Getting Things Done

A major part of our lives it is getting thing done whether at work or home. It is not always easy because somethings take time to complete. We put some things off as well and those are sometimes the most important. We figure we will get to them when we have the chance.

I am not sure why we try to put off the most important things. Maybe because often they are the hardest and will take some time to complete. It makes sense in our minds until the time comes and we are in a hurry to complete them.

What makes the whole thing about getting things done hard is that we often get stressed about it which isn’t good at all for us. We should do things in a relax manner however that is easier said than done. All of us are wired in different ways so for some doing things are relaxing while others want to put them off as long as possible. I like the relaxing part the best however I don’t find it always able to do. I am one that finds any excuse to put things off if I can.

What I find the most frustrating is when something is missing and I have to look all over the place for it. Usually it takes a lot longer than I wish and I have to go around two or three times to find it. I try to look as many places as possible where the item is at and when I do find it usually in a spot I didn’t think of in the first place. With my mom being in her nineties she often forgets where she put something so I have to hunt for the item. I almost always find it in the most unusual spot. Because of that it takes time that I want to do something else. All I have to say that is what life is like most of the time. Besides relaxing it is good to smile and laughing. The problem with that it usually happens after I find the item instead of during the time of hunting. I just hope it doesn’t have to be that way today. Like everything else it would be nice to put it off until another day. Here I am smiling once again. Sometimes that is all we can do. So whatever things you are dealing with today try to keep a smile and laugh instead of stressing about. Nothing we can do anyway I guess. Until next time my beloved friends.  

Our Story

We have all heard and I have probably mentioned it as well we write our own story. How it is lived out and ends we have a lot to do with it.

It does begin with our parents who have a lot of influence in our lives especially in the early years whether it is good, bad and ugly. We have parents that are good and love us unconditionally we have a pretty good fighting chance however if they are bad and ugly than it makes things a lot harder for sure.

At some point though we have our own decisions and choices to make whether we will have a good life or not; it isn’t easy because those early years under our parents can be difficult to overcome if they are part of the problem. It can be our siblings or peers in school that make it difficult as well.

Forgiveness is an important part that helps us change things as well. We have to decide that we will have to forgive those who have hurt us in some manner or another. If we don’t forgive than we can be eaten up by guilt or what others may do in the present time as well. We can be angry a lot of the time which isn’t good for our family or friends and most of all us.

I have to say life isn’t easy a lot of the time however if I want to be what I like it to be I have to make choices. These choices happen every single day. There are areas in my life that I struggle with every single day so when I wake up in the morning I have to make choices to live the way I want my life to be and not the way of my past experiences along with what others may have said about me over the years. This isn’t just for my benefit but for those who I spend time with. The joy and peace helps when I make the right choices. I have to give my thoughts over to God to make the right choices as well. I won’t make the same mistakes as in the past. I know that I am far from being perfect. I want my purpose and destiny to go through for the sake of others. The more that I can make the right choices the more encouragement I can give to others as well. Amen!

Happy Birthday Jack

                   
                                            my brother Jack

Well today January 29 is my brother Jack’s birthday. These are always special days for us all whether for ourselves or someone in our family or a close friend. Today is one of those epic birthdays because Jack turns another decade older. Decided to say that because I didn’t want to say how old he is because it will tell you how old I am. LOL

Jack is the baby of the family. He is two and half years younger than me and eleven years younger than our sister Barb. Our brother Dick who passed away in 1992 was a year and a half older than me. Although we are closer in age Dick and I were not as close as Jack and I have been. Mainly because Jack and I have more in common than Dick and I. It doesn’t mean I don’t love Dick any less just more interests. Jack and Dick had a pretty good relationship because they had a lot in common as well. That is what made Jack a good baby brother for both of us because we had the same common interests and so he did with Dick.

I talked with Jack on Sunday and wished him a happy birthday. We talk almost every weekend on the phone and it was good to see him last weekend. He told me that his family along with a friend from St. Louis Missouri where he used to live gave him a surprised birthday party. He told me that he had no idea about the party and it was his middle son Ian and his wife Helen that came up with the idea. He told me that he has struggled with the idea being his age now and into the new decade however I know that this birthday party I am sure made it a lot easier on him.

Ian and Helen came from New York to northern Virginia to celebrate his birthday while Danny came from Boston. Leslie and Robby the two oldest live nearby. Leslie is a middle school teacher and Robby works for the USA government. Jack’s brother in-law David and sister-in-law Laurel also live in the same area and so they were able to attend as well. It was one of the reasons that Jack and his wife moved to Norther Virginia to be close to her family. This happened four years ago after Danny graduated from High School. Anne also a teacher wanted a fresh start at a new school and she was having problems getting another job in the St. Louis area so decided to try for one in the north Virginia area. She got the job very soon after applying.

Growing up in Gig Harbor us three boys Dick, Jack and I did some things together though as I said Dick and I didn’t have a lot in common. We played some board games in the winter time when the weather was cold and wet. I wasn’t into them as much as the two of them were. They tried a lot of strategy while I just made a quick move each time. It upset Dick because he didn’t think that I was taking the games seriously which he was actually right. I only was involved because it was better we three than two. So I would go out and shoot basketball shots in-between making my moves. Of course I didn’t have a chance to win. I figured no matter how hard I tried Dick would likely come out victoriously unless Jack found a way to do so. You see the games where ones that Dick invented himself so what chance I have anyway. I was more into sports than being book smart. We lived on the waterfront of Gig Harbor so we had several boats mostly sail boats because that was dad’s love and hobby. All three of us would spend some time on the water though Jack was more interested than Dick and I. This is where Jack was special as well he enjoyed the same things as dad as well. You could say that every family should have a Jack in it. Anyway I salute Jack and happy birthday. I love you your crazy brother Herb.

