I got nothing from your blog

I received a note recently from a long time reader who said, "I read your blog today and I got nothing from it."

Well, I was not offended.  I think that we humans all have that feeling from time to time.  I was hoping for this, but instead I got that.  I was hoping to be inspired, but instead I got jokes about Star Wars.

Well friends, life is full of disappointments.  In fact, some of the people that we love the most are those whose disappointments we take in stride.

I write every day about what is going on.  I hope it helps you or blesses you from time to time, but I know for sure that sometimes you might read it and get nothing.

Such is life.

I am not offended.  I am doing the best that I can.  Hacking away at the keyboard, trying to explain life as I see it.

Disappointment comes to us all.  I hope that the blog tomorrow is particularly touching to you.

It's a beautiful day in God's world, be sure to see the good.

Do you see what I see

So I was staying at the hotel in Boca Raton.  Took a break in the early afternoon to swim.  I didn't have to report for work until 3pm.

So I am hopping back and forth from the pool to the hot tub and I notice something on this palm tree.  By the way, this is a story about paying attention.  About seeing incredible things that are around us that often go unnoticed.  It's a beautiful day in God's world, be sure to see the good.  So I looked at the palm tree and I saw this...

Can you see it???

Now let me zoom in.  A pretty big iguana.  

Probably 3' long...

As a common young man from Missouri, seeing an iguana seems like a big deal.  It was kind of exciting to see it.  I think that they are an invasive species.  I know that in Nicaragua, when we went there on mission trips, people would catch them and eat them.

Anyway, the moral of this story is to keep looking at what is around you.  The beauty and amazingness of God's world is there if we just open our eyes.

It's a beautiful day in God's world, be sure to see the good.

A Tale of Two Maids

So I was working in Boca Raton for three weeks.  I stayed at the same hotel.  I got to know many members of the staff on a first name basis.

I was struck by the difference in the attitudes of two of the maids or members of the housekeeping staff.  One, always had a negative look on her face.  She rarely spoke, but would gesture with her hands for you to move out of the way.  She looked like she was unhappy with the world.  I wondered if it felt beneath her to work at such a job.

The housekeeper #2 was a bubbly happy bundle of joy.  She spoke to me, and I am sure to others.  She had a wonderful smile.  She was happy at her place of work.

Two human beings.  Similar situations.  One a joy and one a pill.  The effect that each of them have on their surroundings was evident.  One brought things down, and one lifted things up.

We have the opportunity each day to grouse or to see the good.  What is your choice?

It's a  beautiful day in God's world, be sure to see the Good.

Longing for a holiday

Sometimes we long for holidays.  When we were kids we longed for Christmas.  It just could not get there fast enough.  As adults I think we long for Thanksgiving or any holiday when the kids can come home.

I have been watching a pirate show on Netflix called "Black Sails."  I like pirates.  I like talk like a pirate day which is September 19th.  I started thinking about how much I enjoy pirate jokes and pirate lore and I started longing for talk like a pirate day.  I looked online for pirate hats.

When I saw some of the pictures I started to laugh and laugh.

Laughter is good medicine. I hope you learn to yearn for and enjoy talk like a pirate day.

Rrrr Matie!!!

It's a beautiful day in God's world, be sure to see the good.

soldiers on my mind

Of late, for some reason, I have been thinking a lot about soldiers in the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

Russian soldiers who are out their, mostly who had no choice, forced to fight.  Shot by their own officers if they retreat.  Fodder for the meat grinder.

And then I think of the Ukrainian soldiers... fighting to save their country from an invader.  Hoping that the world will help.  Knowing that the odds are against them.

And I think of soldiers on both sides who may be opening up some ration for lunch.  The enemy is far away, but no... there is a drone, and it drops a grenade on you.  A totally new aspect of war that pretty much makes no place safe.

The fear must be terrifying.

War is never good.  Let's pray for the young men and women on both sides.

What me worry?

When I was a kid I read Mad Magazine. That may be where my strange sense of humor came from.

Alfred E. Neuman used to say, "What, me worry?"

I realize that after all of these years of trying to live, and trying to live in mentally healthy ways, I still find myself worrying. What if my boss isn't happy. Maybe my kids don't really like me. Maybe I am annoying. What if there isn't enough?  Maybe this. Maybe that.

And so I stop and I give myself today, the same advice that I would give you. Release yourself from your worries. Let it go. Relax. Take a deep breath and enjoy the moment. Don't let your days be colored by needless and fruitless worry.

Release yourself.

It's a beautiful day in God's world, be sure to see the good.

The worst of losses

I worked in the house of a Vietnam vet.  Hanging pictures in their new house.  Later that night I watched a show about a family who lost a son in Vietnam. 

I can’t imagine.  And I think about my worst heart aches.  Failed church appointments, broken relationships. Disappointing people. 

None of them compare to losing a child.  If you’re out there and you’re reading this and you’ve lost a child I want you to know that my heart goes out to you.  I hug you from a far.  You’ve experienced as far as I’m concerned one of the worst griefs life has to offer.  I love you and I’m so sorry.

I encourage you to keep looking for the joy.  God is bigger than we can ever imagine.  And, he lost a child once too.

Buying Books

I buy all of my books used from dealoz.com

Sometimes someone mentions a book and I buy it.  Cheap.

Some months ago I was watching a show and they quoted Marcus Aurelius "Meditations."  I bought the book.  Unfortunately, the language was so very difficult.  I didn't get much out of it.

Last week I was watching a show and they quoted his book again.  The quote got my attention.

