winning and losing

The MI-Wizard’s Christmas joke—What did the gingerbread man say when the gingerbread woman asked how she looked--------------------SWEET!

My neighbor told me that his father told him to believe half of what he sees and none of what he hears!  Soooo having said that, let’s get started with this “It’s Saturday.”

This sculpture is top of an art gallery in New Zealand but it is being moved as some folks don’t like it, but others do. I guess the don’tlikeitfolks won. But who knows, it’s just a matter of opinion. A town council person said—"This is either a great day for Wellington or a terrible day for Wellington and there’s not much view in between.” Soooo how will anyone really know who won and who lost! And quite often the folks who make the most noise get their way, but they really aren’t even the majority (i.e. it seems to happen all the time; it doesn’t take a rocket scientist to figure that out). SusieQ says—Does it really matter! If it doesn’t affect me personally, I don’t care one little iota! But if it affects me personally, well…Kattie bar the door!

Winning and losing in professional sports is very important as there is a lot of money at stake. Sooo the franchises try to buy the best talent they can; the better talent they have, the better their chances of winning (i.e. put the odds in their favor). But someone or some group needs to decide what good talent is. And sometimes the talent they buy doesn’t prove out. That is decided by “the prove-it-time.” The proof is in the pudding! I think if we want to be a winner, being around better folks puts the odds much more in our favor as usually we become much like the folks we are around. LuckyEddie says—I have seen it many times; c’mon, quite kidding yourself!

A new friend told me that when she was a teenager her parents thought she was hanging around with the wrong crowd and they just couldn’t convince her to change. They forced her to go and live with relatives in another city to get away from her current crowd.  I asked her if it worked. Ya, I stopped at the gas station and asked the guy who filled my car up, which way to Spokane (i.e. got a new environment and new start). I can’t help but wonder if she would not have gone! Soooo do you think she won or lost? I don’t know but she thinks she did!

Sooooo here is an idea as to what qualities that folks have that we want to be around. But it’s each our own decision and guess who makes that decision. RickyRick says—“ There is a clear distinction between pride and humility. While pride will tear down your relationships, humility builds them up and strengthens them. But pride is self-deceiving. It can be hard for us to recognize in ourself. Instead, try looking for the symptoms of pride, like criticism, competition, stubbornness, and superficiality. If you see some of those characteristics in ourselves, we might have a problem with pride. Proverbs 16:18 says, ‘Pride leads to destruction; a proud attitude brings ruin.’ I like how the Message paraphrases this verse: ‘First pride, then the crash—the bigger the ego, the harder the fall.’ Pride destroys relationships, but humility is the antidote to pride.” My opinion is that humble folks are winners and proud folks are losers!

We had the opportunity to go to the Millennial Choirs and Orchestras Arizona at the Mesa Arts Center performing Hear The Angel Voices. It was a group of folks from age 4 to seniors. They will take any child and teach them to sing (i.e. no auditions); using Christian Classical music and traditional classical music (i.e. the director said they have been doing this for 18 years; going against the odds of teaching teenagers and using Christian music). This is big time as they perform at major venues. They are dynamic with maybe 500 folks participating; incredible. ANYWAY, what really impressed me was none of them where showboats and they all had the same facial expressions; they were a team and not individually theoretically performers a.k.a. showoffs. They had to be taught that. They appeared to be very humble.  

Sooooo I had to find a medical doctor when moving to Yakima. It was rather difficult I was told as there is a shortage of doctors and most aren’t taking new patients.  Soooo Jeanne and I stopped at the clinic where her doctor is and thought we would just ask around. We went in the wrong door and was basically lost in the maze of the clinic and a nurse asked us if she could help us. I said yes, we seem to be lost and I need a doctor (i.e. we all laughed). I explained my situation and she said all the doctors here are not taking new patients. Well, you can see I really need a doctor (i.e. we all laughed again). Sooo she lead us to the front desk while having a nice conversation about how and why I’m in Yakima). Then she said, what is your name and what’s your number. I will call you and maybe get you a doctor. She was the nurse of one of the best internists in the Valley. She got me in. She was a winner. Like my Butler County buddies say—It’s good to just act dumb sometimes but erv, in your case, you don’t even have to act!

