"For THINE is The KINGDOM, and The POWER, and The GLORY, for ever. Amen." - Matthew 6:13 (KJV)

Release Date: January 30, 2023
KNIGHT WATCHMAN

THANK YOUs
I know it's been a while. We're in a New Year and ready for new things. The Goodness of God is the ONLY reason I'm still standing. And you've stood with me through it all. Thanks a MILLION. As I always say, you're why I do this!!

Airplay Buzz, I really love what you have to offer. That's why I keep coming back. Merci!

Chris and Underground Treehouse crew, I'm SO blessed to work with you--MUSICALLY AND PERSONALLY. You give your BEST, and it shows. THANK YOU!

CONTACT: mariacarmi@vfemail.net

SONG INFO, ETC.
Romantic ballad (approximately 3' 27"). Keys: C major to D major (Thanks, Chris.). Please feel free to use any pictures I've put out there, as long as they're not altered (except to resize them). All rights reserved.

YAKETY-YAK

[PLEASE NOTE: Some Scriptural references were obtained through Young's Analytical Concordance to the Bible, 22nd American Edition Revised, Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, Grand Rapids, Michigan, Library of Congress Catalog Card Number 55.5338.]

My dog Simchah HATES coming inside. He will plant his paws in the dirt and resist any encouragement to come! He also knows when he wants to go visit our neighbors. He will PULL me in that direction & refuse to go home! I have to tell him they've gone night-night before he'll reluctantly give in. But such a sweetie pie underneath.

Okay, my NEW favorite candy bar is Milky Way's Simply Caramel. Those things are dangerous!

FUN WITH ENGLISH Pretty. What a lovely little word, filled with images of budding flowers and dancing butterflies. A singular joy in the English lexicon. Yet so very confusing. At least spell it correctly. You know, pritty. Either that, or pronounce it right: prEtty. What, sounds too much like petty? Pity. Go on with your bad self, and give me a more pithy argument. Don't you be such a sassy sissy, missy, or you won't be sittin' pritty very long. You'll be playing patty cakes in the corner. Prissy little thing. Here, have a pretzul. Enjoy. As my Grandma always said, "It's pootty good."

BEAUTY TALK When it comes to makeup, lipstick is one of my faves. I don't feel complete without lipstick, nail polish, & eyeliner. I'm quite picky about colors and looks, though. For example, I'm into frosted colors. Big Time. Absolute fave. I love those orchid, fuschia, pink, & purple colors. Peach is okay once in a while, just as a change. The most important thing is how the lipstick makes YOU look--NOT how it looks in the tube. It has to ADD something positive to your face. For eyeliner/shadow, I'm getting more into brown as opposed to black. A little less harsh maybe. For nail polish, I'm crazy about those pretty colors again. Really love an orchid color and also sparkly orchid colors! My new fave? L.A. Colors Diamond Crush "Prism". A wower!! Also like L.A. Colors Color Craze "Pizzaz". Happy shopping, girls!!

WHEN I WAS GROWING UP Uh, oh. Here it comes. I know, I know, but let's just call it history. Makes it sound educational. So, we used to get off for Washington's birthday on February 22nd. We also celebrated Lincoln's birthday on February 5th, although I don't think we actually got off that day. We girls (& some boys) loved jumping rope. (Some things never change.) The Helm's bread van would come around as did the ice cream truck. Ditto for milk, I believe, which was still in bottles. In fact, everything (ketchup, mustard, you name it) was in a glass bottle back then. No plastic. Up to the time I was 10 or 11, my family only had black & white TV. Our "big" TV must have been about 23". The portable one we used to roll in from the den into the kitchen to watch as we ate dinner was a 19"er as I recall. We'd watch Disney & Bonanza every Sunday night. Later on, Sony came out with a 26" color TV. Wowie, kazowie! Never had computers in grade school or high school, either. And it was an era of great cars. It sure was fun riding in my brother's lime green Challenger! Would you believe a Mercedes was airtight back then? Yes, sirree, I understand that they could float like a boat. And built like a tank. On summer evenings, all of us neighborhood kids would be out playing baseball on the street. There wasn't a lot of traffic back then, of course. High test gas was 93 octane & only twenty-something cents per gallon (or even less early on). I remember filling up my gas tank for $5 in high school. When I was quite small, an engineer's salary was $7,000. An average new car about $3,000 to $4,000. Full course meals with wide seats, a movie, and impeccable service was standard on all jet flights. Borrowing from Walter Cronkite, "And that's the way it was."

Truth matters.

