singin'

You are maybe thinking about singin’ Auld Lang Syne as you bring in the new year.  Our new year eve activities sure were different through the years.  Some rather wild and some not soooo much or not at all.  Beware—Trust me Joesixpack, no matter how much alcohol you drink, you are never going to be a good singer.  Trust me. You might think you are really a good singer, but trust me, you are not. Your singin’ is just way terrible! Or as Kristin says—Singin’ just isn’t in your toolhouse!

  

A gal told me the other day that she doesn’t like to think about the future because she knows it will be just like her bad past!  Yikes!  It appears that many folks think about change going into a new year. MissPerfect says--Change can be painful but there is nothing as painful as being stuck somewhere that you don’t belong.  Usually change will not happen until it gets really really bad and even then, many times change won’t happen. Many folks will rather endure the pain they are experiencing (i.e. pain they are comfortable with) than run the risk of the uncertain possible future pain even though there is a big chance that all the pain will go away (i.e. be a champion for life).  Coach says—"Sometimes some folks are singin’ the blues in that they think their future is going to be the same as their past” (i.e. folks do this when their past isn’t necessarily soooooo great).  And you know what, it won’t be different if they don’t make some changes.  Soooo all of us need to think about changing or modifying our attitudes, actions, believes, etc. or we will be right, our future will be our past deja vue all over again.”  DizzyBabe says—I like my past soooo I’m going toooo continue doing my past!  That works for me! DizzyBabe, don’t you get bored doing the same old thing all the time? Don’t you want to improve? DizzyBabe says—no no, I don’t want to change.

I read this in a book that is fiction—And fate would sort itself out. Saturday question—Where do you fit into that statement?  I know for sure that some of you believe in total predestination and on the other end, I know for sure that some of you believe that everything is just luck.  How do I know that? Well, some of you told me what you believe.  And I know for sure that some of you believe in the middle somewhere.  Some of you tell me that you are going to heaven or hell when you die and some of you tell me you are going to die like a pig.  In those two scenarios, someone has to be wrong I would guess.  Before Christmas I was talking to our daughter, Heather, about how I put up some Christmas decorations in our house.  When our super cleaning gal/friend came to clean, I asked her if she could rearrange the decorations a little which she did.  I think it really looks great; I really like it and it makes me feel good (i.e. probably no one will see the decorations but me).  Sooooo what, if it works for me, who cares; they uplift me.  A friend called and told me that one of the family did not handle a death in their family very well. She thinks that maybe she doesn’t have much faith in God and that is a big difference.  Seeee, we all think differently; we are all singin’ our own belief.  Sooooo is there a God or isn’t there a God?  One has to be right and one has to be wrong! WorldClassLarry says—Now that is black and white; some day when the gonger gongs (i.e. as a friend says), we will all know for sure! This is really interesting to me.  

Football Hall of Famer Brian Dawkins has been open about his mental health struggles, including bouts with depression. He sought medical help, but he also turned to Christ. “That is my No. 1 pillar,” Dawkins said. “That’s just the pinnacle of me, my faith, my belief in the Lord…. Everything else may move. My emotions may go up and down. People around me disappoint me. But that’s something that will never disappoint me.”  I was invited by a friend some years ago to go to several AA meetings with him.  I was very impressed with AA’s structure and belief.  They believe in a higher power which is very important to their recovering process.  I have been told that if folks don’t buy into that believe, the success rate is about nil.  Huh, interesting.

There is sooooo much that I don’t know; a whole lot.  Some things I just accept. JoeBlow (i.e. who runs the speed route very well) says—erv, if you try to figure everything out, you are going to be a mess; it’s impossible to figure everything out; it’s beyond the human mind (i.e. both what we consider good and what we consider bad).  CadillacJack says—erv, folks have been struggling with this thinking forever; nuttin has changed; you are not going to be the one to figure it out.  I’m not into the 70s funk music but Coach used the song Good Thoughts, Bad Thoughts in one of his YouTube inspirationals. I like the lyrics.  One of the lines says—Free your mind and your a___ will follow.  I do believe when I spend time cultivating my mind, my life is a lot better.  It’s not that I necessarily know more answers, but I think I understand one of my favorite lines better which is—His understanding I cannot fathom. 

A very senior friend sits at the same table at the local restaurant seemly like every day I’m there.  I have known him for probably 45 years.  He is a very nice, good guy and he invites me to sit with him many days.  I usually am eating with a friend soooo don’t but do usually always talk to him.  Recently a buddy of his was there with him and they expressed sympathy to me about Arlene’s Alzheimer’s.  I said something to the effect to him that both of you guys have gone through a lot of tough stuff in your lives (i.e. both have experienced a lot of tough stuff but outwardly seemed to have handled it well); you know all about it.  They went off like a firecracker singin’ how life is just unfair as it seems like some folks have no tough issues and some have sooooo many.  I said—Ya, it seems that way, but you have tooooo remember the only thing that is fair is the Butler County Fair and that is in June.  They laughed, outwardly anyway.  They still have some deep scares, for sure. Do any of you relate to any of this conversation? That is what I thought.

