the walk

I want to point out a few things to you.  I realize that you probably won’t pay any attention to my pointing.  Most folks don’t. LuckieEddie says--erv, they are worse than a class of third graders!  BUT hey, I can try can’t I! I don't want you to use the excuse that the politicians use--I didn't know; no one told me! Excuse me please!

We were having breakfast when three gals walked over to our booth.  They asked me what I knew—I said I know very little—one gal replied, that is better than me, I know nothing! Correct me If I’m wrong but maybe we are at times just a face in the crowd; a no body!  There was a senior trying to help his wife get through the exit door. She had a walker/seat thing.  They were both rather large folks.  I went and helped them.  She said—Today is not a good day for me; I can’t seem to walk very well at all--Well, tomorrow is another day--Yes it is. I asked one of our favorite waitresses if she had days that aren’t as good.  Ya, I can tell within the first hour that I’m up!  Crazy!

GeorgeTheCrook says--There are many ways of saying something.  Soooo folks, this “It’s Saturday” is a paraphrase of my mind maybe. A paraphrase can come as a smile, hand shake, hug, scowl, indifference, stomping of your feet, silence, disappearance, withdrawal of support, a look in someone’s eyes, just showing up, etc.  Most of you “get it!” For those of you who don’t, it really doesn’t make any difference.

Ricky asks--Let me ask you this question: What matters most in your life? What are the top three or four values in your life? Can you name them easily? If you ask me, I’ll tell you real simply what they are for me: integrity, humility, and generosity. I decided more than 30 years ago that that’s what I wanted to build my life on — integrity, humility, and generosity. I know that some of you guys have these qualities. Yes, you do!  I thank all of you who contributing to Chet and Jessica, the “Mellema” team, in support for the Alzheimer’s “Walk to end Alzheimer’s.”  You were very generous.  The Mellema team raised $7,540  because of some of you guys.  Wow! Ms. Anonymous, you must really have a good heart as you gave time and time and time again! I hope that none of you ever have the disease, none of your family or friends ever have it and I hope that you never have to be a care giver; it’s a terrible disease. Terrible! Your generosity is summed up best by ItchieBitchie who says—The lives that have been the greatest blessed by your generosity are the folks who themselves will never be aware of your blessing. My hat goes off to you folks.  You folks have good hearts. Thanksamillion.

Some of you say I like it when you are personal erv. Well folks this is personal. Arlene walked about a mile and a half (i.e. some of it holding hands with Chet, our son with his friend on his left and a long time family friend on his right).  The last half mile up to the IA State Capital Building, she had to ride in a light wheel chair that we brought along.  Rookie and Charlie took turns sitting on her lap. When I look at these pictures, I get teary-eyed yet.  I’m maybe a wimp.  Could be! I hope you never have to experience this situation.  You might be a whim tooo.

SweetMary (i.e. anybody can be a Mary) says--The fact is; great people are really just ordinary people with an extraordinary amount of determination. Great people don’t know how to quit. They have huge massive motors that run and run and run.  They are some great folks.  No question.  I know a lot of folks like this (i.e. you guys). Your walk is different than others. No question. 

IncognitoRaymond

I read in the paper (i.e. soooo it must be right) that 37% of Americans oppose same-sex marriages and 55% favor same-sex marriages. Wow! A few years ago it wasn’t that way. It also said that most folks consider it ok to live together before marriage including having premarital sex.  It appears that many religious denominations turn a blind eye to it (i.e. don’t like it but accommodate it).  I saw a TV piece of the Democratic National Convention when the folks who were there went wild in support of abortion (i.e. I can’t understand that). I goggled it and it said that about 60% of the Americans are opposed to abortion and that figure hasn’t changed much.  Sooooo maybe not all those folks at the National Democratic Convention are for abortion.  Some folks have changed their walk through the years and some haven’t. IncognitoRaymond says—I think it makes more sense to euthanize every one over 80 than to kill a new life.  Wilt Chamberlain, an icon of the NBA said that he bedded 20,000 different women during ages of 15 and 55 (i.e. that’s 10 a week for 40 years’ folks).  He never was married or had children.  His walk was more than a walk folks, it was a fast run!  Do you believe that?