Good Times

 

 

 

I know it isn’t easy when things are not going so well in our lives or others that we are mentoring or encouraging to remember the good times.

The good times can help think more positive when things are not going so well. These times can be when we were children or when we had children or our grandchildren. Whatever the case the good times let’s life be so much easier to handle.

Actually I hope that we are all in the good times right now however I do know it is not true for everyone. When we are able to encourage others who are going through tough times it can help us as well. In fact if we are going through times helping others is a good thing as well. The importance is to get things off of ourselves and onto others.

I have been through times where depression really put me into dark places. I wasn’t sure what to do in those times but now if depression even comes to knock on my door I start thinking good times and about helping other people. Depression brings along self-pity which is never a good thing. This is the reason that many people take their own lives because they feel there is no way out and they are tired of it all. This is a good reason to be around others as often as possible. I have felt uncomfortable being in large groups because my thoughts go toward self-pity. What I try to do in these situations is to find a small group of people that I know to be with. Large groups do have small groups within them and I am OK being in small groups. Whatever you can do to feel better when you are uncomfortable in any situation do it. Over time things will get better I know from experience. It doesn’t mean that you won’t stop being depressed or uncomfortable at times but life will be easier and again think about all the good times that you have had.

Let Us Understand

About a month ago I learned and posted that a school mate her granddaughter was diagnosed with brain cancer. She had brain cancer as a one year old however it came back again. I asked that people who pray for a miracle unfortunately I heard that she died yesterday morning. It is very heavy on my heart because she was only ten years old, beautiful and a sweetheart. Of course you can understand that her family, friends and the community she lived in are heartsick and devastated. You figure it was just after Christmas they got the news that she got brain cancer. A lot of people around the world were praying for her. Besides her parents, grandparents she left behind a little sister who will not understand why she got sick and is gone now.  

I am sure most of us don’t understand either why someone so young die. We can doubt God in his love. We all have known someone who died so young or a teenager or an adult before their time. I lost my older brother in his thirties and last year a cousin in her sixties. I can even name friends and classmates who died prematurely as well. I don’t have the answer like anyone else. The only thing I can think is that God wanted them more than we do. Also I mentioned before that I almost died at four years from being burned on my chest. It was a miracle that the burn didn’t go to my face along with staying alive after being in the hospital for twelve weeks. Why did I survive to live this long while others didn’t. I don’t have the answer to that either.

We can doubt that our faith wasn’t enough or feel guilty that we didn’t pray enough. We can reason that we were too busy as well. There is no point to that either. All we can learn is to be better next time. Right now I have a little cold so what came to my mind besides praying out loud we can pray with our minds. I find out that a bit difficult because other things come into our minds as well however we can get back on track in our minds. Whatever we do let’s find the time to pray for others this is especially our children and our grandchildren that God would keep them safe and healthy Amen!

Positive

 In our lives whether we are dealing with things or helping others in their lives or doing both it is important to be positive. We have all at one degree or another deal with negativity.

One of the big obstacles with negativity is rejection. We may have dealt with rejection over the years however it pops up once in a while. This is where being positive comes up. When we are rejected now we have to think how we are going to deal with it. Are we going to be negative and get angry or be positive thinking the best of our self. I hope to land on the positive side though that doesn’t always work. We have accept the fact that not everyone is going to like us and they will lash out with rejection. Usually those who lash out with rejection have a problem with rejection themselves. They may be dealing with it currently or it is the only way they know how to act out on their own.

Where rejection hurts the most is when the person is real close to us whether a close family member or a best friend. When this happens we should not respond back in anger. I know that it is not an easy thing to do because we all have buttons that will be pushed with rejection. The question is what we do next. I am not sure I have the answer because I am not an expert however walking away without a response is the right thing to do.

If you are one that rejects others easily it is a good idea to think positive about others. I believe you reject others easily because you have been rejected yourself. So when you go up to someone that you may not like very well think of them in a positive way. Go through your mind what is good about them even though you don’t like them. You may never be best friends but enjoy them when you are with them. Having a positive outlook is much better than thinking negative most of the time. I am not saying it will be easy because it will likely be hard however life will be much easier to deal with.

I know that there are other areas to deal with besides rejection that can turn into being positive but this is a good place to start. Remember to that being positive is a choice we can make. Peace and have a wonderful weekend.

It’s OK

This morning when I woke up I wasn’t sure what to write about like most mornings. It hit me though it’s ok to be ourselves. What I mean by that is when we were kids often we compromised because we wanted to be accepted by others. Other words we wanted our peers to like us. It happens with adults once in a while as well but most of us have grown up to know better. I am sure all of us got told by our parents that we did was wrong because we did something that wasn’t right and wasn’t us either. So the important thing is that we are OK by being our self no matter what anyone else thinks. If we are not liked for that the problem is on the other end. Most likely they are not worth our time of day. We can accept them for being who they are but not likely us is fine.

In some local news Pt. Defiance Zoo and Aquarium officials announced that they were going to put in a runabout into their entrance. Not a big deal in my mind and many places would not even be news however many people here don’t like runabouts. I guess they get all confused when to go or not. I had my first experience driving in Paris France. I had a good time doing so and that it was good thing to have. I especially like the fact that if I made a mistake where I wanted to go the runabout got me back to where I was with little trouble. I figured though if I can drive in Paris with runabouts I can anywhere. I would not say the same for many drivers here though.

