Welcome back Kotter!

Dear blogging buddies,

I have been AWOL (absent without official leave) since last year from the blogging circuit. Though it has been awhile, I have been making random visits to some of my favorite blogs and have been keeping in touch.

I hope most of you were as glad as I am to see the passing of 2008. To celebrate the New Year, I am heralding in 2009 with a poem from Helen Steiner Rice:

Be of Good Cheer, There is Nothing to Fear

Cheerful thoughts like sunbeams

Lighten up the darkest fears

For when the heart is happy

There's just no time for tears -

And when the face is smiling

It's impossible to frown,

And when you are high-spirited

You cannot feel low-down

For the nature of our attitude

Toward circumstantial things

Determines our acceptance

Of the problems that life brings.

And since fear and dread and worry

Cannot help in any way,

It's much healthier and happier

To be cheerful every day-

And if you'll only try it

You will find, without a doubt,

A cheerful attitude's something

No one should be without-

For when the heart is cheerful

It cannot be filled with fear,

And without fear the way ahead

Seems more distinct and clear-

And we realize there's nothing

We need ever face alone

For our heavenly Father loves us

And our problems are His own.

Hope that y'all will stop by to visit and let me know how you're doing.

Cheers!