Carman "For Real - For Now"
Visit www.carman.org for more information!
Visit www.carman.org for more information!
Information
- Members:
- Carman Licciardello
- Genre:
- Christian
- Hometown:
- Trenton, NJ
Events
2 upcoming eventsSee All
- Carman "For Real - For Now"
Ebenezer Baptist Church
Sunday, November 29 at 7:00pm - Carman "For Real - For Now"
Eastside Church and Ministries Center
Saturday, December 12 at 6:00pm
Carman Licciardello Just wants everyone to know that Gina will be helping me answering some emails and questions on my facebook. Thanks, C
Carman Licciardello If anyone gets an email from a Laura Aida please IGNORE or report her to facebook! She has been harassing all of Carman's friends and fans in very inappropriate ways. If she has already friend requested you please be cautious and aware of this woman! Thanks, Gina
Carman Licciardello
THE STORY ABOUT PHIL :
This is a story about a cat. Yes you heard that right, a cat. I used to make fun of people who took pictures of their pets and put them on their facebook or myspace site. ..well..I don't anymore ok...Hang with me. It'll make sense...maybe.
I haven't had a pet since I was17. Between Traveling, tour...ing and all that stuff, it just wasn't conducive to having a cat or dog. And I'm not the type to have a tiny Paris Hilton pocket poodle puff. ( yeah right). I used to have a white German Shepard named Lady..Now THATS a dog ! AND, I've had cats too, but their different.
A dog, you can ruff up and wrestle with. But a cat you have to negotiate with while they just stare back at you like your stupid just asked the waitress for watermelon pie. The last thing I wanted or was thinking about is getting a cat.
Over the Christmas holiday I went to a pet store with my niece and Keli, a very sweet and persuasive cat lover ...Only just to look, that's all, just look. You see, Cat lovers want everyone to love cats too, but that wasn't EVEN going to happen to me. You see I'm a man's man, with my own mind and I will NOT be swayed.
(Later that day)....So I was standing in front of this cage at a pet store, a saw a little 3 month old light gray cat with a white chest, belly, paws and nose staring back at me. I'm from New Jersey so anybody who stares at me, makes me nervous...But this little cat was jumping, rolling over and twisting around like he was trying to escape a straight jacket...and then he'd stop, and look at ME..(What the heck ?) AOoo,This is creepy.
Now I watched this little cat jump and play with every person who walked into his Cat Zone....about 15 cages..18" x18". People loved this little gymnast cat. Everybody wanted to buy'em. This cat won the kids first, then the kids worked Mom and Dad , then The Parents were talking adoption with the owner or "Cat Lady". After about 5 minutes of talking ..the parents, shook their heads and they put kitty back in the cage. I saw this happen at least a dozen times. Now I'm curious. Why was this little Cat, so filled with personality and life, so loved and wanted by these families, all of a sudden turn down and rejected by each set of Parents and put back in the cage. I don't know about you but that would mess me up...even as a cat. He has to feel the rejection..no ?
I had to find out for myself. So I wait until the last person leaves. Most of the cats are being taken and adopted. And I walk into the "cat zone" and do a little investigative reporting on my own.
So the "Cat lady" let this little twister out of his cage and sure enough,......he gives me a long calculating look.... then ever so slowly...he climbs up on this carpeted cat tree that right next to me, about 5 feet tall. He stares at me for a while..Just like this >>>
...then does the strangest thing...he puts a paw out on my shoulder...stops..then puts the other paw out...stops..stares some more..Then slowly hops on my Shoulder like a parrot. He then walked on by right shoulder..across my back to my left shoulder...turns around, goes back to my right shoulder..laid down, put his face in my neck and started to purr.
Ok..I admit, that did mess me up a bit. I said "What's the cats name ? She says "Phil"..I said Phil...a cat named Phil ? You mean like Dr.Phil or Phil Leotardo from the Sopranos ? ...She says yeah, I guess. He did spark up when I mentioned the Sopranos ...hmmm..?.. but there was this connection between us. I was curious about this odd cat with the odd name so I asked about his history.
"So what's this PHIL's story ?"
She says: Phil was found as a tiny kitten, thrown away in a trailer park, attacked, starved and left to die. The other bigger cats attacked him and sliced himup pretty bad. So bad that his little stomach area was all chewed up, bleeding and deformed. He was almost gone. The pet shop adopted him and had to actually do surgery on this little kitten to save his life. ( I didn't even know they did stuff like that with cats)
He was damaged so bad that they had to re-route all his little insides, intestines and things I can't remember the medical names for. So he was technically, what they considered a "Special Needs" Cat.....and now he's starin at ME.
