Encourage (i.e. UPlift)

Voof Voof Voof – It seems like everyone is barking about something these days. How about you and I bark in a positive way. Who can we encourage today? So listen UP folks!

MissPerfect says--I will try to help others. I will try not to let a day pass without reaching out an arm of love to someone. Each day I will try to do something to lift another human being out of the sea of discouragement into which he or she has fallen. My helping hand is needed to raise the helpless to courage, to strength, to faith, to health. In my own gratitude, I will turn and help others with the burden that is pressing too heavily upon them. Hey folks, it’s the right thing to do so just do it! And who will be happy about the result? Answer--You and the other person. Such is life.

Be an encourager folks (i.e. an UPlifter). I was working with some clients on a real estate deal. We really had a good time together. They are probably in their late 70s. I asked them if they went to high school—no we didn’t; they both said they quit after the 8th grade but she did go back to get her GED degree. She wishes she would have gone to high school as she likes education but her father said—you don’t need an education to be a wife! She didn’t know about that but he manipulated her with a piano and lessons. It worked. ANYWAY her father also said—The sun will have to come up in the west before we have a TV! Well in the 50s they got a TV! I kidded this gal in saying—You probably said—When the sun comes up in the west we’ll have a computer in our house! She said you’re right erv, but you know what, we have a computer in our house and I’m attending computer classes. Parents who are encouragers give their children a huge, massive advantage (i.e. that’s my opinion). I recently heard a star linebacker from UNI speak. He said for his first 3 years his parents drove all over the country to see him play maybe 4 plays. They were always there but never said much (i.e. they were just being encouragers without pressure). His senior year he became a star and his parents were also always there. They had the same attitude (i.e. didn’t say much). This young man said—I realize what great parents I had (i.e. great family and that’s much more important than football). Such is life.

Hey Rookie! Sidthe10centmillionare says—One of the great things about life is its unpredictability (i.e. full of ifs). Joesixpack says—You lost me, hello! I don’t like unpredictability! Okay this is not unpredictable. I was walking past the TV and Arlene had the Today Show on. They said-- Women spend 20 years of their life fixing their hair. Ouchy ouchy! Just think if all women had buzz cuts and used no makeup. They would all be on the same playing field. Just think how much more would get done in this world. Yabut capitalism would never let that happen. I can’t imagine how much money is spent on hair and makeup (i.e. it’s all about money folks)!

It was sooooooooo encouraging (i.e. UPlifting). I had this dream—He was going to put millions into this deal and I was going to put a lot less in. It was going to make each of us a million a year. I asked him how come he would do that—I like you. Then I woke up!

This was discouraging (i.e. not UPlifting) – The other morning I went for an early walk. I was coming back and met this guy at the corner with his two big beagles. One took a crap on Jenny’s lawn and the other took a crap on the street. Yucko! Where is your brain dog owner? It was the same day that the kids got out of school. Can you imagine some little girl walking bare foot for the first time stepping into that fresh dog crap?

This was encouraging to me—yes it was. I was in the post office the other day and the gal who we sold our used van was there too. She says to me—The van is going to North Carolina tomorrow. So you still have the van—yes we do. It was a 1999 Dodge 4 cylinder short van. We probably sold it to them maybe in 2003. It had 90,000 miles on it. I asked her how many miles are on it now—185,000 and we haven’t done any work on it. Wow!

Do you know why geese honk? They are always honking it seems. The reason is to encourage each other (i.e. UPlift each other). So honk at each other folks. Such is life.

I went for a walk in the rain this week—I like to walk in the rain (i.e. it’s encouraging to me). ANYWAY when I got back, I finished reading The Walk by Richard Paul Evans. Rox at the office said to me one day—erv, have you read the new book by Evans called the Walk—no I haven’t—He’s the guy who wrote The Christmas Box. I sorta kinda forgot about it. This week there was a book lying on the counter—Arlene said she thought I would enjoy reading it. It was the book. I really enjoyed it. I suggest you read it (i.e. very easy read). Let me know what you think of it. Here is another suggestion—go to the movie Letters to God. We went this week at the Grundy Theater. As we were entering, our neighbors were also entering so we went in together. It cost a dollar to get in (i.e. senior discount) but it cost $9.50 for a couple of small popcorns and sodas! I gave the lady a hundred dollar bill—I don’t have change—I had to borrow $10 from NeighborKarl to pay for our treat. I think that is just sooooooooo funny.

Joesixpack says—Folks who are always given stuff just expect it and it seems they aren’t very appreciative. They don’t acknowledge others’ gifts (i.e. they seem to just expect it). Hey Joesixpack, I sorta kinda agree. I just had a reminder of this situation. I did a small little deal and they showed no thank you or response. I think they just expect it. When folks respond to others graciousness and support, they are much more willing to give the next time (i.e. it’s encouraging). GeorgeTheCrook says—It’s just our culture so don’t get soooooo excited erv. I won’t GeorgeTheCrook, I just won’t give to them anymore. I’ll give to those who are appreciative. That’s easy. Flip the pancake—I wonder if God ever says—why in the world aren’t they thankful for my grace and love. Does he say—well, I just won’t give to them anymore; I’ll just give to those who are appreciative? I bet God does like thanking and acknowledgement. What do you think?

AverageJoe says--Each waking moment holds the potential to think a creative thought or offer a heartfelt prayer (i.e. that makes a person an encouraging type of person. OverTheTopBill says--Every increased possession loads us with new weariness.