I woke up the other morning and while drinking my coffee in the sun porch, I sorta kinda seemed to have a different perspective.  Why, I don’t really know.  But it was different. It seemed to give me a different balance in my life and maybe more of a proper acceptance.  Hey folks, It might have been the coffee! Might have been folks; might have been! Did you know that the Bible talks about coffee?  Oh ya!  It has a whole chapter on coffee—He Brews! ANYWAY back to this “jet sweep” feeling I had.  Os says--Do you need a paradigm shift in some area of your belief? The Lord still intervenes in the lives of His people every day. Don't be surprised when God begins to change your paradigm by giving you a vision or sending you a messenger of His choosing. Do you think that is possible? I do!

AverageJoe says--There are a lot of things that can change our walks of life—alcohol, drugs, meeting the right person, education, money, reading, accepting Jesus as your Savior, bad decisions, travel, physical or mental challenges, age, exercise, disasters, etc.  You get it.  Saturday question—What would you say would be the #1 thing that affected your life’s walk (i.e. sooooo far anyway)?

WorldClassLarry says--If you’re going to be wise, you’ve got to get some wise people in your life…If I stand on the edge of a stage, and I’m trying to pull you up while you’re trying to pull me down, which is easier to do? It’s always easier for somebody to pull you down than pull you up. People who pull you down are not your friends. Friends pull you up. Friends encourage you in your pursuit of godly wisdom by offering their own. I think WorldClassLarry is pointing us in the right direction. What do you think?

TheZinker says--We make a living with what we get, but we make a life with what we give. In everything you do always give 100 %; except when donating blood. 

Some of you ask if I have read a good book recently.  I have.  I want to point you to this book. It has historical fictional and is about traditions, accepting folks, parenting, thinking, and philosophy (i.e. that is a lot folks). You might not like it but I did.  Let me know what you think of it if you read it. Our niece, Rachel,has a MA in library science sooooo she is is important and knowledgeable.  Oh ya!

Have a FUN day my friends unless you have other plans.

erv

MyFriendJean says--Worrying never solves any thing but it gives you something to do until the trouble starts.

torque

Every family has an uncle Wilbur who is a little off kilter!  Maybe you might think I’m just that uncle Wilbur!  And I could be.  I don’t expect you to agree with me about stuff (i.e. you  might think I'm cuckoo from Cocoa Puffs).  Why should you agree with me anyway? I’m just a little old farm boy from a mile and fourth south of Roseland, MN. 

I saw an ad on TV by Evinrude that said—Our motors give you 30% more torque.  Sooooo what does that mean? I suspect that means more power and more speed and better performance. You gotta have more torque! More must be better!  

We went to see Chet and Jessica in Waukee, a suburb of Des Moines, recently.  We took state highways and county blacktops.  I sorta kinda enjoy this.  We have time, we are retired! Time means nutten to us! I noticed that most little rural towns look like they are struggling but farmsteads look better.  I also noticed that the signs I saw about Crocked Hillary (i.e. as Donnie calls her) were mostly bad. It appears that the rural IA is more for Faker Donnie (i.e. as Hillary calls him).  BUT it appears that rural America doesn’t really count anyway (i.e. a waste of time). The large metros are the ones who elect the president it appears (i.e. I read in the paper so it must be right that the candidate who wins Des Moines and one other major city will win IA).  Maybe that is why many rural folks seem to think that Washington stinks and don’t want any part of it; just leave us alone.  That is unless folks are getting some government payout like some subsidy of some kind. Rural folks get them tooooo you know.  It’s pretty hard to kick the horse that lets you live the good life. Butler County, IA, the county we live in, has about 17,000 folks. Butler County has voted for a Republican Presidential candidate for the last 5 elections while the Democrats won the electoral votes the last 4 of 5 presidentual elections in the State of IA.

It’s always good to learn something, always.  I try to learn something every day.  How about you? I learned recently that water is not continuously formed, it stays the same amount all the time (i.e. I really never thought about that before).  We flush a lot of it down the toilet but we still have the same amount on this earth.  It might be polluted more than it use to be but we have the same amount.  I also was reminded  that Lucy was (i.e. maybe one of the most famous fossils ever discovered – Australopithecus afarensis).  Lucy is very popular with the evolution believers.  Not sooooo with the folks who believe in creation. 

