Crazy Dog!

I just took these pictures of my brother Eddie's dog and had to post them! If my mom saw him on the couch she would kill him! His name is Leonides and he is a 1 1/2 year old pit bull.

I Am an American

I am an American. I've always been an American. I was born and raised in Tucson, Arizona and have not once lived a day in Mexico. I love this country and every opportunity that it has given me from my religious freedom to my ability to vote. I believe in following the law of the land. I consider myself a law abiding citizen other than of course that speeding ticket on I-10 on my way to Phoenix one Saturday. I'm not perfect and to many my views may seem broad but I always take that as being a compliment.

The day that our Gov Jan Brewer signed into law the infamous SB 1070 I was appalled. Now I have to make some things clear. For one I am totally AGAINST anyone being in this country illegally. I along with everyone else in this country do not want criminals and drug traffickers coming here. I think it is and has always been pretty idiotic of our government to give people who are not citizens free health care with our hard earned tax dollars. We need to keep our borders secure and the truth is we haven't done enough to do so. There are parts of the US/Mexico border where there isn't even a fence and people can just walk across like nothing. One can argue that there are hardworking people here who simply come here illegally for a better life. I totally understand that and am not unsympathetic to the human plight. There are always those exceptions to the rule but either way I still feel like people should do things the right way if they want to be a citizen. Now, I could go back and go on and on how our country is built upon a huge melting pot of immigrants and that would all be true but it doesn't serve a purpose.

My issue with this law is not the pursuit of getting illegal aliens off the streets of America but rather the violation of Legal citizens rights in doing so. You see I have heard people swear up and down that this law will not racial profile anyone but that is a blatant Lie! How else will law enforcement conduct this so called justice to the law unless they single handedly look for excuses to pull over people who are not white. Yes, I did say it! Yes, I did go there because quite frankly, its the truth. They are going to be looking for people of color to harass and this law will be abused. I honestly don't believe it is worth all the hate and animosity that is going on in our state right now. It is racist and to add fuel to the fire they are pulling ethnic studies from schools and letting go teachers with accents. I'm sorry but that is completely Hateful and absurd. If you don't like the curriculum that is being taught in ethnic studies which by the way is open to Everyone, you should make changes don't just pull it out. That doesn't help your argument that we are not a state that discriminates. The whole deal with firing teachers because they have an accent is a bit offensive to me too. I lived in the South for a year and a half and I have to say it was pretty hard to make sense of their accents and they are Americans. Sooo are you telling me that if a teacher from the South with a thick accent came and taught at the University of Arizona, which by the way I attended as well, we are going to fire that teacher too because they are hard to understand? Or are we just looking for teachers who are immigrants? Does that make a bit of sense? Does their accent make them any less qualified to teach? Almost every teacher in Math at the University of Arizona has an accent. I find it hard to believe that every single one of those students never got their degree because they truly couldn't understand their math teacher. Its all just soo stupid to me.

If this law was truly a law that was justified then why all the protest? Why all the boycotts? That's because there IS something very wrong about this law and it is unjust against American citizens of color. No matter how you re-word it its still wrong. If the Justice Department is challenging the law, if the President, (who i Never agree with but you gotta give credit where credit is due) is calling the law "Misguided", If the Tucson City Council is pulling out a lawsuit, If three separate police officers are filing a lawsuit, if the United Nations is scrutinizing Arizona's new law, and I know there is more that I'm missing or unaware of..then you know there is Obviously something wrong!! I cant imagine how awful it would be if we question in our minds every time someone walks in front of us, "I wonder if that person is here illegally" The question would be why? why would you question that? The obvious answer is because their skin color is different. You want to tell me that ain't racial profiling? Which by the way violates constitutional rights.

My solution: Get rid of SB 1070 and put in place a law that actually makes sense and doesn't infringe on American rights. Finish building a fence!!!! Put more troops at the border to fight this war and point your anger at the people who are here illegally not legally. I'm sorry but although she is a Republican Jan Brewer who was appointed and Not voted in, has done an awful job since day 1. Before all this immigration stuff happened she was already making a mess of things. I pray she gets voted out and we get a Governor in office who has a bit more common sense. Our state is a cest pool of hate and anger. This cant continue. We have to reach some common ground before this state destroys itself. I pray for this state, I really do because all of this saddens me. I have heard so many personal attacks on Hispanic people and not all Hispanic people are illegal. I don't defend or justice people who are in this country illegally but I do get my feathers a little ruffled when people start saying hateful things because if you talk trash about Hispanic people you are pretty much talking trash about me. I am aware the law does not state a certain ethnicity but in Arizona there is no doubt that is who we are talking about. Why can't we all just get along? Why cant we all just be One nation under God, indivisible with liberty and Justice for all???

