Written by Mary Stevenson in 1936, this is one of my favorite poems. It's interesting that others modified it in small ways, but it is perfect the way Mary first wrote it as young woman.


Footprints in the Sand

One night I dreamed I was walking along the beach with the Lord.
Many scenes from my life flashed across the sky.
In each scene I noticed footprints in the sand.
Sometimes there were two sets of footprints,
other times there was one only.
This bothered me because I noticed that during the low periods of my life,
when I was suffering from anguish,
sorrow or defeat,
I could see only one set of footprints,
so I said to the Lord,
“You promised me Lord,
that if I followed you,
you would walk with me always.
But I have noticed that during the most trying periods of my life
there has only been one set of footprints in the sand.
Why, when I needed you most, have you not been there for me?”
The Lord replied,
“The years when you have seen only one set of footprints,
my child, is when I carried you.”


Mary Stevenson
© 1984

The groundhog Punxsutawney Phil saw his shadow today, which means there will be six more weeks of winter. When first approached, Phil said "Hey, stop poking me in the side. I'm trying to get some sleep, here!". Nevertheless, he was rousted from his warm bed for his one day of work for the year. He's looking forward to next year's retirement when he will be able to sleep late while some other groundhog assumes his arduous work schedule. He plans to move full-time to his beach house in Malibu and tour the world in his 72 foot sailboat "The Nutcracker".

"If a man is called to be a street sweeper, he should sweep streets even as Michelangelo painted, or Beethoven played music, or Shakespeare wrote poetry. He should sweep streets so well that all the hosts of heaven and earth will pause to say, here lived a great street sweeper who did his job well." Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

The Best Movies of 2004
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1. Tie - The Incredibles/Shrek 2
In a world filled with war, tsunamis, mudslides, and train wrecks, it's nice to relax to a movie that has no ulterior motive or hidden agenda other than to bring the viewer a few moments of joy.
2. The Passion of the Christ
This is an excellent film and the only film of 2004 that I had the desire to see multiple times. If it has a flaw, it is that the scourging of Jesus probably only took about 3 minutes as was the custom of the day, not the seemingly endless time seen on the screen. I would have preferred to see a little more of his love and a little less of his pain. Even so, it's a stunning movie.
3. Million Dollar Baby
This may be the best fight film ever made. Although, it's not really about boxing. Clint Eastwood gets better every year.
4. The Aviator
I would have liked a film about Kate Hepburn with Howard Hughes as a subplot rather than vice versa. Still it's a very entertaining movie.
5. Harry Potter: The Prisoner of Azkaban
It stays true to the books and that's enough. The three main characters are really growing into their roles.
6. Honorable Mention - I-Robot
It creates a believable future world. Nicely done.