In North Gig Harbor they put in runabouts when the area was first developed about ten years. People complained then however more so now because the traffic is heavier. They probably have a beef going with runabouts instead of lights but I like the fact that I don’t have to stop except for a moment if I have too. About five years ago on Pt. Fosdick drive which is closer to where I live they installed a runabout. The reason there was that traffic was getting heavier and the officials wanted to have the traffic flow without needing to put in a stop light. It isn’t nearly as busy as North Gig Harbor and all I have to do is yield for a moment most of the time instead of having to stop. I expect that I am among the minority that feels that way or maybe there is just a silent majority.

Anyway this my time here right now. I hope you are all having a good day and able to let your purpose flourish today.  

A Battle

We all know that there are wars and rumors of wars going on around the world. In fact some of you reading this are likely in areas that such things are happening right now. Here in United States we are in wars that are primarily outside the country and we are being protected by our military. Our borders are being protected to at some degree or another that terrorists won’t come in and then a war that hurts many which the one against drugs.

Another war or what I call battle is within each of our minds. I was reading yesterday in the Bible in the second book of Chronicles in chapter twenty that God told King Jehoshaphat of Judah that he didn’t have to be discouraged going into battle because the battle actually wasn’t his however the Lord’s. When I read that I thought well I must write and mention that here in this blog.

We all have something in the mind that we battle each day. I know that I certainly do and often it has to do with discouragement. Though I feel that my purpose and destiny is to encourage others this where the battle is for me; so this scripture that I read I now realize that this battle is not my alone. In fact the battle actually is the Lord and he will be victorious in my life long as I have the faith to trust him that he will win. I am not saying it will be easy and that I will have to give it over to him every day. I have been fighting this battle most of my life however now it is times to end it. So today right now I am giving it to God and for him to fight for me because that is what he was telling me when I read those words to Jehoshaphat. My encouragement to you is for you to trust God and give him what you are battling in your mind. He will take care of it no matter how hard can be to trust and turn the matter over to him. So in line with what I mentioned before about this year let’s do it we can do this too.   

Love Writing and Cooking

I am sure you realize that I enjoy writing and at the same time I do enjoy cooking as well. In the kitchen I cook all my meals however most of them are pretty simple though I can cook more elaborate dishes if I want to. I know that most people enjoy doing more than one thing but they come down to possibly a couple that they love to do and consider them a hobby along with being an important part of their lives.

The thing about both writing and cooking most everyone in my family enjoys both as well. How much they do depends on the time available to do so. My niece Leslie and her mother Anne my sister-in-law both teach English literature so of course they spend time reading and correcting papers. Two of Leslie’s brothers Ian and Robby both have written books. Ian has had his published however I am not sure about Robby. I am not sure whether Danny the youngest of the four has done any writing other than school work however he will be graduating from college in May and has a job already lined up so would not be surprised if he decides to do writing as well. Danny and Robby both enjoy cooking as well. They both participate in cooking during the holidays. My brother Jack has written several articles and a book through his job as a business consultant. Another member of the family cousin Jennifer Nightingale has written a story that I believe she is in the process of publishing and just finished writing a short story. I look forward to reading both of them. In regards of cooking I am not sure about that with Jennifer because she and her husband Holt seem to eat out a lot. At least that is what I have seen on social media.

 Although we are all created unique often it seems that we inherit and are interested in many of the same things as our parents and siblings. I figure this allows us to gain experience and able to bounce information off of each other. We do have other interests outside of what we have in common as well. It is good to be able to learn from each other in the family however we can learn from outside the family too. The more knowledge and experience we have the better we will be at it. This will be not for own benefit but for others as well. So whatever you are doing never give up it is OK if you are going through baby steps right now. Amen!

Happiness

I am sure we all wish happiness happened all the time in our lives however we know that doesn’t happen no matter how hard we try.

My brother Jack was visiting over the weekend from out of town and has a business meeting in Seattle today. It was really good to see him. We talked and laughed over many things. For him it was a release because there is a circumstance back home that is family is going through concerning health. Yes laughter is a good release when you’re stressing out. It is like going to a funeral there is a good release when stories are being told about the deceased and everyone is laughing. At least for a few minutes you don’t have to be in mourning and having good thoughts.

Happiness can be different for each of us. Our families and friends can give us happiness or reading a good book or watching our favorite television shows. For those who are retired in the winter time going south so you don’t have to deal with so much rain or snow and coldness can bring happiness. A different location that helps you get out of the normal routine can bring happiness.

I am sure we all search for happiness on a regular basis though we may not always call it that. We can be happy even when the circumstances don’t show we should be. For me being around people whether they are family, friends, acquaintances or even a stranger I have met for the first time makes me happy.  I enjoy talking so whoever will listen to me makes me happy. Also I enjoy what they have to say as well. So let us enjoy happiness even when it should be  not normal.  

Sad Stories

This morning I was reading on social media story about Braden Bishop a minor league player for the Seattle Mariners telling about his mother who has Alzheimer’s. He didn’t mix words how she is living with that disease right now. He has his own foundation to raise awareness and funds to fight for a cure of this horrible disease.

What Braden was sharing we know that thousands if not millions of people and families are going through the same thing every day. Alzheimer’s is close in my family as well. Also there are others like dementia and ALS to name just a couple. I had a classmate who died last year of ALS and I knew another student I grew up with who lost his life a few years ago from that to.

