One of our grandnephews is a "technology wizard". He does much of the technology at the church they attend. He does many of the special events such as weddings etc. They pay him $50 each event. He's 13. That's pretty impressive to me. His parents won't let him have a smart phone until he's 14. He's got the money but those parents!!!! I asked him what his guess would be of the percent of 13 year olds having a smart phone. He said--I would guess 89%! But I'm not one of them! Very iffy! I saw a widow at our little variety store recently. I asked how is she doing--ok@best but it's no bargain. Joesixpack says--We can change any situation by changing our attitude toward it. I read this while eating my oatmeal with a half a banana on it--Real faith is a process; it doesn't occur instantly. It begins with an initial discovery that builds on greater and greater degrees of commitment and surrender. Huh, interesting. MissPerfect says--Astounding! Ever think that maybe a small change could make a massivehuge difference in your life? JoeBlow says--Yabut, I make plans but am sometimes forced to change them because of Murphy’s Law: If anything can go wrong, it will. . AverageJoe says--Sometimes life can make me feel like I'm dormie! Ouchy ouchy! Such is life.
Testing 1 2 3! WildBoarJake says--Among college age males, there is a practice known as the “sniff test.” Rolling out of bed in the morning, a dirty shirt is picked up off the floor, sniffed, and—if it passes the test—the shirt goes on. Picking up a dirty shirt and putting it back on is less work than doing laundry or finding a clean shirt. As long as no one notices, it is perfectly okay. There is no need to change clothes. They might smell okay@best! Good enough for who it's for!
Why old men don't get hired! Job Interview: Human Resources Manager: "What is your greatest weakness?" Old Man: "Honesty." Human Resources Manager: "I don't think honesty is a weakness." Old Man: "I don't really give a shit what your think!"
Maybe he/she is ok@best but he's/she still the boss! A friend told me that his father said--Many folks don't like their boss and put the boss down. Ya gotta remember he/she pays you your salary and is in charge. He's/she still the boss. I think my friend's dad was saying--Do not criticize the boss as the boss has the power over you and your wage. I remember my Daddy, Chester, telling me when I was a young whippersnapper--erv, there is a massivehuge difference between being respected and being liked. The boss has to make hard decisions. Decisions based, sometimes, on information that the wage earner has no idea. That is why the boss is the boss. 
When things are ok@best, there is a usually someone in the cross hairs. Especially if money is involved. That is why they change personnel when things aren't going as well as folks want. Change the leader, that is what many businesses and sport teams do. Get a new smell on the situation. A new hope. A new excitement. If you are not the owner, you are always susceptible to loosing your job. And then there are some folks who just don't perform. And some who just are not capable to perform. And some that just complain. And some that don't see what they have to change. And some who are the son or daughter of the owner. And some who sleep with the boss (i.e. is husband or wife--but could be the other tooooo). BUT when money is being made, usually there isn't much of a problem. It's when #s are down (i.e. money or other #s) is when change becomes a possibility--not the results that management is looking for. 
Fakey! David Jeremiah says--He was a man who gave the impression of believing in Jesus. Then, he betrayed Jesus for thirty pieces of silver (i.e. it's always about the money). Judas fell away from Jesus -- fell away from his faith -- and became what the New Testament calls an apostate. "Aposate," in the Greek language, came from a word that meant "to lead away or to depart from.' An apostte is one who departs from his or her presumed, professed faith in Christ. And I thought DuaneTheWorm was a fake, phony and a show boat. Don't kid yourself, DuaneTheWorm is just below Judas (i.e. somewhere). ItchieBitchie says--Yabut erv, DuaneTheWorm's life always looks soooooo good on the outside (i.e. his side of the fence looks greener than mine). It's cause he uses more manure! If you would dig around a little, you would find out, that his life is just okay@best!
The Past! When in MI we celebrated our niece, Laureen's, 45th birthday. We were reminiscing about her life and our lives. My big sister (i.e. meaning in age) said that all 3 of us (i.e. Mellema siblings) have "a deficiency in pronouncing words". We do. None of us can pronounce words very well. My little sister thinks it's generic and that we can't hear right. I don't know. But we all agreed that Chester and Anna put no pressure on us to achieve academically. None! They didn't encourage us, didn't care if we got our school work done, didn't pay any attention to our grades. Didn't care if we went to college. We had very little music appreciation in our home and weren't encouraged to read. But we were taught other stuff. But yet we all got BAs and two got MAs. Soooo I have no idea what that means. But Chester and Anna were good folks but just died toooo young (i.e. they impacted me--programmed me to some degree)! My sisters are very nice gals; I'm ok@best! Such is life.A salesman rang the doorbell of a house. A kid of about 12 came to the door in his underwear, smoking a cigarette and had a can of been in hand. The salesman said--Are you parents home? The kid said--What do you think? ~ Got this response from the bit about John Quincy a couple of weeks ago. I like it. -- John Quincy Adams was a wonderful Christian – His father not so much. From what I understand he mocked his son for believing in the Trinity and for his Orthodox convictions in doctrine. John Q. and Teddy Roosevelt wrote great letters to their sons.
He expressed trust in Christ for future life.
