Good Thursday morning, dear friend. Today I'm going to share with you a short story that is amazing, true, and one that stands out to me about my grandfather Albert Carkees Sr.  Faith in the Mud My grandfather, Albert Carkees, was a man of deep faith. Born in Bethlehem, Israel, he immigrated to the United States and built a life rooted in hard work and belief. He loved watching the Evangelist Billy Graham on television whenever he had the chance. No matter the situation, he always leaned on his faith first. One day, while out in the fields with his farm tractor spreading manure, he hit trouble—his tractor sank deep into a mud hole. Stuck and alone, he headed back to the farm for help. But luck wasn’t on his side—his sons were either away at work (Jr, was picking up milk from other farms) or school, and his second eldest, Eddie, was serving in Vietnam. Standing in the field, ankle-deep in mud, my grandfather realized something—he had one more option. One that should’ve been his first. Without hesitation, he dropped to his knees in the thick mud and started praying, asking God for help in getting his tractor free. Before he could even finish his prayer, his neighbor, Howard, happened to drive by and saw him kneeling there in the field. Pulling over in his pickup truck, he called out, "Hey Albert! What on earth are you doing on your knees in the mud?" "I'm praying," my grandfather answered. "Asking God to get my tractor and spreader unstuck." Howard laughed. "Praying isn’t going to get you out of that mud hole, my friend. It’s going to take more than that, I’m afraid." My grandfather smiled, unfazed. "The hell it isn’t—you’re here, aren’t you? And I have a chain for you to hook to your truck hitch, so let’s get moving and start pulling!" Howard shook his head, but did as he was asked, and together they pulled the tractor free. Years later, when Howard had sold his farm and turned to logging, I had the privilege of working alongside him. Once he realized who my family was, he took me under his wing, teaching me everything I needed to know about logging and running equipment. One day, he brought up the story himself—the day he’d seen my grandfather stuck and praying in the mud. And in that moment, he told me something that stuck with me forever: "Ever since that day, I never picked on your grandfather or anyone else I’ve seen praying."   I believe faith works in ways we don’t always expect. And whether you believe in God or not, a friend who prays for you is a true ally—someone who sees your struggles and intercedes on your behalf. So today, I just want to encourage you—prayers are answered. Sometimes, they come in the form of a friend pulling up in a pickup truck when you need them most.  Have a blessed day friend. Take care and GOD bless. ... View more

@amendez, great post, and very interesting one as well. Looking forward to seeing more of your posts. Take care and GOD Bless. ... View more

@amendez, thank you, friend, for the birthday wishes and for the posts that you also create here in the Pandora community. Have a blessed evening, friend. Take care and GOD bless. ... View more

@Pandora, @AlyssaPandora, @ErickPandora, @AdamPandora, and to the rest of the Pandora Community, thank you very much for the Birthday wishes and the recognition. I thank you all for your valued friendship and for your great support in the threads that I enjoy curating here in the Pandora Community. Every one of you makes this a very warm, welcoming place to come and hang out socially.  Take care, my friends, and GOD bless you all. ... View more

Good Tuesday afternoon, dear friend. Be yourself, people don't have to like you, and you don't have to care. Authenticity is freeing—when you stop worrying about who approves of you, you start living on your terms. It’s much easier to focus on what truly matters when you’re not carrying the weight of external validation.  Have a blessed day, take care, and GOD bless.   ... View more

@AdamPandora, good Monday afternoon, friend. Thank you for your friendly reply and your great support. Have a blessed day. Take care, friend, and GOD bless. ... View more

Good Monday evening, dear friend, tonight we are going to learn the meaning behind the song My Immortal (Remastered 2023) by Evanescence. Enjoy the song as well as the read.  "My Immortal" by Evanescence presents a deep exploration of loss, emotional turmoil, and the haunting nature of memories associated with love and grief. The song conveys a sense of longing for a connection that has been severed, while grappling with the weight of residual experiences and feelings that linger long after a person has left. At its core, it speaks to the universal struggle of coping with emotional wounds that time cannot seem to mend, and the complexity of relationships that leave a lasting imprint on our psyche. The lyrics open with expressions of exhaustion related to emotional burdens, as highlighted in lines like "I'm so tired of being here / Suppressed by all my childish fears." Here, "childish fears" may reference the innocence and vulnerability that come with love and attachment. As the narrator expresses a desire for their loved one to leave completely, it suggests an internal conflict between wanting to hold on and the pain of their presence. The pre-chorus reinforces this sentiment with its imagery of wounds that refuse to heal; it conveys that some pains are too deep for time to remedy. The chorus reveals the narrator's commitment to the other person, symbolizing how intertwined their lives were. The line "You still have all of me" indicates an emotional tether that cannot be easily severed, highlighting the concept that love can transcend physical absence. Overall, the song captures the essence of living with emotional scars left by a significant relationship. The haunting vocals combined with evocative lyrics paint a vivid picture of the narrator's struggles—trying to move forward while feeling trapped by memories. The imagery of wiping away tears and fighting fears emphasizes a protective role once held in the relationship, creating a contrast with the deep loneliness the narrator now feels. By the end of the song, despite attempts to convince themselves of the loved one's absence, the feeling of being alone in their grief remains overpowering. "My Immortal" resonates with anyone who has experienced the profound echoes of a love lost, revealing that some connections, even when broken, never fully leave us. (Source comes from Meaning of My Immortal (Remastered 2023) by Evanescence) Have a blessed night, take care and GOD bless.   ... View more

