black box

ItchieBitchie says--Since light travels faster than sound, erv, you appear bright until I hear you speak through your writings. ItchieBitchie, you just have another Bloody Mary and you will be ok my friend.  When England’s King Henry VIII broke with the Roman Catholic Church, England became officially Protestant. When his daughter, Mary, succeeded him on the English throne, she returned the nation to Catholicism and began a purge of Protestant “heretics.” Over 300 Protestants were martyred in England during the five years of Mary’s reign as queen of England—thus her sobriquet, “Bloody Mary.” OneSmartMan said--How many folks have been killed through the ages over religion, religious traditions, religious customs, religious beliefs and faith and money and power and Bloody Marys?  GeorgeTheCrook says--War does not determine who is right - only who is left.  

I read this while eating my oatmeal with a half a banana on it--According to a report this year by NPR and the Harvard School of Public Health, more than 63 percent of Americans are battling stress, and a significant number describe their stress as “great.” The report suggested that some of us have become addicted to stress. We’ve become so conditioned to stress we don’t know what to do with ourselves if we’re not insanely busy. The study suggested our busyness may be a way of distracting ourselves from how unsatisfied we inwardly feel with life. Ouchy ouchy!

When a plane goes down, they always search for the "black box" to try to find out what went wrong.  It contains much information as to what the situation was sooooo they can try to prevent a tragedy in the future.  Sooo what does your "black box" reveal about your Christmas? SusieQ says--Some folks seem to revel in gift numbers and sizes and cost of them.  Other don't.  Some are still trying to force a secular peg into a religious hole. CadillacJack says--Many times we know what the right stuff is but still don't do it. We like to cherry-pick our actions to escalate our egos. Ouchy ouchy!

GeorgeTheCrook says--True giving is encouraging.  We often think of giving in terms of tangible objects, but sometimes the most valued gifts are kind, timely words.  I read this while eating my oatmeal with a half a banana on it--Pleasant words are a honycomb, sweet to the soul and healing to the bones.  Huh, interesting.

Her black box!  Last Sunday at church I was asked to help some elderly off the church bus and into church.  I helped a gal who was maybe 85 or 90 who couldn't walk very well.  I held Lois' hand and we walked into church together.  I asked her if she liked Christmas--Very much; my husband was raised on a tobacco farm in NC and never knew Christmas.  When we got married I had the opportunity to teach him all about Christmas; it was sooooo exciting and he enjoyed the Christmas experience soooooo much.  Huh, interesting.

We lite our candle and watched National Lapoon Christmas Vacation on
Chrismas Eve after church.  It makes me laugh every time I watch it.  Our black box will show that we spent Christmas day very laid back.  We slept late, laid around, I went for a run up in 'em 'er mountain, we went for a walk, and out for dinner in the evening. We will remember it I think (i.e. that was a different experience for us on Christmas day).  Not bad but just different.

 We will be flying to Morrison, CO for the New Year's weekend where all our family will meet.  Next Saturday's "It's Saturday" won't come until Sunday.  My mobile devices, our childrens' mobile devices and James and Heather lab top and desk computer are Apple products.  Apple products are not compatible with blogspot management nor can I use my "group contact email list". We will be back in AZ on Sunday and will use my lap top which is Microsoft.  As Eddie said--Bingo!

Smarty pants phones and earbuds! Well, probably for many of you, your kids, grand kids and great grand kids are probably now all back home.  I hope you all had a great family Christmas get-to-gather.  You old-times probably have seen enough of those "smarty-pants phone and earbuds.  I had a couple here in Sun Valley tell me--We aren't going back for Christmas next year.  The grand kids spend all their time on those "smarty-pants phones and earbuds", then they open their gifts and then leave.  Joeblow says--Having tooooo much stuff is an American plague.  It promotes older folks to become "hoarders" a.k.a. pack rats. Hoarders see themselves as frugal, not nuts. Ohmygoodness! Ohmygoodness!  Ohmygoodness! I'm not talking about any of you guys!  Really, even if you think sooooo. You just received another coffee mug that says "you are the greatest grand parent of all time."  You put it in the cupboard with the other 14. I guess the kids will throw them in the dumpster when you die.  Yes, we have just exited the season of massive consumption, weeks of shopping and now we can think about all our stuff. God knows we have a lot of stuff!  Such is life.

I read in the paper soooo it must be right that the number of Americans who are considered fat is increasing.  It says Americans are also slothful and indolent and lazy!  AZ-Joe--Who me?  Ya, AZ-Joe, that is what your black box says and it doesn't lie. Saturday question--How much did you spend for Christmas?  How much do you have on credit?  Don't feel bad if you have a lot on credit cards.  You are only doing what your "big daddy" teaches you.  I read it in the paper so it must be right that the U.S. has $61 trillion debt--China $1.27 trillion, Japan $1.22 trillion and Belgium $353.9 billion.  If Uncle Sam can do it you surely can tooooo.  It must be good business.  Sucker! WildWillie says--There are a record 75 million Boomers born between 1946 and 1964.  They first played by the rules, then broke the rules, then made new rules.  Boomers grew up in a time when they thought crap didn't happen. Ouchy ouchy!

LuckieEddie--Are you puzzled?  Puzzled as to where your future is going?  What's going to show up in your black box? LuckieEddie responds--I'm just selective about the reality I accept! The black box can only tell you where you screwed up not where you are going to screw up LuckieEddie. ItichieBitichie says--Sometimes you have to look reality in the eye and deny it! I tell ya, I'm not confused; I tell ya I'm not!  I read this while eating my oatmeal with half a banana on it--Ever since the Garden of Eden, people have preferred making up alternative versions of reality instead of dealing with the truth (i.e. denial ain't a river in Egypt folks!). Then, quite often, they blame someone else--She made me do it!  BUT the truth always wins out.  Abraham Lincoln once said--You can fool some of the folks some of time, some of the folks all the time but not all the folks all the time. 

Dr. Seuss once advised, "You've got brains in your head.  You have feet in your shoes.  You can steer yourself in any direction you choose."  

Find a good mentor and then listen to them and pattern your life after them.  That is my suggestion.  Kids don't usually listen to advice of their parents but sometimes will listen to someone else.  Sometimes we are prone to say to a person who loves to rebel and do wrong things, “Go ahead. But remember you’ll pay for it someday.” We really don’t want them to “go ahead.” But we know that young people often won’t listen to advice. Only hard experience can teach them one day to accept the right way. King Solomon (i.e. maybe the wisest man ever) said--Advice to the young essentially falls into this kind of thinking. He encourages folly with a warning: “Your sin will lead to destruction.” Solomon also advises the young to be careful in their thoughts and actions. If they refuse, their later years will be years of mental strife and regret. Ouchy ouchy!  Does this make any since to ya? We all get to make the decisions and decisions have consequences.  Such is life.