These are not only sad stories in my mind but it makes me mad as well. Being a Christian it is upsetting to think that so many are bound up and can’t do anything for themselves. Also makes me feel grateful and blessed that my health in general is pretty good.

I figure not only we should help people like Braden and his mother to make awareness along with a cure we need to pray for healing and restoration. God is a miracle God and he needs to hear from his children to heal those we know and don’t know with all these diseases. It makes me mad to think that the devil has these people bound up so right now I am praying that the devil release these people. You don’t have a right to any of them. They are children of the living God. Take your hands off of them in Jesus Christ name. We rebuke you Satan in Christ name. Bring healing to these people. Amen!

I look to hear about people who become released of these diseases in miraculous ways. If you have loved ones with any of these terrible diseases I am thinking of you and release you of the burdens as well. Amen!

Wise?

I figure in these days we all need to be wiser than we ever have been for so many reasons. I have mentioned this in different forms on this blog. Being wise doesn’t mean you have to be different than you have been just think things out and be smart about. Of course everyone has their own opinion what smart is as well just like truth. It is important to be careful because there are so many out in the world that knows how to speak with persuasive words.  The most important thing though is to find out the motive behind the words. Also are they speaking in one way to some people and another way to others. If they sound not trustworthy when you hear them the first time you are probably got the right answer. I would look into their past or find people that have known them. People can change however it is still important to be careful and wise.

I am amazed by saying all this because growing up I never had the idea that I would be wise. I am not saying that I am among the smartest cookies on the shelf but the older I am getting the more I feel the more knowledge that I am receiving. I would have had no idea that I be writing a blog now. Of course there were no blogs back in the day but I am sure you know what I am saying. At five years old I only started speaking English because of a hearing problem. Throughout elementary school just trying to read was a challenge along with knowing how to spell and writing correct sentences. High school I took a speed reading class in summer school. Before taking the class I was still reading at the fifth grade level. After the class which was only a few weeks I was able to read at twelfth grade and now college level. Whatever is your story time can change things for the better I know by experience. Before I make any decision I think things over first. I believe it is a good policy for us all. So being wise is a good thing and by the way you can still laugh.  

A Good Sneeze

A few days ago my mother mentioned something to me what she read in the local paper. She always seems to tell me things like this for some reason. Maybe because mothers are always mothers. She told me an article says that is OK to let a hard loud sneeze go and not to stop it. I told her that I always do even if I don’t cover my mouth. She said that there would be a problem that isn’t good if you try to stop it. I thanked her for telling me though it wasn’t really necessary. I am thinking a good sneeze is like laughing a lot it is a good idea. We will live a lot longer this way or at least we will have fun in the process in figure. This goes for a smile as well. These things along with exercising will help us stay around longer though I am sure our genes help a lot more.

So this is my advice to us all coming from my mother or should say the article she found and read. One thing I know to is that our lives are more stressful than our parents and their parents before them. I am sure that stress doesn’t help to living a longer life. On the plus side at least we have pills to take that help with blood pressure and all that jazz. Speaking of jazz I am sure music helps us as well. Of course loud music can cause us not to hear as well when we get older but that is a story in its own. A little tongue in cheek.

I wonder now because of my humor I should write a bit more like this. I know my purpose is to encourage everyone however being serious all the time can be a drag as well.

In other news my brother Jack will be coming to town tomorrow. It will be really good to see him and mother is real thrilled about it. I guess that I am throwing in a lot about mom today. Speaking about her once again she is a funny lady even at age of ninety-seven. She recites a lot of poems. I call it a poem for every occasion. At least it feels that way anyway. I don’t know about all older people however she acts like she is five much as being ninety-seven.

I hope that you are enjoying this very much. Like I have said I am trying to evolve this blog as time goes by. I would like to write about memories however it is hard for me to remember some things from the past. I am sure that I am like most people where some things from the past want to forget anyway. I will leave this here right now I might be rambling. Enjoy the rest of your day and you will hear from me again tomorrow.

Dishonesty

These days it seems so hard to find an honest person. Actually I know that most people are honest but at the same time there are so many that are trying to scam people whether it is on the internet or over the phone. We all have to be careful because so much talk sounds like truth but it is not at all.

If you have been approached about sending money don’t do so when not knowing the person or organization. With the tragedies going on in the world it is important to find out who they are before giving money to a worthy cause.  I recommend giving only to an organization or person that you already heard of. Also remember if it is too good to be true it likely is.

Often I have received emails telling me that I have won a lot of money. I never respond to them either since they ask for my information like address and social security. I have even been asked to give my credit card number as well. It happens so often that I could become paranoid as well however there are truthful people and organizations out there we just have to be careful.

I have encouraged for many becoming mentors or be mentored. I believe we need to be careful in this arena as well. Only help or be helped by someone you know or learn more about them. Even someone you know can be dishonest. I know by experience. I have had roommates that were dishonest with me and I had to ask them to leave.  Just because someone looks or acts good on the outside doesn’t mean they are. It is really sad that we live in a world like this. Just saying be careful so you don’t get burned.

Our Way?

I was thinking this morning that whatever we do even helping others generally and naturally we want to do it our way. That can be a good thing at times however maybe not the best way. On the other hand if we want to help by doing it their way can sound good but it could not turn out so well anyway.

I am sure even those want help in whatever form that comes they want to do it their way just like we do in helping them in our own way. What is the answer we may all say? I have to admit it is probably somewhere in the middle of either sides or could be neither.

