tips

Some think Santa is magic!  Some tell their children that as well. A friend told me that his parents told him the truth about Santa but some of his friends didn’t like him when he tipped them off! BUT he was 18 before they told him! I have a friend who sorta kinda thinks that prayer and God are sorta kinda magic; he just says he doesn't really understand how it all works.  My friend, here is a tip, there is a massive huge difference between Santa and God let me tell ya! One more thing my friend, I don’t think anyone really understands how it all works; there is God and then there is us humans, there is a massive huge difference here my friend.    

Outside magazine ran an article on the best running tips of all time, based on forty years of articles. Among the suggestions: (1) Strengthen your whole body; don’t just focus on your legs. (2) Run more hills; it’s good for your hips. (3) Find a routine, then stick to it—maybe even down to wearing the same clothing. (4) Take recovery days seriously. Wow! That got my attention not just in my jogging but for my whole life. 

I woke up at 4 feeling really bad because of how I acted over 50 years ago.  I really felt I was out of line and was very immature. I wish I would have never acted that way. I actually repented for my actions of over 50 years ago. Crazy! Maybe. But I sure felt better. I had a conversation with a father whose son is not interested in athletics and during recess he is always picked last (i.e. maybe some of you have experienced this in your life in some perspective).  Of course, his son feels bad, and this father feels bad. The father said when he was at that age, he was the captain and was the one who picked the same kid last.  He felt bad about it now! Huh, interesting.

WorldClassLarry who has surfer-boy good looks says--Our walk with God a.k.a. life on this earth is like a race, which we must be prepared to run and to be aware of any challenges that may interfere with our success. A race that is run well has great rewards. That’s a metaphor maybe.  A friend might say—That might affect my rolling rib! I never heard of a rolling rib until my friend told me about his rolling rib! Do you have a rolling rib? I thought he was pulling my leg but he was just rolling my rib!. Crazy for sure.

I was telling a friend that I have to admit that recently I have been a little envious of amount of money some of my friends and acquaintances are making. Crazy amounts. I don’t want to be this way. This feeling is not good for me. Besides, I have it good enough for me. Another friend told me that sometimes all that wealth and income is very hard on families and individuals. This friend seems to have a point; he sees things in a very good way. I applaud him. You know who you are. Then I watched a morning devotion which said this: Here is CoachB’s tip. “Societies accumulate their greatest wealth at their death. Nations become so rich to a point that they begin to die. It happens to nations as well as to individuals. Sometimes that happens with individuals because of their material possessions. It can happen with food. We can get so much food that the food kills us. Some folks get so much material stuff that it chokes us and kills us.” You believe that? Aren’t we something else. Sometimes we just can’t get enough to a point that we self-destruct.  What! Who, me!

Here is a Dr.J tip—"What gives you confidence? For some people, it’s the right hairstyle or clothing. Other people feel confident because of the premium credit card in their pocket. A few people are blessed with a self-confident attitude, but it sometimes appears as arrogance. Others constantly battle feelings of insecurity. The key to confidence is Christ. Proverbs 14:26 says, ‘In the fear of the Lord there is strong confidence.’ Fearing God means living in awe of the Lord Jesus who represents to us the Father and resides within us by His Holy Spirit.” I agree with Dr.J but for me it is hard to stay focused with all the other stimuli thrown at me all day long.  Pow! Such is life.

I have a friend who shared that he has it made with his job but is not happy. He feels he’s trapped and not challenged.  He got to the top of the ladder and it’s not as good as he thought it would be (i.e. maybe he had his ladder leaning against the wrong wall, just maybe). What! When I was in business, I often told folks that the putting the deals together with folks was way more fun than closing the deal and making some money. Some folks just couldn’t understand that (i.e. the chase was more fun than the catch at least it seemed to me).  Sometimes the planning the vacation is more fun than the actual vacation.  Sometimes! I talked to a gal recently who has a position/job at a courthouse. I have known her for a long time as she has worked her way up to be the top dog (i.e. always has been a very nice gal) and I got to know her as I used this service of the county in my business.  She told me she can’t wait to retire, she does not like her job at all.  To the public it would appear that her job would be one everyone would want. Sometimes we do have our ladder against the wrong wall, but we didn’t know that until we got to the top and then we say—What was I thinking!

Tips from a Stoic--It’s Jonas and I hope you are dealing well with your current life tasks. For me, that’s really what Stoic philosophy is about: how to live (well). And that comes down to how you deal with your current tasks, how you live in each moment, how you respond to the given circumstances. This is your response-ability. We want to respond according to our values – true to ourselves. First, we want to know our values, so that we can live accordingly. Second, we need a certain presence in the moment, so that we can respond by choice and only do or say what we approve of. Here are some ideas:

• Before every meal, take three conscious belly breaths and be grateful for the meal.
• Before leaving home, get yourself in the condition you want to be in to face the day.
• When returning home, breathe consciously and ask yourself how you want to greet your family.
• Upon entering your car, bring your energy to your belly and find peace within.

Here is an interesting story about our mentality that I enjoyed. When London’s Millennium Bridge opened in 2000, it became known as the Wobbly Bridge because it would shake and shimmy for no known reason. After some research, engineers found the cause. When the bridge moved just a tad, people adjusted their weight and stance. When enough people exerted energy trying not to fall, it created a human-caused wobble—a problem that has since been corrected. With our world seesawing around us, people everywhere are trying not to collapse. Now I think that is an interesting analogy! I never had this experience before.  When deplaning in Denver the flight attended had the last half of the passengers all come tightly to the front of the plane to tip the plane.  We could not deplane until we tipped the plane.  Most folks thought it was a joke, but it wasn’t! There must have been toooo many heavy folks in the back! haha Maybe the crew all had a good laugh when we all left!

When I was learning to use the motorcycle carrier on the back of my car, I asked four of my neighbors and friends for their tips.  They all advised me, and I used all or part of their tips.  Why not! My trip went very well in transporting it.  I always try to listen to smart folks like you folks, all of you expect one of you who just think you are smart, you know who you are haha. Soooo now in AZ I want to ride some trails up ‘er in ‘em mountain.  I don’t have any experience soooo I put a post on our information post system of my 55+ park that I would like some folks to help me in mentoring me.  I need more advice again. Why reinvent the wheel. My first post got no help! Yikes! I guess there aren't toooo many old timers who have dirt bikes. They have side by sides or quads I think. But I really did laugh the other day, yes I did. I was riding my Yamaha XT 250 through Mesa on Broadway and thought, I would have never guessed at age 77 that I would be doing this.

It seems to me a change in the environment like coming to AZ for the winter gives me a different perspective on some things. I really don’t know why but it seems tooooo. I seem to look at things differently.  Do you know why?  Here is a tip for you maybe that I learned—I “give careful thought to my ways” and make a “don’t do” list—not a “to do” list. Some things I used to do aren’t necessarily wrong, but I don’t need to resume them because they’re not necessary. Soooo I add them to my “don’t do” list. It seems to be a natural time to rebuild parts of my life and make it better and healthier than it ever was before (i.e. pretty aggressive wouldn’t you say--haha). I want to take time to evaluate everything. I try to make it a new game in town! SusieQ who doesn’t always have her skirt on straight, says—erv,  you're pretty crazy I think! I think you are covered with tree sap! 

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

erv

MyFriendJean said--Days are like suitcases, by careful arrangement, some people can pack more,