They couldn't guarantee how long the surgery would last as he grew so, although he was friendly and played with almost everybody..as soon as someone found out his medical history they would hand him back like he was on fire. Even after all the ooo's and ahhh's and "isn't he so cute."..still nobody would take Phil home : (
Now, they only adopt on certain days so "a week later"...(not to be swept away by the emotion of the moment) This cat had me curious and I went back to the pet store, only to see all the cages were empty... except for three. 2 Brand New Cats and.......the kid, Phil.
All the other cats got adopted but Him. As soon as people found out he was a special needs Kitty, even after they were just lovin all over him..they immediately, almost "tossed" him back to the pet store lady. I mean..I watched this happen over and over again.
I can hardly believe the rejection this poor little "Phil" was going through. (am I going nuts trying to feel what this cat is feeling ? ) ANYWAY...I'm thinkin, "If this bothered me that much, then this "has" to be really effecting him in some way too...no ? He tries sooo hard to be loved and accepted and he does for a minute, then because of his condition is put back in the cage and the love walks out the door.
I learned that Cats are pretty smart. They all have different personalities and attitudes just like we do. Much more than they ever get credit for. Like People, they know when they are loved and Rejected. But, I WAS NOT going to adopt him..I mean c'mon ?!?!? ...I hadn't had a pet in decades. Trust me, kitty litter wasn't even remotely on my radar screen.
But all this haunted me, so I came back a week later when the pet area was closed and just watched him through the window.
..all by himself, again.. and then he started to roll over and do his little tricks. I asked the "Cat Lady" if that was normal behavior, maybe he's insane or a Crack Baby Cat or somethin...She said "No, he remembers you..He's just performing for you"
I'm now starting to identify with this...this "Cat."
I too Have to perform to get noticed, and the get rejected by those you want desperately to accept you, I go into a store...see a couple of my CD's..come back 2 weeks later..they're still there (ugh) and always being judged or rejected by something, not that you did, but judged because you "Didn't do as they expected" or maybe something from your past that doesn't even effect how you function now, but its on your "life-files" anyway. I felt like I was looking at myself.....in a cat
I guess that's why I've always have some sort of Ministry club or chatroom. Being a part of something worth introducing your friends to, is important in life. People need to have friends to interact with like in the Chatroom, no matter WHAT their past was. We need to be accepted and have a plan to get others to find love and know God loves and accepts them too.
So I go back to the pet store when I had a day off and I did it. I actually drew up adoption papers for my feline alter ego.."Phil" (now I'm really losing it) I'm in a state of mental limbo...but, He was now...I guess, all mine.
So I stood in line with all the soccer Moms buying all these 'Kitty things' they need to live on from the pet store and set out to take PHIL home in a cardboard box.
As soon as I took the box outside, he could feel the change in temperature and he started to cry. He almost made me cry. Cats sound just like baby's when they cry...so I put my hand on the box..petting the box and started talking to him. He immediately stopped. Wow..He recognized my voice and the security that voice meant to him. He actually felt safe and accepted
It was just like being a Christianr.....you can't see The Lord or even feel him directly, but when you hear his voice speak to you and feel his presence, .it will calm a stressed and fearful mind....and if "you too", find that your whole life ends up in a cardboard box...you'll stop crying, just knowing he's there with you....or at least around , somewhere !
Now before I left with Phil, the Pet store owner gave me the rundown on cats and changing their environments. She told me to put him in a small room at first..Like a large bathroom, to get used to his new surroundings. (remember, he's been living in a 18"x18" steel cage his whole life) And when I let him out, She said "He will run under a bed or a couch and stay there for, possibly for days because their scared and somewhat traumatized."
Bathroom ? Yeah right...So I took Phil to my bedroom, laid down on the floor and slowly opened the box...he peeked out...looked all around.. then back at me and I said.. "Yes Buddy its all yours"...(Oh God, now I'm talking to a cat !)...he checked out the whole room Like Dorothy seeing the Land of Oz for the first time.....and then,.I thought he would runfor his little life but he carefully just "hops" out onto the carpet and frooze... He feels the softness under his paws..starts to need the carpet.. ...looks back at me and without me even touching him...starts to purr. It was almost as if he was saying "Oh Snap, Dude you actually LIVE here?"