It’s football season folks. Do any of you watch football? Here is something you might learn.  Jesus is His name and Christ is His title (i.e. Christ is a Greek translation of the Hebrew messiah, meaning “the anointed one.”) Sooo it’s much like JohnTheButcher or butcher John.  Jesus Christ or Christ Jesus. SusieQ said—I have been a Christian for 40 years and didn’t know that.  So now if you are at church and hear a pastor talk about Jesus Christ you know and if you are at a party and hear some football fan say—Jesus Christ, that was a bad play call, you know.  Crazy football fans never say—Barack Obama or Hillary Clinton or Donald Trump or Vladimir Putin.  No no, you hear them say Jesus Christ (i.e. especially if they have had a few beers).  Why is that folks? Now maybe a lot of beer might put a lot torque on their brain. 

My Daddy, Chester, would say to me—erv, the best way to learn is to ask questions.  It probably even helps more to ask wish/smart questions.  What do you think? WorldClassLarry says—Leaders are learners.  I have been around a lot of smart folks/leaders and it seem that they always ask questions.  They seem to question everyone; I mean everyone.  They don’t think they are above anyone to learn from them.  CadillacJack says—Ask questions and listen to the answers; the good folks can accept criticism.  I like to ask questions of you guys.  I try to listen but maybe always don’t understand.  Good questions to ask are—What do you think? And then listen.  Another good question is—Am I missing something here? And then listen.

Roseland looked like this in 1957 (i.e. I was 12 years old)—There was a grain elevator north across the tracks on the east side. SE of the tracks was Edgar Van Den Einde’s Hatchery. Across the street on the corner was Bill Ammerman’s Hardware, next southerly was Sam Breem’s auto repair, then Gort Grocery, then a lot with an old shed in the back where Gort Brothers parked their 2 semis and one straight livestock trucks that hauled our cattle to market at South St. Paul, then John and Sadie Dykema’s grocery store, then on the corner Joe Sankey’s blacksmith shop.  That was old Roseland.  About an 8th of mile south was new Roseland which had Roseland Reformed Church, the elementary school and Earl Seehusen’s Mobil station.  Total population between new and old Roselands was about 100.  It was at Sam Breem’s auto repair that one day I saw Sam use this wrench that I never saw before. I asked Sam what it was.  The torque wrench was explained to me.  He was using it to tighten the head bolts to just the right torque after grinding the valves of a car (i.e. back then car valves had to be ground about every 30,000 miles).

MyFriendJohn (i.e. anybody can be a John) says—If you don’t get the torque right on the head bolts you will blow the head gasket.  What blows your head gasket?  What torques you off?  For me it is folks who are fakers (e.g. DuaneTheWorm will say anything and do anything for self-glorification). There seems to be some folks who think they are perfect (i.e. they are big turnoffs for me--frauds).  Ouchy ouchy!  I can accept most anyone’s ideas and opinions but with pretenders, I have a hard time with them.  It appears that maybe both candidates are rather jerks.  One seems to be pretty real in showing it almost every day (i.e. politically incorrect). The other one seems to pretend more (i.e. politically correct in trying to butter everyone up).  They both seem pretty good at talking out of both sides of their mouth.  They appear to be very slippery and slimy!

It seems like every time I’m in a grocery store I hear some kid begging to his mother if he can have something.  It appears it works as they keep doing it.  Children exhibit magnificent boldness to keep asking. Saturday question—Does prayer put torque on God?  While eating my oatmeal with half a banana on it, Oswald Chambers says—Ask God and it will be given to you; just like a little kid.  The problem with this is that most will not ever do this until they are at their wits’ end. When a person is at his wits’ end, it no longer seems to be a cowardly thing to pray; in fact, it is the only way he can get in touch with the truth…As long as we think we are self-sufficient, we do not need to ask God for anything. Huh, interesting.

I asked my cousin, Luther, to write about some of his memories of Roseland.  He was the son the John and Sadie Dykema of the grocery store in Roseland.  Here are what he shared: I also remember Joe Sankey's welding shop welding shop in Roseland. Everyone said he used chewing tobacco to hold everything together. ~ I think everyone in Roseland was related and if I remember right you were the first one who did not marry there cousin. ~ I remember my first kiss on the cheek, it was your sister and my cousin. ~ Life was simple in Roseland and I miss that. ~ I will always remember the day I went to tell the pastor at our church in Roseland that uncle Walt left them a million dollars. I got a clock that did not work. I still have the clock.

