it could be

I need to be pruned just like trees and bushes need to be pruned.  But I always don’t like to be pruned. Oh no, it can be humbling to be trimmed back. Who likes to find out that they are not as good or as pretty as they thought they were; ouchy ouchy (i.e. of course that is decided by other folks that might not think like us). And it seems to happen to me more than I like.  GeorgeTheCrook says—erv, maybe you need to be dinged more than others!  Ouchy ouchy! Now that could be!

RickyRick says—"When you’re lonely, don’t have a pity party. Stop saying, ‘I’m alone. Nobody loves me; nobody even likes me.’ When you do that, you’re just focusing on yourself. Instead, turn your focus outward and build bridges to others. You’ll find there are a lot of lonely people who are also looking for connection. How can you build bridges of connection? One way is by empathizing with other people’s needs. And remember to ask God to help you connect with others. Pray (i.e. if you believe in prayer) something like this: ‘Father, help me be a friend to people who needs a friend.’” (e.g. I recently asked a friend about his senor father who has been divorced for many years.  He told me that he has taken an interest in Habitat for Humanity and met a senor widower who also did the same.  They have become great friends). LuckieEddie says--If it’s good for you and good for me, it’s a good deal! Now that could be!

Soooo I called one of our granddaughters, Buggy, on her 14^th birthday.  We had a very nice visit.  At the end of our conversation, she told me that she has a web site that she is going to write stuff and keep it.  Sounds good to me as I think writing is very good for folks in expressing themselves even if you are the only one who reads it.  She agreed.  She wanted to read to me what she just wrote about her birthday. I listened. I asked her if she would send it to me (i.e. printing it here with her permission). ~  What is so great about them anyway? I don't know. It's just another year of my life. You have your birthday, go to bed and wake up a new age, but everything feels the exact same. You might be one single year older but what does that mean? It's like a penny. 100 pennies is a dollar, that represents your life. 1 penny does not equal much but we can relate it to 1 year of life. You get 1 penny and eventually they add up. By the time you're 50, you could buy a gumball from the little red dispensers in the supermarket. While one dollar, 1 life, is not a lot, on earth there are 7.674 billion people. Imagine that, 7.674 billion dollars, 7.674  billion lives are being lived.  1 dollar for each person on the planet, you can use a dollar to buy a coke at McDonald's, but it would cost you your life. So what is so good about birthdays, it will only add a penny to your dollar.   

CoachB says--As you mature in life, there are a lot less things in the rat race and on the treadmill of life, they no longer matter to us. And as a result, we become free. And as a result, we become free from all expectations that we are trying to prove to others.  Saturday question—Soooo is life easier when we get older and don’t have to impress everyone like many think they have to do when they are younger? Many folks ask me how I am doing.  I tell them that I had a great summer, really great; I had a lot of fun.  It’s mainly because of many of you; you made my life very enjoyable. I try to be around positive, energetic folks.  Thanksamillion. The summer has really gone fast for be. Oh, a friend really likes this statement--As we become older, we become more focused on searching for meaning--and we're more likely to find it in actions that benefit others.

MissPerfect, who can be like a wild horse at times, says--Life isn’t always duck soup; at least for me it has not been. I think for an acquittance it has been more that way; she was born with a golden spoon in her mouth. MissPerfect, life isn’t fair; the only thing that’s fair is the Butler County Fair and that’s in June. Suggestion to all of us—Show appreciation for the things you have and to people who care about you; it changes my life when I do that.  It’s good for me and good for them.  Try it, you might be amazed how it makes the giver and receiver feel. I met a long time business friend in the grocery store this week who I haven't talked to for maybe 5 years. He said to me-erv, I'm going to brag about myself, no one else does! I realize that some of you feel underappreciated as parents, grandparents, friends, neighbors, employees, employers, volunteers, etc.  Maybe it’s somewhat our culture, could be. But just because others don’t show appreciation much, it doesn’t mean that you and I can’t, does it?