Thinking about it a little more when helping another person I would have to say who is more acknowledged you or them. If you are there to help out in something that they have more knowledge than you I would me there for just a helping hand however if they asked for assistance because they know you are more the expert than they should be the helping hand.

I guess the big question is what happens if you both have the same knowledge or lack of when it comes to doing whatever you came to help on. In this scenario I would have him be the lead since you are the one there for assistance. If he ask you a question or wants you to do a certain thing than you should take the lead.

In the end the most important thing is that you are still friends. You may have to decide what is more important the project or the friendship. I would take the friendship over the project any day of the week. So if things turn out going sour it is good to decide that this is not working out and they should finish the project themselves or find someone else or you help them to the end their way. You will have to learn from the experience that it is a good idea not to help in the future. I just hope it doesn’t come to that conclusion but still friendship in the end is the important thing.

Being a Teacher

I am sure we have memories of teachers we had whether good or bad. The good ones of course helped make us who we are today and the bad ones well we can just leave it at that.

Whether we think we are a good teacher or a bad one we are actually all teachers whether we call ourselves one or not; for one thing we teach ourselves in one manner or another. Even if we are not a mentor for anyone we are teaching someone something just by our actions.

Every day I go to the coffee shop or grocery store or both. I either look or communicate with other people whether they are friends, acquaintances, or someone I just met. I learn something from each one that I meet. They may not realize it but I do learn something from them. In the same way that I look at others I know that others are looking at me too. So I hope that they are learning something positive and encouraging even if we don’t say a word to each other.

Whether I could be a teacher where I stand in front of a classroom I don’t know though I have become comfortable being in front of a group. It did take me some time because like most I wasn’t comfortable in front of a group in the beginning. It took time for me to become comfortable. I still remember being in German class in 9^th grade and when called to stand to speak in German with a fellow student my brain went mush and I couldn’t remember the German I had learned.  Also in high school when I was in speech class and I had to debate another student I did awful in that as well. I kept going and now I am good with others being in front of a group. Often it takes maturity to become good at something. I don’t think we are talented in all areas. In fact you are likely a successful teacher in whatever talents and gifting that you have. I would encourage you to teach in whatever manner in those areas that you are good at and over time you may in areas that you are not good at right now. The important thing is just keep doing what you are doing I am sure someone is learning from you.

Not Being Disappointing

One of the greatest fears many of us have is being a disappointment to our family and friends. In fact I would have to say that for some it can get to the state of being paranoid.

Often we can look what others have accomplished and we can think to ourselves that there is no way we can measure up. In some way that is true however we have a lot to offer others as well. This is the reason we were created as unique individuals. There is no one who is like me or you. We all resemble one or both of our looks from our parents and our personality works that way too. My mother has told me that my sense of humor comes from her father and my nephew Ian has the love of humor like me to however both Ian and I have other traits that we get from both sides of the family. Many of us give balance to our family. You may think boy I don’t act anything like the rest of the family and the reason is to give balance. It is best that not everyone is the same even in families.

Disappointment does sound negative however there is a positive side as well. It allows you to discover and become the person you are meant to be however don’t let it drive you away from your family and friends. Instead let your uniqueness and gifting’s come out to benefit others. Amen!

Martin Luther King Jr.

Here in the United States of America we celebrate each year the birthday of Martin Luther King Jr. He was one of the leaders of the civil rights movement in the 1960s. He was born on January 15 1929 so if he were still lived today he would be eighty-nine years old. His life ended short when he was assassinated on April 4, 1968 at the age of thirty-nine.

Above is the most recognized quote that he spoke during the movement. He is admired still today by millions of Americans no matter the color of their skin. He showed us it is not what we look like on the outside it is the person that is inside of us.  Unfortunately his dream hasn’t totally come true yet. Though it is much better than the day he died the answer hasn’t been completed. So whatever you do in life stand up for yourself and are the person that God has called you to be. Don’t let others put you down and don’t believe any negative told you either. So to honor Martin Luther King Jr be that person God has meant you to be. Don’t be afraid to shout it from the mountain top if necessary. Let love dwell in you and for the world to see that love. Amen!

It Is A Cold

All of us go through times in our lives where we have to deal with health issues. Hopefully it is like what I have right now having a cold. Fortunately my cold is light however I am making sure it is not going to get worse. The hardest part is not feeling like doing anything except sleeping.

I do hope that everyone is feeling nice and healthy. I pray for those who do not that they become healthy once again in Jesus name amen.

I was at a home meeting on Thursday night. My church has quite a few home meetings at people homes. They are different kinds where men or women get to together or couples. The church encourages for members to get together. The group I belong to is a mixture of singles and couples. I have been in men’s groups before however I decided to go another direction this time. We get together at a home in downtown Gig Harbor. Our focus is to feel like family and to pray for those who have needs including physical.

One of the leaders said that he knows that not all people would feel comfortable in a small group setting. I am not sure why because we all need somebody however it best to be with those you feel good with. If you do belong to a small group and you don’t feel comfortable with that group go looking for one that you do. This doesn’t have to be in church it can be with friends. We all need to feel like we belong. Having a cold will last a short time but friends can last a lifetime.

I really enjoying writing this blog and I know that you enjoy reading the blog because we are among friends even though we are in different countries. If you feel that you need go ahead and write in the comment. Everyone will see how we can help. Peace to us all. Amen!

Beautiful Place

                                Gig Harbor Washington with Mt. Rainier in the background

On Friday afternoon  I was in at drug store to pick up a couple items. I ended up talking to one of the store clerks for several minutes. She reminded me once again what a beautiful area of the country and world that we live in.