Roseland Reformed Church taught me about God (i.e. mostly a good experience; I didn’t like Catechism). It was pretty much our social life tooooo.  We didn’t have much money sooooo I guess we went to church.  I learned to play ping pong at church on Sunday evenings.  When our parents visited, we played. Winner stayed and loser had to sit down.  I learn to play well fast!!!! The new building was built in 1957.  That fall (i.e. I was 11) on Saturdays, we would walk picked corn fields and pick up corn that fell to the ground (i.e. I think it was a year when there was bad wind and there was a lot of corn left in the field). ANYWAY we picked up corn for the building fund.  My parents, Chester and Anna gave $1,000 to furnish the pre-school Sunday school room (i.e. my Mom, Anna, taught this class for years). I think our family's income was about $3,500.  I don’t know that for fact but when I was a junior in high school in 1962, our income was $4,500.  My Daddy, Chester, shared a lot of stuff with me. In 1957 we lived in a very humble farm house.  Crazy you might think! You might think--Why would Chester and Anna do that?

I talked to my cousin who lives in New Roseland recently.  He is 84 and a widower.  Soooo how is it going--I spend a lot of time alone (i.e. his wife was the social bug of the marriage)--sooo you go to church (i.e. he is a life long member of Roseland Reformed)--no, not any more; I fall asleep and fall over or I fall asleep and they have to wake me up when it's over sooooo I just stay home.  I like honest folks! Such is life. 

Have a FUN day my friends unless you have other plans. (-:

erv

MyFriendJean says—Correction does much but encouragement does more.

really

Really folks, this “It’s Saturday” is much about nutten. And there are no asterisks! 

WildWillie say--The benefits of meditation are compelling--better decisions, improved people skills, enhanced creativity, increased productivity, and less stress, to name a few. I try to meditate every day for about 20 minutes. Which, on paper, doesn’t sound so demanding, but in reality it’s often hard. You think it really helps your life WildWillie? Really! I’m in our arena WildWillie! It’s a great investment for me. I read it the paper, soooo it must be right--This might sound like mystical nonsense, new-age naval-gazing. But undertaken wholeheartedly, mindfulness meditation offers rewards beyond all expectations.

This reminds me of the line by poet Robert Burns: “The best laid schemes of mice and men often go awry.” Mrs.Bull says--The political theater just continues with all the bull! GeorgeTheCrook says—We have had poor presidents before and we made it.  You are right GerogeTheCrook but here is something that MissPerfect has pointed out—If FakerDonnie (i.e. as Hillary calls him) or CrockedHillary (i.e. as Donnie calls her) becomes President, they will be very influential in selecting our Supreme Court justice(s) and the majority of those justices will control the moral and values of our future.  Think about that.  Think through that folks before you expose your children and grandchildren to somethings that might not be soooo good to live with.  Just think about it.  It appears that neither one represents my values very well.  Sooooo...! It appears to me that both Donnie and Hillary are trying to sneak the sunrise past the roaster. Saturday question—Where is the Roman Empire? Why did it collapse?

Happenstance, na, he doesn’t think sooooo!  Really!  Our friend fell off the scaffolding working in their house last fall. He hurt his back pretty bad sooo he he went to the doctor and then to a specialist.  They did a MRI and x-rays.  The specialist said he had 5 vertebraes that had to be fussed or he might have permanent damage.  He said he would think about that.  He went to church Sunday and asked the elders to lay hands on him—what’s that one said—he said it was Biblical—Really! We have never done that in this church.  The elders decided they would do it.  Sooooo after church they got together and asked my friend what to do—get on your knees and put your hands on my back and prayed—they did.  The next day our friend and his wife went on a trip.  They stopped at the first rest stop and as he was getting out of the car, he noticed something move in his back; moved sideways.  As he got out of the car he noticed his back seemed to feel better.  They stopped at the next rest stop and getting out of the car, he noticed something moving in his back again; this time something forward.  He got out and his back even felt better.  He was very cautious on the trip but it seemed better.  When they got back, they left for Golf Shores and took the MRI, x-rays and doctor's notes along as the specialist told him that if something went wrong, he would need surgery right away or he would have a serious permanent problem.  When getting to Golf Shores, he went to specialist (i.e. the best in Alabama) and he did another MRI and x-rays and he said—There is nothing wrong with your back; get out of here.  As they were leaving, the specialist asked him—Do you go to church—yes, we do—well, keep doing whatever you are doing.  Huh, interesting. 