No no shame.  I said what?  Ahh.  Know no shame.

In this life, reject shame, accept no shame.  Know no shame.

I am happy to have gleaned a bit of wisdom from a Roman philosopher.

Know no shame in this life.

It's a beautiful day in God's world, be sure to see the good.

TOTALLY STRESSED!!!

A couple of days ago I was totally stressed.  I needed 200 pieces of a certain product for the job that I was working on.  I placed orders at three different Lowes.  I drove to them in the terrible south Florida traffic.  One store said they had 145 pieces but when I got there, they only had three.  I want to get this material.  I do not want to let my boss down.

Then, 20 minutes down the road, I get a message thanking me for picking up my order.  Someone clicked the wrong button and my credit card was charged $1,200 for items that they did not even have.  Are you feeling my pain?  And on top of this I was hangry.

This went on for an hour.  I was making myself sick.  Then I decided to take action.  I put on one of my podcasts from the Demello Spirituality Center.  I listened to the soothing tone of his voice.  I took in his thoughts.  I realized that I was worrying about things that I could do nothing about.  He said that I should not let it touch me.  I should not let the concerns stick to me.

He talked about how if you throw black paint up into the air, it doesn't make the air black.  We are the same way.  Things only have the power to effect us when we let them.

My breathing slowed.  Peace returned.  Later that day, the issue was resolved.  No wonder Jesus told us not to worry.

It's a beautiful day in God's world be sure to see the good.

Moved to pray

Sometimes prayer is a chore.  Sometimes I am moved to pray.  Today, I am moved to pray.

"Dear Father, you told us to ask, but sometimes I feel that I have no business asking anything of you.  You and I have had our moments over the years... but my heart is touched to reach out to you with prayers.  Prayers for Debra who has lung cancer.  And prayers for a young woman named Bella who is in the hospital with pneumonia and low blood pressure.  If you are waiting for a prayer to release your power and touch these two people, then let this be that prayer.  Please touch them and please bless them.  In Jesus' name, Amen."

I invite you to join me in the above prayer.

It's a beautiful day in God's world be sure to see the good.

She is gone

She emailed me or Facebook messaged me 2x a week.  She worried about a lot of things.  She was always interested in how I was doing.  She missed me.  She made great soup. She had a great laugh.  She told me that she loved me.  I know that she did.

And she is gone.

She died suddenly.  Well, if you are in your 90's it may not fit the deffinition of suddenly.  But she passed, and she is gone.  And I miss her messages.

She was a lovely, kind, gracious friend.  I know I will see her again.  Appreciate every moment that you have with the ones that you love... nothing lasts forever.

It's a beautiful day in God's world, be sure to see the good.

When is Cinco de Mayo

I have told the same jokes over and over again for most of my life. Please laugh with me and enjoy.

Today is Cinco de Mayo. Cinco = five. Mayo = May. The fifth of May.

I love to ask people, "when is Cinco de Mayo this year?" Many people recognize it as a holiday but do not understand that it is date specific. Much like someone from another culture might hear that we celebrate a holiday called July 4th. If the words July and fourth don't translate well into their language, they might not know it was a specific day.

Did you know that Cinco de Mayo is not celebrated very much in Mexico? Cinco de Mayo is actually a fabricated holiday for Americans to drink margaritas and have a party.

It is also not the Mexican day of Independence. That is September 16th. Cinco de Mayo celebrates a Mexican victory over French forces at the Battle of Puebla, May 5th 1862.

Anyway, today is Cinco de Mayo. When is it next year?

It's a beautiful day in God's world be sure to see the good.
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Star Wars Day!!!

My friend Shawn Fransensengens turned me on to this nice little joke.

Today is Star Wars day.

May the 4th be with you.
ha. ha.

I was in California for Jr and Sr highschool and my first year of college. I moved away in 1976. I missed my friends, imagine that. So I drove back for a visit it 1977. I was visiting my friend Dan Denevue in San Jose California in 1977. The Star Wars movie came out in May, I was there in June or July. There were still long lines to watch the first Star Wars film. I was visiting Dan for 10 days. During that time we saw the movie 7 times. I loved it. Still do.

Happy Star Wars day.
May the 4th be with you.

It's a beautiful day in God's world be sure to see the good.
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things to be thankful for

I was watching a war movie the other night.  It struck me how terrible it must be to aim a rifle and put another human being in your sights.

I am thankful that I have never had to do that.  I am thankful that I never wanted to do that.

I am also for ten other random things...

I am not sick, nor have I been for a while.

I have clothes on my back.

My son is doing better.

In my recent physical exams, I have been given memory evaluations, and have passed with flying colors.

I am thankful for healthy children.

I am thankful for cars that start.

I am thankful for the gift of work, of labor.

I am thankful that I woke up this morning.

Surely there is something in each person's life that they can be thankful for.

It's a beautiful day in God's world, be sure to see the good.

A meaningful May

My friend John sent this in... well worth the reading... 

It's a beautiful day in God's world, be sure to see the good.

Trust vs worry

Jesus said, do not worry.  How can it benefit you?  Can you add a moment to your life? Can you make yourself taller?

We all worry.  And, we all trust.  We just wish that we trusted God more often than we worried.  I have noticed something: when trust arrives, worry leaves.  When we take the time to really think that God is trustworthy, worry leaves.

You can't think about two things at the same time. It is impossible to do so.  Think about how big a problem is and God shrinks away. Think about trusting God, and worry gets smaller.  When trust arrives, worry leaves.

It's a beautiful day in God's world, be sure to see the good.