certainty

Saturday question--Are we ever cocksure positive only to find out later we were wrong? I have and I don't like the feeling! FussbudgetBetty says--I was sooooo certain I was right! Da! I admit that I have changed my mind about something in 180 degrees! 

They say that taxes and death are certainties. We try to lessen our taxes or not pay taxes at all and we try to not to die. We spend a lot of money and effort doing both sorta kinda anyway.  BUT many folks only get concerned about dying when they have a problem. When things are going well, we usually don’t take care of our bodies, minds or souls very well. But when there’s a problem, Katie bar the door, we want a pill to fix everything (i.e. a certain fix). Saturday question--Have you ever had a toothache? Now that's a humbling experience for sure that gets our attention!

It’s a certainty alright. I went to the work out center the other day to get stronger (i.e. I was hoping 15 minutes would do it). I can’t hit the golf ball like I use to and also can’t play pickleball as well; now that is a certainty. I found out real quick why I can’t as I have less strength than I used tooooo and I didn’t have much before soooo if I’m 50% less of little, that doesn’t leave me much left. Now that is a certainty .Houston, we have a problem!

LuckieEddie’s certainty is now certain that it has to change. It’s a certainty.  It’s been that way for ever. Change is driven by convenience and of course money. C’mon folks! A few years ago, the old boys at the restaurant said that they would only take their SS check if is mailed to them, no automatic deposit for them; they didn’t trust it.  Then SS said the only way you can get your SS check is by automatic deposit and they said—Ok, we’ll take it; it’s ok! BigMouthBill says--Aren’t we really something! We have no idea what we are talking about! CadillacJack says--Change is our friend not your foe; change is a brilliant opportunity to grow.

Do we live in wonder? I really am in a wonderland in my mind, yes I am. It is amazing the wonder that is all around me and is happening. It’s unfathomable, incomprehensible, just plain amazing. Way beyond my understanding. It blows my mind! Here I am at my age just astonished by God’s world. Wow! We watched a movie the other night called The 12 Mighty Orphans and one of the statements that was instilled in the orphans was—We are soooo blessed! I really like that attitude. Boy, am I blessed! I admit it! But here is a challenge I have—The Bible teaches us that we are blessed to be a blessing!

Jeanne and I were talking about what a friend did (i.e. he went to the Super Bowl that cost him $10,000). I said I would never do that—she said—you can but elect not toooooo!  Now that is a certainty maybe folks; I elect not to do that!  She didn’t know it but that was a great compliment to me. A senior lady in the apple sauce aisle at the grocery store had a tee shirt on that said—Don’t grow up, it’s a trap! There was a book written years ago that I read that the title was something like a better mouse trap or was it who moved the cheese or something like that. The world always has and always will build better mouse traps or make better tasting cheese and we are the mice. Don’t you forget it folks.  Snap, we are trapped! It’s a certainty. Ouchy Ouchy

A new mouse trip; a certainty, it's the smashtruck. It works! It saves our park money by smashing the garbage between dumplings instead of having it hauled. Like I said, someone always figures a way to make money by saving someone else money; a win win situation (i.e. a new mouse trap)! It's an easy sell, a no brainer! Huh, interesting!

I read recently while eating my oatmeal with half a banana on it--There are countless false prophets in the world today (i.e. this is a certainty). Every one of them has a following. Often they proclaim their message with more zeal than the true prophets. Yet they are lying. How are we going to tell whether a prophet is true or false? Now that is a good question! We were around two widowed ladies recently. They told us that they didn’t think they wanted to get married again but might consider having a male companion friend.  We asked how come?  They said they didn’t want to train another man!  We said—C’mon, are you sure you wouldn’t think about it if the right guy came along—well, ya maybe, it would have to be the right one! Soooo maybe they weren’t telling the truth! Dog trainers say treats work very well in training a new dog, soooo there!

I think this is a certainty to me, but you might not; I understand. But at least think about it, will ya; be just a little open minded. My hero David, the Psalmist, wrote--God’s praise “shall continually be in my mouth” (i.e. words he wrote during a time of trouble). When I’m feeling rotten because of something and need an uplift, that is what I try to do. A friend thinks that the statement, “I try,” might be a Midwest statement as she doesn’t hear it in her part of the world. I hear folks say it a lot, I will try my best. I tell our grandkids to always try to do their best. I like that statement as it is rather humbling to me as I always don’t do what is right or my best, but I try! What do you think? That is what I thought!

It's a certainty alright, no questions about it. You and I look at the same things but see different things. Why is that? Maybe our brains are programed differently, could be, maybe, probably, I don’t know. Recently we visited the Karchner Caverns, one of the 10 best caves in the world maybe. We all looked at the same stalagmites, stalactites, and columns but we all saw something different, for sure. I think maybe we look at life and the purpose of our life the same but see different things. I do think soooo maybe, could be, probably, I don’t know. WildWilly says--Here might be an example of how we see things differently--We are here to add what we can to life, not to get what we can from life.

