April 13, 2024

pros and cons

If you live on a quiet street or a busy street there are pros and cons. Some folks like to watch all the busyness and other don’t; pros and cons. Some folks really like a busy social life and others don’t; pros and cons. Some like to travel and others don’t; pros and cons. Some like to be married and others don’t; pros and cons. The list and examples can go for ever. Everything has pros and cons now don’t they. Many times our decisions are based on which side has the most pros and cons even though neither side is perfect.  It’s seems to be easier to make the decision when there are few cons and a lot of pros!  Oh ya!  MissPerfect who is a shameless hussy says—I always make the right decision, if you don’t believe me just ask me!

Do you really think there are pros in every problem; I mean there is something good in every problem.  Or do you think that is just bologna! When I was a kid, we made our own bologna when we butchered on the farm a mile and quarter south of Roseland, MN.  I really liked the bologna we made. A while back I thought I would buy some bologna, but it wasn’t nearly as good; in fact I didn’t like it. Of course, my thinking might have been just bologna maybe!  BUT a lot of things look different and taste different now than when I was a kid. No question about that. When folks get married in their late 70s and both folks have been married for over 50 years to the same person before, it’s different than when they got married at 21; that is for sure. Or folks who have been married 2, 3 or 4 times before maybe things might look different as well. Or maybe it’s just a bunch of bologna!

Soooooo you want be important, right!  Are you sure? I read about some very important folks who were a mess most of the time. They squabbled and missed the point. They were weak misfits, and they struggled with doubts. Those folks were the disciples of Jesus. But Jesus called them anyway. Pretty crazy I think; you would think Jesus would have called high end powerful folks who had it all together, wouldn’t you. Sooooo maybe there is a spot for us to do something important today. Maybe there are pros and cons in being important!

There are some pros and cons but…OneSmartPerson says--Make your message in a code; not very plain but in a code form; let folks make up their own mind what you are saying; let them figure it out with their thought process; make them wonder! It’s sorta kinda a game. Andrew, anybody can be an Andrew says— Living with God is a strange life—strange to a natural person. It’s a life with an extra dimension. You don’t know what this life is like until you know God. Oh boy, Almond Joy! PeterPaul Almond Joy!

I read while eating my oatmeal that most folks don’t like themselves! What! That is what RickyRick said—"Would you be surprised to know most people do not accept themselves? I’ve been in ministry now for over 40 years. I’ve talked to tens of thousands of people, and I’ve found that most people really don’t like themselves. They wish they were different. They wish they looked different. They wish they acted differently.”  I guess we all have pros and cons about ourselves! I also read a possible improvement for humans liking and accepting themselves more--“In order for man to succeed in life, God provided him with two means, education and physical activity. Not separately, one for the soul and the other for the body, but for the two together. With these means, man can attain perfection.” ― Plato’s opinion   Maybe those two ideas are a hard row to hoe for many folks. Saturday question—What is it that you don’t like about yourself? Are you kidding me!

My second cousin twice removed a.k.a. known as the other Warren from Omaha sent me this—"When in High School (Sibley, Iowa) I sang in the High School boys' quartet, and I still remember the words of a favorite song.  Its entitled " Sophomoric Philosophy"   --- the words go like this  " the more you study, the more you know --- the more you know, the more you forget--- the more you forget, the less you know --- so why Study??? --- 2nd verse  " the less you study, the less you know, the less you know - the less you forget --- the less you forget, the MORE  you know  --- so Why Study ???.” First of all, when we are sophomores in high school, we hopefully thought differently than we do now (i.e. all of us do except for one and you know who you are). Secondly, some folks think they know all the answers but in reality, it appears that they know very little! Thirdly, I know folks that seem to know a lot and are jerks and I know folks who seem to know very little and who aren’t jerks but seem very wise. Go figure. Sooooo, maybe there are pros and cons in knowing a lot or thinking we know a lot!  Could be, maybe, I don’t know! How do I know, I’m just  a little ol’ farm boy from a mile and quarter south of Roseland, MN who spent the winter in AZ where I was just another bozo on the bus!

You are like no one else! I have an acquaintance who is a friend of Jeanne in our 55+ park. During a flag burning program honoring Vietnam vets, we discovered that she was a medic in the military for several tours of duty. We were quite surprised. She is such a giving and caring person. Recently Jeanne was outside our tin hut and she came bye and they talked. Amazing gal but what we were really amazed about was that she told Jeanne that after all these years she had finally found what her passion and purpose of her life was. Is that exciting or what! She said—After 60 years I found my purpose of my life and it is helping people!  Is that a wow or what! Saturday question—What is your passion or purpose of life. Life has pros and cons now doesn’t it. Such is life.

TrickyRicky says—"You weren’t put on earth to live for yourself. You were made for a greater purpose than simply to make money, retire, and die. You were made for a mission, and that mission gives your life meaning. Until you know your life mission, you’re just existing. Life may seem good, but you won’t experience the fulfillment you would if you were living out God’s intentions for you.”

Maybe you have had a manager who said—“Don’t bring me problems but bring me solutions.”  Maybe that is being the pro in problem solving. Saturday question—Are we the problem or the solution to the problem? ItchieBitchie says—Yikes, I hope I’m not the problem and don’t even know it!  ItchieBitchie, being the problem is bad enough but not knowing you are the problem is even worse! Especially when you think you have been a hot shot all your life! Flip the pancake—Then there are “top shelf” humble problem solvers who are really great and don’t even know that they are a hotshot. Such is life.

It appears that anything I do and any decision I make there are pros and cons (i.e. sometimes I don’t even recognize the pros and cons for many different reasons). I try to have more pros than cons in what I do and the decisions I make (i.e. look for the good).  As a friend told me—erv, it’s a no brainer, there are way more pros than cons in a decision you are making soooo do it, get after it. It appears that we maybe hear the cons more than the pros many times which maybe influence our mind more. Saturday question—Is there anything perfect?  I really don’t know BUT I sure like to have overwhelming odds on my side! That seems to make my life better.  What do you think?  That is what I thought. That seems to be a big pro! Da! Maybe, just maybe, everything depends on where we’re looking and if our looking is any good!

I have a friend who has asked me—erv, what is your motive for doing something as if your motive is wrong you will probably not have success in the long run! That is probably true in many things my friend. I have thought about that many times when I do things—What is my motive (i.e. the pros and cons). We all have different motives for whatever reason now don’t we (i.e. maybe some motives are better than others). And we make our decisions probably based on which motive we feed the most!  It ain’t nuttin new, it’s been around forever!

I try to do this; it seems that it makes my life better; try it, you might like it (i.e. there are a lot of pros to it let me tell ya)--The Bible says, “It is wonderful to be grateful and to sing your praises, LORD Most High! It is wonderful each morning to tell about your love and at night to announce how faithful You are” (Psalm 92:1-2 CEV). It’s not just a one-time prayer. It’s a lifestyle of gratitude. The psalmist sang God’s praises every morning and every night. It is good for me to jump for joy!

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

erv

MyFriendJean said—Doing what you like is freedom…liking what you do is happiness.

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