wow, a blessed visit from one of 8 cousins residing in down under
into ramrom’s hotel california, today sea pearl and family did wander
nathan and simone had no idea they had an aunt of ebullient pedigree
united by a piece of grandmere in all of us in the family tree
our hubbies had no clue what lurks in the history about to set free

we had a jolly time down at silicon valley’s billabong
under the shade of our silver birch tree
we laughed and we ate and we drank coffee on the boil
cousins came a-waltzing with ramrom and me

come gather round people
help jenny celebrate her 50th, it’s no riddle
she’s a benjamin, at end of the “yangtze” fiddle
now sliding down the 2nd half century of life’s steeple

her sisters and I, and many of u have past this marker
so what wisdom to impart, this bard began to ponder
for starters, i can only draw from experience and what flows in my rapping veins to convey what’s in store
and google for inspiration for some thing worthwhile to say and bore

first, when u begin to realize you’re 50 you become numb
wow, what did i do with my talents all this time, smart and dumb
then, i extrapolate, suppose i live another fifty years
what worthwhile gears do i engage, what to convert, how to conquer new fears
how will i know, what will i show
what’s rightly purposeful, i need to harken the inner whisper for His glory to glow

source: wikipedia

i began imagining what life would be like without me in pottersville
do i really matter, have i fulfilled God’s plan, is this all narcissistic endeavor, the ego to fill
how to fill years ahead, what to celebrate, learn and feel
what will further patmos sojourns reveal
how His instrument to become and deal before i keel

all i can say thus far
God keeps raising the bar
but He’ll keep u in divine love and grace to draw strength from, to play the cards you’re dealt
so give it your all and run the race well to the very end, till from this earthly life we melt

the “yangtze” flowed into my path for a reason
a vignette in life’s meanderings, i am blessed and standing here now to ramble with sweat a-glisten
thank u most eleanor for your kindness shown
taking me into your nashville home one asc christmas break many moons ago, the goodness was sown

jenny, i wish thee wonderful blessings to come as u walk to the next unknown
what a christmas gift u are to those that love u and God-willing, many more bright candles to be blown

a joyful 50th birthday
and i sincerely pray
the good Lord bless u and us all years to come, all the way

cnbc blaring bad news after bad
spielberg and katzenberg among madoff victims to be had
the world has repeatedly gone mad
christmas ramrom to combat sad
revive “caveat emptor” due diligence fad

ramrom to shriek the halls with bowels of folly
fa-la-la-la-la, la-la-la-la
’tis the season to be jolly
fa-la-la-la-la, la-la-la-la

bright spot spotted in this nytimes article
b.virdot representing symbol of moral-spurred-to-uplift-morale oracle
we all have the capacity in us but fettered with free choice to perform the miracle

my head filled with many a carole king strain
powering ramrom train
with cold snap throughout babylon terrain

winter of discontent mingled with season of hope
which do i choose to mope
the reason for season to re-grope

many wonder if they’re ever gonna make it home again
it’s so far and out of sight…

snow is cold, rain is wet
chills our soul right to the marrow
yes, virginia – there’s Hope and resurrected victory to rid our sorrow

you’ve got to get up every morning with a smile on your face
and show the world all the love in your heart
then people gonna treat you better
you’re gonna find, yes, you will
that you’re beautiful as you feel

i have often asked myself the reason for sadness
in a world where tears are just a lullaby
He’s provided an answer, His love can end the madness
maybe u think not, oh, but we can only try

way over yonder is a place i have seen
it’s a garden of wisdom from some long ago dream

and the sweet-tastin’ good life is so easily found
way over yonder, that’s where i’m bound

prophet isaiah 9:6 offers reason for season
for to us a child is born,
to us a Son is given,
and the government will be on His shoulders.
and He will be called
Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,
Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

a blessed christmas to all
may peace, love and goodwill continuously fall

this blog entry dedicated to the gno ladies
whom i will dine with tonight, helping each other through maladies
thank you gratuities

you made feel like a natural woman …

and blessings to all my family and friends
you’ve got a friend

today marked an interesting confluence of dots
i was in the mood to lose time in music of sorts
after last night’s family game of scrabble
“can i peek your music playlist”, a ramrom ramble
for music to scramble

lo and behold when i woke up this morning
after listening to “straight no chaser” a capella group crooning
jk’s playlist in my i-tune library magically a-looming
some 8000 pickings a-glistening, my eyes a-beaming
most of which prime for meandering and discovering

the one which perked ramrom’s ears was a duo called thievery corporation
their “the richest man in  babylon” musical rendition
of  george clason 1927 book edition
a culmination
of pamphlets series on basic financial management compilation
converted to a series of financial parables set in ancient babylon nation
book containing basic tenets of how to get ahead financially in any time
not just in babylonian times or in the 1920s sublime
…..i related fit for today’s refracting rhyme

story is about a regular babylonian cad named arkad
stories around this titular richest man in babylon how to control greed to be had
who used some basic financial sense and built up a great deal of wealth, isn’t this timely rad?
amid backdrop of bankrupt fannie, freddie, captains of auto industry and madoff ponzi that went bad

ramrom connects to today’s quote of day
into my inbox did stray
how befitting from american businessman-speaker-author harvey mackay

