We are
having Arlene’s memorial service Saturday, August 15 at the Aplington
Evangelical Presbyterian Church here in Aplington at 10:30 with a reception
with lunch in the town park after the service.
You are all welcome. We request
face masks and we will social distance.
If you feel comfortable, we would like to see you. Oh, if it works and
you want, bring your lawn chairs.
I read this in a morning devotion while
eating my oatmeal with half a banana on it--Those who seek their own
satisfaction rarely find it, but those who seek the well-being of others are
almost always the most satisfied. To
some of you that is an opinion and to others that is a fact. And perhaps to others of you, you might think
the writer is just a blabbermouth! A
golfer from Rolling Hills Golf Club says—You can’t change a person if they
don’t want to change. BUT if they want
to change, they will change on their own.
Perhaps that is true!
I played in Old Goats (i.e. a golf outing for old guys)
recently. When I was leaving, I had a
conversation with a long-time client who I haven’t talked to since I retired 11
years ago. How is it going—oh, ok but not
good—what’s the deal—I just sit in the basement and watch old westerns and eat;
I have gained 25 pounds—soooo why do you do that—I have no ambition—you still
farm—ya, but have the farm in soybeans soooo I don’t have much work—what
brought this on—once my mother died I haven’t been the same—You better get that
turned around—Ya, I know. Perhaps he
needs profession help. Have any of you
ever felt this way? The old gray mare ain’t what she used to be!
That same day I had a very fun conversation with an old
friend from many years ago. I had both he
and his wife in school a zillion years ago (i.e. both very good folks with good
hearts, my kind of folks). I asked about
his wife and he said—she has her mother’s blood. I LOL as I knew her mother as
well (i.e. also was a friend of mine).
Soooo does any of your wives have their mother’s blood in them? What a hoot!
OneSmartPerson said to me--I don’t know what I don’t
know! Perhaps he is right. It appears
that many folks think they know stuff that they don’t know. It just makes me laugh. How can they know stuff that no one else
knows or what others think the opposite.
How can they interpret stuff and for sure know the answers that others don’t.
I don’t believe half of what thegaldownthestreet says and the other half isn’t
true but she thinks she knows everything.
BUT her history proves that she knows very little. A friend described a mutual acquaintance this
way—He appears to be a good guy but a bit windy! Do you know any prima donnas? Prima donnas know everything or at least they
think they do; they sure strut their stuff alright. Perhaps they think they
have a lot to strut! They really get my
attention; maybe that is why they strut their stuff; they enjoy doing it (i.e.
self glorification). I admit I didn’t
understand what a fellow pickleball player said to me recently—It was a warm
day and she was my partner. She said to
me that she was warm. I said you
look hot! She said—I don’t like that
when guys say that to me! Was she
kidding me, serious, or drawing attention to herself. I have no idea! What a hoot!
A friendfromwayeastoftown said to me—I have learned to say
when I don’t know for sure—I don’t know.
It is hard on my integrity and creditability when folks do “fact checks”
and find out that I’m not factual and accurate. They won’t believe me the next
time. Think through that folks. WorldClassLarry says—Remember folks, opinions
are just that, opinions! And everyone
has opinions! haha
A golf buddy and his wife own lake property
on an Iowa lake. He told me that the
demand for lake property is crazy. Folks
will pay exorbitant prices now for it—the sky is the limit. And there are huge massive expensive boats
bought as well he said. The sky is the
limit! Why is that folks? Perhaps there is a reason. Is that a result of finally buying enough
toilet paper and this is the next event!!!
JoeBlow says—There is a buying frenzy and you better get after it and be
part of it; suckers, you are losing out if you don’t (i.e. not keeping up with
your neighbors)! Perhaps, there is soooo much that I don’t know and never
will. C.S. Lewis observed, “All that is
not eternal is eternally useless.”
I listened to a talk this week. In the 20+-minute talk this speaker repeated
himself many times. JoeSmuck (i.e. who
is full of thrills and spills) says--At the university they say if folks hear
it enough, they will believe it. It’s
sorta kinda what political folks and the media do. Perhaps it does work. Napoleon Hill, who was a self-help author,
wrote, “Any ideas, plan or purpose may be placed in the mind through repetition
of thought.” CadillacJack says—For many
people, repetition is the best way to learn something. If you keep doing it, doing it, doing it,
slowly the idea will sink in and become known.
MissPerfect says--Soooo perhaps that is a good teaching/coaching method
or a good brainwashing method.
Are you a visionary? It appears that folks who are, seem to think
differently. Most folks I would guess
are not; most can’t see the future or even dream the future very well. They think and want everything to stay the
same and we know it won’t and never have.
It does appear though that folks or companies or churches etc. have an
advantage if they have this ability. If
you are the first out of the box, it seems to be an advantage. If you are the last out of the box, the
visionaries are already working on the next new thing which probably will make
you toast. Most folks are not
entrepreneurish as there is great risk and many failures (i.e. most folks don’t
like failures—can’t handle them).
AverageJoe says--You do it first and if it works then I will do it but
if it doesn’t work for you, I will make fun of you. But if it works for you,
then I will complain ‘cause I want the same; it ain’t fair. I will protest! And the only thing that’s fair is the Butler
County Fair and that’s in June (i.e. but not this year). SusieQ says—Seeee, even that ain’t even fair!
