it's just the way it is folks

Joesixpack asks--Do you know why the Easter Bunny hides his eggs? It's 'cause he doesn't what folks to know that he's been fooling around with the chickens!

Anyone who has this many pens in his pocket has to be important folks!  MissPerfect  says--I know that I'm important (i.e. really important) but in the end, I will die too.  You are right MissPerfect.  But...but a 100 out of 100 all die.  That's 100%.  It doesn't matter how important you think you are or how rich you are, you are going to die.  It's really not that big of a deal.  Really!  Folks have been dieing forever and forever.  You aren't anything more special than others even though you think maybe you are.  You aren't.  Such is life. 

And the reality is, we and everyone at some point becomes only a memory.  Some folks are a memory for some time and others a memory for a very short time.  And some hardly a memory at all.  Sorry that's reality folks.  ItchieBitchie says--Most all of us (i.e. 100%) all do some good on this earth and all do some bad on this earth (i.e. no matter how great and mighty we think we are).  I read while eating my oatmeal with a half a banana and some blueberries on it--For death is the destiny of every man...no one has the power over the day of his death.  My favorite book of the Bible is Ecclesiastes (i.e. as some of you know that--I read it often).  For many it's a sad, depressing book.  Like it talks about -- Chasing after the wind--nutten matters--everything is meaningless--!!  But...but at the end of the book in 12:13 it says--here is the conclusion of the matter:  Fear God and keep his commandments for this is the whole duty of man (i.e. chief end of man...a far cry from meaningless...our fulfillment).  I like that.  Does than make any sense to ya?

How and what do you remember of folks who have passed away?  But...but we all remember a certain thing about each person. For a little while or maybe for a long time.  Maybe not a lot but maybe something.  You like funerals?  Most folks don't.  It's a very emotional time for most (i.e. especially for the folks who were close to the deceased and especially if you really liked them).  A lot of nice things are usually sad.  If there isn't anything nice to say about the deceased, they just make some stuff up it seems.  As my mentor said--Folks always get better after they die.  A friend (i.e. who has been deceased for many years) said to me--I went to...funeral but I thought I was at the wrong funeral; the preacher said stuff about...which was not the same person that I knew!  I personally wonder when the pastor says--...is now in heaven with his loved ones and they are having a great time.  First, how does the pastor know this person is in heaven (i.e. the pastor is not God) and second, how does anyone know if you will know anyone in heaven.  But it makes folks feel good.  His understanding I can not fathom--God is God--And that's just the way it is. 

LuckieEddie says--Funerals happen every day.  But...but, I don't like to talk about them; that is morbid and depressing.  Is it really.  Funerals are "a big bucks business" folks.  It's expensive to die.  I read in the AZ Republic recently the article titled--Provident planning; Thinking ahead can save on costs related to death.  Death is still a taboo subject for many people...Some think its tacky to try to save on cost...But...but having frank, open and detailed conversations with family members about their preferences well ahead of time can save money and ensure that loved ones' wishes are honored (e.g. why pay for a traditional burial if the deceased wanted cremation?)...In AZ, the average funeral with casket, viewing, memorial service and burial is nearly $4,100 (i.e. this can be much higher when other additions are added)...The average cost of cremations $900.  I hear more of prices like $8,000 to $10,000 in IA.  But...but listen folks, I'm not suggesting that you do anything or nutten.  I'm just saying that this is reality.  Soooo think ahead if you want tooooo.  If you don't want toooo, that's okay tooooo.  Arlene and I discussed, to some degree, what we think we want but...but if we aren't around, I guess the kids can do what they want. 

ItchieBitchie says--Hey, don't worry about death.  It's only death.  Really!  We went to an ASU basketball game this winter.  I asked my buddy what that word was that was painted on the floor (i.e. I never heard of it before).  The word was FEARTHEFORK!  He explained it to me.  Da!  The mascot of ASU is the sun devil sooooo "fear the fork".  Soooooo fear the devil's fork folks could be something to think about.  We use to have a pastor who "the word on the street is" that he believes that everyone was going to heaven; it doesn't matter (i.e. many folks liked his theology--I wonder why).  Soooo you can jump on his band wagon if you want.  Isn't it great to live in America and Canada where you can believe what you want.  BUT decisions have consequences.  Ouchy ouchy! Hey ItchieBitchie, how come you think you know soooo much about death?  You are still alive.  ItchieBitchie says--I can feel it in my bones!  Oh!