You might just be singin’ along but others are looking to you for guidance and you are their example.  You are their “go-to.” In some cases, you might not even know it and other cases, you don’t really want to be.  Yikes!  Recently I told this to a couple who I think are “go to” folks.  I think they sensed it before I told them.  I do.  JoeBlow says--Now that can be a lot of responsibility.  To some yes, to them not really; all they have to do is be themselves and they will.  They are good, real folks with good hearts—my kind of folks, just like many of you guys (i.e. the type of folks I like to be around).  Thanksamillion for your friendship you “go to” folks. ItchieBitchie says this—If you see good in others, they start to see the good in themselves toooo maybe; I don’t think we need to spell it out, well, tooooo some maybe but they still won’t get it (i.e. some folks are more intuitive than others).  Such is life.

I recently had conversations with friends that were very interesting.  These friends were singin’ their opinions alright (i.e. everyone has an opinion about everything).  Don’t kid yourself; if some folks’ opinions are not the same as your opinion, it really doesn’t matter! haha  Most folks don’t agree on most everything or anything; you ever notice that. ANYWAY, many folks say they are open minded; they are not!  Most folks are hilarious!   Soooo I tried to start a conversation with a friend sorta kinda generically but pointed; they started acting almost crazy at first.  They claim to be open minded (i.e. but only if everyone agrees with them).  In some ways that is a put down to me; I feel they are saying they know everything and I don’t know anything. Another friend said to me—erv, I think I have become more liberal as I got older—why do you think that—well, I am on different committees and speak with folks from all over the state who have different ideas; I have learned to listen to the other side (i.e. I want to know where they are coming from); my husband isn’t that way; he has coffee every morning with his same old cronies who all think the same!  Another friend told me that he thinks their church has become more liberal—why—I think we have become more kind and loving and accepting; not as much legalistic and traditional!  Oh!  Great conversations, my opinion.

Our 7-year old Rookie told us at his birthday that he didn’t want any more socks, he wanted something fun! Well, you got most of the Christmas gifts opened and some of you are signin’ the blues ‘cause you didn’t get what you wanted; you expected something different; something bigger (i.e. even if you won’t admit it).  Well, that ain’t nutting new!  Baby Jesus was rejected by most of his own folks.  Why? One reason for this rejection is that he didn’t meet their expectations of what the Messiah a.k.a. Savior should be. They wanted a king to slay their foes and lift them up.  They didn’t want a little baby. WildWillie says—Yabut, sometimes great presents come in little packages! The older I get, the more I like the Christmas story (i.e. maybe because of lot of reasons). 

This pic was on a college friend’s Facebook.  It was from a local school that a teacher put up.  It applies to all of us.  Soooo correct (i.e. my opinion).  If you don’t get it, well, you won’t get it.  Life has a lot of decisions and guess who gets to make all those decisions.  Aren’t we fortunate to form much of our own life (i.e. my opinion)!  What an opportunity.  I really like opportunities.  I pray for opportunities, I pray that I recognize them and I pray that I have the courage to act on them.  If you don’t get it, well, you won’t get it.

If you are a DuaneTheWorm person, you won’t want to read this; just skip to the next paragraph.  Martin Luther King Jr. said—The most persistent and urgent question in life is, what are you doing for others.  DuaneTheWorms are never concerned about others but only themselves; even if they act like they are, they are not; they only do things to self-glorify themselves (i.e. that is always there real motive).  Don’t kid yourself.  And you know what, there is a good chance that we are all DuaneTheWorms to some degree (i.e. my opinion).  We like to sit on the couch eating chips telling ourselves how great we are (i.e. some folks more than others for sure).  You guys are not much DuaneTheWorms except for maybe one of you; you know who you are!  haha 

JoeSmart (i.e. he is a one person special interest group) says—Many folks like to show off their make believe self!

WorldClassLarry says this about 2020—Just remember, you can’t unring the bell!  So be careful about what your signin’ in 2020! 

This “It’s Saturday” could turn into a party; a real ruckus!  It’s time to turn out the lights.  It’s a new year.  Oh well then, let the party begin! I like parties!  I had a new party experience Christmas eve; we went to the Red Rock at 5 (i.e. that is a church in Littleton, CO folks) and then dinner with James, Heather, Erin and Jimmer and then to the speedway for a light show. Now that was a different Christmas Eve for sure.  I sooooo much loved to be with them for Christmas Eve.  Great opportunity!

Talk about change in 202O—The RedRockChurchAt5Service was their 8^th Christmas program on 5 campuses including one in TX and one in Belgium.  Wow!  Not many gray hairs at the service; very high energy service.  How about this—Tomorrow they are not having services at their campuses—they call it their HangOverService; an on-line service in your pajamas.  Many folks in Butler County might think this is crazy.  They worship about 6,000 folks each Sunday (i.e. started about 15 years ago).  Da!

The service’s message was about being patient which will give us peace in a high anxiety, stressful life we live (i.e. a real serious problem in our culture)—patience gives us peace—peace is a practice, a path and not a destination—Peace is already given to us—we can have Peace in any and all situations—peace is a fruit of the Spirit—what you think about is your future—what are you thinking about?--the Christmas story gives us Peace on Earth and peace in our hearts.  Heather said the gal sitting next to her cried most of the service.  Why? Heather had no idea!

The day after Christmas we went skiing at Copper Mt. to get rid of some stress.  haha  Actually it’s a lot of work to ski with two children (i.e. not a lot of peace; can create a lot of stress haha).  James and Heather have their skiing organization down to a science but it’s still tiring and that isn’t even the skiing part.  And then they also had to put up with me! 

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

erv

MyFriendJean says—How much did Santa have to pay for parking his sleigh—nothing; it was on the house!