I was coming to my vehicle in the parking lot carrying a bouquet of red roses and the cart guy says to me—I hope it’s preventive and not a make up!  We laughed. Then he came back and said—I have been married for 21 years and have learned to just give flowers and keep my mouth shut; it seems I just mess it up when I open my mouth; it seems to work best for me. We laughed again. I thanked him for his advice. Then he said—You just can’t lose by giving flowers is what I have learned! Such is life. Soooo the other day I was going to get our mail and there was a lady and her dog sitting in a golf cart waiting. This guy who was her husband came waddling toward us and I said—she is still waiting for you—good—she had three invites, but she turned them all down—how drunk were they!  What an idiot! Now that guy will need a big make up bouquet for sure!  What was he thinking anyway! This last week a friend told me she was very offended by a friend who said something about her that was tactless and rude and demeaning; I doubt if my friend will ever forget it even though after a couple of days the gal sorta kinda apologized (i.e. somethings we just can’t take it back once it was said). I will never forget it (i.e. not my kind of folks I care to be around). A guy in our mensgettogether group said--People don't care what you think of them as much as they care how you treat them.

I discovered that different folks process information differently! Da! We hear the same information but comprehend it differently. We were with some friends recently that all of us received the same information but came away understanding it quite differently. Sooooo why is that do you think NiftyHarold?  Well, it could be because of our genes that we received give us different intelligence or it could be we have different education or it could because we have had different past environments or different current environments. I think for me, it’s cause I’m just a little ol’ farm boy from a mile and quarter south of Roseland, MN raised by Chester and Anna.

Here is a story of a winner! A friend here in our 55+ community who is the president of the woodwork shop club. He said he asked for a key to get into the shop 7 years ago and they told him that only the president has a key—well, who’s the president—we don’t have one. Sooo a couple of guys gave him the key and he has been president ever since. BUT this guy is just a great guy. He told us that he observes people (i.e. yes there are females who use the shop) and if he sees someone struggling with something or senses there is something not right with them, he will approach them and try to nip it in the bud before it become a big mess. He is way more than the president of the woodworking club.

I read this in the paper, soooo it must be right, that a person who is trying to help the troubled youth said—"It can be easy to get stuck in the sadness of it all,” (i.e. referring to be around sad people or sad situations). Sometimes it appears that we wonder if we are winning or losing (i.e. if we are really making any difference)! We wonder if it really makes much difference when we continue to throw more money at it but nuttin seems to change? Sometimes it feels like it’s such a temporary fix and we really aren’t fixing the real problem. I was told by a friend recently that if a person doesn’t what to change, we are wasting our time and money! But then again, I know troubled youths who figured it out and did a 360!  Now those are big time successful folks, my opinion. I have asked some of them, how come they changed? It appears there are many reasons and some really don’t know! Isn’t that interesting! Maybe it’s like the old saying—It’s what animal I feed the most that wins! But remember folks, a good teacher can change everything!

Onesmartbusinessperson says—"When employers hire someone, many search for people who have a resume and experience fitting the position they seek to fill. Once they narrow the list of competent people, many select the person they like the best. I think a better approach is to hire for character first. Hiring someone with great competence, but no character, can be a terrible mistake.”  Boy oh boy, can that be true with relationships as well, my opinion. The winners in a great relationship are those who have great character and great competence, but great character is more important, my opinion and my experience. I like this quote that came from the good book--“Do not be misled: ‘Bad company corrupts good character.’” GeorgeTheCrook says—Most folks are an extension of the folks they are around; that sure seems to be true!

VelvetElvis says—Most of the messages we receive are about how to make life easier. The call of Jesus goes the other direction. It’s about making our lives more difficult. It is going out of our way to be more generous and disciplined and loving and free.  It is refusing to escape and become numb to and check out of this broken, fractured world….

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

erv

MyDeceasedFriendJean said—Kindness is love with its working clothes on.