.com

6/4/11

Monday, June 6, 2011

BE A POT HOPPER!

WHAT AN UPSIDE DOWN THOUGHT... PUTTING A FROG IN A POT!! UPSIDE DOWN AND CRAZY, BUT ISN'T THAT WHAT THIS WHOLE BLOG IS ALL ABOUT?? THE UNUSUAL.. THE WHIMSICAL AND THAT WHICH WE WONDER ABOUT? ENJOY THIS POST ENTITLED: "BE A POT HOPPER!
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THE FROG IN THE KETTLE ..OH NO!

CORE VALUES / BE A POT HOPPER!

I was listening to a sermon on TV and the scripture that was spoken below touched my heart... it was Proverbs 22:28 “Do not move an ancient boundary stone set up by your forefathers”

http://www.jentezenfranklin.org/watch/

I know this particular scripture is usually spoken of in reference to not moving a landmark, or stealing property from someone, especially fatherless children.. etc.. but, it had different meaning to me during this teaching.

This scripture hit me to the very core, and made me think about how those generations who have gone before me have set deep core values in my heart and life that I treasure and desire to carry on. There was a price paid by making right choices to keep those boundaries intact. People tend to hear the word boundaries and the picture that comes to their minds is one of being "penned in". However, boundaries are not a bad thing, in fact they are our way to freedom. Walking in the middle of the street when there is traffic can lead to death, but staying within the boundaries we are safe. God has set up them up for our good. Our core values should include boundaries.

Those values are being questioned and violated today in ways I am utterly appalled. I never thought I would be living in a day like we are today, although I am not surprised because the bible tells us that this will all happen. It is like as it says in the word we are calling evil good and good evil. In trying not to "offend" anyone, we are "offending" God.

Nonchalance is everywhere.. It is almost as though Holy Ghost conviction is a thing of the past. I see parents using four letter words and "friggin" even in front of their own children as if they were saying "Good Morning" and not blinking an eye. This is just a small portion of what I am seeing. Do they not realize that words have power, and anything that is not a word of blessing is a curse?? It has become the “norm” for children to talk back to their parents and cherishing traditions has become in many homes such as sitting down for a family meal is a thing of the past. Disregarding and dishonoring parents is rampant. I am not one of those "fuddy-duddies" (I hope!) who just sees all the bad, I am a very optimistic person, but I see a pattern happening in trying to fit in and "just go with the flow".

It is not only with children, it is mainly with adults. Seeing how far outside healthy limitations we can go seems to be the way today. I see the breaking down of the fiber of our society. As we study history we realize that was the downfall of many nations.My mother always said: "Look at the Roman Empire, they were absolutely brazen in their stepping continually out of God's will, where more and more sin was entered into...and it contributed to their downfall." Please don't think I am trying to be critical or judgemental, it is just that my heart aches for the values of yesterday. I have had my times of rebellion too, so I am the last to even consider casting stones.. but I see a pattern taking place here.

Ever heard the old story of the frog in the kettle? If a frog is put in a kettle of cold water, it is true that if the water is heated up slowly the frog will boil to death without jumping out of the pot, and hopping out for its life. It is mesmerized by the slow steady rising of the heat. Think about it...it is as if we are the proverbial “Frog in the Kettle” and the water has been slowly turned up; and we are all boiling alive in our complacency and "devil may care attitudes". When is the line drawn in the sand saying as my husband has stated and we say: "I draw the line".? We need to be "kettle jumpers" and hop out the minute we see there is something wrong.

It is as though the expression "I'm okay, you're okay" way of thinking permeates the world.In spite of much hoopla, in reality there are only a few who are saying "hey... something is WRONG here.... terribly WRONG. Do you remember the story of "The Emperors new Clothes" where he was so hoodwinked by a nutty tailor, he displayed himself totally naked and it took a small child to finally say "Hey, the Emporer doesn't have any clothes on"!

It reminds me of the bible verses in Revelation 3:15- whereby God tells His children they believed everything was okay... however they were lukewarm and naked, poor and blind.

"I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot; I wish that you were cold or hot. ¹⁶ So because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will ^[l]spit you out of My mouth. ¹⁷ Because you say, “I am rich, and have become wealthy, and have need of nothing,” and you do not know that you are wretched and miserable and poor and blind and naked, ¹⁸ I advise you to buy from Me gold refined by fire so that you may become rich, and white garments so that you may clothe yourself, and that the shame of your nakedness will not be revealed; and eye salve to anoint your eyes so that you may see. ¹⁹ Those whom I love, I reprove and discipline; therefore be zealous and repent. ²⁰ Behold, I stand at the door and knock; if anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and will dine with him, and he with Me. ²¹ He who overcomes, I will grant to him to sit down with Me on My throne, as I also overcame and sat down with My Father on His throne. ²² He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches."