It is hard to remember when it is raining a lot this time of the year. Of course you hear from friends and acquaintances who are going to go off to Hawaii, California or Arizona however I do live in a great place despite the weather now.

I am sure being a great place is why we have a lot of people moving here from elsewhere whether it is retirement or taking a new job. Most of us who have lived here all or most of our lives are tired of all the developments spring up in the area. The traffic is much heavier than what it used to be. In fact the clerk mentioned that she had made a delivery to a couple who don’t drive anymore to my old neighborhood. It used to take ten or fifteen minutes at the most to drive however the traffic was so much it took her twenty-five minutes to get there.  That doesn’t seem like a big deal when driving on the highways however this was through rural roads. Where she went the population hasn’t changed much however it has in the area between the drug store and the couple. Although the traffic is heavier I still wouldn’t want to live many other places however I hope that the development slows down. It actually should since there really isn’t a lot more space to build if you want to keep some of the trees and wild life. It has become an adjustment for animals as well.

The clerk said to me there are so many beautiful places to see around the state and I agreed with her. She mentioned that she met her husband at college in Bellingham which is not far from the Canadian. There is a few options going into Canada from Bellingham you can continue north on Interstate 5 or go east for a couple other border crossings that don’t take long to get to. I have crossed at Blaine which is straight north or the two more east. How much time it takes depends when you are going whether a holiday either in USA or Canada or just a regular day. Depending on the traffic to it is a short drive to Vancouver, British Columbia. So if you come to Seattle for a visit and have some time it is a nice drive up interstate 5 and go to Vancouver. From Seattle it is about a two and half hour drive again depending on traffic. There are some nice spots you can stop in on the way if you want to take a rest on the way up.

I asked the clerk where she grew up. She said that she lived in Kelso which is a twin city with Longview. Both cities are about a little more than half way between Seattle and Portland. She told me her parents still live on the farm she grew up on. There used to be a lot of logging going on around Longview and Kelso however the recession several years back has hurt the economy. It has been several years since I visited the area however it is a nice place to visit as well. Like so much of Washington state these small towns are beautiful and personalities of their own as well.

I look forward this year to go visit in the different area of western Washington. So if you have the time and come for a visit get out into the country besides just seeing Seattle. There are bed and breakfast spots you can stay at besides motels and hotels. A great way to adventure.  

There is Laughter

We all go through struggles and heartache at times however laughter is good medicine. At is what I have heard and I believe it is true. We should all laugh at least once a day no matter what is going on in our lives.

I believe laughter is healthy and keep us in a good mind. I know  we have all lost a love one at one time or another and laughter is good to keep us sane otherwise we would go insane. I know we have things we can laugh about when it comes to those that are no longer around besides what happens on a daily basis.

I have a sense of humor that I use on a daily basis. It allows me to be happy most of the time even when times are troublesome. I have had struggles over the years especially when I was a child however laughter kept me on good footing. I have looked at pictures from my childhood and every one of them I was smiling in. Of course I could have been asked to smile but I do think it was more that I was happy even during troubled times. Laughter and humor is a good part of my life. It should be part of everyone’s life. When we encourage others let them know even when trouble times come and they will having laughter and joy will help us get through those times. The important thing is that we deal with our true feelings as well. So if you have trouble laughing find a way to do so or some other avenue to keep you sane and stable.   

Ready For Change

In professional sports like football when a team is losing or doesn’t make the playoffs change always seems to happen. The head coach or general manager might be fired or his assistants or the whole group. Also there will be turnover in the players as well.

Sometimes change is important. This can be in our lives as well. When our lives are like sport teams where we are losing it for whatever reason. We have to decide whether we will stay on the same course or time to make change.

I know change is not easy. I have had to do it for health reasons where I had to change my diet. What makes it hard is that we are so used to familiarity that anything becomes different is hard to handle. The importance of it all is that change has to occur so we can get back on the good side and taking from sports again become winners once again.

Life always has turns so we have to decide whether it is best to make changes or live the way we always have. What makes change interesting though it allows us to learn more about ourselves. We can find out who we really are. Another thing is can we be fighters willing to go where we haven’t been before. Yes we can take on the challenge and we can win once again. It may take some time however let’s do it. I know in the end we won’t regret it.

Productive Life

I am sure we all have our own idea what a productive or maybe should call it a successful life.

Do you feel that you have had a productive and successful life so far? I know personally I am working on it especially knowing what my purpose and destiny is. It took me a lot of years to figure that out. I would not say my life is exactly where I would like it to be however it is getting closer every day. There are desires that I am still waiting to happen and when they do then I can say it is a productive and successful life. In the meantime I will be directing myself that direction.

What I find sad and possibly disturbing are those who have died before their time should have ended. Other words their life ended way too early. I think of young people who die because of poor health, an accident or the worst thing committing suicide. They were never able to reach and experience the fullness of life. For example not falling in love, getting married and having children.

I have known individuals who learned about an illness that in the end killed them however they had such faith going through what they did before the tragic time of death. I wonder though even if we don’t see them having a life that was successful in their minds they did. Often it is important to hear not how long you lived but what did you do with the time you did live.

My mother is now ninety-seven years old and she has had a wonderful productive life. She is still in pretty good health for her age and she still is able to do things like playing bridge a couple times a month. She used to play more often like twice a week but she is fine with only twice a month now. Her memory makes her forget things however they are more what day the week is or what bills are to be paid. She still has memories of her years she has lived. Also she has poems or sayings that she remembers from long ago and she tells people at the right time. In fact most of them are pretty funny and for the right occasion. I call it she has something for every occasion. It is hard to know how much longer she will live but she does keep going on though at a slower pace. I think we would all be blessed to have her life.