Good Monday evening, dear friend. Hopefully, this will give you a spark that you need, just as it was and continues to be for me.  "Growth isn't always loud. Sometimes, it happens in the quiet moments—when you choose patience over frustration, courage over doubt, and self-compassion over criticism. Every small step matters, every effort builds upon the last. You don’t need to have it all figured out; just keep moving forward in your own way. You are enough, just as you are. And with every obstacle meant to hold you back, you become more, rising stronger than before." Have a blessed night, friend. Take care and GOD bless. ... View more

@AlyssaPandora, good evening, dear friend, thank you for your friendly reply and for your great support as always, my friend.  Have a blessed night, take care, and GOD bless. ... View more

@DustBast and @KDG150, I want to say thank you for your support and interest in this post. Hopefully, this will spark your interest as well.  There’s a lake that explodes – Certain lakes in Africa, like Lake Nyos, have huge CO₂ buildups that can cause massive, deadly gas eruptions. On August 21, 1986, Lake Nyos in Cameroon released a large cloud of CO2, suffocating over 1,700 people and countless animals by displacing the oxygen around them. Scientists determined that CO2 had been gradually leaking into the lake, eventually erupting in a deadly release triggered by a rockslide. To prevent future disasters, engineers installed pipes to continuously degas the lake, significantly reducing the risk of another CO2 burst, but leaving the area still potentially hazardous. (Source comes from How did Lake Nyos suddenly kill 1,700 people? | HowStuffWorks Have a blessed evening, take care and GOD bless. ... View more

@DustBast, thank you for taking the time to reply with your friendly reply. I also want to thank you for your support.  Have a blessed evening, take care, and GOD bless. ... View more

Good Saturday morning, dear friend. "Every challenge you face today is more than an obstacle—it's an opportunity to prove your strength, resilience, and growth. You’ve conquered hard days before, and today is no different. Take it step by step, knowing that every effort you make shapes something greater. Trust yourself, push forward, and remember—you are capable of far more than you realize." Have a blessed weekend, friend. Take care and GOD bless. ... View more

@Nicki16, @Jazzy7, and @Buyafly74, Great intro, thanks for sharing a little about yourselves. Here is my favorite Playlist. If you want to get to know a little about me, then take a look at this Playlist and give it a ear as well.  MOHLovesAlaska Created Playlist . This playlist is 15 songs south of 1950. Enjoy the music. Take care and GOD bless.   ... View more

Good Friday morning, friend.  Eventually, Hawaii will become similar to the Alaska Eskimos. Here is why. Hawaii moves nearly 3 feet closer to Alaska each year. Hawaii sits on the Pacific Plate, a tectonic plate moving closer to the mainland yearly. Because tectonic plates are always moving due to currents created by rising and sinking rocks, the island state is slowly moving. Although this may never happen in our lifetime, rest assured, it will in someone else's future. (Source comes from Five Weird Facts About Earth Have a blessed day, take care and GOD bless. ... View more

Good Thursday afternoon, dear friend, Are you struggling to be the best at everything you do? "Are you trying to be better than others?" "Do you find yourself chasing perfection? Striving to outperform your peers at every turn?" My dear friend, may I make a suggestion that will help you keep yourself from burning out? It's not about being the best, it's about being better than you were yesterday. “Every step forward—big or small—makes you stronger than you were yesterday. And that is what truly matters.” Have a blessed day, friend. Take care, and GOD bless. ... View more

@Trainman_Man200 has been requested I'm A Man (feat. Foy Vance) by Nathan. The meaning of this song is quite brief. Enjoy the song, as well as the read. The song 'Old Man's Grace' by Nathan Evans conveys a message of hope, guidance, and kindness through the interaction between a young person and an old man. The old man's words of wisdom and encouragement inspire the young person to pass on the same positivity and grace to others, emphasizing the importance of cherishing moments and finding one's way in life despite uncertainties. (Source comes from Nathan Evans - Old Man's Grace lyrics | Musixmatch Have a blessed day. Take care, and GOD bless. ... View more

Good Thursday morning, dear friend. Let's see if this will give you a positive boost for your day! One morning, a wife rushes into the bathroom and gasps. "Honey, someone stole our mirror!" Her husband groggily walks in, looks at the wall, and sighs. "Babe, the mirror is right there where it’s always been." She squints. "No, it isn’t!" Annoyed, she storms downstairs to confront him, only for him to jump back in terror. "What is wrong with you?" she asks. "You scared me half to death!" he says. "But now I know what happened to the mirror." "You do?" "Yep. Go upstairs, fix yourself up, then check again." Suspicious but intrigued, she heads back up, does her hair, puts on makeup, and returns to the bathroom. Lo and behold—the mirror is right where it’s always been! Her husband smirks. "See? You scared it away!"  Have a blessed day friend, take care and GOD bless. ... View more

Good Wednesday afternoon, friend, perhaps this will crack that frown of yours, at least that is what my goal is. Q: Why did the husband bring a ladder to his argument with his wife? A: He was trying to take things to another level! Have a blessed day, friend, take care, and GOD bless. ... View more

@Alpha_Zero I will give an ear for sure; I'm always game for new music (new to me).  Have a blessed day, friend, take care, and GOD bless. ... View more