Hey, that looks like my bike! AnOldIowaPickleballer says--All Burritos aren't the same sooooo pick a good one.  If a mentor is good, it will show.  No question folks. Soooooo find a good mentor and mimic him/her. I want to learn how to swim properly (i.e. gracefully).  I can swim but I look like a dieing frantic dog.  The other day I went to the hot tub after a good workout.  There was a guy swimming in the pool (i.e. maybe 78).  He came to the hot tube and sat next to me. I asked him if he would teach me to swim.  Sure he said.  The first thing, do you know how to breath?--of course I do, I have been doing it for 69 years--no no, I mean when you swim--well, I just take a deep breath and when I need more air I blow it our and inhale--you got to learn to breath normally when swimming; in hale and genitally exhale when your are under the water; we can practice that here in the the hot tub.  Soooo we inhaled and put our heads in the water and exhaled.  We did this several times.  He left and said I was to practice and he would help me more some other time.  Sooooooo, recently I was in the hot tub again and there was no folks in the pool or hot tub.  I practiced inhaling and putting my head in the water blowing bubbles during my exhale.  I did this for maybe 3 minutes.  I looked up and there were two children maybe 8 and 10 watching me (i.e. probably here to see their grandparents for Christmas).  I bet they told their parents--You can't believe what we saw, we saw an old fart in the hot tub blowing bubbles!!!  Such is life.

The goodies were good but the thought was even better!  Oh ya! ExtraordinaryJoe says--Be a "humblerookie"!  When you are a " humblerookie", you give yourself permission to be silly, naive, hopeful, excited and fun. You can just act dumb and folks will accept it no matter what age you are.  Sooooo be a "humblerookie" and enjoy life. Don't try to impress folks; you can't really impress most folks  You are just fooling yourself.  I was with a gal recently that really tried to impress me (i.e. not a real person in my opinion).  She didn't impress me.  She did make me laugh though (i.e. I laughed at her).  She was a snowbird trying to be a showbird! My mentor use to say--Folks buy gifts for folks they don't want with money they don't have to impress folks they don't like.  We received a gift from a friend recently that was really neat.  The gift was given very nicely and with the right motive (i.e. given wholeheartedly and not grudgingly).  It was touching to me.  AverageJoe says--Give a gift to someone and you will receive the biggest gift.  I realize that a lot of you folks have given many gifts to folks who don't know you were the givers. You are good folks with good hearts; my kind of folks.  Coca-Cola says--Make someone happy and you'll be happy too! Such is life.

Maybe 15 years ago I asked a friend/client who was about 80 if he would tell me something about him that no one else knew about him. John's generation didn't share much ever.  He said--You will think I'm bragging.  No John, I won't and no one else will know except you and I.  Sooooo he told me a couple of stories of him.  We cried together. I asked him if he told his wife.  No.  You should I told him.  I asked him if I could write them out and give them to his family when he died.  He said I could.  John just died at the age of 94.  Before we left for AZ, I visited with John and we again talked about the stories he told me.  I asked him if he told his wife--I did after you suggested I should.  Here is one of his stories (i.e. printed with his families' permission).  John age 22 in the year 1944.  New Guinea--The company arrived and had a weekend pass.  They all came back except Private Funk; he went AWOL.  John really didn't know him as he was in the 4th Platoon and Funk was in the 1st.  They were shipped out and as they were about ready to go into combat when Private Funk shows up.  He was put in the brig but was reinstated and forgiven, as every man was needed for war.  On day just before John left for patrol, John's sergeant, Bush from Grand Rapids, MI (i.e. John's good friend) received a letter from his wife telling him that he was a daddy to a little girl.  Sergeant Bush read the letter over and over and over; he was so proud.  That night Private Funk came back from patrol and told John that they ran into a machine gun fire and 3 guys were wounded and 2 were killed. One of the solders killed was Sergeant Bush.  Private Funk said to John--Do you see this red mark on my forehead?  I was grassed by a bullet.  John, I'm like you now; I fell face to the ground John and accepted Jesus Christ as my Lord and Savior; I'm a Christian like you John.  John told me this with tears running down his checks and just was shaking.  John said--I never told Funk I was a Christian.  That night mortar commander John and Private Funk went on patrol and they ran into enemy resistance and Private Funk was killed.

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

erv

MyFriendJean says--Tact is the ability to close your mouth before someone else wants to.  

jingle jingle

Are you a goobler? Maybe the greatest gift is a friend, I mean a friend who is real.  Not the fakey type like DuaneTheWorm who only thinks about himself.  Be what you is Not what you ain't Cause when you is what you ain't You ain't what you is.  WorldClassLarry says—A friend does what is right rather than what is popular with their peer group. A good friend is jingle jingle. MissPerfect, you are a big question. When all the chickens come home to roost, it’s a coin flip as to how you will react!  Ouchy ouchy! 

Jingle jingle! A good friend gives you the opportunity a.k.a. gift to talk without talking about themselves (i.e. tooting their own horn or "one uping" ya).  I have learned that.  Folks need an opportunity to express themselves.  Good friends build you up and not tear you down.  Even when things aren't going well (i.e. especially when things aren’t going well).  Jingle jingle!

Jingle jangle! What in the world!  Maybe many will never truly understand Christmas as Christians do.  Why? Because they look for an explanation "in the world" and it's not "in the world”. Jingle jingle! Could be! The world's secular capitalistic systems doesn’t always agree with Christians’ meaning and feelings (i.e. can be a conflict here even in the minds of Christians). Why? Christmas is not about money or violence or sex or gutter sensationalism or bad news (i.e. our worldly daily news diet).  Christmas is maybe not of the world.  It's not jingle jangle. It’s about the Good News folks.  What in the world! Ya, that belief is maybe “out of this world” for many.  It’s foreign and crazy to many.  For many, it’s all about the money folks. Jingle jangle!

Einstein once said--Before God we are all equally wise---and equally foolish.

Jingle jingle! A young child said to me recently (i.e. said it out of the blue)—My daddy doesn’t believe in God.  I waited for a short time and asked this young child—Do you believe in God? Yes I do. 

Have you ever been lost (i.e. like should I go right or left)?  Or maybe should I believe in the this Baby Jesus at Christmas or not?  CharlieTheBagpiper says--I play many gigs.  Recently I was asked by a funeral director to play at a graveside service for a homeless man.  He had no family or friends, so the service was to be at a pauper's cemetery in the back country.  As I was not familiar with the back woods, I got lost and, being a typical man, I didn't stop for directions.  I finally arrived an hour late and saw the funeral guy had evidently gone and the hearse was nowhere in sight.  There were only the diggers and crew left and they were eating lunch.  I felt badly and apologized to the men for being late.  I went to the side of the grave and looked down and the vault lid was already in place.  I didn't know what else to do, so I starred to play.  The workers put down their lunches an began to gather around.  I played out my heart and soul for this man with no family and friends.  I played like I've never played before for this homeless man.  And as I played "Amazing Grace", the workers began to weep.  They wept, I wept, we all wept together.  When I finished, I packed up my bagpipes and started for my car.  Though my head was hung low, my heart was full.  As I opened the door to my car, I heard one of the workers says, "I've  never seen anything like that before, and I've been putting in septic tanks for twenty years."  Apparently, I'm lost.........it's a man thing.

I went to get a gallon of reverse osmosis water (i.e. 25 cents).  I think the coffee tastes better (i.e. maybe it just in my head but soooo what if it makes me happy).  It was about 7 in the morning and the sun was coming up.  Just beautiful.  I walked the last few blocks back to our house with a gal.  She told me that she gets up at 4:30 every morning.  I told her she didn't have to do that, you're retired.  She said she has done that all her life.  She is 80 and was from Holland, MI but now lives with her kids here in the Fountain of the Sun.  She told me that she has raised 8 kids.  Was pregnant with #8 when her husband left her.  It was hard with no child support from him.  Soooo how did you do it?  What do you think--welfare.  I asked her--are you a God fearing person.  I sure am.  I would have never got through life without God.  