A friend told me the other day that his mind has to make his body do stuff that it doesn’t like.  Soooo I asked him how does that go? He said his body listens about half the time!  In football, the universities can take a high school quarterback and develop his body into a 307 pound offensive lineman.  In the paper, Ike Boettger, an Iowa Hawkeye said—That was a huge change for my body and for my mind to accept. I also read in the paper about a guy who lost 107 pounds.  He said it was soooo awkward for his mind to accept that huge massive change.  Really! 

I’m really not a great morning person. Yes, I like to get up early sometimes as I enjoy the peace and quiet and beauty but the reality is, my body and my mind both agree that they don’t like mornings.  I had an insurance client who was a farmer. He would call me at about 5:30 a.m. with some trivial question that could have easily been taken care of later.  The conversations would go like this-Hello—did I get you out of bed—yes you did—I have been up for an hour already; then his question.  This happened several times until one time I said to him—I will get back to you.  Well, I waited until 9:30 that night and called him. The conversation went like this after it rang for a long time—hello—did I get you out of bed—a lot of stammering and stuttering.  He never called me again at 5:30 in the morning.  Bingo.

This week a friend invited me to go hunting with him (i.e. he is 16). I haven't hunted for probably 20 years.  He picked me up at 5 a.m. and we met a hunting buddy of his (i.e. he is about 20).  When I got back, I went and gave double red cells at a Red Cross donation site. Arlene and I then went out for lunch and when I got home, I was woo-hooing about my day but then did fall asleep in my recliner.  I was tired.  BUT the experience was soooo worth it.  I really enjoyed both.  You always just can’t make these experiences. LuckieEddie says—The best time to do anything is NOW (i.e. when the opportunity is there)! Such is life.

Liar liar pants on fire! Really folks, really! We are about "as dumb as it gets" at times!  Really folks, how dumb are we to believe some stuff? GeorgeTheCrook says--Everything centers around money and power; you are just kidding yourself, suckers, if you don’t believe that (i.e. like I will give you everything and not increase your taxes). It’s such a joke! How come I don't hear anything about our national deficit? MissPerfect says--Some folks are soooo open minded that their mind falls out! ItchieBitchie says--Correct me if I'm wrong but don't we teach our children to tell the truth and follow the rules.  BUT it appears that if you think you are an elitist, it doesn't pertain to you.  Ouchy ouchy!  

I like to be around some folks ‘cause they have the “get it” factor.  The “get” is they understand and “it” is what is important. Some folks seem to get it and others don’t. You “get it?”  Some folks, I'm sorry to say, continue to try to put the square peg in the round hole! I got some very good advice recently from a couple of neat folks. I was somewhat surprised how some folks acted to me.  These two folks told me to shake it off; rub some dirt on it; buck up; move on; cut them some slack as there might be some reason that you don’t know.  I think (i.e. big on the think) I’m pretty good at this but it felt good to hear it from someone else.  Charlie "Tremendous" Jones," used to say, "Five years from now you will be the same except for the books you read and the people you meet." I really like being around you folks; except for one of you (i.e. ha ha), you are real folks with good hearts; my kind of folks. You seem to “get it." Thanksamillion for sharing your wisdom with me. You guys are champions; you win the trophy! WorldClassLarry says--If you want to soar with the eagles, you can’t run with the turkeys! 

I golfed with FarmerTony recently. I said it looks like another bin buster—ya, the crop looks good but we have some “sudden death sendrom” in our soybeans (i.e. sudden  prematurely death isn’t good folks). Really folks!  My parents. Chester and Anna, never got to experience our spouses, our children, their spouses or their great grand children (i.e. they died way tooooo young).  They would have loved and enjoyed all of them. And our spouses, our children their spouses and their great grand kids would have  loved and enjoyed them as well.  Really!  It ain’t fair.  Our grandchildren know Arlene at maybe 25% of the real Arlene.  Really!  It ain’t fair.  The only thing that is fair is the Butler County Fair and that is in June.  BUT I’m really alright with that; I have peace with that; I’m not bitter at all.  His understanding I cannot fathom; God is God and that’s just the way it is folks.  Probably many of you folks have things in your life that probably seem unfair! Da! Like you have had a few fender benders, crashes and wrecks in your live! You know the feeling. As someone said recently--Everyone has something!