“being rich isn’t about money.
being rich is a state of mind.
some of us, no matter how much money we have,
will never be free enough to take time
to stop and eat the heart of the watermelon.
and some of us will be rich
without ever being more than a paycheck ahead of the game.”

george clason’s book is perfect if u learn by reading the experiences of others
their plunders and blunders
most interesting story is about “7 cures for a lean purse”

1. start thy purse to fattening by setting aside one-tenth of what u earn for the future
2. control thy expenditures; don’t spend beyond what u can suture
3. make thy gold multiply, ah the familiar ring of money maketh money
don’t stash in mattresses when u can double, triple and quadruple the honey
4. guard thy treasure from loss – u should only invest in things where the principal is safe
i recall the infamous 1% rule, an old fave of prudence rave
particularly interesting given that book was written in 1927, and in 1929 the stock market caved
5. make of thy dwelling a profitable investment-but we know when we become overspending slave
6. insure a future income for retirement and to pass on when passed, to posthumously claim u gave
7. increase thy ability to earn-criminals who squandered our hard-earned savings, why we them save?

let’s connect back to thievery corporation
a washington dc-based recording artist and dj duo collaboration
consisting of rob garza and eric hilton
speaking up on sins and follies of capitalistic-democratic kingdom

here is lyric extract of “the richest man in babylon”

there is no guidance in your kingdom
your wicked walk in babylon
there is no wisdom to your freedom
the richest man in babylon
your beggars sleep outside your doorway
your prophets leave to wonder on
u fall asleep at night with worry
the saddest man in babylon
the wicked stench of exploitation
hangs in the air and fingers on
beneath the praise and admiration
the weakest man in babylon
there is no hope left in your kingdom
your servants have burned all their songs
nobody here remembers freedom
the richest man in babylon

ramrom connects to don mclean
singing psalm 137:1

by the waters
the waters
of babylon.

we lay down and wept
and wept
for thee Zion.

we remember
thee remember
thee remember
thee Zion

and to wrap it all up for the reason for the season, here’s the real christmas wealth tree
check the biblical story of Jesus and the wealthy pharisee nicodemus in book of john chapter 3

wow, it has come to pass
a major milestone to surpass

jk walked with berk degree in hand
and here we are at time of deep crisis on this land
signalling transformation of sorts to ascend
moi inspired by keynote speaker mimi silbert’s call to fail and transcend

so here i am
looking at swirling waters in the dam
trying to protect the happy clam
analyzing doors that open then slam
time to review promises made to myself, bam

i promised i would resist using the elevator to get to office on 3rd floor
indeed i used the stairs up and down and attained a perfect score
i promised i would lap swim nonstop a minimum of 70 lengths each time i plunged into the pool
that i kept to-date whether the weather was summer hot or winter cool
i promised to pass CIA come hell or high water and voila, i now have that pro-tool

i started dec12 2007 to traverse king james scriptures in a year
now close to finish line, 3 more days to steer the gear
today’s reading plan covered ephesians5, ezekial14-15 and isaiah44
i discovered most relevant wisdom for these times to roar

paul admonished in ephesians5:15-16
“walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise,
redeeming the time, because the days are evil” with deceitful lies
all that glitters is not gold, men and mice to entice

well, now we’re stuck
in the muck
our sins to repent and not bad vibes suck
evil to duck

we just graduated from thanksgiving
entering season of hope renewal in One that never falters, always loving and giving
to climb back to purposeful and meaningful living
ezekial 14:6 zeroed-in as ramrom engine idles
“repent, and turn yourselves from your idols”.

the connecter in me linked hope answer to isaiah44:10
fallen ones “who hath formed a god, or molten a graven image that is profitable for nothing?” zen
apropos christmas promise in verse 20
“I have blotted out, as a thick cloud, thy transgressions and thy sins: return unto me;
for I have redeemed thee”

wow
humility bow
in googling for “here i am, the one that u love” draft of air supply in my head
i synchronistically got leona lewis‘ version of “here i am” instead

this is a crazy world
these can be lonely days
it’s hard to know who’s on your side
most of the time

who can u really trust
who do u really know
is there anybody out there
who can make u feel less alone
sometimes u just can’t make it on your own

if u need a place where u can run
if u need a shoulder to cry on
well He’ll always be your friend

when u need some shelter from the rain
when u need a healer for your pain
He’ll be there time and time again
when u need someone to love u

here i am, hmmm
there He is

if u have broken dreams
just lay them all on Him
He’ll be the one who understands
so take my hand but more importantly, His