"Memory is deceptive, colored by today's events," Albet Einstein once observed. A OneSmartPerson told me once—Eye witnesses are not accurate.  You can have 5 eye witnesses and they might all have seen different things.  It’s very common. A video is much more valid.  Eye witnesses sometimes make up stuff that isn’t even right (i.e. for many different reasons).  I read in the paper soooo it must be right—Some witnesses said Michael Brown had been shot in the back.  Another said he was facedown on the ground when Office Darren Wilson “finished him off.”  Still others acknowledged changing their stories to fit published details about the autopsy or admitted that they did not see the shooting at all…some statements made were inconsistent, fabricated or probably wrong.  Soooo what account of Christmas do you believe? The jingle jingle or the jingle jangle?

In the hot tub the other night, I met Ed and Gene.  The are adamant equestrians.  They ride like 4 days a week.  I found out that Gene was from up state NY and HonestHorseTraderEd was from IA.  Found out that Ed is from Hampton (i.e. about 35 miles from my home town of Aplington).  Sooooo they invited me to go horse back riding with them up in 'em 'er mountains.  They say they have a horse for me to ride.  His name is Killer!  

Saturday question—Will your Christmas be a jingle jingle or a crucible? I hope Christmas encourages you to don a Stetson and do a do-si-do with someone! I read in the paper (i.e. soooo it must be right) that gooblers are folks who know their neighbors need help and don’t do anything about it.  Ouchy ouchy! BigHeartedJudy says--Most gooblers die like a lot of old wild west gun slingers—face down in the dirt!

Christmas is simply remarkable or is Christmas remarkably simple? I read this while eating my oatmeal with a half a banana on it--We can’t comprehend the evil and calamity in the world. Tragedies deeply upset and depress us, but they also represent a poignant reminder. Take every opportunity to cherish your loved ones. If you’re peeved with a family member, forgive them. If you’ve neglected them, give them a call. If you’ve rebelled against your dad or mom, go home with the humble attitude of a repentant prodigal. If you’ve been tense with your kids, give them an extra hug. If you live far away, work harder to stay in touch. Whatever it takes, take care of your family as well as you can. It’s at the core of God’s plan and provision for the world. 

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

Merry Christmas to all our family, friends and acquaintances. We are very appreciative of our relationships with you.  Very!  May God bless you all.  Even those of you who don't believe in Jesus as your Savior.  God still loves you. Yes He does.

erv and Arlene

MyFriendJean says--Life is 10% what you make it and 90% how you take it.

ain't what she use to be

Disclaimer! This It’s Saturday might be “much to do about nutten” sooo get your mind set ready.  Chill out!  Joesixpack says—erv, you need to chatter a lot less, perform a lot more!  Get with it!  Hey listen folks, my neigbhor’s Christmas lights get in my eyes and that affects my thinking!  Joesixpack says--erv, you need to edit what you say and how your say it or you will never get elected to political office!  Ok, I realize that I might just be speaking Dutch to some of you folks! Such is life.

Up-tics! Christmas is an "up-tic" for many!  The "up-tic" can be created by small things, big things or some of each.  Maybe it’s how we perceive what is happening.  Or how we appreciate things.  Or what we know and feel.  Or how we make others feel.  Or maybe how others make us feel.  "Automaker Henry Ford asked electrical genius Charlie Steinmetz to build the generators for his factory. One day the generators ground to a halt, and the repairmen couldn't find the problem.  So Ford called Steinmetz, who tinkered with the machines for a few hours and then threw the switch. The generators whirred to life--but Ford got a bill for $10,000 from Steinmetz.  Flabbergasted, the rather tightfisted car maker inquired why the bill was so high. Steinmetz's reply: For tinkering with the generators, $10. For knowing where to tinker, $9,990. Ford paid the bill.

Wow, that was powerful stuff!  That is what I heard a lady say to two other ladies as they were leaving church last Sunday.  I arrived at church at the same time as some friends from previous years.  It was soooo good to see them again.  They invited me to sit with them.  These are good folks with good hearts (i.e. my kind of folks).  They made me feel, oh sooooo good. John's message was a lot more than "scratch where it itches" for obtaining the "wanted" Christmas happiness!  

The upside-down of  Christmas—humility vs. materialism.  Now that is always a battle it seems.  CrazyMarvin says--I can be humble one minute and be materialist the next.  I can turn it on and turn if off it seems (i.e. even when I don’t want tooooo).  It’s a battle for me folks.  Come on CrazyMarvin, it’s Christmas, relax and just enjoy.  Ok ok!  What will it take for me to “punch your ticket” to make everything good for you?  Tell me.  I want to know.  Your wish is my command sweetiepie. 

Give doctor the correct information!  I hear situations where folks don’t tell the doctor all the information.  In fact, I hear that this is one of the biggest problems of treating folks.  The doctors can’t do a good job if they don’t have all the information.  I know an old gray stallion who is a caregiver.  He told me he likes to get up early in the morning and just be alone.  He says he prays a lot and listens a lot and prays a lot and mediates a lot etc (i.e. giving the Doctor the correct information). 

Santa Claus will come and…Politicians keep spurring the old gray mare.  The Senate race in our area was really entertaining to me.  Funny!  One candidate says--It’s time to raise the minimum wage and I can do it. Like a junior politician from Iowa is going to do that. Santa Claus will come and give you a free BMW before that will happen folks.  Come on, Da!  That’s funny to me.  And how dumb do they think us seniors are anyway.  I mean—Saying that my opponent will get rid of Social Security!  Da!  No serious modern politician is going to take social security away from the seniors (i.e. they will never get re-elected).  Come on! Obviously they don’t think we are very smart. BUT there is a serious problem with that mentality.  That being – We are telling our leaders-- Don’t you dare address sensitive issues if you want to stay in office.  For the politicians, it’s all about getting elected or re-elected (i.e. it's all about the moolay and power folks).  ItchieBitchie asks—Is that why they call it politics?  SlickFred says--It appears to me that politicians sorta kinda vary from questionable to down right crocked. Such is life.

I’m not saying she’s an old gray mare folks.  Oh no!  She does have gray hair and is 85 here in a couple of days.  She is our one-eyed house checker!  Yep, she is a widow who lives sorta kinda kin corner across from our house.  We put a thermometer in the window and give her our binoculars and she checks the temperature in our house each day.  She is a very nice lady (i.e. a real person with a good heart—my kind of person).  ANYWAY before I left, we had a nice conversation.  She told me that when she was a kid, her three brothers and her got one Christmas present for all of them.  Once it was a sled, once it was a bike (i.e. girls bike so they all could use it) and one year her father gave them a neck scarf (i.e. more of a present for her).  She said they were always excited about their gift.  One present was enough.  We didn’t know any different. Wow! How things have changed. 

