matter of fact

A friend was telling me about his brother-in-law who talks on and on and on about stuff that no one else is interested in! Matter of fact, some of you might think he was using his brother-in-law as an analogy to my writing in this “It’s Saturday.” It could be! You decide!

When we use “matter of fact” we might use it to mean different things; at least I do.

I don’t think I’m thankful enough for my life and events of my life. Matter of fact, I was reminded recently of this by being around a group of friends when back in Aplington, IA. They are great folks and have affected and still affect my life. I take them as a matter of fact sometimes, too lightly, take them for granted. CoachB says—The people we are around sure do make us feel good or not sooo good; it depends on our friends, that is for sure; some lift us up and some drag us down. My friends have a lot of responsibility in directing me down the road of life let me tell ya (i.e. they have their hands full for sure)! hahaha

I was on my early morning walk the other day and this guy riding his electric bike stopped and encouraged me about my walking (i.e. I felt he over did it a bit while sitting on his electric bike). He said it in a matter of fact way a.k.a. a very important deal like a matter of fact! It is hard maybe to self-evaluate ourselves, I think. I wonder how folks evaluate me as I sometimes evaluate others (e.g. I might say to myself, so and so don’t see the big picture of their life; they are fooling themselves, not facing reality). Many businesses evaluate their employees in a way of helping them soooo they can improve (i.e. they discuss their good points and weak points). In real life, we don’t do that too much. It’s not socially accepted (i.e. evaluation is not accepted very well by others sooo we don’t do it). We sometimes just let them kick the same can down the same street all their life. A friend told me that they think many folks don't care what others do as long as they don't bother their life. Ouchy ouchy!

Matter of fact they both got my attention and set examples for me recently. One’s example was how I do not what to act and another was how I would like to act. One was very humble and gracious and the other very cocky and self-glorifying. And both probably will never know I thought that about them. Listen up, if you and I think that of them, then a lot of others do too; you and I aren’t the only two that are that smart let me tell ya. We are just two of the million ants on the ant hill!

Life is an exciting challenge a.k.a. an opportunity (i.e. that’s my opinion)! ItchieBitchie says--"Matter of fact, if we actually wait until we feel like it, we might not do anything at all. And it seems like some folks never do much!" Lisa asked if she and her husband could sit with me at Costco to eat our hotdogs. She was 85 and he was 83. Eventually she told me—"If people live long enough, they all seem to get to know Jesus." Well, the older I get, I learn more and more that many times the best response is for me to say is nuttin! Maybe those two are about the same! I don’t know. My Mom, Anna, would say to me--erv, if you can't say something good about someone, don't say anything. But, she use to correct me when I was wrong. Is that an oxymoron?

I planted some Zinnia seeds in a planter pot in honor of my Mom, Anna, she was such a sweet, great person and Zinnias were one of her favorite flowers. Maybe I planted too many in the planter as they really need to be watered three times a day or they will wilt severely (i.e. but it is amazing that water will perk them right up again). Also, they always turn to the light. Also, they respond to fertilizer. What is the analogy of these Zinnia plants to our lives. Matter of fact, all of you are smarter than the AverageJoes soooo you figure it out; well, all of you are smarter except maybe for one of you and you know who you are! hahaha

Esther of Grace writes, Looking for the gold…in every person…in every situation. It is a matter of fact (in my opinion!) that people want to be seen. I am often reminded to look for the gold - to be intentional about seeing the good in people I encounter.--- I was ordering my lunch and was surprised when I was told “Today’s special is a free sundae!”. One of my love languages is chocolate (and if in ice cream form, all the better!) so I told the lady how happy this little gesture made me, and she responded with sincerity that she too loves a frozen treat. “I always get one when I’m at the hospital.” I asked if she worked there and what she told me blew me away. She works directly with women who are going through what she went through not so long ago. Taking incredibly tough struggles and uncovering beauty and hope. As she shared more of her story, which would bring most people down in the hardness of it all, she instead beamed with pure joy. I commended her for using her difficult life experiences and her gifts in helping others. And her smile got even bigger! She knows what she is doing is changing lives for good. Her work at the hospital and the sundaes she gives away - gold - and today, I was blessed in hearing a bit of her story.