I think We, The United States, needs to "Man up" and realize that we created this problem. For years we have allowed employers to hire immigrants as a means of cheap labor. We have given them free health care and benefits. We have made it so that their children can come to school here without proof of citizenship and we have allowed their anchor babies citizenship. Its like placing a bowl of milk on your porch and then being angry because there are stray cats in your backyard. If we didnt allow all of those things we wouldnt be dealing with this problem. Now its like we just want to get a BB gun and shoot the cats to get rid of them but forget that we brought the milk in the first place.

So that's my little spill about immigration. I'm sure there are tons of you who don't agree but I assume since the rest of the civilized world is giving their two cents in that it cant hurt to throw in mine. I do have to add in here that I Have read the law and these are the conclusions I have drawn from it.

This is a really good place to find facts about SB 1070

http://www.immigrationpolicy.org/sites/default/files/docs/SB1070_Guide_060210.pdf

I am a Reporter - One of my Article for Apostolic News

So as many of you know I am on the writing staff at Apostolic News. I wanted to share with you one of the first articles I wrote. This story really is amazing and a testimony of what God is doing in these last days!



Sacaton, AZ- March 12th, 2010. Revival has broken out in a surrounding city near Casa Grande, AZ since a Trinitarian Co- Pastor was baptized in Jesus Name! Many members of this Trinitarian congregation have also been baptized in Jesus Name and several have received the Holy Ghost. Reverend Andy Combs, Pastor of Apostolic Tabernacle in Casa Grande, AZ was seeking the Lord in prayer not too long ago about starting a daughter work in the Sacaton and Gila River community when the Lord spoke to him and said, “Now Go and do something”. Pastor Combs began to feel excitement in his Spirit as the Lord gave him a glorious vision of Revival in this untouched area of Arizona with the Apostles doctrine of Truth. Apostolic Tabernacle is familiar with planting new churches since they already have three daughter works in the surrounding cites of Santa Rosa, Coolidge, and Maricopa, AZ. Pastor Combs parents Reverend Walton and Mabel Combs came over 40 years ago as a gift from the Lord to the city of Casa Grande. Since then Apostolic Tabernacle has been a thriving and respected church in the State of Arizona.
About a week after Pastor Combs’ prayer a man in a wheelchair by the name of Dwight showed up to his delight to a mid-week service in Casa Grande. It was there that he received the Holy Ghost by evidence of speaking in tongues and shortly after a young couple from the church, Ralph and Frances Gomez followed up with a bible study. Dwight was baptized after seeing the need for Jesus Name baptism and then revealed that he was a member of a Trinitarian Church. When Pastor Combs heard this he became concerned that perhaps Dwight’ Pastor would be angry that he had been baptized and possibly try to stop him from continuing to receive bible study lessons. Pastor Combs and Ralph and Frances Gomez decided to set up a meeting with Dwight and his pastor Collan Morris that Saturday. After studying the Word of God Pastor Morris like Saul of Tarsus felt the spiritual scales fall from his eyes as he joyfully received the revelation of the Oneness and understood the necessity of baptism in Jesus Name and about a week later asked to be baptized. Pastor Combs feeling boldness in the Holy Ghost then asked Pastor Morris if he could come and help baptize his congregation in Jesus Name. Pastor Morris informed him he was the Co-Pastor and the Senior Pastor who had recently been ill had the last say in what happened in their church.
February 7th 2010 the next morning feeling led by the Holy Ghost Pastor Combs and Ralph and Frances Gomez skipped their morning service and went to the Community Center in Sacaton where the Trinitarians were having their Sunday service. This was totally out of character for Pastor Combs, but he was convinced this was of the Lord. When they arrived Co-Pastor Morris introduced them to the Senior Pastor, Reverend Mendoza. Reverend Mendoza was not as inviting as Pastor Combs had hoped but nevertheless he listened to his teaching. Pastor Combs began to feel the doubt of the enemy telling him he had wasted his time showing up at this church that morning uninvited. Then after a small intermission; testimony service began and Pastor Combs realized this could be his only chance to speak in the service. As he stood up he really wasn’t sure what he would say but the Lord reminded him about his prayer that day about a daughter work arising in the Sacaton and Gila River areas. Then the words came to him and he shared his vision of seeing a great revival in their community and the mighty work of miracles that God wanted to give to them. The congregation responded to his words with weeping and a heavy spirit of intercessory prayer. Shortly after, a few choruses were sung and Co-Pastor Morris began to preach and after about 15 minutes he invited Pastor Combs to come to the pulpit. When he got up to the front he began feeling the anointed of the Lord as he taught about the Oneness of God and how Peter preached on the Day of Pentecost about Repentance, Water Baptism in Jesus Name, and the infilling of Holy Ghost by evidence of speaking in other tongues. When he was done preaching Pastor Combs approached the Senior Pastor once more and began to convey to him his background. Senior Pastor Mendoza said he knew who he was and knew he was coming because two years earlier there had been a prophecy in their services that said a church on Saguaro Street would come help them. It just so happens that Apostolic Tabernacle is located on Saguaro Street! Pastor Mendoza exclaimed, “You finally came after all this time” and embraced Pastor Combs and both men wept together realizing this was ordained of the Lord. Before leaving Pastor Combs explained that he wanted to help them start outreach in their area and Pastor Mendoza agreed.
When Pastor Combs arrived home that afternoon he was glad he had obeyed the leading of the Holy Ghost. He received a call from Co-Pastor Morris a few hours later informing him he would bring some of the members of his church to their evening service in Casa Grande. The congregation of Apostolic Tabernacle could not contain their excitement as eight or nine members were in attendance and three of them were baptized that night in Jesus Name and every one of them left speaking in other tongues! The following Sunday night Senior Pastor Mendoza was also in attendance and received a touch of God.
Last Saturday March 6th 2010 Apostolic Tabernacle put together an outreach service at the Community Center near Sacaton with prizes, snacks, and beverages for their guest. They registered many people for follow-up bible studies and had approximately 185-200 souls in attendance. They brought with them their portable baptismal tank and six received the Holy Ghost and two were baptized in Jesus Name. There was such a wonderful response to special speaker Rev. Franco Platania’s message of Salvation. This is a community that is desperately hungry for God.
Wednesday there were two more that were baptized following a bible study and many more are to come. Pastor Combs is thrilled to see the Lord making his vision of great Revival come to pass. God is doing an amazing work not only in Casa Grande but all over Arizona. We are looking forward to many more great reports as the days and weeks unfold!