Basement grads!  Basement grads are the one-third of millennials (i.e. ages 18-31) who, because of the economy’s sluggishness in the sixth year of recovery, are living with their parents.  The basement grads want to spend a lot of $$$ at Christmas (i.e. they love giving gifts) but they don’t have any money other than their parents’.  They wear big hats but have no cattle.  Ouchy ouchy!  They just can’t understand why they can’t spend more!  It’s Christmas! BasementGradNina says—MyExhaustedVolcanoDad just doesn't understand.  Da!  BasementGradMaggie says—I know what I need and I need it now; I love Christmas.  I think, Maggie, I just gave you a shot to the belly even if you don’t know it.  Such is life.

We recently talked to a gal who was going to get married.  She is 30 years old with a 9 year old child. She is excited.  She told us she has raised her child by herself.  It has been hard but she has done it.  But, she said—I would never been able to do it without all the help of my parents and my grand parents.  I’m really happy for her and wish her the very best.  She’s marring a "stripped whistler" sooooo she should be ok. I was in the hot tub after a good run when a guy came in.  He was Ken from Pierre, SD.  He fishes a lot on the Missouri River and Lake Ohae.  He asked where I was from.  Soooo erv, are you a "stripped whistler"? "Stripped whistler" I asked, what's that?  They are IA farmers who come to our area and fish.  They seem to all have stripped bib overhauls on and are always whistling soooooo we all call them "stripped whistlers" in our parts.  Huh, interesting.

JoeBlow says—‘Tis better to receive than to give!  Or is it the opposite?  It’s one way or the other I think!  I’m a little confused.  LuckieEddie says--Don’t let Christmas do that to ya JoeBlow. The Christmas ad says--A Christmas kiss begins at Kay.  AverageJoe says--I seem to have pretty good luck with a six-pack of Bud.  And it's a lot cheaper. You old timers might relate more to mistletoe now that you aren't into beer drinking as much as when you were younger (i.e. some of you anyway).  The directions on box of mistletoe says-Remove from box, place strategically, stand underneath and wait patiently.  I remember my Mom, Anna, would always have mistletoe under the doorway from the kitchen to the living room. I don't remember how much kissing went on though!

The old gray mare ain’t what she use to be.  She use to be, when she was 7, soooo exited about Christmas.  She still might be excited but not the same way.  Maybe she is just excited about different things.  When she was a kid, she was soooo excited that she couldn’t keep a secret what dad was buying mom for Christmas.  She just couldn’t wait.  Sooooo she would spill the beans as she was just soooooo excited.  We have learned that confidentiality is soooooo important but that Christmas excitement of a child is soooooo much fun.  Jill complained to Nina, "Rosey told me that you told her the secret I told you not to tell her." "Well," replied Nina in a hurt tone", I told her not to tell you I told her." "Oh dear!" sighed Jill.  "Well, don't tell her I told you that she told me". That is not confidentiality folks.  That sounds like girl talk at the card table! 

Hikin'and runnin' in 'em 'er mountains!  I try to watch my every step while hiking and running up in 'em 'er mountains.  I don't want to twist an ankle or worse yet, stumble and fall (e.g. face plant).  BUT when I have my head down (i.e. like a powerful running back who has his head right above his shoe tops), I miss a lot of the beauty around me.  I wonder if I do that at Christmas and in my general life.  I wonder!  Maybe I need to stop and look around.  Maybe!  

ItchieBitchie says--It's a lot easier to pull someone down than to lift someone up! Soooo, even though it is hard, try to lift someone up this Christmas.  And don't let someone pull you down.  I wonder how King Solomon did all his shopping for his women at Christmas.  He had 300 wives and 700 concubines.  I wonder if he just gave them all the same gift (i.e. got a deal on line with free shipping).  I bet he liked some better than others.  I  bet they got nicer gifts.  I bet Christmas was a pain for him to keep all them woman happy. I bet he got a little giddy at Christmas (i.e. I bet he got posted up like raisin brand--someone using a big boy move by someone wearing big girl panties).  CadillacJack says--Christmas is a marketing law; TV says we have to abide by it.

Physical exercise! Doing some physical exercise encourages me.  It helps my mindset.  For the most part, we are a lot tougher than we think.  Christmas can come in many guises.  Some can cloud our judgement.  Some can energize us. Be careful that we don't get the IED--Intermittent Explosive Disorder.  IED is when we respond disproportionate to a real or perceived situation (e.g. road rage) at Christmas. SusieQ says--Instead, be a person's hype person.  Even if you have to head butt them to get their attention.  Do not be afraid, take courage and you will see what our God will do for you.

A Dutchman once said--Life occurs between two great events, moving from moment to moment between birth to death. One way to look at those moments is to see them as chance or luck. We are born by chance, living with bad luck or good luck, and dying when our luck runs out. Another way is to see life’s moments as a plan from God. We have the opportunity by faith to live all our moments under God’s Word and by his ways. Enjoy Christmas moment by moment. Our grand kids say-At Christmas, manipulating grandparents is like shooting fish in a barrel (i.e. that's a foregone conclusion). There ain't no luck involved.

Don't count your chickens before they're hatched!  In 1881 five outlaws stole gold and silver worth $125,000 from a stagecoach east of Flagstaff.  A posse tracked down and killed the robbers, but the loot was not found until 32 years later in 1913.  A man named Short Jimmy McGuire claimed he'd discovered it and showed gold coins as proof.  He began toasting his good luck in a Flagstaff saloon and suddenly fell over, dead from a heart attack, without revealing where the rest of the treasure was.  To this day, it's location remains a mystery.

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

erv

MyFriendJean says--It is not the ship in the water but the water in the ship that sinks it.

wrapped up in Christmas

Nut-en new! This “It’s Saturday” is not a big, new headline but this year's Christmas might be for some of you.  Ding Dong! Soooo pull up your underwear and lets get do some talkin'!

Richard, we didn’t expect you at our family Christmas party.  What a surprise.  Sooooo is Riahard a good surprise or bad surprise?  IthcieBitchie says—Christmas is a time to forget and forgive.  MissPerfect says—I don’t think sooooo!  The Richards can make a rather topserturve Christmas family get-to-gather.  Oh ya!

SusieQ says—We wish we could have an annoying relative table!  MissPerfect says—I just don’t know to handle this Christmas situation.  Sooo when the kids bring their friends home for Christmas, do we let them sleep together in our house?  And another problem I have, how do you handle our obnoxious bother-in-law?

It’s the buzz!  At Thanksgiving when we were eating breakfast, I asked little Jimmer and Erin what they wanted to be when they grew up—Dark Vader and a doctor. SusieQ says--It’s always fun to see the kids and grand kids when they are small.  They bring excitement to Christmas that only they can bring. Then as they get older they bring girl friends and boy friends home for the holidays which is fun tooooo. I remember asking my Mom, Anna, what she thought of Arlene after the first time I brought her home.  She said—She sure can eat a lot for a little girl.  My Mom loved her right from the start.  Bingo. 

ItchieBitchie says--Live Christmas in control.  The opposite is out of control (i.e. a circus Christmas).  Coscer Wilde said—I can resist anything except temptation.  I don’t know for sure but resisting temptation could be the reason why you will sooooo much enjoy Christmas.  I don’t know! I read it in the paper, soooo it must be right--Research has proven that one of the most effective life extenders in rats is caloric restriction. If the rats are always kept hungry and given little to eat, they lived twice as long as rats that are given all they wanted to eat. Huh, interesting.  CadillacJack say--It works that way with things other than food tooooooo!  Soooo if you are vexed during the season (i.e. not jolly), it’s time to turn the caravan around folks.

