objectives

Disclaimer—Almost everything I say in this “It’s Saturday” will be misunderstood by you folks.  You folks all think differently. No question.  All have different opinions and thoughts which are formed by your past environment and your current environment and your genetics. No question! The only way I can stop from being misunderstood is not to say anything.  Sooooo don’t take anything I say tooooo serious.  Especially if you are a radical!!!! haha Saturday question—Do radicals know they are radical?

The great psychologist Carl Jung says this: “Everything that irritates us about others is a window into ourselves.”  Holy smokes, if Carl is correct, many of you have a lot of issues as you are irritated about others a lot.  You might say—Carl is utterly ridiculous; he has no idea what he is saying!  If you think that, well then, you are good or you really have a problem!  Or both! We will never know now will we.

Our future, well, that’s another story all of its own. I don’t know if we can really fathom it.  Really! The pastor at the church I attend here in the Valley used this to end his sermon--He asked folks to take their watch off and get the keys out of their pockets.  The watch indicates time that at some point will end (i.e. we will all die from this earth; it is for sure and it’s unpredictable).  Our keys, in many cases are to the maybe the most prized possessions we own and some day we won’t need the keys anymore; they will have no meaning to us as we no longer might have the possessions.  Soooooo in the meantime, we should think about using our time and our possessions (i.e. all just loaned to us) to the best that we can for others (i.e. nuttin but net). Pretty good advice I thought.  What do you think?  That is what I thought. But you might interpret it differently! haha

I really enjoy road runners that are here in the desert (i.e. out in no man's land).  They just make me laugh (i.e. probably enhanced from the cartoon character as well).  I mentioned it to a friend (i.e.who has a megawatt attitude), and she bought one for me for a yard ordainment (i.e. pretty special).  A great memory for sure. I was fastening it to the ground as the wind would blow it over when a senor lady walked by and said—Does that sucker want to run away?  I said—He’s a runner alright! We both laughed. Oh, my friend named him, Rusty The Roadrunner.  

I have to admit that I don’t understand prayer very well; it’s way beyond me (i.e. His understanding I cannot fathom). BUT I must admit that I believe in prayer and pray.  I think it’s soooo important.  Saturday question—Have you experience the power of prayer? I am sure that many of you have. Duke University’s divinity and medical schools even did a joint study a few years ago to assess how a patient’s health, in conjunction with medical treatments and with continued treatment, was affected for a patient who believed in God and prayed for, as opposed to a patient who didn’t claim to have faith in God or a consistent prayer life.  Sure enough, the patients who prayed or were prayed for had better outcomes. That rings my bell! JoeBlow, who seems to run deadhead a lot, says—Ya, I pray when I get in a pinch otherwise not soooo much; I’m pretty much a greedy person and think mostly about myself. And when I pray, I only pray for myself like God bless me!  

ItchieBitchie says—I am not bitchie, I’m really not and surely not a prick like from a Cohoe cactus of the Senora Desert. That’s your opinion ItchieBitchie. What is the opinion that others have of you? Missperfect says—We all think of you differently ItchieBitchie. Oh ya! Oscar Wild says--Some people cause happiness where ever they go; others when ever they go!

Sooooo what are your objectives in life?  I think about this stuff. Do you? A person recently referred to a deceased neighbor as a grumpy old fart who was never happy.  Maybe he lived out his objective in life.  I met a 90-year old woman recently who was as sweet as pie.  She tooooo might be living her objective. I don’t know.  If I write down my objectives and read them back but if am not doing them, then I need to make a change in my life maybe. Do I say one thing but do another?  Where does ervie spend his time and money and what does he think about?  That will tell ervie something I guess. AverageJoe says--It seems like it’s a story I’ve seen before.

You could be a “X factor.” I read this while eating my oatmeal with half a banana on it—Doyle Royal said—“Act like you been there before.”  Meaning, don’t act crazy.  Act with class and poise. Sure, you can be excited but within reason and be classy. Enjoy the excitement of the moment. BUT it seems like TV shows the folks who go crazy (i.e. soooo if folks want to be on TV, they act crazy).  But there are folks who win the lottery that don’t seem very excited—Just another day!  They go home and hoe the garden.  I was introduced to a high-level Canadian government leader by a golf buddy who is his neighbor.  He was described to me as being an AverageJoe (i.e. very unassuming and common—no crown or anything—a regular down to earth type of guy).  He was.  He was much like talking to my neighbor in Butler County. Pretty impressive to me.  I guess we all have different objectives in life. 