Anyway think about it all the things you have accomplished and those things you are still looking to accomplish. Don’t let the darkness that may be in your mind get the best of you. Like last year’s them keep pressing on and I know that you will make. Encourage everyone especially those who really need it. God bless you and peace be with you. Amen!

In Service

Monday morning a local police office lost his life in the line of duty being shot by an assailant and another man was arrested as well. The assailant actually ended up being killed in gun fire as well.

We do know that not all police officer are good guys. There are those who use their power and are selfish however this young police office was like most he served the community he lived in. He left behind a wife and three young sons. Also we found out that he had served in the Navy as well. So he was twofold serving both his country and then the people in the community to keep everyone safe.

Most police officers we don’t know their names until something like this happens however we honor them as well though there can be some bad apples among them.

We thank everyone who serves our country in whatever capacity they do whether it is in the military, police force, or as a school teacher. Also for those who are first responders when a tragedy happens as well. We pray for this police officers family along with all those who serve.

We all serve others in some capacity or another but we don’t all put our lives on the line this young man did. The important thing though we do what we do that goes beyond ourselves. This is why we were born for this time to make a difference in people’s lives. It doesn’t matter a large or small our contribution is what matters is that we are involved so we should applaud ourselves as well. Continue doing whatever contribution you make whether for one other person or many. Amen!

My Heart

My heart can be sad somedays and glad on other days however I choose to make sure it is happy as often as it can be.

My heart is searching for someone where love will be the centerpiece all the time.

God does have a strong placement in my heart however loneliness does creep in now and then. God is love so I feel love but having a person to make its place in the heart would be very nice as well.

The heart can be weak when it truly wants to be strong. Over the years darkness found a place in it however light is over taking the darkness now. Not something easy to handle but a must.

The more the light shines in the heart the darkness becomes dimmer. The darkness realizes more that it has no place where light shines.

The more this happens the stronger the heart becomes and someday no darkness will have any place in my heart.

The voice wants to shout out loud that the heart has been hurt and weak however the heart will have true victory. So then peace will live in the heart. Amen!

Happy Birthday Sis

Today is January 7^th so that means in my family it is my sister Barb’s birthday. So I want to wish her a happy birthday.

I haven’t seen her for a while on her birthday since she lives in Gatineau, Quebec Canada. It is only a few miles from Ottawa, Ontario the national capital of Canada where she works. This year she plans to retire. I am not sure exactly when however I expect at the end of the year. She is a paralegal so I am sure she will have to train someone to take over her duties. She has been a paralegal for something like twenty-five years. Part of her job is mentoring other paralegals so I am sure the training for her replacement will go over smooth. She really enjoys the work so it won’t be easy for her to retire however I am sure looks forward to spending more time on other activities she is involved in. Another plus she comes back to Gig Harbor she visit mother and I every year so it will be nice for her to extend her visit.

This last September she and our brother Jack came for a visit to celebrate Mother’s birthday. We spent one long day traveling to the Hoh River. You can read that blog and it is actually the most read of any of my blogs. That area in the Olympic Mountains is very beautiful so I recommend visiting when you come to the Seattle Washington area.

Barb is eight and a half years older than me so I only remember her mainly as an adult. I do remember a few things and they are vague her being a teenager. She went to college at University of Oregon in Eugene for her bachelor’s degree in political science. She then went on to going after her master’s degree in history at University of Puget Sound in nearby Tacoma Washington. This is where she met her husband Bob who she married just before I graduated from high school. After a short period of time Barb and Bob moved to Vancouver, British Columbia are for Bob to take a job. There they had two sons Ken and Connor then they moved to Gatineau, Quebec when the boys were young. Bob took a job in Ottawa when they moved there.  Barb took a job with the law firm she still works for when Bob’s health wouldn’t allow him to work full-time. It was sad when Bob passed away seven and half years ago. He was the love of Barb’s life. She fortunately has friends that have helped her out along with the job she enjoys as well. Her son Connor lives in Ottawa so he is close by and tomorrow is his birthday. Ken lives in Montreal so about a two hour drive and he frequently visits on holidays. His birthday actually comes a little later in January as well. Actually he will be taking a trip to Paris France for the first time around his birthday and he plans to come out here for a visit to see us in March or April. We haven’t seen either him or Connor out here for a few years. That is a hint for you to Connor. LOL

Anyway again Barb have a wonderful and blessed birthday.

Being a Hero

In our minds at least we all want to be heroes and have what they call fifteen minutes of fame. The true is we are all heroes in the mind of someone whether it is our children, our parents or a friend.

Actually there is one who made us to be hero because of our purpose and destiny. That one is the Almighty God. We are all created in his image so we are defined as heroes. The important thing is that we realize it.

Being a hero doesn’t take away that we can be humble at the same time. Living a life of a hero is a humble experience. Just think about it in your mind. We do things for others because what our hearts desire and we are Ok that we don’t get any recognition though I said that we all like to have fifteen minutes of fame. I know in my family things like job promotions are mentioned by others most of the time. I call that being humble because you just want to be yourself and in itself that makes you a hero too.

So continue what you have being doing and you will have more people thinking you are a hero. Even when others are not saying the words know in your mind that you do all things that make you a hero. Also don’t listen to the words in your mind that says otherwise.

