expectations--no, I mean Hope

Disclaimer: Don't take me toooo serious! I really don't know much (i.e. I'm just another bozo on the bus) and people I quote might know a lot, but I'm not sure. Don't let me hurt your feelings, I don't mean to do that. But if the shoe fits, I can't help that! If I do, I'm sorry.  I really just want you and I to have a good life and maybe a better life. Sooooo, lighten up, just enjoy this "It's Saturday" with your cup of coffee even though some of you might think it's just shallow babble and others of you might not understand it and others of you must might get it (i.e. big on the might). Such is life.

The paradox of Hope. Many think that in order for folks to have Hope we must endure an event, situation, or something that we can’t control. If we don’t, we can’t really understand Hope (e.g. Dr. J. says--"Hope is most alive when everything seems hopeless").

We are in Morrison, CO celebrating our granddaughter Erin’s high school graduation. The ceremony was at Red Rocks Park and Amphitheater, a majestic and inspiring location for sure. Yes, we are proud of Erin, and we wish her the very best. She has a great start! But as the saying goes--It's early yet! We hope that she does well in life (i.e. “well in life” is thought to be different by different folks). We also have Hope that she will do what is right (i.e. that is a different kind of Hope that is completely unseen and way out of our control). Again, maybe not everyone will agree with what is "right" either! Saturday question--Are you and I doing well in life?

I wonder if we think we need Hope when we think we are in control. Why would we (e.g. if a person makes a million dollars a year why does a person need Hope, they can buy what they want—at least it seems that way). WildWilly says—Ya but erv, if your kid has cancer which it seems like there isn’t a cure, that million dollars a year will not fix it, then we need Hope, meaning Hope for something we can’t buy or even understand. Now that is a different story isn’t it. JoeBlow says—If I can buy it or have power to make something happen, then I don’t need Hope. Anyway, that is what I think now, but I think I'm in control now and I'm pretty cocky!

FlipThePancake—I believe and it says in the Bible that God blesses the just and the unjust the same (e.g. it rains on the good folks and the bad folks—no prejudges). I guess that applies to the material stuff but…! CrazyMarvin says—But the way it looks to me, the folks who have a lot of money buy more new cars and nicer ones! Could be CrazyMarvin, could be but I wonder if they might have a harder time in finding the real Hope. I don’t know but I wonder. And remember, I'm just a little old farm boy from a mile and quarter south of Roseland, MN.

I was eating my hotdog at Costco when a gal about 30 asked if she and her friend could join me. Sure! We started talking and she was a professional caregiver, and they were at Costco having a hot dog. She told me she really likes her job—you must be a patient and kind person—I am. I won’t take a client if the environment isn’t a happy feeling—can you tell—it doesn’t take a genius to figure that out; life for the client and me isn’t really very enjoyable if we are not happy. Saturday question—Does happiness have anything to do with Hope?

Dr. J says-- "Hope affects our souls and our souls show through our faces." Do you agree with Dr. J? Dr. J also says—"Real Hope comes from despair. We can never really ever get real Hope until we experience despair." Is that the paradox again?

When we all wear our everyday clothes we all look alike, no social status is shown, we all are folks with common beliefs, sorrows, struggles, successes, and discouragements. We are alike (e.g. when I eat my hotdog at Costco and share my table with others, we are alike in many ways; there are all kinds of folks there). Sooooo, when Erin graduates from high school, her future is very uncertain. Erin has no idea what her life will bring such as I didn’t have a clue what would happen to me nor did you. What a fun adventure my life has been as well as yours. Erin has no idea! We have great Hope for her, yes we do.

Personal note—Our little Erin who just graduated has a special reason why she is named Erin. I wanted to name our daughter Erin and Arlene wanted to name her Heather, so we named her Heather. When James and Heather’s first child was born, they decided to name her Erin. Pretty touching and still is. I just spilled the beans!

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

erv

MyDeceasedFriendJean said--Life is a journey, and only we hold the map.

communication

One form of communication is asking questions—So where did “The Lion's Share” expression come from? 

We communicate by what we say and how we act. No question about that, unarguable. Now that is a fact. Ok, let’s get going and do some communicating!

ItchieBitchie says—There is chit-chat and then there is important conversation (i.e. some folks talk a lot but don’t say much and others say little and say a lot). Our pastor in his lecture series said that most information is no longer authentic but is just propaganda, talk with an agenda. Ouchy ouchy!  You might not agree with that statement; you have the option to think that the statement is just propaganda with an agenda, and it could be!