“I've failed over, and over and over again in my
life. ... 26 times I've been trusted to take the game winning shot/
and missed.”--Michael Jordan Coach
B says—Just because we fail a few times doesn’t mean we are a failure (i.e. we
all fail). Failure is part of working on
being successful in life. The average business person fails 4.5 times. Soooo suck it up cupcake and let’s get going.
You want some whine with your cheese?
OneSmartPersonFromTheRollingHillsGolfClub said—The
entrepreneur is essentially a visualizer and an actualizer. They can visualize something, and when they
visualize it, they see exactly how to make happen. Oh ya, perhaps there are talkers and there
are doers for sure. I told MyFriendGene
(i.e. he is a doer for sure) that he shouldn’t get soooo excited about this
virus thing and also politics. He can’t
sleep at night and he lost 10 pounds (i.e. he is crazy). That is not good for you. Perhaps he won’t change if he doesn’t want
toooo. He told me that one of his golf buddies made a complete turn in his
political view. I asked him why he
changed; did you convince him. Oh no,
you can’t convince anyone to change. The
only way they will change is if they want tooooo. Soooo, there you go my friend. Hey folks, we can tell others about Jesus
Christ a.k.a. the Good News but if they don’t want to accept Jesus as their
Savior, they won’t. It’s their
decision. Perhaps, completely!
Let’s talk about something personal—you and me. Oh man, erv, I really don’t like to think
about myself. I realize that, I don’t
either sometimes. Many of you folks are
really great folks with some funny habits and idiosyncrasies. haha
We all change, especially with age (i.e. I used to be,,,!). MyFriendGene, my member-guest partner/host
and I have changed from 40 years ago to now.
He’s aged more than me! haha The reason is he had to carry me for 40
years! I just got on his back and rode
along. It was a fun ride. I did have to spur him once in a while! Gene might look pretty calm but he has a huge
massive competitive fire burning in him! haha
We all change, yes we do, if we like it or not. He said to me this last weekend—40 years ago
when we were in our prime and played our best golf, we said—I wonder how we
will react when we get old and can’t play as well like those old guys playing. Well, we found out this weekend!
Here are some other fun things I learned this last weekend
at Rolling Hills Golf Club—Gene is part of a large golf group that really enjoys
golf and they play a lot together but don’t always agree. They got in a big rhubarb
about polities and it got really wild out at the club house. It got soooo scary that the gal working called
the sheriff! Yikes! Yikes is the same
word that Gene used after one of my bad shots!
-- Gene left a 4-foot putt short
and said, I always say never leave a short putt short, never, but I do it all
the time, crazy! Why do I do that? He
sounds like what many of us do in life! -- Gene and Jan had a nice new pickup but Gene
hated it; the three main reason why was because the engine stopped at every
stop sign, didn’t have a built in garage door opener button, and the sound
system was really bad (i.e. Gene and Jan really like to listen to Christian
music). I asked him why did he buy it in
the first place? He didn’t know. ANYWAY, he saw this pretty blue pu in a lot
(i.e. he’s an Air Force Vet soooo he liked the color). It was really loaded (i.e. expensive). It had 17 speakers! Sooooo the next morning the salesman called
him and told him they had it all cleaned up and he and Jan should come and look
at it. Soooo he told Jan, now if you
like it, don’t say you do or we will lose our bargaining position. Soooo they get there, and Jan looks at it and
says to the salesman, I love it, we will take it! -- I
golfed with an old (i.e. not in age but in years) buddy (i.e. a guy who is real
and has a good heart) at Rolling Hills Golf Club who also does baseball
officiating. Amateur baseball is real
big in SW MN. Many little towns or areas
have town team baseball. Most are part of the Tomahawk League. ANYWAY he was calling balls and strikes for
one of the games and the manager was really on him for several innings and he
just had enough of it and kicked him out of the game and told him to go
someplace where I can’t see you. He went
and stood on home plate! – When I left Sunday afternoon, I said good-bye to a
78-year old golf friend (i.e. who claims he is a political independent). We
really enjoy each other’s fellowship. We
hugged and he said he loved me and cried (i.e. this seems to be way out of
character for him). Perhaps our golf games change with age and soooo do other
things. Pretty touching for sure.
One of the golfers in our foursome on Sunday was a guy maybe
in his 50s who was an assistant golf pro.
He had a stroke in 2016 that really affected him. He told me that it has been a long hard
battle with the mental side being much harder than the physical side. He is on disability and a lot of medication
which also has side effects. I told him
that he must really be a fighter to be able to come back and golf—it is
something I can do to fill my time even though it’s not near as good as my
prime days. He told me that I didn’t
want this, but I have no choice. When we
got done with our round and said words as golfers do, it was mentioned maybe we
see each other again at Rolling Hills Golf Club. He said—If we are still on this earth.
On my way home, I had a conference call with our two
children about what we want to do with Arlene’s memorial service (i.e.
again). ANYWAY, Heather asked me how
Gene and I did. Before I could answer
Chet said—Heather, it’s the same old story, getting older, windy, roughs were
long, it was hot, missed some putts etc. Nuttin changes over the years!
MyFriendGene told me that his parents would always say--UncleWillDryer
says—A man changed against his will has the same opinion still. His family still says that. UncleWillDryer has been dead for years!
Have a FUN day my friends unless you have other plans. (-:
erv
MyFriendJean says—Love provides a bridge, even over separation and suffering.
No comments:
Post a Comment