Is this statement encouraging or discouraging to you? Certain things will never happen to you again. Does your attitude have anything to do with how you answer that? Does your past environment have anything to do with how you answer that? Maybe it’s up to you how you interpret that question. Listen up—It took me four times to get it right last week. A friend called me a…! Hey, it’s encouraging to me that it only took 4 times! Such is life.

I read this while eating my oatmeal with blackberries (i.e. my kid sister’s favorite) on it—Life is a team sport, and all of us need occasional pats on the back from our teammates. In the book of Ephesians, Paul writes, “Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen…Since we don’t always know who needs our help, the best strategy is to encourage all the people who cross our paths. So today, be a world-class source of encouragement to everyone you meet.

We went to a friend’s wedding last Saturday in Hutchinson, MN. We parked next to a car that had a bumper sticker that read—I stop for Moose! The wedding was very much encouraging to me (i.e. about God, family and friends—very refreshing to me and UPlifting). We drove through Waseca, MN on our way. I haven’t been Waseca since 1964 I think. My friend Jerry and I drove there on a rainy day to buy bows at Herders (i.e. at their factory at a discount price). There is a little lake in Waseca and I slowed down for a mother duck and her ducklings crossing the road and got hit from behind. Ouchy ouchy. I got home and strung my bow and broke the bow. Not a good day. ANYWAY I called my friend Jerry as we were going through Waseca. I haven’t talked to him for about 5 years. Oh yes, he remembered the day. So how is it going Jerry? Well I had my hip replaced and they want to replace both my knees (i.e. he had a detached retina five years ago). Toooooo much softball. Jerry was a very good fast pitch softball player. In fact they won the national title once and maybe more. He has been inducted into the Fast Pitch Hall of Fame. Here is the rest of the story—I worked for Kandiyohi County Maintenance department during my college years. Every year the maintenance department and the office guys would play a slow pitch softball game and the losers had to pay for the keg. Jerry and I played a lot of ball during this time. So on this particular night, Jerry and I played a game somewhere and he rode with me to the county game which was at Kandiyohi Lake. When we got there the game was in progress so I got to play a little but then it started to rain. Most of the guys went home except for maybe 6 guys (i.e. one was the county engineer and another was the guy in charge of maintenance). We sat in a shelter and drank a couple of beers together (i.e. Jerry and I were under the age of 21). I said to those guys—you should hire my friend Jerry—come on in Jerry and apply. They hired him and he retired from Kandiyohi County about 5 years ago. Such is life.

It was encouraging that others didn’t know either. At the wedding, the praise team led us folks in several songs. One was Come thou fount of every blessing. At the reception I asked the guy sitting next to me (i.e. a guy I didn’t know)—I sang that song since I was a kid at Roseland Reformed Church in Roseland, MN and I still don’t know what my Embenezer is? What is it? He didn’t know nor did the guy across the table (i.e. and they both had ties on but no robes). They asked the other folks down the table. No one knew. After some time, the guy next to me came back. He talked to two pastors (i.e. they had ties and coats on but no robes) and got two different definitions. Huh, interesting.

Joesixpack says—We all know how to change this world, our life and the church for the better but the hard part is doing it. Most of the changes (i.e. around the house, in business, in our churches, and in our lives) don’t get done until they become a necessity (i.e. until we are forced to). Some folks they don’t realize that it’s a necessity. It’s really encouraging to see something happen on a proactive basis instead of a reactive basis. Many times the reactive reaction is tooooooo late. Such is life. John Wooden just past away. I have always been a follower of him. Here a few of his statements—Be more concerned with your character than your reputation, because your character is what you really are, while your reputation is merely what others think you are—You can’t let praise or criticism get to you. It’s a weakness to get caught up in either one—What you are as a person is far more important that what you are as a basketball player—If you’re not making mistakes, then you’re not dong anything. I’m positive that a doer makes mistakes—Failure is not fatal, but failure to change might be—it’s what you learn after you know it all that counts. He was an encouraging man (i.e. my opinion). Encouragement is sooooooooo UPplifting now isn’t it. This two-letter word in English has more meanings than any other two-letter word, and that word is 'UP.' It is listed in the dictionary as an [adv], [prep], [adj], [n] or [v]. It's easy to understand UP, meaning toward the sky or at the top of the list, but when we awaken in the morning, why do we wake UP ? At a meeting, why does a topic come UP ? Why do we speak UP , and why are the officers UP for election and why is it UP to the secretary to write UP a report? We call UP our friends, brighten UP a room, polish UP the silver, warm UP the leftovers and clean UP the kitchen. We lock UP the house and fix UP the old car. At other times this little word has real special meaning. People stir UP trouble, line UP for tickets, work UP an appetite, and think UP excuses. To be dressed is one thing but to be dressed UP is special. And this UP is confusing: A drain must be opened UP because it is stopped UP. We open UP a store in the morning but we close it UP at night. We seem to be pretty mixed UP about UP ! To be knowledgeable about the proper uses of UP, look UP the word UP in the dictionary. In a desk-sized dictionary, it takes UP almost 1/4 of the page and can add UP to about thirty definitions. If you are UP to it, you might try building UP a list of the many ways UP is used. It will take UP a lot of your time, but if you don't give UP, you may wind UP with a hundred or more. When it threatens to rain, we say it is clouding UP . When the sun comes out we say it is clearing UP. When it rains, it soaks UP the earth. When it does not rain for awhile, things dry UP. One could go on and on, but I'll wrap it UP, for now ........my time is UP ! Oh....one more thing: What is the first thing you do in the morning & the last thing you do at night?  U P! Don't Mess UP. Now I'll shut UP.

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

erv

KR’s thought of the day—When I get angry, I ask God for patience.
TheProfessor’sPithySaying—Whatever is good to know is difficult to learn.