Happy Boy Song

This is something that is pretty funny to me, although it seems to be a touchy subject to others. Most people know my circumstances, but not everyone knows me. I don't see myself as less than normal, just different. When I'm in public some people are leery or even afraid to approach me because of what they see. The old adage "Don't Judge a Book by Its Cover" is applicable for me. I have noticed that some people will look at me and then realize that I am making eye contact with them and they will look away as if they're embarrassed or unsure as to what to do. Those who know me will go ahead and smile and wave even though I don't wave back. I usually just smile and nod my head in acknowledgment. I understand where they're coming from and in some situations it may be that ignoring the obvious might be the best move. That's not how I roll, PUN INTENDED. If you come up and say hi, be sure to wait a few seconds before expecting an answer because my diaphragm pacer pulses every 5 seconds. If I happen to be inhaling and you're expecting a reply, I have to wait until the exhale cycle begins. It's not painful, just a part of the process that I deal with. I'm not fragile mentally, as a matter of fact I probably have thicker skin than most. Mainly because I understand what it's like to be in your shoes. That's why I thought I would write this, to let you know what it's like from my point of view. Sometimes it can actually be pretty funny. I've had people come up to me and give me sign language or speak very loud because they thought that my ears may not work well. I can tell you that I can hear as well or better than most people my age :-)



So here's the deal. When you see me smile and wave and if possible wait for a reply. I'm a happy boy.



Much love, Dennis

How Great Thou Art - HD - Barbershop Multitrack

I received this song through e-mail and it's been in my head a lot.  It  is the one that I would like everyone to listen for at least a minute.

Much Love, Dennis

Mercy Me- I can only imagine with lyrics

I still like all of that old music, but today much of the music I listen to has a spiritual connection to it, like I ONLY IMAGINE


Much love, Dennis

Sing Your Praise To The Lord - Amy Grant (HQ)

The first Christian song that really caught my ear was by Amy Grant, called SING YOUR PRAISE TO THE LORD

It starts off slow and gradually builds over 1 min. 10 seconds. The lyrics are the reason why I continue to love it.
Much love, Dennis

Music #3

I have an enlarged  funnybone. Here's the proof.

Music #2

When I got my first car I would listen to HOTEL CALIFORNIA


It has an acoustic guitar beginning that I really like. Some of my other favorite artists are Bob Seeger, Styx, CCR, Ted Nugent, Boston, Kansas, and many others from the 70s and 80s. In the early 80s, I started listening to some Christian music. It wasn't necessarily the lyrics, it started out because of the sound. I found some songs that would really sound great on my car stereo. After several run-of-the-mill car stereos I found a set up for a 1978 Camaro that would really kick. It had a Craig receiver and amplifier/equalizer and four Jensen speakers. I thought I was on top of the world. I look back now and think that maybe God was using music to get me interested in him.
Much love, Dennis

Music #1

This is number 1 of a six part post. The others should be following daily. I am separating them to avoid one long posting. My theme is music and how my preferences have changed over the years. You may want to just listen to part of the music video to get a taste of it. I would hope that you would listen to the last one for at least a minute. When you get there, you'll understand why.


Music has been a big part of my life for many years. I don't have a God given gift of music like my mother-in-law or my daughter. They can sit down with a guitar or a piano and just start playing. I can play the radio really well. I do have two good ears and I can really appreciate a good music system. Today I have a nice sound bar with a powered subwoofer system for my computer.


I can remember in junior high listening to Dr. Demento on Sunday nights. One of my favorite songs was SPAM
I have matured "a little bit" since then.
Much love, Dennis

Grand Lake- now and then

Grand Lake vacation was awesome this year. This is Tyler, with his child. I think Tyler was 5 yrs. old the first time we met him. He is Max Tillman's (the owner) oldest son.

This time next year there will be two more grandchildren on the Carlisle side. Grant and his wife Dianna are expecting as well as Blake and Haley Wedel.

Starting at the left Jami McAdoo --Cheri Boyer--Charlotte Webb--Kourtney Childers--Debbie Carlisle--Haley Wedel--Dianna Carlisle. It's kind of fun to think back to the first few years at Grand Lake. Whitney, Grant, Blake C. were all preteens and I think that Haley was 13 or 14. Blake, the youngest of these 4 is now 25 and has a daughter of his own, Ava.

One of the things that I remember from the early years at Honey Creek is Haley marching up to the cabins and with a very stern look on her face. She exclaimed: "I'm going to ring the necks of two little boys on the dock! They have been calling Blakey FOUR EYES." Back then Blake wore glasses. From the look on her face, I think she was serious.

I was a little sad that Whitney couldn't make it this year as well as Dan and Gwen Willits, but there's always next year.

Much love, Dennis

Wednesday

I am so thankful for the wonderful weather and good health that I'm experiencing this year. It brings to mind Romans 8:28. It is God who causes all things to work together for good to those of us who love him and who are called according to his purpose. Wednesday was a typical morning, relaxing around the cabins and picnic table for a while and then heading down to the dock. I don't know exactly why it is, but the dock is my "HAPPY PLACE". Maybe it's because it is close to part of the 23rd Psalm where it talks about green pastures, still waters, restoring my soul, no fear and a banquet table.

Blake Wedel arrived in the afternoon. I think that brought the total of our group to 17. This was not the first time for Haley's husband Blake to join us at Grand Lake. Many years ago, I'm not exactly sure how many, Haley and Blake were dating and Blake spent a couple days at Honey Creek.

There is always a lot of joking around, trash talking and an occasional practical joke at the lake. It has become a tradition. For several years Cheri and Grant Carlisle had a running joke. Grant would tell Cheri that he needed a sandwich or something to drink and Cheri would reply "Do I have MAID tattooed on my forhead?" Occasionally somebody still brings that up and it gave me an idea. Here's a picture Of Grant and Diana Carlisle at the Lazy Parrot Restaurant.

HEY CHERI, CAN I GET YOU A SANDWICH? Since Grant has been known to occasionally misspell a word or two I thought that maybe two versions might be good.

You know I love you, Grant I also had something else in mind when we were at the Lazy Parrot restaurant.

Much Love, Dennis

The Feast

The picnic table is to the right of the Philips 66 sign.

Tuesday afternoon our group numbered, 16. We weren't sure just yet about our new chef - Blake Carlisle. He brought his outdoor wok and began preparing what turned out to be the best meal "in my opinion" of the whole vacation. We gathered at the picnic table and watched, listened, and smelled the preliminary steps to a feast. I'm not sure about everyone else, but I definitely pigged out!

Before anyone was allowed to dig in, Kaiser led us in prayer.

We also had a member of the group celebrate a sixth birthday. I'll let you guess which one.

If you guessed Kaiser, try again.

Preston Webb celebrating 6.  He also became a member of the Honey Creek Wakeboard Team. Way to go Preston!

I am so thankful to GOD for the pleasant weather and my continued healing. I know that  sometime soon I will be enjoying life from an upright position.

Much love, Dennis

delay

I am having some upgrades on my computer, I'll be posting soon.

Dennis