Movin’on!  As we left Morrison, Colorado early last Sunday morning, we could see some of the lights of Denver below us. I thought about the many people who passed through Denver in hopes of striking it rich in the Rocky Mountains. Then we went on south through cowboy towns of Pueblo and Trinidad. Now those are cowboy towns. Then on our way we passed Santa Fe. I thought about the Santa Fe Train Line, and the Santa Trail. Santa Fe is a very beautiful city with all the Adobe buildings. Then on to Albuquerque. Albuquerque is just Albuquerque. Then on to Gallup. I always think Gallup should look different than what it does. From Gallup on west we go through a lot of little towns of Indian names. They are all part of the reservations and each one of them seems to have a casino. Northern Arizona is higher elevation and there is more pines and scrub brush. Then we enter into the mountain area which is just beautiful. Then descend down from the mountains into desert high lands and eventually start down into Sun Valley as the sun is setting. It Is just beautiful. When we get to the valley floor, it just plain feels good as it is about 70°. I like it here! It fits me very well.

Saturday question--Are you folks rioters and looters?  What kind of folks are you?  Do we stereotype rioters and looters?  GeorgeTheCrook says—If I would break into a store, loot and then burn the store down, it wouldn’t be a Dollar General.  Soooo do we have different stereotypes for folks who think of Christmas differently than we do?  Do actions of certain groups of folks just enhance our opinions? 

Dr.David (i.e. everyone listens to a Doctor) says--Ask almost any waiter, waitress, or server and they'll tell you: They dread the Sunday after-church crowd. Perhaps it's undeserved, but many churchgoers have the reputation of being demanding and stingy. Somehow, we have gotten a bad name in the restaurant community, at least on Sundays. What!  Sooo I have asked several waitresses about that statement.  They say, that’s pretty much right.  What!

“Elephant in the room”! I read it in the paper soooo it must be right!  It says—Liberals really do believe the ends justify the means more than the moderates and the conservatives (i.e. is that a positive statement or a negative statement?).  OleFromMN says to his wife Lena—The Gophers don’t have the good fortunate to “select” their football players but they need to “recruit” them (i.e. it’s cold and snowy in MN).  AZ does not have to recruit snowbirds to come; they just seem to come. Da!  Ole’sNeighborRepucblicanBusinessManLewis says—MN liberalism recruits a lot of folks.  Oh ya!  He also said--How can MN elect Al Franken for senate and then re-elect him for another term?  One native, smart Gopher from the northern cold, snowy state says—Minnesotians can be goofy! MilkingManOle says—Yabut, the milk price is high.  Lewis says—‘Cause they are subsidized! Ole asks—What are subsides anyway?  It’s Christmas in MN.  Ole says--Franken for president in 2016!  Have I seen this “ business model” before?  I think sooooo folks.  But, it’s a great election manipulator.  Folks just seem to love it.  LuckieEddie says—How can you not vote for a person who promises to give you everything you want.  That attitude is a little topsy-turvy LuckieEddie. Such is life.

WorldClassLarry says--Christmas time is a time “to help the needy”.  It's third down and long for some folks! I think most folks would agree with those statements. The problem lies in deciding who the needy are.  We might have to consult with Santa as a strategist on that question.  I asked the office manager of our dentist if they do Medicaid work—ya, on a limited number; we can’t afford to do toooo many; and the bureaucracy that goes with it is huge massive.  We get folks who come in here who can’t afford to pay the $3 co-pay but tell me they just got their nails none for $70.  And they get out of a $40,000 vehicle with two dogs in it.  Soooo who is the needy?  Sometimes, that is a tough question folks.  Yabut it’s Christmas time.  Booyah!

Help me here folks.  I have observed the number of men who put their arm around their woman in our home church.  It’s interesting to me.  SusieQ says--Come on erv, you need to pay more attention to what the pastor is saying.  Maybe sooo but why do some guys do that and others don’t?  I don’t have a clue.  Is that a custom?  Do more older guys do that than younger guys?  Do some guys love their woman more than others.  One of the last Sundays we were home, I saw 6 guys in our little church had their arms around their woman.  Maybe they are trying to get out of dog house.  Maybe it’s almost Christmas.  I don’t know.  What do you think? I don’t see them do it at a football game.  Maybe it’s a church thing.  Could be!

My most favorite time of the year.  I think there is a song that goes something like that.  It can be a very fun time of the year for many reasons.  I like Christmas.  Children really like Christmas.  They should.  But it is not “the most favorite time of the year” for many.  There are a lot of reasons for that.  CadillacJack, you say it’s your most favorite time of the year but you don’t really look like it is.  What’s up?! JoeBlow says—We all don’t hear the same things at Christmas.  Why?  Well, we have all been programmed differently genetically and by our past experiences.  And our current situations are all different. Such is life.

Maybe I got some bad turkey at Thanksgiving or maybe my stomach is just upset from how some folks act at the Christmas season.  Do you think there is a correlation between excessive facebook users and folks who need an excessive numbers of gifts (i.e. even excessive expensive gifts) at Christmas?  SusieQ says—Is that a serious question erv?  SusieQ, would I kid you?  SusieQ says—erv, you’re cat to be kitten me. Right! Meow! 

Mechanical! Have you ever ridden a mechanical bull?  I have not.  It’s not a real bull but just mechanical, artificial, fake.  And that ain’t no bull! I wonder if Christmas can be mechanical at times for some (i.e. what is Christmas all about).  I wonder.  I mean like folks do all the right things but it’s artificial to just get it over.  Have you ever had a boss who was mechanical?  I mean he/she said—Work hard and do what is right and then he/she doesn’t do what he/she preaches.  How about a leader who is mechanical.  Actually some folks like mechanical leaders.  That way they don’t have to really do anything that he/she preaches ‘cause the leader doesn’t.  It makes life a lot easier.  It’s just a mechanical process.  How about being a parent?  How about being a true friend?  How about being a good spouse?

It's getting to be the time to wrap the presents.  As a person, how are you wrapped? Joesixpack says--A person all wrapped up in himself makes a very small package (i.e. a sign we are not Spirit-filled). Ouchy ouchy!  I have a pickleball buddy who is a 4.5 or 5 rated (i.e. that is very good).  I really enjoy playing with him and also being around him.  The other day, another pickleball buddy said to me--He's really good and is humble about it.  Now that is a great compliment.  I passed this compliment on to him (i.e. I hope he doesn't get the big head now ha ha).  My Daddy, Chester, would say to me--erv, if you are good, you don't have to tell anyone, they will know!

ItichieBitchie says—Soooo during this Christmas season, talk the talk or walk the walk or walk the talk?  I’m toooo dumb and lazy to really work to dig out the difference.  In Shakespeare's "Richard III," one of the hired killers says, "Fear not, my lord, we will not stand to prate; Talkers are no good doers: be assured. We come to use our hands and not our tongues."

AverageJoe says-- It's not an easy task for folks to find themselves heading into the holidays when there's little joy in their lives.  I feel for those folks. 