Men, being heavy-handed with your wife (or children) is not the way to win her. We women follow with our HEARTS. We already know you're strong. So be tender--not harsh. Strength under control. God warns men how NOT to treat their wives and children in Colossians 3:19, 21 (KJV): "Husbands, love your wives, and be not bitter against them...Fathers, provoke not your children to anger, lest they be discouraged." So be--or become--someone your wife looks up to. That's what we fall in love with. We will follow a man we look up to to the highest heights and the lowest depths.

There's a reason the serpent--satan--came to Eve and not Adam. Generally speaking (NOT always), we women tend to think more with our hearts. That can be good in certain circumstances. For example, we don't always have to think logically in order to do the right thing. We "feel" it. We might be quicker to apologize or mend a relationship. On the other hand, we can also be more susceptible to deception--just as Eve was. Men, on the contrary--again, generally speaking--tend to think more with their heads. That's a good thing when a cool head is needed, such as in war or emergencies. Back in the Garden of Eden, Adam probably would have told satan to go jump in a lake--which is why satan didn't go to Adam. Yet, when EVE approached him with the fruit, he took it--knowing full well what he was doing (1 Timothy 2:14). I guess he loved her more than God, which isn't good, either. In any case, we need BOTH--cool heads AND warm hearts. That's why God made both.

That brings me to another thought. We women can sometimes be MANIPULATIVE and want our own way. Thus God's Directive in Colossians 3:18: "Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as it is fit in The Lord."

I've noticed something in Scripture. It's not emphasized much these days. Hardness of heart. It deadens our perceptions, our ability to hear and see spiritually, which in turn affects belief (Acts 19:9 KJV). Jesus mentions it in Mark 8:17 (KJV): "...perceive ye not yet, neither understand? have ye your heart yet hardened? Having eyes, see ye not? and having ears, hear ye not?" Spiritual blindness and hardness of heart go hand in hand according to John 12:39-40, Hebrew 3:7-8, Mark 6:52 (KJV). So where does hardness of heart come from? Paul illuminates this through his warnings in Hebrews 3:12-13, 2:5 (KJV): Our hearts become hard "through the deceitfulness of sin." The Pharisees' hardness of heart made Jesus angry in Mark 3:5 (KJV) when they were trying to stop Him from healing a man on the Sabbath. Hardness of heart can also play a role in divorce (Mark 10:5, KJV). Finally, Jesus actually scolded the Apostles "with their unbelief and hardness of heart, because they believed not them which had seen Him after He was risen." (Mark 16:14, KJV)

FASHION TALK Absolutely love Marla Wynne on HSN! Love her designs & love her, too! A definite fave. There are SO MANY SUPER GIFTED designers, including Anthony, Isaac, etc. In fact, I think EVERY SINGLE designer on HSN & QVC has something special to offer. From classy & elegant to comfy & cozy--those fashion shows are awesome!!!

Girls, do you want to lift that behind? Well, I can only tell you that what helped me was extending my legs all the way when I walk. You can actually feel it lifting. Just watch where you're walking, and don't do it when the surface is wet.

I believe in driving courteously--even though I blow it here & there. However, after working in insurance claims for a while, I've had to rethink something. You know how when traffic slows down you try & let a car enter the road from the right? Well, we think we're letting them go in front of us--and most of the time that IS what happens. HOWEVER, sometimes those drivers don't want to just go in front of us. Sometimes--unbeknownst to us--they want to cut across two or three lanes. Well, guess what? Even though WE stop for them--and maybe even the guy to the left of us stops for them, too--there's that OTHER guy in the THIRD lane that CAN'T SEE them and doesn't slow down. You got it. BOOM!

Motorcycles--especially those smaller (and older) ones--are SO HARD TO SEE AT NIGHT. I'm going to make a big deal about this, because these young people are dying and being maimed far too often. They need to be made more visible. That lonely little light at the front just doesn't cut it. Older models may need to be retrofitted with more modern lighting. EVERY SINGLE ONE. They need something that SCREAMS, "Hey, I'm a motorcycle!! Don't run me over!!!" And maybe you young guys (and gals) might consider playing some REALLY LOUD MUSIC, just as the older guys do on their Harleys. It's time we come up with SOMETHING MORE to protect these young people. How about triple or quad lights? SOMETHING. Please DO SOMETHING for our young people. They deserve better than this. Thanks.

