grafted in and on the journey

Hello Grafted in Readers, Today, our visit may be a bit lengthy as I would like to share a current reflection with you by Skip Moen, and my comment to it posted on his website. I also have some "exciting news" to share with you on the writing front! -October will be a "banner month" for me in terms of publication opportunities. I have two separate stories appearing in two separate anthologies! The first is titled, Living Sacrifice, from an anthology titled "Thirty-one Days of October" by Shae Hamrick and Glenda Reynolds that will be available through Amazon on or about October 1st. The second is a Christmas Anthology titled, More Christmas Moments, #3, by Yvonne Lehman, due to be released in late October and also on Amazon. My story there is a family account titled, No Room In The Sky. I will keep you posted about both of these works as they would make good gifts for yourself or others you know, who enjoy fiction and or reflective pieces. Las...

Hello Grafted In Readers, For those of you who may be new to my blog, there are three areas of interest that have come to be featured. -Health Issues: As a result of having been a professional medical transcriptionist from 1998 to 2013, a mini-stroke survivor last winter, and personal interest in general health, I try to bring items of interest to our attention be it diet, weight loss, general maintenance, or a particular condition experienced by the population at large. That will be our focus this post. -Faith Issues: These go under the umbrella of what is termed Hebraic Roots or Jewish roots. Abraham is the father of the Jew, Christian and Muslim faith(s.) The church at large ignores culture and customs that would enrich one's faith commitment. -Occasional Story: As a writer of flash fiction mostly, I occasionally post something recently written that may be entertaining to those who enjoy reading in that genre. I have been in three anthologies over the past three years, pu...

Hello Grafted in Readers, Today is September 19 in my corner of blog land. Historically, my wife and I left for our honeymoon twenty years ago today which we had in North Carolina. On the way home we spent the night in Nashville so as to attend The Grand Old Oprey. Now we are helping our granddaughter get off to a good start in kindergarten! On the health side of things, recently the Mayo Clinic newsletter, Housecall, featured a short piece on eye dilation. This is a procedure that is done for the purpose of examination. Eyedrops are administered that cause the pupils to widen. This makes it easier for the qualified eye doctor to view the back of the eye in more detail. There are several factors that can be detected via this procedure. They include diabetes, glaucoma, high blood pressure and macular degeneration. -On the reading front, I am halfway through a lengthy novel titled, On Beauty by Zadie Smith. It was published in 2005. The story is of a middle-aged married couple in N...

Hello Grafted in Readers, I do appreciate your readership and time, and hope many of these posts are informative and or thought provoking for all of us. If you have been around my blog a while, you may recall last December I had a mini-stroke. Though much of my speech has returned, and endurance is improving, keeping active is something that requires commitment on my part. A recent edition of "Housecall", the Mayo Clinic newsletter, offered some helpful tips toward staying active. Key exhortation, Do something. -Exercise to give yourself the gift of energy and improve sleep. -Focus on the future, maintaining health, is your reason for exercise commitment. -Vary activities. Exercise alone and with others . Walks, biking or swimming for example. -Take an exercise class at a fitness center. -Drive less and walk a little more. -Gradually work your way up to 30 minutes of exercise daily. Final thought: "Sticking to a regular exercise schedule isn't easy....

Hello Grafted in Readers, Today is Monday, Sept. 12 in my corner of blog land; still mild as we slowly transition from summer to Autumn. Our friends in the UK are transitioning from Spring to Summer. One thing is of immediate concern for both sides of the equator: the Zika virus. Recently, "Housecall" produced by Mayo Clinic in the USA, ran a short piece or update concerning this condition. I highlight the facts below. -The virus occurs in tropic and sub-tropic parts of the world. -Symptoms: headache, rash, red eyes, mild fever, general discomfort. -Zika virus is transmitted by the mosquito, worldwide. -Neurologic conditions such as microcephaly and Guillain-Barr syndrome can result from Zika virus. -Prevention: Vaccination pending, but take precautions so to reduce mosquito inhabitation and likelihood of mosquito bites. Kevod Yeheveh, The Lord be with us indoors and outdoors on the journey. Thanks for stopping by and maybe leaving a comment! Mellow Roc

Hello Grafted In Readers, Today is Sept. 8, Thursday, in my corner of blog land. For those who keep record or observe the Appointed Times, we are in the month of Elul. This period leads to the high holidays and end with the observance of Feast of Tabernacles and the conclusion of the current Torah cycle and beginning anew. For those who are new to this and not so new, I would encourage you to feed your soul by listening to some music by Jewish believer, Marty Goetz. You can find his songs on YouTube. In Particular, "Those Who Trust In The Lord" and "Lamb of God" are two of my favorite by him. Trust, grace, faith, righteousness, justice, holiness, and sacrifice are not terms or concepts that are exclusive to Protestant and Catholic Christianity. They go all the way back to creation. So, over the next few days enjoy some Messianic music and even try an online service called Chavah Messianic Radio. You might enjoy some of what you hear! God be with us in th...

Hello Grafted in Readers, Today is September 6, Tuesday, in my corner of blog land. Our granddaughter begins her first day of kindergarten today! On Wednesday, my wife and I celebrate 20 years of marriage! We had special occasions over the weekend to do this, and glad we have been married two decades! I posted on Facebook the question, What do Will Howard, Belle Baker, Sophie Tucker, Tom Jones, Connie Francis, Itzhak Pearlman and Neil Sedaka share in common? Tucker and Baker were among the first two Vaudeville singers to record "My Niddishe Mom or Mamme" in the 1920s. Neil Sedaka recorded a version in English and in Yiddishe during the mid 1960s, and Tom Jones has performed it on occasion throughout his performance career. There are said to be versions in Spanish and also a Jazz version. Itzhak Pearlman has a solo violin version backed by the Israel Philharmonic orchestra. The composer is said to be Jack Yellen. I heard the version recorded by Pearlman and it is nice, r...