There are only a handful who truly know and understand how bad it has really become today. I think most people believe it will "turn around"... my feeling is that we as a people need to "turn around"

For example, even the thought of leaders of our Government having elicit sex and calling it “not having sex”..or pushing for legislature to kill unborn babies would have been shameful, and totally unacceptable years ago.. and yet we vote for such people today. Not only vote for them, but applaud them. There is nothing new about sexual sin however, King David and Samson in the bible had similar problems. They also lacked the fortitude to set boundaries. A multitude of things going on today are in my opinion not only outrageous, but downright scary. My head reels almost daily viewing the things that are being uprooted, and which are resetting the boundaries my forefathers have set.

Where are our core values??

My sister and my son have been separately in the process of doing a family history ..where we came from, and the journey our family has taken. It has gotten me thinking about my values; and what it is I want to hand down to the generations that will follow me. What is it that I want to preserve in my own life to give as a legacy. Will I be known as one who fought for values that line up with scripture? I don't want to leave this world without having God's mark, and leaving an impenetrable mark on lives.

Remember the old saying "If you don't stand for something, you'll fall for anything"? This is a day when personal values, core values and traditional values are collapsing before our very eyes. We as a nation and a people are being tested to see where we stand. We need to decide which side of the fence we are on. I have been doing a self-evaluation as of late and have found there are many areas I fall short of standing strong when it comes to setting boundaries.

I am not a prude, I never have been, and for sure I am not any saint except in the biblical sense ... but I tell you true, I am concerned not only for this generation, but for the generations to come should the Lord tarry. I am in this world, but I don’t want to be OF this world.. I don't want to look, smell or act like the world does. There is liberty and blessings when we keep the boundaries the Lord has set.

Pslam 16:6 says The lines are fallen unto me in pleasant places; yea, I have a goodly heritage ..... meaning I live within boundaries because I respect God and my heritage. When I was younger people would say to me "why was I a good kid"? My answer was that I had been taught about heritage, family name and carrying on values others had chosen as a lifestyle. I try to do that today still, but for other reasons. Now, I know who I am in the Lord, my heart's desire is to please my heavenly Father in every way I can, my heritage is in HIM, I have a family name to carry and values He has paid a great price for me to follow by His grace.

The disastrous day of 9/11 God spoke to me before the second plane had hit the towers..

He said:

"Think it NOT strange that the towers are being hit by United and American Airlines..for I am calling a 911 for America to Unite in prayer less it fall like the towers."

Strong word.. and, I see just that happening. We are in for a bumpy ride. We need to do all we can do individually to keep ourselves on the narrow path, lest we succumb to all that is going on in this world today. How do we do this? Well, we can’t do it on our own. We need the grace and strength of God. When we come to know Him personally and realize how much He loves us and wants only good for us, it makes it easier to live within boundaries. We need to know His word and decide it will be the way we will live.

We need to unite in prayer and ask for guidance in these coming days, and we need to have a desire to want to walk in righteousness in all our ways and not our OWN ways or the world’s way. We need to live our lives making right choices and to be spending our time doing things that are meaningful. We can never live a holy life on our own merit or will power or efforts.. All this comes from realizing God's love for us and having relationship with Him. It all comes from close personal relationship with the one who created us. If we only fully could understand His perfect love for us, we would want to give that same love back to Him in full measure.

I am asking God in my own life to clearly show me boundaries which I have over stepped, and to set my feet upon the path of righteousness. His is the way and direction of life in abundance no matter what is going on in the world today.

I am with you .. we are together united in prayer for the ability to stand and not fall in the midst of what is going on today, and that we will continue to walk in the boundaries God and our ancestors have set even when it is difficult to do so.

Hopping along with you OUT OF THE POT !!!..

Donsie

donnatrex@yahoo.com

BEES

This was written by my best friend in SC for her

husband on their Anniversary.. she shared it with

me, and I thought it was so cute.. wanted to

share it with ya'll. The interesting thing about
Bumblebees is that it is aerodynamically
IMPOSSIBLE for them to fly and yet they do!
They don't know they can't fly... we need to
be like the Bumblebee and take flight even
when circumstances and situations tell
us we can't. Blessings ... Donna3/27/11