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

erv

MyDeceasedFriendJean said--Those who help early, help twice.

pseudo

If I think about this then, there is a pretty good chance that you think about this too. And that means that there are others who think about this as well! hahaha

Paul was not very 'successful' when he talked to the Jews, philosophers, and the council of the Areopagus on Mars Hill and the people in the city square in Athens. Some of them asked, 'What is this babbler trying to say?' Sooo, take that analogy into account when reading this "It's Saturday."

They wear big cowboy hats but own no cattle! Saturday questions—Are we pseudo-people or the real deal? Do we treat all people the same or are we pseudo-people to some and not to others (e.g. we might treat family differently and even talk differently than we treat the people at a neighborhood picnic or people at work, the boss, or friends)? Are we the same person wherever we go? It appears to me that there are folks who act differently in their different worlds depending on who they are with!  They act completely different. Dick (i.e. not the Dick the protagonist created in the stories of Dick and Jane but a current real live Dick that I know) says—I live in only one world; that way I always am wearing the right hat!

RickyRick says—"Reputation has to do with what everybody thinks we are; integrity is what we really are. Our reputation is connected to who we appear to be in public; integrity is connected to who we are when you’re all alone with God.” SusieQ says--I operate under pretense sometimes and sometimes I don't! But it is hard for me to decide when I should and when I should not!

A minister was trying to get his neighbor, Bill, to come to his church. On Easter Bill showed up at church. The minister said to him--Bill, it is good to see you in church and I hope you attend regularly. Bill responded--You did a good job pastor; I plan to attend regularly: see you next Easter! 

I have been thinking recently about what is more important, knowledge or emotions. I had a somewhat of a friend relationship with a highly educated person years ago who totally believed that knowledge was way more important than emotion. He said that emotion wears off but knowledge stays steadfast.  But Solomon, who might have been the wisest of al men, said--"Understanding will never give you peace." This acquaintance was a university professor and an ordained minister. He believed that knowledge in God was very important compared to temporary emotion—once the hoopla is gone, the knowledge stays as our foundation.  How about in a marriage or relationship as a friend or a business acquaintance? My friendship with this guy depreciated to zero as he would just lecture to me and never listened to a word I said! He had a pseudo-friendship with me. Of course, maybe he thought I didn't have much to say that was worth listening to! That could be! Thomas Aquinas said--"We can't have full knowledge. We must start by believing; then afterwards we may be led on to master the evidence for ourselves."

Ariana wrote—"There have been times in my life when I’ve found real intimacy with God, sensing his presence. But more often I’ve lived with a sense of the absence of God. During these times I have to remind myself of what I know about God rather than how I feel about God.”

I knew a person who I would consider to be a “DuaneTheWorm.” This person would say anything to self-glorify himself a.k.a. look-maximizing or giving himself the advantage of trying to put himself up on a higher social status. Of course, people caught onto him that he had a pseudo-personality and just would not pay much attention to him; he was just a fake a.k.a. a blowhard, a pseudo person. He was basically a mugrumper meaning he would have his mug on one side of the fence and rump on the other and would say whatever he had to say in trying to gain prestige, so he thought. But in reality, to most folks, he just lost respect. ItchieBitchie says--But there are always suckers!

I like to be around real folks with good hearts. I believe if we judge people, judge them by their heart. If they have a pseudo-heart, I suggest we to be careful. The truth will always show up, always. This is my opinion, but just remember folks, I’m just another bozo on the bus.

I had a business acquaintance who told me that all his friends he had, he bought a.k.a. playing the crowd. He said he had no real friends but just pseudo-friends. He had a hard time keeping friends as he had to continue to buy them. Another guy who really worked the crowd would buy drinks for many at the golf course in the attempt to make them think he was really a nice guy sooo he could get their business (i.e. buying business). They are about the same. They both are just pseudo-maneuvers.

Sooo who is a real friend? Do we have real friends? Who are our inner circle of friends? What makes them our friends? What makes them real? Who is your best friend? MissPerfect says—I have just pseudo-friends!

