just flabbergasted

Are you ever astonished?

Slow down, enjoy the game, don’t get sooo excited. I try to make everything a game; it seems to make life much more fun and easier for me. That’s my opinion. But I admit I’m just flabbergasted about the many events that happen to me and in the world (i.e. both seemly good and seemly bad). Yes, I am. My mentor would say to me--erv, things are never as good as they look or as bad as they look!

America’s welcome on the Statue of Liberty reads, “Give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning to breathe free, the wretched refuse of your teeming shore, Send these, the homeless, tempest-tossed to me: I lift my lamp beside the door.” Since the time this was written, America’s welcome to refugees has been muted because of many different reasons. But one welcoming invitation that will never change is that of Jesus, “Come to Me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest” (Matt. 11:28). Now that is truly hard to comprehend isn’t it. It’s just flabbergasting to me; a life changer it is for sure and it’s free; what a deal but most won’t do it. Flabbergasting to me! I have seen and been told stories of how folks have changed way for the better. Some of you have told me your stories, I’m just flabbergasted! AverageJoe says—For me those stories are really “ahhhh moments!”

When traveling to WA recently I got a real taste of how our luggage is handled at the airports. I borrowed Jessica’s roller carryon, one that is hard and it’s the perfect size (i.e. she travels some and knows some tricks). Leaving Dallas, there was not enough room in the overhead compartments soooo the clerk said I had to check it at the gate. As we were boarding while standing in the chute, this guy came along with all the roller carryons, opened a little door and slides them down a steep chute of about twenty feet to a bin at the bottom where they just smashed together and bounced around like bumper cars. It’s not how we would handle our luggage, but it wasn’t his luggage. Anyway, it didn’t make any difference if the luggage was new, old, high end, low end, fancy or not fancy, they all got treated the same. Sooooo there! I should not have been flabbergasted but I was. I was standing with a lady and a guy who traveled all day from FL and OH. We just looked at each other, shook our heads and laughed! Well, hey, it wasn’t my luggage, it was Jessica’s! hahaha

What the Sam hill! I read recently while eating my oatmeal with half a banana on it--Less than 33 percent of family companies survive to the second generation; less than 15 percent make it to the third generation, and only about 4 percent reach the fourth generation with family members at the helm. I heard it said in Butler County this way—One generation makes the money, the second generation maintains the money and the third generation spends the money! Are you just flabbergasted about that? What generation are you in? SusieQ says—I’m in the third generation and I’m loving it; thankyou grandpa and grandma and dad and mom! There is an old saying in Butler County at the grain elevator that goes like this--They made their money the old fashion way, they inherited it!

ValvetElvis says—We have been formed, everyone of us, by a complicated mix of people and places and things!

My first reaction was sorta kinda, the sky is falling! Technology is soooo great but also it can be a pain. When traveling to WA, my flight out of Des Moines was cancelled. I had to retool! Had to do it all online—got a refund, found another flight the next day, cancelled our motel in Seattle and got a new one. It took a lot of time and effort. Actually, the technology was quite friendly, easier than I thought it would be. If we are not our own advocate, how could that have got done! The world we live in expects us to be able to do this. Soooo at Jeanne’s house I wanted to watch the NBA playoffs. She has limited TV coverage as she is not a big TV watcher.  We, with a few clicks, had my YouTubeTV on her TV in no time at all. It was slicker than a whistle. Very friendly. We both just wondered how they know all this information about us!  We were both flabbergasted! Yikes!

In one way or another, pretty much everything a.k.a. stuff is going to fade away. Your cloths wear out or go out of style, your car will go in the junk yard, your house someday will be torn down, your best dinner china some day will no longer be wanted, your tools in your shed will all fade away, you golf clubs are history in just a few years, etc. I have really relearned this while starting to get rid of my stuff in the house. Much of the stuff isn’t worth much as it is fading away (i.e. depreciating or worthless). It’s like the rug in the sun porch that has faded by the sun; not brilliant anymore; it’s a throw away. I’m sorta kinda flabbergasted when I actually face reality! SusieQ says—I looked in the mirror this morning and, wow I discovered I’m fading away tooooo!

I’m flabbergasted about this theory--Sociologists have a theory called “the looking-glass self.” The theory suggests that we become what the most important person in our lives—parent, spouse, child—thinks we are. We live up (or down) to that person’s image of us. How would your life change if just one person truly believed in you and loved you without conditions? Do you like to give gifts? How about receiving gifts? Some sociologists believe that the best gift you can give someone is the gift of encouragement. And that isn’t necessarily money, but it could be! We were at a celebration of life service in the park for a lady who was a friend of Jeanne’s family in  Wenatchee (i.e. beautiful country). She was described as a gracious person who encouraged folks (i.e. not egotistical). I think, my opinion, egotistical folks aren’t very encouraging as they always think about themselves. Soooo how can we be encouraging folks? It doesn’t have to do with money maybe; actually, it might have little to do with money! Maybe more to do with attitude or our soul!

I was flabbergasted about all the fruit trees, hops, and grapes (i.e. majority seem to be apples—they claim to be the apple capital of the world) that are in the Yakima area.  Acres and acres. Also, what amazes me is that this is basically a desert with only 11 inches of rain a year. Yes, every bit of all vegetation is irritated including every lawn or flower garden. I can’t imagine how much water that takes. I understand that there have been fights over water. It’s a way different world than Butler County let me tell ya where we pattern tile our crop land to get rid of moisture. I never seen this drafting done before. These are apple trees with a new variety, or varieties of apples drafted onto old trees. Quite interesting to me. Maybe in the future they will do this with humans (e.g. like drafting a new brain onto an old body)! I never thought I would carry a computer in my pocket either!

Have you ever seen something run-a-muk? Sometimes I think I have it all planned out to perfection and then it all runs-a-muk! I guess we all have and will experience muk in our lives; it can’t be any different. If you think differently, get your head out of the sand! I guess it’s how we handle the muk. My Daddy, Chester, would say to me—Son, everyone has problems but it’s just that some folks handle them differently. But flip the pancake—Everyone has opportunities but it’s just how we handle them. And my Mom, Anna, would say to me—Son, always do what is right. Yes, life can seem like we live in camp run-a-muk at times. My mentor would say to me—erv, this too shall pass. Patti, not everyone can be a Patti, says--All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given us. ItchieBitchie says--Soooo don’t get flabbergasted when stuff happens. Such is life.

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

erv

MyFriendJean said—Snowflakes are such fragile things, but look what happens when they stick together.