Greetings to all you people far & wide,
hope your summer was awesome, and
even if you had a "staycation" like we,
hope it was good. Back from my "vacation"
of sorts, just long enough to get some fresh
inspiration, and write some great new stuff!
So, dim the lights, cue the saxophone and
jazz piano (in a soft contemplative mood),
and we'll get underway!
LIFE CHANGES
Picture yourself years ago, oh say about 10 ... looking forward
to your future ... and then, suddenly ... you see a vision of your children,
perhaps yet unborn,
but not unborn in the vision ... they are reality, and they are 9 & 17,
and they are shopping.
They are conversing, perhaps in Spanish to each other. It seems that, although you
recognize they are standing in WalMart, the locale is not as familiar. Perhaps you
find that you're in a whole different State. Perhaps, you have children now, very
young, but in this vision, they are 9 & 17. And then, just as sudden as the moment
you saw this vision, the vision is gone. It's done. But, you saw it, it was very, very
real to you.
Well, actually my wife Renee had a similar vision like this, about 2 or 3 of our
children. It seems that, she was seeing into the future. I really really really believe
that God does things like this to encourage us. Like the child-less woman who was told she
only had a year to live, but who had a vision of having a child, ten years old, who
ran up to her and cried out, "I Love YOU, Mommy!!" Like Rod Parsley, who years
ago, was told that his autistic son would never be normal, never grow up to be a boy
like other boys, and will always be stuck with his "problem". But God! That boy not
only grew up, but graduated from college and became a successful game creator.
You think Rod & Joni gave up hope, or chose the evil report? No! He and his wife had
an internal "vision" of what their son should be. You go guys! Or how about the
Chinese lady that was at the bus stop, here in Phoenix, who told me to "never
apologize for your son" (Nicholas, my 'special needs' boy, who is now 13.)
We were both waiting for the bus home, after school ... I used to take him to
school every day, whether by van, or bus, I did every day for 2 years solid.
Every day (that was a few years ago). Anyway, she went on to say, "From now
on, you call Nick your 'happy lucky normal boy' ... and I said "Yes, Ma'am."
I have taken her advice, and he IS. I no longer look at him as 'different, wierd,
strange, abnormal, broken etc.' or whatever other folks tried to make me feel
towards him. Oh yes, he had his share of outbursts publicly, escalations, and
I had my share of restraining him, and all the stuff they train you to do with
someone who is autistic, but my boy was mild in comparison to some. I know
some autistic kids who can't go out into public, period. And I have a whole
testimony concerning Nick ... there's a 'lot to tell' ... but suffice it to say that
HE is just plain AMAZING. I love him. And he loves me, and he's a great boy.
And did I mentioned smart? Talented? Wow. I have learned so much just by
being his father, and I am grateful, yes grateful that I am.
children. It seems that, she was seeing into the future. I really really really believe
that God does things like this to encourage us. Like the child-less woman who was told she
only had a year to live, but who had a vision of having a child, ten years old, who
ran up to her and cried out, "I Love YOU, Mommy!!" Like Rod Parsley, who years
ago, was told that his autistic son would never be normal, never grow up to be a boy
like other boys, and will always be stuck with his "problem". But God! That boy not
only grew up, but graduated from college and became a successful game creator.
You think Rod & Joni gave up hope, or chose the evil report? No! He and his wife had
an internal "vision" of what their son should be. You go guys! Or how about the
Chinese lady that was at the bus stop, here in Phoenix, who told me to "never
apologize for your son" (Nicholas, my 'special needs' boy, who is now 13.)
We were both waiting for the bus home, after school ... I used to take him to
school every day, whether by van, or bus, I did every day for 2 years solid.
Every day (that was a few years ago). Anyway, she went on to say, "From now
on, you call Nick your 'happy lucky normal boy' ... and I said "Yes, Ma'am."
I have taken her advice, and he IS. I no longer look at him as 'different, wierd,
strange, abnormal, broken etc.' or whatever other folks tried to make me feel
towards him. Oh yes, he had his share of outbursts publicly, escalations, and
I had my share of restraining him, and all the stuff they train you to do with
someone who is autistic, but my boy was mild in comparison to some. I know
some autistic kids who can't go out into public, period. And I have a whole
testimony concerning Nick ... there's a 'lot to tell' ... but suffice it to say that
HE is just plain AMAZING. I love him. And he loves me, and he's a great boy.
And did I mentioned smart? Talented? Wow. I have learned so much just by
being his father, and I am grateful, yes grateful that I am.
What about my 17 yr old, Sara? She's an actress. No, not a budding or 'wannabe'
I mean really. The real deal. It's amazing ... after a year of almost 'knock-down,
drag-outs', we now have more in common than ever, and she loves my music.
My Sara talks to me, and loves rock music of my era. Who would have thunk?
Gloria, my 15 yr old, she's a people person. She's a comic. But she gets bored
with us, so just put her with a bunch of her friends at her favorite mall, and
she's fine. She's also one of great character. Thanks God. I feel we maybe
did something right.
I mean really. The real deal. It's amazing ... after a year of almost 'knock-down,
drag-outs', we now have more in common than ever, and she loves my music.
My Sara talks to me, and loves rock music of my era. Who would have thunk?
