out of the ordinary

CadillacJack says—Skill without imagination is craftsmanship and gives us many useful objects, such as wickerwork picnic baskets.  Imagination without skill gives us “It’s Saturday.” Man-o-man CadillacJack, do you have to be soooo blunt! CadillacJack, my mind is like an Internet Browser. 19 tabs open, 3 of them are frozen and I have no idea where the music is coming from (i.e. maybe I'm out of the ordinary!.

George Champman, an English dramatist who died in 1634, wrote—“Fortune, the great commandress of the world, / Hath divers ways to advance her followers: / To some she gives honor without deserving, / To other some, deserving without honor.” George, that doesn’t seem fair does it!  Such is life I guess!

I spoke with a friend recently who does the technology of their church’s live streaming of their service.  I asked him a lot of questions.  I finally said to him—You must have had a lot of interest in this to put that much effort into it—not at all erv, I have absolutely no interest in this type of technology at all; the deacons asked me as they couldn’t get anyone else to do it and you know me; I learned it all from scratch with a lot of reading and help and practice.  He does it completely as a service to his church.  That is the kind of guy he is.  That seems to be out of the ordinary toooo me!  He is one good guy! And there is another lesson here for us to learn (i.e. my opinion)—Maybe we sometimes just need to ask a person! Just maybe! Give someone an opportunity! SusieQ says—But not me, I have enough opportunities!

Maybe today is the day you do something “out of the ordinary.”  Out of the ordinary is when you do something that you usually don’t do.  I have no idea what that might me.  BUT here is an idea.  Are we more a giver or more a taker?  Do we think more of ourselves all the time or do we think of others?  DrJ says—"Look around you today. Perhaps you’ll run across a child needing a smile, a disabled person needing a boost, a weary worker needing a kind word, a lonely person needing a call or note. Think of a way to encourage your pastor. Caring for others is the tie that binds. So look to Jesus and follow His pattern.” “A person wrapped up in himself makes a very small bundle.”--Benjamin Franklin  OneGreatGuy said this to a friend--I have been blessed in so many ways and you are one of those blessings. How do you think that friend felt when he was told that? ConfusedJodi says--I don't always go the extra mile, but when I do it's because I've missed my exit.

Are you a risk taker?  AverageJoe says—If you want to have good relationships with folks you need to take risks in sharing yourself; it you just take about the weather and music or sports or food, your relationships are going to be very unrewarding (i.e. but some folks like them to be that way).  A friend from way back recently shared some of his life with me by email.  I think it took some risk on his part to tell me some stuff (i.e. not earth shaking stuff but I wonder if he ever told anyone this stuff before).  I wonder how it made him feel. One thing he shared is that because of a men’s group of his church, he has shared some of his life with them and has never done this before.  He said he enjoyed it very much (i.e. and this guy isn’t a puppy anymore but is one good guy with a good heart; my kind of person).

There are some folks that think some churches took a nap, took a paid vacation, sat on their haunches, bought into the system, during the pandemic.  Some folks say--Isn’t this a time when folks need encouragement and help; churches missed an opportunity but just found an excuse to coast along a.k.a. kicked the can down the street (i.e. not very proactive or creative). That opinion is an opinion.  I read this when eating my oatmeal with half a banana on it—We need to be a Barnabas when people around us are going through difficult times. That’s one way to live out the command to love each other, and Jesus said that love is the essence of all of God’s law. When we are encouragers, we are doing for others what we want them to do for us. And the more encouragement we give, the more we will likely receive. GeorgeTheCrook, who wasn't born yesterday, says—How long are many churches going to fiddle around and milk the system? They seem to like the system. WildWilly says—A ship in harbor is safe; but that is not what ships are built for!  WorldClassLarry says—A lot of people approach risk as if it’s the enemy when it’s really fortune’s accomplice.  Maybe, just maybe an opportunity was missed big time! RickyRick says--I love the fact that Jesus did not stand on the shore and shout instructions. When you’re in a storm, you don’t need advice. You need a miracle! You need somebody to show up, and that’s what Jesus did. He intervened in the disciples’ storm. Will flip the pancake--There is also a large group of folks that say--this virus is a great excuse for me to not go to be involved in church; I love it. MissPerfect says--Now that could be a 50-50 toss up!