I was hiking up 'er in 'em mountains the other day and was standing on my favorite vista overlooking a beautiful valley below. I heard some racket coming down the trail that kept getting louder and louder. It sounded like about 100 Carriage Manor women on a hike. As they came around the bend there were 6 women about age 60 all taking at the same time, no one was listening and all looking down at the trail. They walked past me about 20 feet away. None of them saw me, they didn't seem to hear a word the others were saying and didn't see any of the beauty of the valley. Hey, that is the way I saw it, heard it, and understood it! When I got to my vehicle, there were two guys getting on their mountain bikes going for a ride.  They asked me if I saw any rattlesnakes--no, I didn't--we saw one last time we rode soooo they are out there.  We talked about rattlesnakes a little and I said--I was to a program on rattlesnakes here in the mountains and the ranger said that most bites happen to guys in their 20 who are under the influence and who are trying to impress a girl. One guy said--That really lessons my chances to get bit by a rattler. The other guy said--me toooo!  Soooo you didn't here them, see them or understand their body language like I did (i.e. they say body language is about 80% of communication) but your understanding still could be many things I guess. 

Ok, do you know of the sonnet by William Wordsworth called "The World is too Much With Us?"  Have you read it? Do you know the meaning of it?  It's about maybe how we see and understand things differently maybe. I suggest you learn about it. Something different for you. It's always good to learn something new! That is my opinion. BUT you might think differently (i.e. that is a certainty). I understand that toooo! Such is life.

The person who I think was the smartest ever, said (i.e. erv’s paraphrase)—We all have ears to hear, eyes to see and hearts to understand but we all hear differently, see differently, and understand differently.  Now ain’t that the certain truth, a certainty! Related to that thought, it appears that many folks enjoy different types of conversations compared to other folks. SusieQ says—Don’t kid yourself erv, we all do; just look around! Some folks enjoy certain conversations and others just get really bored and get up and leave (i.e. like a friend of mine does; I think he gets to a point of hearing enough of the same old stuff I think)! haha I asked him once about it and he said that he had to leave to go and sort his socks in his sock drawer! Right! Related to that thought, have you noticed that some folks don’t understand humor at all or not the same type of humor as you do? They just don’t get it and act like a deer looking in the headlights of a car! I guess the conclusion of the matter is that we are all different now aren’t we! Now that is a certainty without a doubt!

A new female senior friend who is our neighbor went to a bar here in the Valley of the Sun where they sponsor “Senior Speed Dating!” You heard it right, Senior Speed Dating. I don’t think I ever heard of that in Butler County Iowa (i.e. maybe she thinks she needs Senior Speed Dating as time is running fast)! She said—It was a bust! She had no success! She was disappointed!

Hey listen, all relationships have to start somewhere, don’t kid yourself. We were given this pic; pretty neat we thought. It’s a small world after all! I had to go to Mesa, AZ to meet Jeanne who is from the State of Washington. The two couples that were instrumental in  getting us to gather are from Canada. Go figure! No one from Butler County IA! Probably the most popular question folks ask us is, how did you meet. Well, it was a God thing, a God Wink, a miracle. It was Sunday, February 26, 2023 and our park was having their Sunday Chapel Service in the ball room. I usually go to Broadway Christian, but my big sister (i.e. only in age) and her husband were using my vehicle soooooo I just walked to the chapel service. Roy and Rita from Canada, old pickleball friends (i.e. old in two ways) who don’t usually go to the park’s service as they go to another church but this Sunday the service was honoring all the couples in the park who have 50-year anniversaries and they knew some of the folks. Jeanne hadn’t gone back to the chapel service since the death of her husband, Larry, about four years ago, as it was soooo hard for her as he sang in the choir. But this Sunday she said she was forced to go by an internal force but didn’t know why (i.e. she had no desire in meeting another man, none). Well, I sat in the back and Roy came up to me and told me that the woman they wanted me to meet is here and there is a chair open right beside her and I should go and sit by her. I told Roy that I didn’t want anything to do with dating a woman; I just want to coast on out and call it good (i.e. I was done with trying to find another woman). He insisted that I do it, but I said, “no way.” Well, Dianne and Keith, also Canucks, were sitting next to me who I didn’t know, said to me (i.e. my version—you idot, get your butt over there). Their version was like that’s an opportunity and you should pursue it. Sooooo, I went and sat by Jeanne. I introduced myself and said, Roy says you are a nice person, and I should meet you. She looked at me, put her hand on my arm and got teary eyed. The rest is history as they say.

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

erv

MyFriendJean said—The trouble with the younger generation is that most of us aren’t in it.