Gloria, my 15 yr old, she's a people person. She's a comic. But she gets bored
with us, so just put her with a bunch of her friends at her favorite mall, and
she's fine. She's also one of great character. Thanks God. I feel we maybe
did something right.
Tiffany. Our 9 year old. I'll let her tell you what she is:
"Dad, I AM AN ARTIST!!" Yep. Got it. No doubt about that,
not only THAT, but she writes & illustrates her own "books"
and wants to have her own bookstore someday. She loves
Cartoon Network, and can draw many of the characters. As
a matter of fact, she has her own gang of characters she has created.
Best of all is this child's tremendous capacity for LOVE.
I want to include my 29 yr old daughter Celia here, as, against many
great odds and trials and temptations and even wars against her very life,
she has been a National Guardsman (including a deployment to Afghanistan
for a year), a framer @ Hobby Lobby, and now
has been enrolling in school again, to pursue her dream and career as
a journalist with the Walter Cronkite School here in Phoenix. She was
awarded Journalist of the Year through her army unit in Kansas. She
has been accepted to transfer to the unit here in Arizona, and welcomed
to pursue her career through them as well! She will have the soon opportunity
of being very close to National Geographic (due to further training), another
closely held dream of hers.
"Dad, I AM AN ARTIST!!" Yep. Got it. No doubt about that,
not only THAT, but she writes & illustrates her own "books"
and wants to have her own bookstore someday. She loves
Cartoon Network, and can draw many of the characters. As
a matter of fact, she has her own gang of characters she has created.
Best of all is this child's tremendous capacity for LOVE.
I want to include my 29 yr old daughter Celia here, as, against many
great odds and trials and temptations and even wars against her very life,
she has been a National Guardsman (including a deployment to Afghanistan
for a year), a framer @ Hobby Lobby, and now
has been enrolling in school again, to pursue her dream and career as
a journalist with the Walter Cronkite School here in Phoenix. She was
awarded Journalist of the Year through her army unit in Kansas. She
has been accepted to transfer to the unit here in Arizona, and welcomed
to pursue her career through them as well! She will have the soon opportunity
of being very close to National Geographic (due to further training), another
closely held dream of hers.
Renee started home=schooling years ago (about 2001). She never has thought
of herself as a teacher, and for years thought she sucked at it. I told her
differently. She fought and fought God on this I think, but we won ... hehehe.
She laid the groundwork for Sara & Gloria's scholastic success (they attend
a performing arts school and do very well there).
Now, she's the 'learning coach' for Nick & Tiffany, utilizing K12's online
program, Virtual Academy. She's good at it. She still doesn't believe me,
because she never saw herself doing that. Haha. Life Changes.
Oh, and I think Nick & Tiffany do quite well with it, too.
I have found myself, in a new career in this season of life. Did I think
10 years ago that I would be doing music now (hoped!!) or even producing
VIDEOS at this stage of my life?? Or blogging? Wow. That would have only been by
a dream ... but God had it in a vision already.
Some people make plans for their lives ... some say that they'll always
be doing this or that forever. I tend to believe in LIFE Changes,
and that they can be good ones!
For all of you who have found yourself in new careers in your 40's and 50's,
raising kids (again) or raising your grandkids...maybe...To All of You Who
consider yourself 'late-bloomers', and maybe for the 1st time, can step into
your dream, walk in it, because all of the hinderers and hindrances have
been removed, THIS BLOG IS FOR YOU.
Abraham didn't give up on life, nor did he throw in the towel when Sarah
died. Nope. He remarried and had more kids, and started producing again!
You ain't too old to begin. Or begin again. You ain't too old, God saved
the best wine for last. So, go forth with all the wisdom that He has given
you, and produce something amazing, world=changing.
IF YOU DO ...
I applaud you.
of herself as a teacher, and for years thought she sucked at it. I told her
differently. She fought and fought God on this I think, but we won ... hehehe.
She laid the groundwork for Sara & Gloria's scholastic success (they attend
a performing arts school and do very well there).
Now, she's the 'learning coach' for Nick & Tiffany, utilizing K12's online
program, Virtual Academy. She's good at it. She still doesn't believe me,
because she never saw herself doing that. Haha. Life Changes.
Oh, and I think Nick & Tiffany do quite well with it, too.
I have found myself, in a new career in this season of life. Did I think
10 years ago that I would be doing music now (hoped!!) or even producing
VIDEOS at this stage of my life?? Or blogging? Wow. That would have only been by
a dream ... but God had it in a vision already.
Some people make plans for their lives ... some say that they'll always
be doing this or that forever. I tend to believe in LIFE Changes,
and that they can be good ones!
For all of you who have found yourself in new careers in your 40's and 50's,
raising kids (again) or raising your grandkids...maybe...To All of You Who
consider yourself 'late-bloomers', and maybe for the 1st time, can step into
your dream, walk in it, because all of the hinderers and hindrances have
been removed, THIS BLOG IS FOR YOU.
Abraham didn't give up on life, nor did he throw in the towel when Sarah
died. Nope. He remarried and had more kids, and started producing again!
You ain't too old to begin. Or begin again. You ain't too old, God saved
the best wine for last. So, go forth with all the wisdom that He has given
you, and produce something amazing, world=changing.
IF YOU DO ...
I applaud you.
Your Friend,
TONY 
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