Ladies, is your skin old and tired? Crinkley and pooped out? Downright crapppy? Well, ladies, it's time for Crap Replace. One application is all it takes to get your crappy looking skin back on the road to youthful suppleness. And the more you apply it, the less and less crappy that crappy old skin will look. So don't wait. Get the lead out and run, don't walk, to your nearest retailer. Go get some Crap Replace today! It's never too late to zap the crap! And while you're at it, make sure to pick up a tube of Crappy Face No Trace! Yes, sirree, we deal with all kinds of crap here at Crap Replace. So put your hands in ours. Just put some gloves on first.

You young girls out there, it's okay to be a VIRGIN. In fact, it's downright wonderful. I am a VIRGIN (...although you'd never know it from all the false information out there). Being a VIRGIN is something precious and valuable. It's something to be PROTECTED--NOT thrown away lightly. I want to keep myself for my special guy in marriage. That's God's Plan. Think about it. If he really loves you, he'll wait.

Have you ever heard of Jabez (1 Chronicles 4:9-10, KJV)? We don't know a lot about him except he was "more honourable than his brethren", his Mom "bare him with sorrow", and he prayed a prayer to be blessed and enlarged. He also asked that God's Hand would be with him and keep him from evil, so he wouldn't suffer. God GRANTED his request. See, if you're like Jabez, God will hear that prayer. But if you want something more--if you're looking for destiny--it's going to COST you. If that's what you want, God won't always keep you from hard experiences--although He WILL deliver you out of them (Matthew 6:13, KJV). Jesus told us, "To whom much is given, much will be required." - Luke 12:48, KJV. If you tell God you're willing to pay the price for your destiny--and you mean it--guess what? God will take you seriously. He will take you at your word. God is BIG on keeping His word, and He's also BIG on our words to Him. Don't say anything you don't mean. We talk way too freely, too easily, not weighing what on earth we're saying. God is a Word Person. Jesus Himself IS The Word of God. God is all about words. (God is also all about numbers, but that's another subject.) So ask yourself if you're really willing to pay the price for destiny. Not everybody is. If you want a quiet and prosperous life like Jabez without a load of pain, don't ask The LORD for destiny. But if you're willing to pay the price--and are determined to see it through to the end--then go ahead. Ask. Ask for it all. Just know it's going to cost you All.

Jesus lost MANY of his disciples when He Gave a Message they couldn't handle (John 6:66, KJV). Verse 67 shows it hurt Him. BUT THAT WASN'T THE END OF THE STORY. He probably picked up MORE disciples later on than He originally had (John 7:31, 40-41, 46; 10:41-42; 11:45; 12:11, 19, 42). Lesson: It's not over. Keep going.

God takes our words to Him VERY seriously. He also expects the same in return--that we would take HIS Word seriously. He's not wasting His Breath or Speaking for no reason. GOD has Something to Say. Listen up.

My spiritual Mom once told me that the higher up you go, the closer you get to the top, the harder it gets. It's true. The climb gets steeper. The air gets thinner. Many of those you started with are no longer with you. You're exhausted from the climb. So always think it through first. Never start a climb you're not willing to FINISH.

Promises from God are different from goals. God's Promises have a set TIME: "For Sarah conceived, and bare Abraham a son in his old age, at the SET TIME of which God had spoken to him." - Genesis 21:2, KJV. Again, "But when the TIME of the promise drew nigh, which God had sworn to Abraham, the people grew and multiplied in Egypt, Till another king arose, which knew not Joseph." (Acts 7:17, KJV). Galatians 4:4 (KJV) says: "But WHEN THE FULNESS OF THE TIME WAS COME, God Sent forth His Son". Jesus Himself said: "My TIME is not yet come" (John 7:6, KJV). No question--God is big on timing.

My brother once said that I think more like a man. Not sure exactly why that is, but I can tell you this. I do cut right to the chase. I hate beating around the bush, although I do believe we still should be kind and tactful about how we say something. Also, I hate pettiness. I don't sweat the small stuff. And I can't stand gossip. Women tend to use the tongue as a weapon. Those back-handed insults, if you know what I mean... Men don't back hand anything. They give it to you full force. In your face. Of course, on the other hand, women are usually more compassionate, patient, and understanding than most men. Women don't generally get into physical altercations. Generally speaking, women don't do road rage. Women back off. We're wiser than that. We know when to pull our punches and let things go. God sure was smart to make Adam AND Eve.

And unto man He said, Behold, the fear of the LORD, that is wisdom; and to depart from evil is understanding. - Job 28:28 (KJV). Paul wrote to Christians (Romans 6:1-2, KJV): "What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound? GOD FORBID. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein?" Again, "Let every one that nameth the Name of Christ depart from iniquity." - 2 Timothy 2:19 (KJV). Christians, sin in our lives matters. E-T-E-R-N-I-T-Y matters. Get right with God.