SomeReallySmartFolks shared some real, sincere information with us. When we expose ourselves, we have very sincere communication. It appears that sincere communication is really good for us. But not everyone has a real friend or real friends they can share sincere information with. Ouchy ouchy! We have to have real, trusting friends! And let me tell ya, they're not a dime a dozen!

Here is some communication from Sarah—“Most people let their moments slip through their fingers, half- lived. They avoid the present by worrying about the future or longing for a better time and place. They forget that they are creatures who are subject to the limitations of time and space. They forget their Creator.” It takes a really good friend to share really great moments. We feel many times that folks will think we are bragging about ourself. If you really have a good friend, they will be soooo happy for us. They will just be quit and listen to our great moment and don't try to one-up us with how great they are (i.e. better than us)! SusieQ says--I would never do that!  Liar liar pants on fire!

Good communication is very powerful but some communication is like propaganda which can destroy. It can cause division and polarization in our life, in our family, church, nation and our world. It works; I think history proves it. It is said, if you can’t beat them in war, destroy them from within a.k.a. division within. Abraham Lincoln said—"A house divided against itself cannot stand.” He actually got that phrase from the Bible, he used the Bible a lot.

Communication occurs more ways than talking. In fact, maybe, some of the best communication for me is when I’m alone. I enjoy being alone, it’s a special time for me. I especially like to be alone in nature. I think many folks do. I don’t think I’m different in this feeling. BUT we need to take time to do it if we what to experience this feeling! “The best remedy for those who are afraid, lonely, or unhappy is to go outside, somewhere where we can be quite alone, alone with the heavens, nature, and God.” Anne Frank

Computer scientist Alan Kay reminds us that our perceptions are limited:  "A frog's brain is set up to recognize food as moving objects that are oblong in shape. So if we take a frog's normal food -- flies -- paralyze them with a little chloroform and put them in front of the frog, it will not notice them or try to eat them. It will starve in front of its food! But if we throw little rectangular pieces of cardboard at the frog it will eat them until it is stuffed! The frog only sees a little of the world we see, but it still thinks it perceives the whole world. Now, of course, we are not like frogs! Or are we?"

If you ever gave a pan handler $10 on a street corner, what is the question you ask yourself? I think we all ask the same question. MyFriendThePreacherMan sent me this--"It's just human nature: When it comes to doing something good for another person, we can't help but weigh their worthiness. We know that's inconsistent with grace, yet we often wrestle with being generous if we think our gift will go unappreciated or even squandered.”  That’s me alright! I’m just communicating with you!

I admit I didn’t know where “The Lion’s Share” statement came from but I know now!  I have also researched what intrinsic qualities are as well. I find them very interesting. Intrinsic qualities are a very powerful form of communication which we don’t have any control over (e.g. talents, creativity and intelligence). The opposite is extrinsic. We might, big on the might, have some control over extrinsic qualities of communication. Think through that. It might help us in understanding other people better if we determine that others have intrinsic qualities that limit them and they have no control over them. Big on the might! Think through that!

Abraham Lincoln famously said, "All that I am, or hope to be, I owe to my mother." I owe a lot to my Mother, Anna, yes I do and I appreciate her a lot. My parents died way to young! My sisters and I were communicating about our parents, and they said this about them which I totally agree (i.e. my sisters are soooo smart)—"Our parents set an example of how a life can be lived even when it's difficult. They never tried to be someone they weren't.”  erv‘s paraphrase—"They were real folks with good hearts”!

A friend told me-- I think I understood my parents much better when we had kids of our own.

Francis of Assisi is often attributed as saying, “Preach the gospel—use words if necessary.”

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

erv

MyDeceasedFriendJean said--Prayers are not life changing--God is!

yowza

I met a new acquaintance on my walk last week. We really enjoyed each other (i.e. he's a very interesting person). There is a chance we might become friends. He actually played a role in a friend's life in CO because of his consulting work he did there. It affected my friend very positively in the long run although my friend didn't know it at the time (i.e. isn't that the way it works sometimes). A small world, huh.  When I left, he said to me--I enjoy people and I enjoy talking! Yowza!

Soooo I suggest you be open minded in reading this “It’s Saturday.” You might find something that you agree with or even learn if you have an open mind. But if you decide to have a closed mind and think you know everything already, you’ll be wasting your time probably. But remember, I'm just a little old farm boy from a mile a quarter south of Roseland, MN. That's why I mainly tell you what others say. Yowza!