It is what it is.  Joesixpack asks--Have you ever caught yourself just spinning in circles?  I read recently in the AZ Republic (i.e. so it must be right)--Leadership is more about humility than personality...Disciplined people who engage in disciplined thought will be great.  It's not personality--it's humility, combined with a ferocious will.  We're advised to spend less time trying to be interesting and more time being interested because the best leaders know it's not about them--it's about the cause.  It's just the way it is folks.  I just read some more advice in the paper.  To get your way just sweeten the deal.  The article was about "the art of negotiating".  It also said--There is no such thing as "this is my final offer"!  Da!!  That's just the way it is folks!  Such is life.

MissPerfect a.k.a the mugrumper says--I can never decide what I believe.  I sorta kinda just change like the wind.  CadillacJack says--Uncertainty and upheaval does cause a pervasive psychological toll.  My Mommy, Anna, always told me--erv, always do what is right! A muckrumper sits on the fence with his mug on one side of it and his rump on the other.  GeorgeTheCrook says--At some point we all need to pick our sides!  Such is life.

Well, Easter is new life for anyone who believes that Jesus Christ is their Saviour.  Anyone who believes that Jesus died on the cross for the forgiveness of our sins and that whoever believes in Jesus will have eternal life (i.e. Christians believe that we are saved by God's grace--now that is sorta kinda hard for the human mind to understand isn't it).  Sooooo if you don't believe that (i.e. a non believer, anyone who doesn't believe in anything, a Jew, of the Islamic faith, of the Judaism faith, or of the Hindu faith), the Christians believe that you are not saved.  That means Easter is no more than a ham dinner, colored eggs, and a bunny.  From a Christian perspective, no faith in Jesus deprives folks of the Joy of Easter (i.e. A New Life a.k.a. The Good News of Easter). 

History says that the Spring equinox was considered the start of the
pagan new year. This was the day of resurrection of the sun god from the underworld of winter. He met his goddess, Eostre (which comes down to us in the words East and Easter), who was a deity of the dawn. She was associated with new life, and many of the traditions of Easter (Easter eggs and rabbits – symbols of fertility) are derived from these ancient pagan rituals and beliefs.  Traditionally, spring has been associated with the start of life. This is the time when the earth wakes up from its sleep (winter) and the world appears to be reborn.  NEW LIFE!

Thataboy!  You did a great job (i.e. you're a 10 on a scale of 1 to 10).  You can't do a better job guy.  Have you ever thought something and then later found out that you were wrong and made a complete ass out of yourself?  A member of the Fountain of the Sun Country Club let the club rent out his cart.  The club told the renter that the cart was in stall 6a so they took it.  The owner of another cart wanted to know where his cart was; it was gone.  I guess what happened was that the cart was in the wrong slot soooo it was taken by the renter by a honest mistake.  The club found his cart; it was on hole 14.  Sooooo he goes out there and gets his cart and gives the renter heck (i.e. was a real jerk) that he took the wrong cart (i.e. the renter did just what he was told to do).  Then the owner says---where are my clubs--there were no clubs on the cart--you stole them (i.e. he went on and on that this old couple stole his clubs).  He made a complete ass out of himself over some old cubs that no would want in the first place.  Sooooo he goes home madder than hops.  He gets home and finds out that his clubs fell off his cart (i.e. he didn't have his hearing aids turned up high enough to hear them fall off) and they were laying on the drive.  Now that is making an ass out of yourself folks. 

FancyPantsCarol says--I am not wearing a diaper, so don't try to change me erv!  Hey, listen FancyPantsCarol, I'm not trying to change you.  And besides, I can't change you.  You only can change if you want to or if a miracle happens to you (i.e. you might have to click on the comic to enlarge sooo you can read it).  We all have come to a fork in our path and have to decide which path we are going to take (i.e. very few of us have a talking donkey, a burning bush, a cairns showing us we are on the right path or a voice coming out of a bright light telling us which path to take.  Do we take the high road, the path less traveled or what?  And those paths have consequences folks.  At least for me they did and do.  Such is life.

My sister, Myrt, send us an Easter card.  She wrote in it--The message of Easter is so promising for us as believers!  And I say--I guarantee you that ain't no bull!  LuckieEddie says--Yabut Tiger Woods in his new Nike ad says--Winning takes care of everything! 

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

erv

MyFriendJean says--The diamond cannot be polished without friction, nor man, perfected without trials.

PS  If you have a minute, check out this little, funny video (i.e. there are maybe four short ones--the two about the chicks are the ones about new life   http://www.flixxy.com/michael-carbonaro-the-magic-clerk.htm#.UTwOkqWVdOQ  I think they are really funny.