MissPerfect says--It doesn’t take wealth to be generous. It takes a tender heart. We have chances for generosity in front of us daily. I saw a pickleball buddy do something really neat this week.  After we got done playing, she went over to a guy who was watching and spent some time with him.  He has dementia.  This gal has a generous good heart (i.e. and is also a very good pickleball player). She has a good heart (i.e. my kind of person).  

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

erv

MyFriendJean says--A clean conscience is a soft pillow.

wish wish wish

SusieQ says--Christmas can be bamboozling folks.  Sooooo be careful.  It can get in your head.  SusieQ, I hate to tell you, but you are very venerable and you don’t even know it.  Ho Ho Ho!  AverageJoe says--Be careful from whom you get your advice. Make sure they are where you want to go or at least headed there. For sooner or later, their advice will take you where they are. Make sure you want to go there.

Cheap Advice—Last Saturday a couple of friends and I went out for breakfast. They happen to be both farmers.  I asked them if they get good advice at the grain elevator (i.e. farmers like to go there and talk).  They said the advice they get there isn’t the truth; farmers lie a lot; at least only tell half truths.ha ha They don’t share many of their things that work.  Surely don’t share any of the things that don't work for them. What!  FarmerHendrick says--They do that on purpose to impress each other or something like that! ha ha  Such if life.

Self evaluation seems to be soooo hard to do, at least objectively.  Sometimes we are tooooo hard on ourselves and sometimes we aren’t hard enough.  I read the book Wild by Cheryl Strayed (i.e. suggested to me by my couzLois).  Here is a little of it—Why hadn’t I thought of that?  Of ripping the guide book into sections?  Because I was a big fat idiot and I didn’t know what the hell I was doing, that’s why. And I was alone in the wilderness with a beast of a load to carry while finding that out…I have been a arrogant asshole and, in the midst of that, my mother died...It's reality.  And reality is what we have to accept, like it or not. Saturday question—What kind of person are you at Christmas? I really enjoyed this book (i.e. national best seller).  I think she’s a very good writer—thought provoking and entertaining non-fiction—my opinion!!!  My advice is you read it.  If you do, let me know what you think of it. Oh for you non readers, Carrie told me at church that a movie is being done on the book.  I goggled it and yes, it's opening December 5.

Crazy, just crazy.  ItchieBitchie says—erv, I’m not saying you are crazy but it’s just that you have crazy ideas that I’m not crazy about.  Maybe ItchieBitchie, your crazy idea that my ideas are crazy is just crazy.  ItchieBitchie, crazy folks won’t listen to other folks’ crazy ideas ‘cause they think that their ideas are crazy. Crazy, huh! OneSmatGuy says—Even a broken clock is right twice a day!

Big butt gift!  SlickWillie (i.e. has to be one smart guy as he has a lot of credentials behind his name) says—I have the perfect gift suggestion for your wife, girlfriend or significant other, unless she already has a big butt.  I didn’t say she was a big butt or she has a big butt, I’m just saying here is a good gift for her if she doesn’t have a big butt but would like one.  It’s the new style (i.e. I read in the paper soooo it must be right) to have a “fuller rear end” or some call it a big botty trend.  It’s stylish now to have a curvaceous figure.  Soooooo here is the gift idea.  Buy her padded panties that give the appearance of a rounder rump.  The paper says they are selling fast, soooo quite your squawking about what you are going to buy her and get on the Internet and get some padded panties early.  You will be a hit or get hit!  If she already has a good enough butt (i.e. your opinion), well, go to plan B!  Plan B is (i.e. my suggestion) is activewear.  But then again she might think you think she has tooooo big of a butt and that could be a problem.  It’s a guessing game guys.  Have you ever guessed wrong like buying for her a skimpy pair of sleep wear?  I did one time; Arlene took it back and bought flannel pjs with feet in them (i.e. I don’t remember if it had a hood or not).  She probably said—You’re killing me Smalls!  Such is life.

I wish I wish I wish!  ItchieBitchie says--Some folks are never happy, they are always wishing and wanting and complaining.  Joesixpack said--We gain nutten when we are consistently comparing.  Christmas can do that to a guy.  Comparison either makes us think we are on top or on the bottom.  What!  Isn’t that pride or despair?  GeorgeTheCrook says--Neither one is any good folks.

Golly gosh! I asked a friend who was sitting next to me in Sunday School last Sunday if she likes Christmas.  She gave me a very neutral response.  Then said, I wish it wouldn't be sooooo commercial (i.e. toooo much Christmas hoopla).  She said she really enjoys part of it but not many of the other parts of it.  She is hosting an open house in her house for us.  She likes entertaining and having friends over.  CasualCal says--Much of Christmas is chasing after the wind (i.e. sorta kinda middle school); it's missing what we are shooting at. Ya CasualCal, Christmas has many things that scream for your attention and affections. Such is life.

I saw friends the other morning who I haven't seen for some time.  It was soooo much fun laughing about old times.  We have had some good ones alright.  My friend reminded me of the time we were hunting ducks in the marsh.  There was a lot of hunting pressure but we had our boat in the right spot.  Maybe 30 ducks circled and circled and came right into our decoys.  We both emptied our guns but not one duck dropped. We very humbly sat down in the boat and didn't say a word (i.e. ducked down).  Some smart guy in a boat near by hollered--You guys couldn't hit a bull in the ass with a scoop shovel.

Gee whiz! I had breakfast with a friend Monday before we left.  This guy has never liked Christmas as long as I have known him.  Why!  Well, he has an xwife and remarried to a gal who also has a family.  Just a lot of confusion and moving parts and stress and unhappiness and messes.  And then there is the gift giving he says.  He always just can't wait until Christmas is over. He says--Holy-blogny-I-can't-wait-for-Christmas-to-be-over! MyFriend, I suggest you put some gook on it and live with it!  It's going to happen no matter what kind of attitude you have.  Such is life.

A mind stretcher folks! China has consumed more cement in 3.5 years than United States did in 100 years. There are 62,000,000 new, vacant apartments in China.  One out of five houses are vacant.  What is going on?  There are entire cites built but there are no people called ghost cities.  Reason—to stimulate the economy.  China’s population is 1.39 billion and the United States’ population is 324 million.  All in about the same land space.  Now if the U.S. retailers
can get all those Chinese to buy one Christmas present—Bingo!  When we were in China, the folks I talked

tooooo all claimed to be atheists.  Soooo the retailers would have to take Christ out of Christmas.  But, that shouldn’t be much of a problem.  This idea is rather hazy, much like the haze that is constant seen in China!  

Christmas commercial advertising has a face of a choir boy and a disposition of a pit bull.  Sooooo Can’tControlYouShoppingBetty be careful.  Do you remember your actions last year?  LuckieEddie says—I suggest you learn to appreciate and enjoy the free stuff and the small stuff.  Quite your wishing wishing wishing but do something for someone. Use your time for others—that is a great gift that will make you feel, oh soooo good.

 BigLipBoooBirds!  As a kid we would get the “wish catalog” out
and wish and wish for the perfect Christmas gift.  It was really fun.  Now the store ads do the same.  I think the “wish catalog” was more fun.  Maybe the Sunday paper ads are the same.  It’s fun to wish for what you want for Christmas.  As we get older, of course, that process changes.  Reality sorta kinda comes to play. Kids and immature adults can become “BigLipBoooBirds” when they don’t get what they want. Those “BigLipBoooBirds” put a lot of pressure on parents, grandparents and friends, etc.