I opened up my computer and it said—Your computer has run into a problem, it needs to restart. That sounds like my life sometimes. I need to reboot, reorganize, get rid of some crap, clean house, reprioritize, do some serious thinking, etc. And once I do that, I feel oh sooo much better. Yowza!

Do you every look at some food and it just makes our mouth water? I do and man does that give me a sensation of me wanting that food right now! AverageJoe said—Man, that CrossFit is hard, but good, no you mispronounced it AverageJoe, it’s croissant, and you had three of them. He went on to say—My New Years resolution was to lose 10 pounds but I only missed it by 15. Yowza

Business executive and former CEO of Pepsi, Indra Nooyi, reminds us to assume the best in others: “Whatever anybody says or does, assume positive intent. You will be amazed at how your whole approach to a person or problem becomes very different. When you assume negative intent, you're angry. If you take away that anger and assume positive intent, you will be amazed.” I’m going to try to do that more. Yes, I am. Yowza 

A friend told me that she is going to write down her blessings as they happen on small pieces of paper and put them in a little box. Then at times she is going to that box and pull one out and read it to remind her of of all the blessings God has given her. That’s a good idea, my opinion. JoeBlow says--The shortest pencil is longer than the longest memory sooo write them down—those blessings. We forget soooo soooon. Yowza

A friend writes—"My daily goal is to encourage others, be grateful, stay active and eat healthy. At age 81, I view each day as a gift.” Yowza

Dr.J says—"Trust by faith in God’s promise regardless of what our senses say.” Yowza! That is hard for us to do at times. There are a lot of folks who think they know a lot who say—It doesn’t make any sense (i.e. I’m an analytical and I want proof) so I won’t believe it and they don’t (i.e. but some do)! RickyRick says—" We may have done some really amazing things in life, but if we think we’re going to get into heaven, forget it. The only way any of us gets in is by receiving God’s gift of grace, which is available to every person.” And God has no prejudice.” Can we believe that!  MissPerfect says--That ain’t how it works in the world I live in! My world is run by the golden rule, the one with the most gold wins! 

I often wonder if my efforts are very valuable. Are they just a waste of time or do they produce results. I wonder.  I read recently that all really great things happen in slow and inconspicuous ways. Yowza 

A humbling experience for old erv! I was hiking to the bottom of Colwich Canyon last Saturday afternoon (i.e. Jeanne doesn't like rattle snakes). When I got back to the trial head Jeanne was there--what are you doing here--I got a call that someone found your phone on the trail--I sat down to enjoy the view of the canyon and it must of came out of my back pocket--we waited for a short time and a group of six teenagers came and asked if we were the ones who lost the phone--we thanked them profusely and Jeanne said, it is sooo great to see teenagers who are sooooo kind. Their facial expressions were very appreciative of us acknowledging their kindness. One of the teenagers said, we do what is right. Yowza! PS Chief James of Emergency taught me to put my emergency information on my phone. It paid off! 

Suggestion and recommendation! We have a book that we would like you to see. It's called Be Nice. The End. The Simple Wisdom of the Playground Kids. At first glance it looks like a children's book but I really enjoyed it — it was good for my mind and soul and life. The illustrator who created the artwork for the book, which we think is amazing, is a woman we met in San Diego last winter. Her name is Wendy Kieffer Shragg and she and her husband were spending part of the winter in the same ocean-front apartment building that Jeanne and I stayed in. Wendy collaborated with the book’s author, Byran Skavnak. Their intent is for it to be a coffee table book that is shared by generations, as a way to open conversations about what’s really important in life. Wendy told Jeanne: “The information shared in the book is important to instill in kids, but an equally important reminder for us as adults…especially with what’s going on in our world right now. Kindness never gets old and you can never have too much in the world!” Jeanne really liked everything about the book and bought several copies. We suggest you take a look at it. Here is the link to Wendy’s website: wendyshragg.com We think you might like it. If you buy a copy, tell Wendy that Jeanne suggested it. Here is a page of the book as an example.

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

erv

MyDeceasedFriendJean said--Busy people don't have time to be busy bodies.

PS I met Pat at church last Sunday. She was a charming, refreshing and happy lady. I said to her--you appear to be a happy person--I'm very happy--what makes you sooo happy--I know who I am and where I am going!