Early in 2021, the Gallup research organization found that, for the first time since the late 1930s, fewer than half of Americans belong to a house of worship (of any kind). And for many years, the fast-rising religious demographic in the country has been the “Nones”—those who answer “None” when asked about their religious affiliation. Sooooo does that mean that the “Nones” don’t believe in God?  It could be or it could be they are just confused (i.e. as the picture displays confusion) with the management of the churches. Or maybe just confused in their own minds; totally confused! I have no idea what to think. The world tells me one thing and God says another.  What should I believe?  I can’t figure it out or can I?  A golf buddy/friend told me on the #3 tee box recently that he was listening to a guy talk on WHO radio and he said that everyone is angry: EVERYONE!  Ouchy ouchy!  The world seems to want everyone to be angry it seems (i.e. wants everyone to be agitated).  Everyone is mad at everything and everyone.  I don’t want to live that way.  My opinion is that is a terrible way to live. But then what do I know, I’m just a little ol’ farm boy from a mile and fourth south or Roseland, MN.

Here is some wisdom that is 100% accurate, guaranteed—A happy wife is a happy life.  And don’t you forget it.  It could be!

Golf courses are tough businesses to make money.  Some do and most struggle and some are just dead horses.  You every own a dead horse?  You can beat that sucker as hard as you want but that sucker just can’t win no matter how hard you hit it (i.e. unless the government gives you a subsidy).  In some cases, if you were given a golf course, you would lose money; the only way you could make money is to sell the land as farmland as it is really high right now; everyone wants it.  A golf buddy said recently—Usually the third owner of a golf course makes money (i.e. meaning that the two previous owners need to lose a ton of money first; (i.e. get the price really low).  Several years ago, I told them the story that I was playing on a course in AZ and one of the guys in our foursome happened to be the owner.  He was the third guy to own the course and was losing this shirt he told me.  Sooooo I asked him why he bought the course if there was no money in it—darn emotions; I always wanted to own a course (i.e. ego). Saturday question—Have you ever done something like that?

All of you have innate ability.  I’m not sure what mine is but I can see yours. Oh ya!  Innate ability comes in many forms such in music, art, athletic ability, physical ability, mechanical, electrical, projecting, using numbers, making money, helping folks etc. I am just amazed about your innate abilities.  Just amazed.  I think many times when I must stop for a train to pass of the graffiti on the box cars as they pass.  It just amazes me the talent some folks have.  Just amazing. It could be that they are way more talented than they even know.  It could be. I think it is hard to recognize our innate ability. It could be.  Why is that do you think? Crazy for sure!

I was fixing the drip in one of my bathroom sinks.  I have fixed these drips many times but haven’t done it for a while.  Sooooo I got the new spring and rubber cap from the plumbing shop, took it apart, but couldn’t get it to fit back in!  What? Soooo I took the other facet off to compare and now couldn’t get either one in.  What? Sooooo I tried and tried and thought—I’m spending why toooo much time on this.  I watched some baseball and incubated on it and all of a sudden, I got it.  Soooo I went and fixed it.  You ever do that?  It could be! I think you are a “could be.” The secret to my success was to use a bigger hammer! haha It is soooo hard to be humbled, AGAIN!

Aristotle said--We cannot learn without pain. It could be! Dr. J says—"You probably know that about 71 percent of the surface of the earth is covered by water. The 29 percent that remains isn’t all habitable. In fact, only 43 percent is habitable—just over 15 billion acres. Those acres are divided among 197 countries (though there are various ways of counting countries). From the days of the Tower of Babel, the earth has been divided. It seems only a major existential crisis could bring all the countries of the world together under a single government. Some people advocated for a global government to confront the COVID-19 crisis, but it will be something worse that triggers such an event. Perhaps the Rapture? Even today, the nations of the world are interconnected as never before, and one day an existential cataclysm will trigger the rise of a one-world government, which will ultimately be dominated by the Antichrist.” It could be! You better get your new camper soon while the getting is still good! haha My Daddy, Chester, said--It's a lot easier to learn from other folk's mistakes; let their pain become your teacher.

Sooooo recently I went to play a few holes of golf.  A golf buddy was out there soooo we played a few holes together.  When we were leaving, I asked him what he was going to do the rest of the day. First I am going to take a nap and then work on a car!  I like that, first I’m going to take a nap. Now there is an honest guy.  Now that could be a good idea! He made me smile.

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

erv

MyFriendJean said--We need old friends to help us grow old and new friends to help us stay young.

The tip of the day comes from Claire; I know a couple of Claires and I like them all but I don’t know this Claire soooo since I like the other Claires, I assume this Claire is nice tooooo; arin’t that funny how we relate to that.  ANYWAY, here is Claire's tip--Open my eyes that I may see, glimpses of truth Thou hast for me. Claire H. Scott, “Open My Eyes, That I May See”