I was at a store recently when the check out clerk asked me about Christmas.  We had a nice little talk and then she said—Our Christmas isn’t going to be very big this year.  We just plain can’t afford to do toooo much for our kids; we will do what we can.  I know this family a little and you know what, they will be okay with that.  They will do just fine.  They are good folks, with good hearts (i.e. real folks—my kind of folks).  I find it interesting how some families go way over board on gift giving and others don’t.  It isn’t always about the money folks.  I really don’t know for sure why some folks are sooooo different than others.  I have my thinking though.  I don’t want to hurt any of your feelings sooooo I won’t express it.  My opinion isn’t probably right anyway.  ItchieBitchie says—If you have a room full of toys why do you need another room full of toys?  Such is life.

Throw away extravaganza!  Soooooo how many Christmas presents are never used.  They are just thrown away or sold on a garage sale next summer.  Really.  SusieQ says—Yabut you got to buy them something or they think you don’t like them.  Besides, they give you a gift.  Crazy!  A friend told me—It seems that many folks don’t remember the first part of Christmas-----Christ.  Moderation folks, moderation.  Jesus said—The greatest are determined by the humility of service.  Our greatest Christmas gifts were pretty special.  We received our daughter, Heather, on Christmas Eve day 40 years ago.  Then three years later during the Christmas season, we received our son, Chet.  Gifts that were the greatest and will never be forgotten.  Never! The best presents money can't buy folks.

CadillacJack says—If you have a ship load of money like I do, things are way different.  Christmas isn’t tooo stressful.  You buy them whatever they want.  Maybe even two of what they want.  Personally, I can’t imagine being a multi-billionaire.  I’m sure some of these folks are good folks.  Talk about needing a shipload of money—A friend told me that her husband and her sat down and counted up their number of gifts they need for Christmas.  It is a second marriage for both (i.e. divorce and death).  Both had large families from their first marriages.  There are 144 kids, spouses, grand kids and great grand kids.  She said—The gifts are going to be small, very small!  I can’t imagine doing that.  Just can’t.  These folks are good folks with good hearts and very innovative and creative.  They will do it.  Yes they will.  But I still wish them luck though! Now that would drive me crazy! 

Naive with confidence! Sometimes it maybe better to be naive with confidence at Christmas.  Isn’t that the mentality of children.  They have such wonder, excitement, enthusiasm, vigor etc.  It’s really a great, fun attitude.  Besides, it all comes from Santa anyway, sooooo what’s the big deal about getting what you want.  A friend told me that he was a sole proprietor business owner for several years.  He said--If you have never owned a business, folks, you don’t know how challenging it can be.  He said—I think many folks have to go into owning their own business being naive with a lot of confidence.  Maybe if they would have known after their experience before they started, they might not have done it.  Could be friend.  Usually everything looks better from the outside than it is from the inside. I wish that your Christmas experience isn’t that way!

AverageJoe, don’t be a Cheap-O-Von Scrooge. Get her the best gift.  She deserves the best. Soooo what is the best gift that you like to receive?  What is the best gift you can give?  I read in the paper (i.e. soooo it must be right) that a newspaper nearly always has an article and pictures of dogs.  Why?  It sells papers!  A paper is 2.6 times more likely to be read if it has something about dogs in it.  It’s called merchandising folks.  Many folks like dogs.  Sooooo maybe a dog might be the best Christmas present.  BUT don’t give me one, please!!!!! CommonSenseFred says--I have done the math...we can't afford a dog!  Such is life.

Lesson of life.  ItchieBitichie sys--Ya gotta produce at Christmas folks!  Ya got tooooo!  If you don't, you’re toast!  Will Muschamp, the fired football coach at FL, told his players after getting fired—"A great example in life. You can work really hard and you can be diligent in what you do, but you've got to have results in life, whether you're in the business world or in the coaching profession.  It doesn't matter.  You have to produce.  Players tell me all the time, 'I'm tryin' hard.' I know, but you're not producing, so we've got to go with somebody else.  So that's the message I had for them.  Learn the lesson that you've got to produce in life.  If you're a salesman you've got to sell.  If you're a football coach you need win."  Soooo you better produce at Christmas folks! Such is life.

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

erv

MyFriendJean says—Living is like licking honey off a thorn.

PS Here is one of the response from my last publish--I just read It's Saturday. I had round glasses many, many years ago. Wore them for a long time until some friend, I think it was the female half of one of the couples we hang around with., told me that they weren't in style anymore. I did not go run out and get different ones to get back to being "in style", but I did change to what was perceived to be in style at my next scheduled eye apt. It's funny to me again how things go in and out of style. I am not sure what I will get next time I need glasses now. I look at old pictures of me with round glasses and think I look like a dork...........but most  people probably think I look like a dork no matter what glasses I am wearing.........I can't wait for long orange shag carpet to come back in style......always liked that.   

pilgrims

Fill my bucket!  I recently had the opportunity to have breakfast with a friend.  We both agreed that we fill each other’s bucket.  Wow!  PilgrimJake says--When folks are thankful, they fill their own bucket and the buckets of others. 

This guy was sorta kinda a pilgrim of ALS (i.e. they named the disease
after him).  One of the greatest speeches in sports history was given seventy-five years ago. It was short -- 277 words, spoken by a shy man whose head was bowed in modesty. He held his baseball cap in one hand and wiped tears with the other. Those in the stands knew Lou Gehrig was ill, but didn't know the nature of his disease. He didn't tell them. He simply began: "Fans, for the past two weeks you have been reading about a bad break I got. Yet today I consider myself the luckiest man on the face of the earth." For the next few minutes, he told the crowd how thankful he was for his life, his wife, his parents, his teammates, even his mother-in-law. The simplicity of his words earned him the title, "The Luckiest Man."  “So I close in saying that I may have had a tough break, but I have an awful lot to live for.”  ~ Lou Gehrig 

When I think of Thanksgiving, one image I think of is of the Pilgrims eating turkey and pumpkin pie.  And giving and showing thanks.  The pilgrims were just lettin’ ‘im know they were thankful! Soooo who are they thanking anyway? What are they thankful for?  If folks don’t thank God, whom do they thank?  And how can anyone not be thankful.  Oh I guess you can thank your boss if you have one, your spouse if you have one, your parents, the government, Obama, your teachers, your dog, your neighbor, your lover, your friend, etc.  I guess you could do that.  Sooooo this Thanksgiving, what are you thankful for and who are you giving thanks tooooo?  I ain’t no pilgrim sooooo don’t try to fool me folks!  SmartyPantsTilie says—Maybe you aren’t a pilgrim erv, but maybe you're more like a turkey!  Ouchy ouchy! AverateJoe says--Thanksgiving is all about the bird! 

GeorgeTheCrook would just as soon punch ya in the nose as tell you the time of day.  He can be that way at times.  Even at Thanksgiving.  GeorgeTheCrook ain’t no pilgrim folks.  He’s been around the block a lot of times and is as crusty as a week old slice of toast!  GeorgeTheCrook is sorta kinda set in his ways.  Like he says--"I am not wearing a diaper, so don't try to change me". Suppose you were exactly the same now as you were ten years ago? No, not physically but mentally? Suppose you had not grown? Good change is good. When we cease to change we stagnate. When we fail to realize that we all need change, we become self-righteous and blind to our own errant ways. LuckieEddie says—If you are not a thankful person, consider changing (i.e. even if you don’t wear diapers).  You will be way happier.  Yes you will.  Such is life.