He would walk to a corner of the room, then walk back and rub up against me, as if to say "Thanks guy, but are you sure you really want me bunkin down with you ?" and then he'd be off to another section of the room. This routine went on for 2 hours. Back and forth, back and forth.
You know Phil never stopped purring for 5 hours till he finally fell asleep, on MY bed....(and of course in the middle, where I didn't have the heart to move him)
Sometimes for us, when we give or sow ourselves into something new , but know it was the right thing, we see so many little blessings come into our lives..that "we too" like Phil, can hardly believe it.
I had Phil to share this new "too good to be true" life with..You have your friends and family to share your New Life in Christ with as well. On occasion, it's like baby Phil...you just gotta hop outside the box. Because, if you want something you never had before, you gotta do something you never did before.
Phil is family now and he's meowing cause he doesn't like me typing when I could be rubbing his neck. Sometimes he sleeps all day and then wakes up at 6:00 ..(AM) and wants to play..and bite..whatever he see's first...which is usually my foot. But he just doesn't bite stuff..he creeps up on it like a Tiger goin after a Zebra..and he Pounces !!! Claws, Paws, teeth...AHHH...
Then he looks at me as if to say."Oh get a grip..look at the size of that boat...I'm just a kitten..'member ????"
He doesn't understand, I'm a musician. I don't have a 6:00 am on my clock.. anywhere.
I'm tellin you....there's a person in there. Who at times seems very independent...and elusive. But If I leave the room, even just to get a glass of water. Phil jumps up from a dead sleep, follows me into the kitchen , sits on the countertop and just stares ... making those cat noises.. and then these cats, they trick you into actually talking back to them, in baby talk, all by yourself and asking them all these cat Questions...
like "Duz da Baby wan sum Kitty Tweets ?"... Just to mess with your head and make you feel dumb..Then he runs off, as if to say " Why's this guy talkin like a 2 year old ?"
If I didn't know any better I would think he is just letting me know who's really running things up in here...I'm serious when I say this (I Think) ....there's actually a real person in there..dressed in a cat suit.
Carman Licciardello I've been noticing you all are asking when I'm coming to your town/state ... a lot of you have also shown interest in hosting a "For Real - For Now" conference at your church.. SO if you would like to book a "For Real - For Now" you can contact: For Real–For Now Bookings/Event Coordinator/Office Administrator: israel@c...arman.org OR call 866-252-4272 Looking forward to coming to all your churches! -C
Carman Licciardello Welcome to The Official Carman Facebook fan page! He will be adding a lot of new features and plenty of pictures in the weeks and months to come. Feel free to leave a message or just say hi. Please don't hesitate to leave your own unique comments! Also, come visit at Myspace.com/CarmanOfficialSite and leave a comment t...here too. It's great to see you and thanks so much for becoming a friend/fan.
Carman Licciardello
Carman wants to do what he's been trained decades for: to bring healthy, happiness and holiness!
2-You 2-Tonight and 4-Real 4-Now!
**Guaranteed-Seating Pass $5.00 **
Time:6:00PM Saturday, December 12th
Location:Eastside Church and Ministries Center
Carman Licciardello
Carman wants to do what he's been trained decades for: to bring healthy, happiness and holiness!
2-You 2-Tonight and 4-Real 4-Now!
**Guaranteed-Seating Pass $5.00 **
Time:7:00PM Thursday, November 19th
Location:Faith Assembly of God
Carman Licciardello
Carman wants to do what he's been trained decades for: to bring healthy, happiness and holiness!
2-You 2-Tonight and 4-Real 4-Now!
**Guaranteed-Seating Pass $5.00 **
Time:7:00PM Friday, November 13th
Location:World of Life Fellowship
Carman Licciardello
Carman wants to do what he's been trained decades for: to bring healthy, happiness and holiness!
2-You 2-Tonight and 4-Real 4-Now!
**Guaranteed-Seating Pass $5.00 **
Time:7:00PM Thursday, November 12th
Location:Full Faith Church
Carman Licciardello
Carman wants to do what he's been trained decades for: to bring healthy, happiness and holiness!
2-You 2-Tonight and 4-Real 4-Now!
**Guaranteed-Seating Pass $5.00 **
Time:7:30PM Friday, October 30th
Location:Covenant Church
Carman Licciardello
Carman wants to do what he's been trained decades for: to bring healthy, happiness and holiness!
2-You 2-Tonight and 4-Real 4-Now!
**Guaranteed-Seating Pass $5.00 **
Time:7:00PM Sunday, November 29th
Location:Ebenezer Baptist Church