I have met people recently who have no friends and don’t want to have friends; they just want to be alone. I have a hard time understanding them. Maybe they are bitter or something. I have tried to befriend them and they told me straight out—I don’t want you to be my friend; I don’t want or need a friend. Ouchy ouchy! I still don’t believe them! That attitude doesn’t add up in my mind. SusieQ asks--Is it possible that they have been miserable for sooo long that they don’t even know they are miserable? The other day I was eating my $1.50 hotdog at Costco and invited a guy and gal to join me. They were maybe 25 and 32 and were engineers and working in Yakima for the day and eating hotdogs and pizza at Costco for their lunch. We had a great time. They thanked me for inviting them to sit with me and said—This would never happen in Seattle! Huh, interesting!

Saturday question--Did I sound like a jake brake?

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

erv

MyDeceasedFriendJean said--Joy is not in things; it is in us.

PS I did have the opportunity to walk up to the top of Mars Hill to where Paul gave his argument. It was a great experience for me. Do you know what Paul's argument was?

confusing and complicated

This “It’s Saturday” might be hard to grasp! But it’s something to “pour” over.

Socrates said—"I cannot teach anybody anything. I can only make them think. To find yourself, think for yourself.” I wonder, Socrates, if I can figure the world out; it seems quite complicated and confusing. But then again I’m just a little ol’ farm boy from a mile and a quarter south of Roseland, MN.

Americans spend 8 billion dollars on cosmetics each year. A wise, old Yakima orchardist was asked what he thought of that. He answered the question using the Socratic method of teaching by asking another question back. His question was—Does the barn need painting? If it does paint it!

erv, let the sleeping dog lie! I thought I was being kind in showing love to a person but was told that they probably will misunderstand my action and it’s better to leave it alone, don’t get involved, don’t touch it. Now that is complicated and confusing to me. I guess the world says—If it doesn’t affect me, I really shouldn’t care about others. Does that mean, just take care of ourselves and not care about others? Like I said, It’s confusing and complicated. John Wooden said—"Don’t mistake activity for achievement.”

This is complicated and confusing to me. Listen, a lot of things are complicated and confusing to me. Why do we all continue to do things that hurt our lives? CoachB says—If we have dug us a hole and want to get out of it, we need to put down the shovel. My saying is—If we are hitting our heads against the wall why don’t we quit doing it. It will feel a whole lot better if we quit. Paul, in the Bible, who was one smart guy, said--"I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do."  It seems to make no sense for us to keep doing it! What are we thinking anyway!

I read this early one morning what Sarah wrote—“If we encounter a problem with no immediate solution, our response to that situation will take us either up or down. We can lash out at the difficulty, resenting it and feeling sorry for ourself. This will take us down into a pit of self-pity. Alternatively, the problem can be a ladder, enabling us to climb up and see our life from God’s perspective.” Is that complicated and confusing?

I was just reminded again of the old saying—We will be most like the average of the five people we are around the most. I read recently-- Every person is a witness of how they live their life whether they want tooo or not (e.g. in a novel I just read, a character was described by others as “slippery” or a person could be described as dynamite). Hey listen folks, if I know that and you know that then others know that toooo, we aren’t the only two that are that smart. It might sound complicated and confusing but it ain’t let me tell ya! It’s like--“All we want are the facts, ma’am.” Those were the words of Sergeant Joe Friday in the popular 1950s television series, Dragnet. The facts are the facts!

Our minds are complicated and confusing. RickyRick says—"You need to understand that memories are a choice. Clara Barton was the founder of the American Red Cross. A friend reminded her of a particularly cruel thing somebody had done to her years before. The friend asked, ‘Don’t you remember?’ Her famous reply was, “No, I distinctly remember forgetting it.” Our memories are a choice. If we want to hold on to our painful memories, go right ahead. But we’re not going to be happy.”

Dr.J says--"Both the Old Testament and the New Testament draw a clear distinction between the priority of the inner person over the outer person. Yet in our modern world that priority is reversed. Far more attention is put on cultivating the outward appearance than is put on developing the spiritual person."  C.S. Lewis says--"All that is not eternal is eternally out of date."

Ok, I admit that life is complicated and confusing, it has always been and always will be, BUT the truth is that self-sufficiency is a myth perpetuated by pride and temporary success. Health and wealth can disappear instantly as can life itself. Soooo for me, there is only one real Hope. That makes everything a lot simpler for me. BigShotErnie says--I like this Jesus guy, I like to sin and He likes to forgive!

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

erv

MyDeceasedFriend Jean said--Everyone wants you to tell it like it is until you do.