TomTerrfic makes life look, oh soooo easy! Ricky says—Most folks are living their lies.  Folks live a fake life.  DuaneTheWorm would be a great example (i.e. he is sooo phony).  Maybe TomTerrric isn’t as happy, or as great, or as important as he shows.  Maybe he is just impressing folks to make himself feel good. Maybe, but he sure looks good to me (i.e. looks like he has the world by the tail).  Saturday question—Are we who what other folks want us to be or are we who we want to be?

I coached boys’ basketball for 7 years 1969-1976.  I was pleasantly surprised to get a call from a former basketball player from the great team of 70-71. It was a great team but because of some crazy situations and events, we didn’t get to state.  They were good enough.  We reminisced about that (i.e. I’m sure others of you have felt the same--it was not to be I guess).  The 74-75 team was rated #1 in our class and undefeated, I think.  They didn’t make to the state either.  Must have been poor coaching!   Had to be!  Such is life!

I mentioned the above to our 37 year old son this week.  He said--We lost that first round in the high school basketball tournament--we should not have lost--we should have won that game; that is soooo unimportant now but here we are still talking about it 19 years later; there are probably 10s of thousands of folks who say the same thing.  Chet and I have never talked about that game in this perspective until now (i.e. 19 years later).  Huh, interesting.

Have a FUN day my friends unless you have other plans. (-:

erv

MyFriendJean says—The love in your heart wasn’t put there to stay—love isn’t love until you give it away.

activate

Folks, I’m not breathing in your face!  BUT Dougie (i.e. anybody can be a Dougie) says—If we are somehow or some way being part of a blessing, we are truly blessed.  He also says—A great gift is an unexpected gift (i.e. material or non- material).  This Dougie is sooooo smart!  A friend was telling me that he is aware of a father who manipulates his kids by giving them gifts of money but there are always strings attached (i.e. here is some money but you need to doooo this or act a certain way). GeorgeTheCrook says-- If there are strings attached, it’s no longer a gift but a business deal.  This might activate your gift giving.  Maybe not! FlexPersonalityBev says--It is what it is!

Our great nephew just turned 14.  That is about the age when those hormones start being activated.  Can some of you remember that far back?  LuckieEddie says—I wish I had those days over again!  I told our great nephew that 14 is the age when you know as much as your parents! Well, heavens to murgatroyed!

Jealousy is a great activator (i.e. just like calling a credit card company too active a new card). It really gets folks’ motors going (i.e. huge massive rpms) but jealousy does nutten for them except for making themselves bitter.  Crazy huh.  Soooo why then would folks be jealous? Another great motivator is the fear of failure.  That actually has two heads to it—a person can fear failure soooo they put everything they have into something to prevent failure or they have a such a fear of failure soooo they won’t try to do anything that they might experience failure at. Both fears work.  Such is life.

It activates him for the day I think. A golf buddy was telling us that his morning exercise workout activates his motor.  It’s not a drudgery task but an opportunity; I look forward to it as something pleasant. I wonder if attitude has anything to do with that. What do you think.

Another one of my golf buddies said to us recently--I play with a group of guys from church on Saturdays.  I use to beat all of them but now they seem to beat me!  Everyone likes to beat someone! Maybe he is the designated “make someone feel good golfer guy” with his Saturday church group.  Could be!  Or as he says—I need to keep playing and suck it up!  I told him he needs to play with poorer golfers or play better! Well, fiddlesticks!

Had breakfast with a friend and he told me a lot of stuff.  He is a leader in sooooo much stuff.  He is not scared to try new stuff and seems to do a good job in picking stuff that works.  He was telling me that he was working with his family in making a business decision.  He says he’s not going to be part of the business but just is an “evaluator and encourager.” He is sorta kinda patterning this process after how his dad treated him.  Huh, interesting.  I asked him what he will do today—we are putting 3 seeders on our sprayer which will cover 90 feet; we are going to top seed some of our soybeans when the leaves are just starting to fall off with oats and radishes.  You heard it folks, oats and radishes.  They are both annuals and oats will be a cover crop and the tillage radishes will produce a radish of about a foot in the ground that will act as a soil de-compacter.  Both are encouraged by the USDA and they actually help pay for new process.  Isn’t that interesting? His motor is activated!!