A smart businessman/friend called me the other morning.  He was telling me how things are getting “out of the ordinary.”  Some major companies are telling new recruits for employment that they will guarantee they will be able to work from home their entire life.  Also, many companies are finding out that they can hire folks from Butler County and pay them twice their rural IA wages and still their employment cost will be way below their current employment cost that they have in major cities by letting folks work from home.  Holy smokes. That might put pressure on local employers.  PajamaChurchGoingRita says—And I can save a lot of money on clothes tooooo; I can wear the same pair of PJs every day to work that I wear to church! Remember folks—It’s all about the money; it has always been and always will be!  The world’s golden rule is gold rules! Such is life.

TomSmart, who is a breath of fresh air, says—Nothing is as frustrating as arguing with someone who knows what they are talking about.  Yikes that hurts! Flip the pancake--Maybe even worse is arguing with someone who believes they are right and won’t back down when we know they are wrong.  Ouchy ouchy.  JoeTeacher says—I have learned that no one can teach anything to anyone who thinks they know everything. They are usually the same folks that make a lot of noise but really don’t say anything (i.e. BettyNice says—That sounds like my brother-in-law)! ItchieBitchie says—Those type of folks aren’t really out of the ordinary here in this world! BUT I did learn something new from some folks that know what they are talking about (i.e. I think) at a dinner party the other night—I can freeze milk (i.e. I never knew that before). 

The other day I was a little put out as the government seems to favor others more than me (i.e. give others many more entitlement money packages than I get).  I thought “It ain’t fair.”  It appears that many folks have “chips on their shoulders” in thinking that they have been given the short stick while living in this world.  Sooo some must think there is a God who did that too them and they are bitter with God.  I’m just bitter with the government! The government ain’t fair (i.e. the only thing that’s fair is Butler County Fair and that is in June).  I know that and you know that and God knows that but it doesn’t make much difference, the government really doesn’t care and they are not fair. The government isn’t out of the ordinary! It appears that I got to complain more; now that seems to work!!! I got to get the media on my side. Now that is a fat chance! I’m just a little ol’ farm boy from a mile and fourth south of Roseland, MN.  A friend told me at breakfast recently what his son told him when he was a little guy--“I see something that isn’t fair!!” That boy is smart; he figured it out early let me tell ya!

Are bitter folks out of the ordinary?  Are you bitter?  Why are you bitter? Who are you bitter with? Does bitterness help anyone? It appears that many folks are bitter (i.e. maybe tooo different degrees).  It appears they are bitter because they feel they are shorted like in not getting what they want.  Getting what they want from who?  From God? If soooo then they are bitter toward God I would guess.  ANYWAY, bitter folks aren’t much fun to be around for me.  Bitter folks aren’t very pleasant, pleasing, agreeable, happy, delightful or nice.  I think bitter gals lose their sweetness and guys are no longer gentlemen.  AverageJoe says--Holding on to bitterness is like drinking poison and waiting for the other person to die. My opinion is that faith in Jesus is the answer to get rid of bitterness a.k.a. life changer.  I can’t understand how anyone would want to be bitter all their life and all the time.  Each their own I guess.  You can lead a horse to water, but you can’t make them drink.  JoeSmooooth says—Yabut erv, you can put a little salt in their food!

I think soooo, soooo that means that it might not be right—Every person (e.g. you and I), think of God differently.  I think I’m right here but that means nuttin!  Here is my thinking.  How you see God and how you think of Him depends on how you were educated about God and by who; like different Christian church denominations, different parents, different teachers, different friends etc. (i.e. some teach that God is a mean God who you have to meet the rules or you will be punished—they believe you can’t be forgiven while another person might believe in God to be a loving God and loves everyone regardless of who you are or what you did (i.e. I believe God loves me even though I’m a sinful person).  What do you think of my thinking?  That is what I thought.