Truth matters.

The Bible story about Joseph is often told (Genesis 42-43, KJV). Yet, as many times as I've heard it, there's almost always a part that's left out. It's the part BETWEEN the initial meeting of Joseph with his brothers in Egypt and his forgiving them and revealing himself to them. See, Joseph didn't go straight to, "I forgive you." What his brothers did had badly impacted his young life for YEARS. Moreover, it had greatly damaged not only their brother's life but also their Dad's. Jacob thought his young son had died and went through great pain because of it for many years. So when Joseph's brothers didn't recognize him when they met with him in Egypt, he played around with them for a while. He toyed with them. He called them spies and put them all in prison for three days. After that, he kept just Simeon bound. The Bible doesn't say, but maybe Simeon had been the ringleader in throwing Joseph into the pit? In any case, Joseph returned every brother's provision into each of their sacks without their knowledge. He also told them to bring their youngest brother Benjamin when they came back.

When they got back to Israel, Jacob refused to let Benjamin return with them for a LONG time. Finally, Jacob relented, and the brothers went back to Joseph in Egypt. He made them a dinner, and then sent them away again the next morning. Once again, he put their money into their sacks and also put his own cup into Benjamin's sack. After they left, Joseph told his steward to follow them. He accused them of taking Joseph's cup. Even at this point, Joseph hadn't yet forgiven them. The steward was supposed to bring back only the one who had the cup--Benjamin. The only one Joseph wanted to be with was his youngest brother, who probably hadn't even been there when the other brothers threw Joseph into a pit. Joseph didn't want anything to do with the rest of them. HE WASN'T EVEN GOING TO TELL THEM WHO HE WAS.

However, the brothers all returned to Joseph, and Judah pleaded with Joseph not to take Benjamin for a servant but to take him (Judah) instead. Remember in Genesis 37 (KJV) when Joseph was in the pit, Judah is the one that pleaded with his other brothers not to kill Joseph. He reminded them that Joseph was their flesh and blood and suggested that they just sell him to some Ishmeelites who were passing through the land. So when Judah pleaded with Joseph in Egypt not to keep Benjamin there, Joseph FINALLY was able to let it all go and forgive his brothers. IT TOOK MONTHS, MAYBE YEARS. It did NOT happen overnight.

When there is great pain from great wrong, it takes TIME to work it out. Especially when it comes to betrayal or with someone who's supposed to be on your side or with family members. You have to be able to start seeing them first as PEOPLE--and THEN as your family. If you can see them as PEOPLE first, then you can understand that people are HUMAN. PEOPLE are flawed. You may even have to forgive GOD--not because He's done anything wrong, but rather to get rid of your anger against Him. See, God's standard is that we forgive FROM OUR HEART: "So likewise shall My Heavenly Father do also unto you, if ye FROM YOUR HEARTS forgive not every one his brother their trespasses." (Matthew 18:35, KJV). See also Leviticus 19:17. Forgiveness is a process. It starts with turning to God and asking Him to help you to forgive. That's a DECISION. That's where it starts. Even with that, you'll have to keep PRACTICING it over and over until it's gone. And one day, you'll find that it is in fact gone. The sooner you turn to The LORD and ask for His Help, the sooner you'll get there.

GETTING THERE Just HOW do you MAKE it, I used to wonder. I tried multiple avenues. Even had a manager at one point. Yet nothing ever seemed to take off. I had some success up to a certain level, and that was it. Nothing worked. Still, I FELT it. I knew that somewhow GOD was going to get me there. If you asked me today how to make it, my answer would be the same. I have no idea. You want to know how I got to this point? I surrendered & committed my life and my dream totally to The LORD & just kept doing my piddly little thing that I knew to do as He Led me. That's it. Simple--but NOT easy. Why not easy? Because the hardest part is being willing to wait for God's Timing. He may put you on the backside of the desert for three or four--or forty--years. Yeah. And THEN you have to keep believing and persist & persist & persist & persist & persist & persist & persist through all kinds of garbage until your strength is dried up, & God has to carry you to the finish line. As I said--simple, but not easy. When you take a plunge off the high dive, you'd better be prepared to go deep. As my Mom always said, "You don't get something for nothing." Of course, there are more traditional routes. But anything that's done in our own wisdom or strength is never as good as when God Is at the helm.