While biking on the trails the other day, I met a gal maybe about 20 who was multi-tasking. She was walking but also had ear buds on probably listing to music and reading a book. Wow! I didn’t see if she was chewing gum or not! While running the other morning I met a gal who was walking her dog.  She was a student of mine some 45 years ago when I taught a few years.  I reminded her that she was a good sprinter in her day—oh ya, I was until I hurt my knee in the broad jump (i.e. back then they called it the broad jump, now they call it the long jump); those sprinting days are over; I have had surgery on my knee, a total replacement and additional repair work.  Ouchy ouchy.  Then she said—I think our 440-yard relay team still help the school record before they went to meters. Folks seem not to forget some of their good memories a.k.a. some spice of life.  Such is life.

If you think when you die, you are going to die like a pig, you don’t need to read this paragraph; it’s a waste of your time (i.e. and time is important here on this earth but not in eternity).  I read this while eating my oatmeal with a half a banana on it by Oswald Chambers—As Christians we are not here for our own purpose at all—we are here for the purpose of God, and the two are not the same…The most important aspect of Christianity is not the work we do, but the relationship we maintain and surrounding influence and qualities produced by that relationship.  That is all God asks us to give our attention to, and it is the one thing that is continually under attack.  That is what he says folks.  Have any questions about all that? I always do but I’m not as smart as you guys; I’m just a little old farm boy from a mile and fourth south of Roseland, MN. I think there might be more folks that know Jesus than let on (e.g. the clerk at Dollar General dropped something when I was checking out; she said, "Jesus!" Yowza!

CrazyMarvin asks—Can I revive my mind to change the default mode network?  Well, CrazyMarvin, you might think I’m a Mad Scientist but I think we can.  I think if we are mindful and take time to concentrate on mindfulness, we can change our thinking.  Crazy huh! I think we have to do it intentionally and sustain it more.  It’s not magical or it isn’t nutten new.  BUT it has to be new to us. We need to “see our thinking objectively.” Maybe it’s much like taking a vacation, taking a short break from our work, or exercising.  ItchieBitchie says—When we concentrate on being mindful, we develop a “servant mentality”; we might look at things differently and that makes us be different folks.  I really think that being mindful can really activate a person’s mind.  Bingo! Mikie says—Try it, you might like it!

It activated my pause button; yes, I did.  I was thinking some folks would react a certain way and they didn’t.  I decided it wasn’t their problem but mine.  Ouchy ouchy! Another lesson of life. Has that ever happened to you? BUT in the future I will not put as much expectation in folks.  I don’t know if that is good or bad.  What do you think? WorldClassLarry says—Folks don’t always think the same as you erv; you aren’t as important as you think you are!  Yabut WorldClassLarry, I don’t think I think I’m very important sooooo you say I’m less important than even that? Sooo, I’m really not very important you are saying. Gotcha WorldClassLarry gotcha!  I learned that once again; sometimes I get out of whack and need to be put back into reality. I just learned or relearned another lesson of life.  Such is life.

Saturday question—Is it the norm and expectation for politicians to lie! They seem to lie a lot and the folks just seem to laugh it off.  What? That blows my mind.  This is on the back of a truck of the company who is boring in our new water line in Aplington.  It made me laugh! What both Donne and Hillary say sorta kinda feels like barbed arrows shot in my brain. Such is life.

Ricky (i.e. anybody can be a Ricky) says--Your choices are far more powerful than your circumstances. You may not like how complicated your life has become. But with few exceptions, no one is forcing you to keep your life complicated. You have the power to simplify your life. As an old friend said to me—Decision have consequences. CrapShootBilly says--Folks, guess who is in charge of our decisions. TurboCarylon says—It’s just like being at Burger King—Have it your way. Such is life.

Have a FUN day my friends unless you have other plans. (-:

erv

MyFriendJean says--People need loving the most when they deserve it the least.

P.S. A friend told me how he said the wrong thing to a woman (i.e. worse than me I think). They were following a favorite pro golfer.  A lady was also doing the same.  They got to talking to her and found out that she was the mother-in-law of the pro golfer they were following.  He, in making conversation with her, said—I saw your daughter and see they are having another child—no no, they are done having children.  Ouchy ouchy!