A friend, who can really bake the bacon, told me this story of himself.  He delivered some stuff to their son in the metro and rented a U-haul trailer.  They unloaded the stuff and were in a hurry soooo he stopped at a U-haul place that was near.  The guy said—got your paperwork-yep-oh you can’t deliver the trailer here; you have to deliver it across town—isn’t this a U-halul location—yes, but I can’t let you drop it off here, besides I’m way toooo busy—here’s a $50 bill—do you think you can back into that spot over there? It’s all about the money!

You ever feel like you are in a blunder feast? I recently talked to a friend who I didn’t think he was himself.  He seemed to have lost his confidence.  He didn’t share what was on his mind (i.e. I had no idea what is going through his mind).  Confidence, when folks have it they don’t think they will ever lose it and folks who lose their confidence think they will never get it back. OneSmartPerson says—Both feelings make a person feel like they are in a twilight zone. 

I asked my 72-year old friend, who is miles ahead of everyone else,--Are you going to ride bike again—of course I am.  A friend told me at breakfast recently that late last fall he was riding bike and hit a patch of ice and in a spilt of a second he was on the ground.  He cracked some ribs and broke his shoulder.  Many times when we get dinged we become reluctant to do something again.  It's easier not to do it again.  We have to fight through it when we don’t feel like doing it.  We need to force ourselves sometimes (i.e. at least I have tooooo). It’s easier to sit on the couch and eat chips; we all know what happens then!  Ouchy ouchy!

This might sound a little out of the ordinary, maybe and maybe not.  You decide.  I am part of an organization that some folks think that a person is great, and part of the group thinks this person is not great.  Sooooo who is someone going to believe—it all depends who you ask I guess.  To make it even more realistic maybe one group represents maybe the minority of the folks and the other group represents the majority of the folks. But if someone asks one of the minority who thinks this person is great, some folks will probably accept their believe.  Soooo be careful who you believe (i.e. that might not represent the majority by far).  And then again, maybe a person from the minority might be right, but just doesn’t represent the majority! That is why when you talk to references, they don’t mean much; maybe ask the references for additional references a.k.a. secondary references and then ask them for additional references (i.e. now you might find out who the real person is); a person isn’t going to give you a reference who isn’t their disciple.  JoeBlow says—That isn’t out of the ordinary.  This just fascinates me! Hey, it doesn’t mean one group is right or better than the other group, but the difference is not good for an organization (i.e. or maybe it is).  I know that for fact as some of you have told me soooooo (i.e. but that is your opinion)!  Many of you know what I’m talking about.  You have been or are in one of those groups. 

Soooo my 13-year-old granddaughter called me the other night.  She seems to becoming quit a young lady.  She can really carry on an enjoyable conversation; even asking intelligent questions and even caring about me.  Wow!  She wants to come and spend time with me this summer; she likes Butler County.  I told her if she could get a good fare from Denver, I would pay for her flight.  But it has to be reasonable ‘cause I’m frugal.  Grandpa, what does frugal mean, I don’t know.  What a great conversation.  What an opportunity.  Most 13-year-olds have a 13-year old logic of spending everything they have and now.  Well folks, many 55-year-olds still have that 13-year old logic.  I wonder if they are ordinary or out of the ordinary.  Some parents tell me that their grown children are terrible money managers.  It's good that their parents are frugal soooo their kids will have a lot to spend when they die as they will need a lot; that is very nice of them!!!

ItchieBitchie says--It is easy to identify folks who are out of the ordinary; they are the same folks who can’t count to 10; those are the ones in front of you in the supermarket express lane.

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

erv

MyFreindJean said--Busy souls have no time to be busy bodies.