http://www.apostolicnews.org/2010/03/revival-breaks-out-after-trinitarian-pastor-is-baptized/

My Favorite Pictures

My most favorite vacation place in the World! Santa Monica Pier, Ca

My fellow JCMer Tiffany Wilbanks-Wells wedding in Eva, AL

The Portland Head Light in Portland, ME. Had no idea till later this light house was so famous!

Viewing Niagara Falls from the Canadian side while attending General Conference in Toronto

At the entrance of the Riverwalk on the Mississippi River in New Orleans, LA

My Missions trip to England in front of the gates at Buckingham Palace.

Visiting Sis Elona Rowland in beautiful San Fran

Me and Sis Linda Eaton At North American Ladies Conference in Louisville, KY

To the Guy Who...

To the guy who didn't get labeled as the tall, dark, and handsome kind.

To the guy who was never appreciated for his sincerity, humility, and brilliant mind.

To the guy who none of the girls considered as more than their friend.

To the guy who watched silently as the bad boys broke their heart over and over again

To the guy who heard a dirty joke and knew he had to walk away.

To the guy who always does the right thing and wont let pride and ego stand in his way.

To the guy who decided not to let sports, cars, and the gym dominate his world.

To the guy who still believes in chivalry and knows how treat a girl.

To the guy who considers true character before asking a girl out on a date.

To the guy who knows that sex can wait for the one he will call his wife and soul mate.

To the guy who is not impressed with the young girls that are caught up in their own worldly vanity.

To the guy who wants a girl who is holy both on the inside and out because that is what qualifies as real beauty.

To the guy who looks across the aisle and falls in love with the way she worships the Lord.

To the guy who is on his knees in prayer and never fails to read the word.

This is to all of you who continue to stay strong and walk straight forward.

Be of good courage because in due season you will reap your reward.

The Lord sees that your heart and thoughts are pure in everything you do.

He will bless and make every dream come true.