My hopes of a future life are all founded upon the Gospel of Christ and I cannot cavil or quibble away . . . the whole tenor of His conduct by which He sometimes positively asserted and at others countenances His disciples in asserting that He was God.[17] John Q. ADAMS Edited and Compiled by Doug Phillips
Roosevelt adored his children, four of whom were boys, each of whom he was intent on turning into a man of action. He once commented that his own father was the greatest man he ever knew. His commitment to being the same example for his sons was evident not only in the remarkable globe-trotting adventures on which they accompanied him, but also in the copious letters that he wrote to them, many of which communicated deep truths about manhood, Christianity, and courage. Fun stories! We stopped at a rest stop on the interstate coming back from MI. The rest stop appeared to have been redone recently as it looked new. As I was coming out of the rest room the cleaning lady was standing there with her cleaning cart. She was probably in her mid 70s. I said--how's it going--okay--looks like this place is new--redone last year--probably a lot easier to clean--you can't believe how some folks can make a mess; I wonder what their homes look like; probably the same--could be--soooo you like your job--it's ok (i.e. ok@best). ~ Arlene and I were checking out at HyVee the other day. The gal checking us out was also in her mid 70s and her name tag said she has been doing this for 21 years. I said--you aught to know what your are doing if you have done this for 21 years--in 19 days I'm retiring--what are you going to do--nutten!; then I'm going to clean my closets that I haven't seen the bottom or the back of in 17 years. As we left I said--enjoy your retirement. She said--Ya, tomorrow I will have my house paid off toooooo! She was better that ok@best! ~ We were exiting the Gallagher-Bluedorn Performing Arts Center the other night after listening to Pulitzer prize winning historian Doris Kearns Goodwin lecture about her book Team of Rivals: The Leadership Lessons from Abraham Lincoln. We were going to go down a flight of stairs and I motioned to a couple (i.e. in their 80s holding hands) to go ahead of us. The gentleman insisted that we go first with a smile on his face. We did and I said to him--You must be a very nice man. He said--You don't know me very well! The lecture was excellent! ~ One of my golf buddies was riding in my cart with me the other day. He told me he had colon cancer in his past. He said he was bitter toward God when he heard about the test results. Then he meditated on it for an hour and on his favorite Bible verse--For me to live is Christ and to die is gain. After an hour he said he was ok, more than ok@best! That story is touching to me as that was my Mom Anna's, favorite verse as well. This cancer survivor is a good guy! Such is life.
Once again I learned at Doris Kearns Goodwin lecture--A leader must have the ability to motivate folks to follow them. There are different methods of leadership but the qualities seem to be about the same. ItchieBitchie says--A leader needs to look back once in a while to see if folks are following them. If not, they are not a leader or their method is not working.
Doris Kearns Goodwin told this story in her lecture (i.e. it's also in the book)--His best friend Joshua Speed was leaving town. His political career had suffered a blow. And he had broken his engagement to Mary Todd Lincoln. And he really did feel overwhelmed then by depression, and we have letters that he wrote saying that he was the most miserable man on Earth, and that if everybody felt like he did, there would not be one cheerful face on Earth. And he actually was so frightening to his friends that they removed all razors and scissors from his room, fearing that he might take his life. But his best friend Joshua Speed came to his side and said, Lincoln, if you do not rally, you will die. And he said I would just as soon die now, but I haven't done anything yet to be remembered by. He had this dream from the time he was young that he was so fearful of just dying and turning to dust that somehow if he could accomplish something great - this is the way the Greeks used to think - your name would be remembered after you die. And that powered him through the early losses of his childhood. It powered him through his early days in the state legislature, and it helped get him out of this depression. And the great thing is that many years later, when he finally signed the Emancipation Proclamation, Joshua Speed came to see him, and he said, well, Speed, remember that conversation we had when I was in my depths? Well, maybe at last, my fondest wish has been realized. I will be remembered after I die.Lincoln knew the Bible well (i.e. one of his main books he learned from). He quoted it often and seemed to believe in God shown by the many things he said. He went to church but never joined. He had religious leaders come and talk to him in the White House many times. But scholars are confused as to if he believed in eternal life. There are different thoughts on that. We will never know. We don't need to know. Maybe he believed but was a skeptic? That is what makes Christianity soooo unique, faith is the cornerstone.
Really folks, my life is like putting my hand in a bucket of water and taking it out (i.e. I won't be remembered--I'm very replaceable). BUT I hope I have used my time on this earth for good. BUT I won't be remembered by very many folks or for very long. BUT being remembered on this earth is not my motivating factor in life as it appeared to be for Abe. Saturday question--What is your motivation for living?
When! A friend gave us a little book (i.e. he is a very thoughtful, good hearted, real guy--thanks for the book my friend). I have read about half of it. The first page is entitled When. It says--"...When the time comes for departure shall not the man of faith also look forward trustingly and with eager curiosity to what the new adventure may bring?" I was with a friend at his death. One of his children told him--Dad, you have always liked to travel. Well, this is going to be a great and exciting trip you are about to take.
When things don't go your way (i.e. the fumble was not called a fumble for ISU in the game against TX which resulted in a L for ISU) it hurts. I read this in the paper sooo it must be right--ISU Linebacker, co-captain Jeremiah George said shortly after the game: It's time to move on--Life goes on! Next stop Lubbock. We can't let it linger, if you think the Texas Tech Red Raiders care about Iowa State getting the (Texas) game stolen from them, they really don't! (i.e. that's a truism folks). Such is life
Have a FUN day my friends unless you have other plans! (-:
erv
MyFriendJean says--There are some things you learn best in calm and some in storm.
That grand nephew of yours must have some parents that really LOVE him, since they are making him wait until 14 to get a phone :-) from Chapin's Dad :-)
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