reasonableness

Our children and I were together last week, and we had great conversations. I noticed that I didn't say a lot. I think it was because I just don't know much, I don’t know; I just don’t know! Maybe I’m less smarten than I used to be

or I’m a lot smarter than I used to be! I just don’t know! Our son was telling me that Rookie, their son age 11 who is our grandson, wrote on his Father’s Day card—You are a great Dad, you try the best you can!

Nils says—"To be a happier person we need to 'Ditch Small Talk and Get Personal.' Substantive talk makes us happier than small talk. During conversations, try to steer the topic toward matters of substance. Get personal. Don’t just chat about the weather or other banalities.”  I don’t know if this “It’s Saturday” is substantive talk or just banalities. You decide.

Reasonableness. What a great word. David, anybody can be a David, says—"Are you known to others as a reasonable person? The word describes a ‘gentle agreeableness.’ The opposite would be ‘quarrelsome.’ Reasonable folks can agree to disagree with each other. A reasonable person can endure or put up with other people who take advantage of them or mistreat them. They could fire back, but they are content to let it go. Reasonableness means giving others the benefit of the doubt.” Saturday question—Do we ever cut someone some slack? I find it really hard for me sometimes, especially with folks who have way different lifestyles than me, who have different believes, have different values and

morals (i.e. many of us live in America and we have freedoms). It’s hard to accept other folks' differences sometimes. CrazyMarivin says—I dug a big hole and it’s hard to get out of it; I made my own bed and now I have to sleep in it; it ain’t easy. ItchieBitchie says--I guess we can’t be a savior to everyone but maybe we can cut them some slack! At least throw them some scraps!

In a popular card game, the expression “passing the buck” evolved to mean passing the task of dealing the cards to another player. But President Harry S. Truman instituted a different take on the phrase “passing the buck.” He had a sign on his desk in the Oval Office that read, “The Buck Stops Here.” He was communicating that his job was to make decisions and take responsibility for the nation—not something he could pass on to another. AverageJoe says—Soooo do something even if it’s some small deed. People who do nuttin don’t live very long; they shrivel up and die physically and mentally. Look around folks, it doesn’t take a rocket scientist to figure that out.  I like the word sustain; it’s a great word. It means to support and hold up. WorldClassLarry says—A thousand words will not leave so deep an impression as one deed! Rufffffffffffffffffffff!

I witnessed a person who just exploded over some little thing of no importance (i.e. made a complete…out of themselves). I was not impressed with that person. But I’m just another bozo on the bus sitting next to other bozos on the bus soooo such is life. CadillacJack says--Some of the clearest evidence of maturity and responsibility in our lives is when we can handle the pressures, problems, and pains of life without becoming angry. The key to responsibility is learning to control our emotional reactions a.k.a. control our minds. Instead of exploding with anger when people hurt us (i.e. and it is going to happen folks), God wants us to turn around and do good to them. “A fool expresses all his emotions, but a wise person controls them.” Proverbs 29:11 (GW) WildWillie says—I’m a radical and I know that I’m right about everything and will not change because I’m right and you are wrong!

I am a very happy person, an extremely happy person. And a big part of my happiness is because I met Jeanne. No question. Some people know exactly what I am experiencing, and others say they do but really don’t. The difference is some have been through what I have been through, and some haven’t. Now that is a big difference folks.  An example of this is--Two words in the English language that are often confused and, therefore, misused: sympathize and empathize. Sympathy literally means “to suffer with.” Sympathy is expressed by feelings of pity or sorrow for someone’s suffering. You may not understand what the person is experiencing, but you feel badly for them. To empathize goes a step further. Empathy means “to understand and share in the suffering of another because you have experienced the same suffering yourself.”  Here is some cheap advice from the cheap seats—Don’t tell folks we know how they feel if we haven’t been through it ourselves; when we do that, we are just blowing smoke!

VelvetElvis says—When we’re serious about dealing with the Bible as the communal book that it is, then we have to be honest about our interpretations. Everybody’s interpretation is essentially his or her own opinion. Nobody is objective.

Jeanne and I were walking on the golf course early one morning and were walking next the no-mow grass. Jeanne saw a fawn laying there just a few feet away. We would have never seen it if we didn’t almost stumble over it. Howie told us that fawns’ natural protection is their ability to be still, have a camouflaged color and be born with no scent. We had the experience of being around a person who can’t lay still, does not blend in and has a strong scent. This person was a clone to DuaneTheWorm who is very egotistical, all about themselves, a fake, a real showboat (i.e. big turnoff for us).  We both left thinking the same of the person. Yikes! If we both think that way than others must think that way toooo; we ain’t any smarter than anyone else (i.e. we like to think we are reasonable most of the time anyway). Abe Lincoln said—You can fool some of the people all of the time, and all of the people some of the time, but you can not fool all of the people all of the time.

Patti says--Instructions for living a life:  “Pay Attention. Be Astonished. Tell about it. Have Faith. Be Hopeful.” Now that sounds like reasonableness to me! What do you think. I have to admit that I really enjoy being astonished many times a day. It’s such a great feeling and fun. It’s really good for me. Try it, you might like toooooo! And believe me, I’m astonished a lot, yes I am. Many of you folks astonish me; you are amazing. And one of you not soooo much; you know who you are, maybe!

On the back it said--One hour is not enough! We had the opportunity to have breakfast with friends (i.e. good folks with good hearts, real folks—our kind of folks) recently. The gal had on a tee shirt that she said he wore just for me. We really didn’t understand it sooo she explained it to us. “One over 168 represents one hour of the 168 hours in a week a typical youth group has the attention of our youth. That is not enough time to make a significant difference in most cases. Churches that are making a difference are figuring out ways to involve families and parents in disciplining youth beyond that one hour per week.” They have a heart for youth! I understand the point which is, it takes time to be effective. That sounds reasonable to me. The back of her shirt said—One hour is not enough!

The world is searching for answers, and those searches usually happen on Google, the world’s biggest search engine. LuckieEddie says--YaBut I can’t find all my answers there! Now that might be a shocking accusation to some of you! I read while eating my oatmeal with half a banana on it--The Demilitarized Zone between North and South Korea is the world’s most fortified border, yet Kim Kang Yoo escaped across it. “For the first time in life,” he said, “I prayed for God’s mercy although I had never been to church.” God is soooo interesting to humans; we love Him and we hate Him, we say we don’t believe in Him and yet we do, we think we understand Him and yet we don’t, we say we don’t need Him and yet we pray to Him. Aren’t we really something! Be reasonable folks, be reasonable!

Soooo who is reasonable in this story?  I sold two vintage duck decoys to a guy on Marketplace. We determined the price and I texted him with the mailing cost--good, I will put a check in the mail today.  Latter in the day I got a text from his wife saying--Joe is not buying those duck decoys!!!  Joe then sent me a text--Sorry erv, having marital woes!  Well dance to the music! What a hoot! You folks are reasonable folks, sooooo who is the reasonable party here anyway!  

David also said—"Anxious people are not often reasonable people. Have you noticed this? They are often not praying people either, which is why I think Paul speaks of prayer as an antidote to anxiety.” Do you agree with David? I will guess that some of you will, and some of you won’t! You decide. But at least try to be reasonable for heaven's sakes! Saturday question—Do you think there is a difference amongst folks in how they think? And if you think soooo, then why do we think differently anyway?

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

erv

MyFriendJean said—If you are patient in one moment of anger, you will escape a hundred days of sorrow.