BTW, if you're a songwriter (and/or an independent publisher), check out companies such as CD Baby Pro, Tunecore Publishing, or Songtrust to get mechanical and foreign royalties. Make sure you're registered with a Performing Rights Organization such as ASCAP, BMI, or SESAC first and also have your UPC/EAN and ISRC. Also, MediaBase is now encoding for Luminate. Luminate recently took over from Nielsen. You can now also register your ISRC with Luminate to track sales.

No lint brush? No problem. Dampen your hand, & it will come right off! Works to open those stubborn plastic grocery bags, too!

STAY SANE. Ecclesiastes 7:21 (KJV) advises us to "TAKE NO HEED UNTO ALL WORDS THAT ARE SPOKEN; lest thou hear thy servant curse thee". Don't listen to everything that people say. Don't TAKE IT TO HEART & go over & over it in your mind. STOP. Forgive them. In fact, whenever possible, AVOID HEARING AND SEEING awful things people say in the first place--even though you may know it's out there. Don't deny that it happened. Rather, deny its POWER over you & your life. You don't have to go over & over awful events that have happened in your life. I used to feel obligated to replay my Mom's death in my head every year on that day. I finally woke up. Now I refuse to replay that scene any longer. I've moved on. Make a decision. Then fill your mind with LOVELY thoughts: "Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are LOVELY (VERY lovely or LOVABLE), whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue (strength), and if there be any praise, think on THESE things." Philippians 4:8 (KJV). Think on things that are BEAUTIFUL and make you STRONG.

MEETING MR. RIGHT Some people may wonder why I've never married. It's not that I didn't--or don't--think about it. On the contrary, I dated some special and wonderful guys in my 20s. Still, it's quite simple. I've always been an incurable romantic. I made a decision way back then that I was never going to settle. I didn't want to marry anyone I wasn't crazy in love with. I know. I would have grown to love them. And there's nothing wrong with that. My grandmother was in an arranged marriage. They had 9 children. And my Mom wasn't head over heels with my Dad right off the bat, either, but boy, she grew to love him SO much. I knew all that. Still, I've held out for love all these years. For me, it's love or nothing. So I'm waiting on God. Boaz was older when he married Ruth. Abraham was at least 137 when he married Keturah, his 2nd wife. They had 6 kids! (No, God has nothing against May-December romances...) Vive l'amour!!

MAKE HEAVEN FOR EVER
Have you ever invited the Lord Jesus into your heart and life? He Loves you so very much--even though He knows all about you. Jesus said, “I AM the Way, the Truth, and the Life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by Me.” (John 14:6, KJV). God requires repentance, a turning away from sin and turning our hearts toward Him. Please pray out loud, “Lord Jesus, I believe You are Lord, the only Begotten Son of God, that You died on the Cross for my sins, and that God The Father raised You from the dead on the third day. Thank You, Lord Jesus, that Your Precious Blood cleanses me from all my sins. In Jesus’s Holy Name. Amen.” Welcome to the family of God! Now start reading your Bible and talking and listening to The Lord each day.

BIO
My Dad was a singer and a major musical part of my life. As a child, I was also influenced greatly by Julie Andrews for her captivating technical ability and spirit. When I was a teen, it was Barbra Streisand who stunned me with her artistry. I later found my wonderful voice teacher at a church to which my beloved spiritual Mother had invited me. I will be eternally grateful to both of them. I afterward learned about performance from a wise old vocal coach with whom I got along swimmingly. Everything came to a head one day while I was at a Shoji Tabuchi show in Branson, Missouri over twenty years ago. The only way I can describe it is that I was gripped by an all-consuming, overwhelming conviction that I absolutely HAD to do this. It was a confirmation of something I’d felt for a very long time.

I actually was thinking of becoming a background singer at that point. However, since I didn’t want to infringe on anyone’s copyright, I made myself write my own song. It wasn’t great, but I didn’t think it sounded like ear plug time, either. I decided to take a shot at the real thing and cut a demo. BTW, if it weren’t for my late Mom, I would never have found the producer that I did. She practically forced me to go into a Christian bookstore one time where I found a circular with his advertisement. In any case, he helped me with both songs and created a fantastic arrangement. He recognized one song as being country. That made a difference in the direction I ended up taking.

From there I started submitting the demo to labels. There were plenty of rejections but a few positive responses. I gradually settled on Comstock Records. My association with Comstock was nothing short of wonderful. Frank Fara and Patty Parker are two of the nicest and most talented people you could ever meet. I learned a lot from working with them and the veteran session musicians. Those session musicians don't say much, but man, can they play. What they taught me helped me with writing and learning the ropes in general. I am now flying solo with an amazing producer Chris Folsom with my Lord Yeshua at the Helm. Amen.