 

Thinking of Family

Right now I am thinking of my family on the east coast. Here in the Pacific Northwest this year has started off on solid footing far as the weather goes. The temperatures are normal for winter however my sister in Quebec, Canada the temperatures are below zero with some snow but quite windy as well being up to 40 km/h.

My nephew Danny is finishing off his senior year at Harvard University. They have had quite the blizzard going on the last couple days in the Boston area. My brother Jack, my niece Leslie and husband Daniel, and nephew Robby in the north Virginia area are having cold temperature however thankful not the snow like Danny is having. Nephew Ian and wife Helen in New York have temperatures about the same as northern Virginia with the gusty winds like my sister is having. I do hope they all stay warm and safe this weekend.

The good news mother and I are expecting Jack to come out from north Virginia for a visit in a couple weeks. Of course it will depend on the weather as well. We will be seeing him over the weekend before he has scheduled business meeting in Seattle on Monday.

Normally we have a visit from Jack once a year however with a business meeting we will see him twice this year. This will depend on if he has any more meetings that may take place in Seattle.

My nephew Ken who lives in Montreal and is experiencing the same weather plans to come for a visit in March or April. At the same time Jack will be here Ken will be taking his first trip to Paris, France. I am sure he will have a good time and look forward to hear all about it.

It is hard to be distance away from immediate family. It would be nice to be a bit closer but it is what it is I have to say. Wherever your family is whether close or far away I hope everyone has a wonderful and blessed 2018.

Before letting you go I found out something fascinating my cousin Jennifer who lives in Oregon now wrote a short story called “Let’s do it. I let her now that is what the theme for my blog is this year. I look forward to reading it. Many blessing to you all.

Here I Am

I am writing to you the first time from the coffee shop I go to most of the time in the mornings. Thursday always seems to be a busy day and today is no different. I am not sure why it is so busy but it is. In fact I got one of the last seats.

Next Wednesday though there is going to be changes here in Gig Harbor Washington in regards to shopping. One grocery store is closing while another is moving to a new location. Both stores are owned by the same company so many of the employees are moving to the new store which is about the size of the two stores together. Many of the items in the store closing will move to the new store. The interesting thing about the store that is closing it has only been open for two years. It was an experiment by the owners to see what might happen. So now instead of having three stores in the same area there will be two. Most likely I will shop at both stores but it will depend on traffic as well. The store that is closing has had sales on its products so now there isn’t much left anymore so no reason to go there. The store that is moving won ’t be moving any of its inventory to the new store so some of the items are getting low so the other existing store I will have to go with for sure on some items.

A little further north in what is called North Gig Harbor there is so much developing happening with family housing and senior housing they are looking at adding another grocery store there as well. Currently they have the standard grocery store plus Costco. What they really need is build an elementary school. All the elementary schools in the Gig Harbor area are full and overflowing. Anyway that is the main news going on in town; if you have the time come visit our town when you come to Seattle.  

Welcome to the New Year

Now that we are into day four of 2018 one thing I do know things haven’t changed much since the end of 2017. What does that mean? Well we have work to do.

I know there are those who continue to complain about President Trump. I am not sure why because I haven’t seen a lot of bad things on his part though I know there are those who do. I know some of my friends were not so high on President Obama. I feel it is important not to complain unless you want to be part of the solution. I haven’t seen anything from either one that would change my life personally or those around me. I feel most who complain about President Trump are more worried about what may happen than what has happened and anyway enough said about the President and politics.

What I want to do is help make change or help those around me. Wednesday night a group of us prayed for a little girl who has brain cancer. In her case it is a relapse as she had surgery for it back in 2019. The doctors now say it will take a miracle for her to life so many of us prayed that a miracle will happen. I don’t know this little girl personally however I did go to school with her grandmother. Our faith we are believing that a miracle will work for her and she will live a healthy and productive live. Her grandmother said that she and her husband lit a candle when each of their grandchildren were born that they would be healthy. I pray that this will happen for her and all the grandchildren.

I believe this is where we can make change in our lives and for others. We pray and pray before we get the answers. So many things are happening with the younger generation that we need to pray and ask for wisdom along with keeping our attention. Besides prayer and wisdom I feel it is important that we are there for them. Actually every one of us needs to know that there are those who are around that care very much for them. We don’t always have the answer but living our lives beside each other is a good step. Amen!

Having Confidence

 

We all have at one time or another lacked confidence. It is only human nature. The important thing is for us to overcome and have confidence.

I remember as a kid I hated taking tests because I didn’t do well on them. I certainly lacked the confidence however years later at college I became pretty good at tests. I am sure a lot of it had to do with maturity but I found the more success I had in taking tests the more confidence I had.

Lack of confidence usually does come along with failure while having confidence as I said has to do with success. We can have no confidence in ourselves if we are trying something for the first time as well. Though we may have no confidence we need to try anyway. I remember trying out for a play at my church without little experience. I had been in a couple when I was a kid in minor roles. I figured let’s give this a shot to see whether I am good at acting or not. Going out for a part turned out pretty well; for one thing not too many guys turned out for the play so I was going to get a part unless I was  horrible however I found out actually I could act. This play I had a significant role. I wasn’t the lead however I had a pretty good second role. In fact so much that many in the audience did not like the character I was playing. I found out I was pretty good in playing a bad guy that in a few other plays I was in I played other bad guys as well.  

So you see we have to overcome our fears and failures to have confidence in ourselves. I do still lack confidence in some areas of my life however I figure at some point I will overcome. Also show other people the confidence you see in them.