Do you believe Winston Churchill as what he said?  His opinion and your opinion might be different. For sure!  Like I say--None of us think the same.  We are all different and some folks "way different" it appears compared to others.  Seems like they are way out in right field compared to us.  Such is life.

LuckyEddie says—"You cannot spend day after day in the world without it affecting your mind and soul and heart. It doesn’t take long to become disoriented to the ways of God.” Also, if we spend a lot of time thinking about whatever objectives we have for our life, it will affect us (e.g. how I can help others).” WildWilly says--It appears what we think about the most will affect our lives both short term and long term. Bingo!  Soooo don’t act surprised that you act the way you do; you have been thinking that way for a long time (i.e. either good or bad).  It’s not rocket science. MyFriendsFromEly said—What you think is what you’ll be!  I think they said that; those guys from Northern MN (i.e. iron ore country folks) are hard to understand; they have been hit in the head by hockey pucks a few times and have no real front teeth!

I really think we learn a lot more when we figure it out for ourselves; folks can preach to me, but it makes more sense when I touch the burner and find out that it’s hot for myself.  My parents gave me a lot of responsibility early in my life (i.e. I had to make the decisions).  I learned from my experiences and sometimes suffered the consequences and sometimes reaped the rewards.  I really like the Socratic method of teaching.  Actually, Socratics got much of the credit for this method, but Jesus was really the first and best teacher of this method.  This is my favorite story of Jesus doing it.  The rich young Pharisee who knew the Jewish law extremely well and thought he kept all the laws (i.e. actually 613 of them).  He asked Jesus what he must do to have eternal life.  He asked this to praise himself in how great he thought he was (i.e. he thought he kept all 613 laws).  Jesus said—Love the Lord your God with all your heart and soul and mind and strength and love your neighbor as yourself.  Soooo he asked Jesus—Who is my neighbor expecting Jesus to give him a short list of folks; again he asked with the idea of praising himself as to how great he thought he was. Jesus told him a parable (i.e. earthly story with a heavenly meaning). It was of the story of the good Smartian.  Short version—A guy was robbed on the trail and left to die. A priest came by but left him there. A Levite came by and passed on the other side. A Smartian came by and took care of him and saved his life.  Jesus asked him who was the good neighbor.  The Pharisee answered--it was the good guy who helped him (i.e. now that is sticking the landing). My Daddy, Chester, would say—erv, you got to ask questions and the right questions; it’s the easiest and best way to learn. Edward Hodnett, who wrote “The Art of Problem Solving: How to Improve Your Methods,” pointed out that “if you don’t ask the right questions, you don’t get the right answers. A question asked in the right way often points to its own answer.  WorldClassLarry says--Asking questions is the ABC of diagnosis. Only the inquiring mind solves problems.”

I buy some groceries from this store that has this sticker at their check outs.  It always gets my attention.  I really think they try to do what they say.  I do.  Maybe we should all have that sticker on our foreheads, no, maybe on the back of our hands soooo we can see it and are constantly reminded.  What do you think? That is what I thought.  Romans 15:2 says--Each of us should please our neighbors for their good, to build them up.

A friend and I were having a conversation and he said something to me at the end of one of his sentences that was short but it expressed his inner self (i.e. it seemed to me). We were among others and we had no conversation about it.  He knew he said it, I think, and he knew I heard it I think and I think he knew that I understood what he meant.  It was profound and revealing; I never heard him say something like this before (i.e. he seemed to expose himself to me). BUT did I understand him correctly!  I think sooooo! 

To prove my point of being misunderstood--I said to a female friend recently—You look nice today.  She said—Are you saying that other days I don’t look nice! Was she kidding or was she serious?  I really don’t know.  But I think I know but what good is that!  Ouchy ouchy! TheMI-Engineer says--erv, indeed, you don't get it!

“You know what I mean” is an expression that some folks use.  When folks say that to a friend, he says to them—no, I don’t know what you mean, please tell me.  Why do folks think we know what they mean? We don’t; we can’t figure out their minds.  SusieQ, who is a grown woman, says—That is just a statement they say when they don’t know what they mean (i.e. an escape goat).  Soooooo next time someone says to you—you know what I mean—tell them you don’t know what they mean soooo please tell me what you mean.  You might be surprised what they say!  They might not even know themselves!  

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

erv

MyFriendJean said—Life isn’t about waiting for the showers to pass. It is about learning to dance in the rain.