Heather was telling us that our little grand boy, Jimmer, is getting reaty to be potty trained.  She asked him he thought it was about time for him to give up his diapers.  LittleJimmer said--I love my diapers!  But Heather said--He goes in the closet to poop!  He's figuring it out.  LittleJimmer, I go into the closet tooooo to poop but it's the water closet.  

Some seem to treat me like a spare tire.  Some folks and organizations don’t say thank you for your gifts.  They don’t seem thankful.  Maybe they are but just don’t say thank you.  Ya wonder if they just expect it.  It does make a person wonder if you want to give to them again.  Many times we say, no, I don’t think sooooo.  Showing thankfulness is important I think.  Recently we got a thank you from good old Northwestern College (i.e. one of our Alma Maters) thanking us for our support.  It was very well done (i.e. my opinion).  Part of it said—Thank you for your…it makes a huge difference…we are grateful! “We are grateful” was personally underlined.  On the bottom of the letter was a small hand written note.  I don’t think this letter was manipulative but a sincere thank you (i.e. but they know what they are doing).  But, it makes us want to give again next year.   Then we get a hand written note form a student thanking us. Pretty neat we thing. My opinion.  SusieQ says—erv, you are soooo easily taken advantage of soooooo…you are way easy!  Joesixpack says—Money raising is interesting.  That is why there are professional money raisers.  Don’t kid yourself, they know what they are doing.  They ain’t no pilgrims folks.

Thank you erv!  It was crazy.  Just crazy.  This happened probably 20 years ago at a Walk to Emmaus weekend.  I was a table leader at a men’s weekend.  After one of the discussions, a big burly senior guy, JohnFromSE-IA (i.e. a pilgrim) at our table came up to me and gave me a hug and said thank you erv—what’s this all about I asked.  He said he was taught never to cry and never has.  I cried during our discussion.  Wow!  And, he said, I have never hugged another guy before either.  Wow!  JohnFromSE-IA (i.e. anybody can be a John) said, both felt sooooo good!  Wow!

Talking about hugging.  At church recently, I had two gals come up to me and hug me (i.e. spontatiously—they weren’t told to do soooo and it wasn’t part of the program).  I have to admit, it felt very good.  They didn’t really say anything but just hugged me.  It was a great expression to me.  As Hans and Frans say--It sorta kinda pumpedmeup!  I was told second hand (i.e. but I think it is right) that a gal who has some family problems said—I would rather have folks just give me a hug instead ask about the situation.  Sooooo there you go.  Think about that folks! 

Thank God I ain’t like them!  Arlene and I were having breakfast at one of local restaurants when a long time friend, walked by.  She didn’t acknowledge us when she walked right by us.  When she left, she again turned her head and walked right by us.  What! She seemed to ignore us.  Snubbed us! What!  Our first thought was that we decided that she maybe thinks – she has arrived  and is now part of the elite huddle and is toooo good for us (i.e. a different class).  Could be.  Or maybe there was another reason.  Could be—We hope soooo! We think sooo after giving it some thought. It's easy to say "Thank God we aren’t like her".  A Pharisee once prayed—God thank you that I am not like that other guy!  But the other guy stood at distance and prayed—God have mercy on me for screwing up.  Soooooo God have mercy on me for even thinking that bad thought about our friend! Thank you for understanding my evil thoughts.  I would guess I have given others that same feeling (i.e. that is bush league folks) .  Ouchy ouchy!  In the Book it says in red (i.e. soooo it must be very important_--For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.  Do you believe that?  Or is that just said to make the folks who think they are not of the elite group feel better (i.e. blowing smoke)?

Flipthepancake!  I didn't have the opportunity to see a long time family friend much this summer (i.e. many good reasons).  He called this week and wanted to go out for breakfast before we left.  Bingo!

Always the same but maybe not!  ItchieBitchie says—I think I’m always thankful but probably am not (i.e. become ho hum).  Some days I’m probably more thankful than others, but I feel like my approach is always the same.  I have read that humble and thankful folks are neat folks.  From my life’s experiences, I agree with that statement.  What do you think? 

A smart man said to me recently--When we were kids all we had to play with were cardboard boxes, and we were thankful.  Always the same but maybe not.  Everything is relevant isn't it.  Huh, interesting.

DopeyDope says—If you are not thankful you have a problem.  It’s like seeing the light and flying right by it.  You ever do that?  Like miss the boat!  Fall asleep at the wheel!  Forget what’s important!  Get your priorities all screwed up! 

He ain’t no pilgrim!  Al re-stretched part of our carpet in the hall of our house recently.  Al is a great fisherman and just got back from a trip to the Rainy River at Baudette, MN.  Fishing wasn’t very good.  One of the reasons was that there was winds were from the NW at 30 mph.  He said—After winds from the NW, fishing isn’t good for 2 to 2.5 days.  I have been going to the same place since 1980 and it’s always that way.  Ya might just as well go home.  It’s very predictable!  Bingo! Some things are very predictable.  Oh ya!  Such is life.

Idea! A Giving Thanks Idea!  We often neglect to thank those closest to us. We take them for granted. Take time right now to call, text, email, or write to tell someone how much you thank God for them. A gesture of gratitude might be unexpected, but it will never be unappreciated. Be a pilgrim! 

Another idea.   An idea as to how to be thankful is to look for an opportunity today to serve someone in your life.  Serve them as Christ would serve—sacrificially and unconditionally.  Ya can’t be DuaneTheWorm (i.e. he only cares about himself).  It just doesn’t work.  Such is life.

Aristotle made the following observation about friendship: "My best friend is the man who in wishing me well wishes it for my sake." MissPerfect says--Do you have a friendship that needs tending? Mulch it with thanksgiving.

Tough Pilgrims! Pilgrims must have been a tough bunch of folks or crazy or something.  That adventure was not for the shy.  They had to be some real horses. Some real stray cats. They had to be a lot tougher than old erv let me tell ya! There are a lot of tough folks (i.e. and some not soooo tough) who are going through some tough times.  How can we make their life a little better?  Have any ideas? Or is it easier to just be a DuaneTheWorm and just care about ourselves (i.e. pretend those folks don't exist).  Could be! I am not a tough guy even though I might look tough (i.e. semantics)! Arlene and I had breakfast the other morning and a gal who we taught with 40 years ago came and talked to us. She said--I see you have facial hair for NoveberTheFacialHairMonth.  I didn't know that.  Went to get me new glasses and the pretty, young gal says--I like those round lenses; they are really in now.  I didn't now that.  I'm not tough and don't know much.  I'm a real pilgrim all right! Such is life.

On the road.  We will be in CO eating turkey and pumpkin pie celebrating Thanksgiving with James, Heather, Erin and Jimmer! From there we will head on to AZ for the winter.  Family and friends always make us thankful.  We have really been blessed folks.  Unbelievable!  Thank you God.

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

Novem--brrrr-erv

MyFriendJean says--Call someone who will be glad to hear your voice.