FRIDAY, OCTOBER 25, 2024 NAUGHTY OR NICE (SPIRITUAL THOUGHTS)

 FRIDAY, OCTOBER 25, 2024 - NAUGHTY OR NICE - SPIRITUAL THOUGHTS

Two months from today is Christmas. 

“He’s making a list, checking it twice, trying to find out who’s naughty or nice.”

(Santa Claus is coming to town)

I have a lot of acquaintances and “friends”.  For example, I go to a convenience store (gas station) at least once iF not twice a day.  [Aside, they have a ‘coffee club” - unlimited monthly coffee for $10.  If I go once daily, that is about 33 cents a cup.  The first month, there were many times I went three times a day - about 11 cents per cup.  I can walk to this convenience store (part of my goal of 10,000 steps a day).  This is for any size and any hot beverage. The hot chocolate is great (the first month of my coffee club membership included my new dentures - so liquids were great.  I drank the cocoa and surgery cappuccinos  - and I added weight.  So, after the first month, I’ve cut back on the hot surgery drinks. (Although the pumpkin spice cappuccino is delicious)]

Four months into the coffee club and showing up every day, I “know” most of the checkout clerks. So, yesterday, Miranda asked if I was being nice. I joked and said I was trying to be nice to get on Santa’s nice list. Obviously, I try to be funny and nice. I try to brighten everyone's day and share that “Love Wins.”  

It’s part of my psyche to be upbeat and positive. I joke with the nursing home staff. I have friends who pretend to groan when they see me. I know that love can hide under the facet of joking. I also know they appreciate that I am volunteering and helping them.  

And they kid me about being nice.  

*****

Romans 3:10-18 talks about how sinful we are:

“For we have already made the charge that Jews and Gentiles alike are all under the power of sin.  As it is written: “There is no one righteous, not even one;  there is no one who understands; there is no one who seeks God. All have turned away, and they have become worthless together; there is no one who does good, not even one.” “Their throats are open graves; their tongues practice deceit. The poison of vipers is on their lips. Their mouths are full of cursing and bitterness. Their feet are swift to shed blood; ruin and misery mark their ways, and the way of peace they do not know. There is no fear of God before their eyes.” 

Oh me - “THERE IS NO ONE RIGHTEOUS - NOT EVEN ONE”, and “ALL HAVE TURNED AWAYS.” 

*****

I realize I’m not righteous - I’m part of that ‘ALL”.  My inherent being is “naughty”.  For me, I can’t reach the goal.  

A little later in Romans 3: ‘ for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.  

Friends, I have lived 77 years. I have realized that I need something more—something infinite, something with perfect love, compassion, mercy, and peace.  

As I write this blog post I realize that I am dependent on my thoughts of this infinite being - that I call God.  I also realize that this infinite being is so far from my understanding - and I have to just “yield”.  

I don’t understand God’s love - I can’t reach that level - but I have to try to live that love.

LOVE WINS

LOVE TRANSFORMS

Karen Anne White, October 25, 2024

(I daily fight my “naughty” side.  No, in all these things, we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons,neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.  Romans 8).

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 22, 2024, WE'RE NUMBER ONE!!

 TUESDAY, OCTOBER 22, 2024 - “WE’RE  NUMBER ONE”

Yes, I like football - both college and professional. Watching many games has been challenging the last few weekends as I have been cat-sitting and didn’t know how to get the games on television.  I listened to part of the Nebraska vs. Indiana game Saturday (Nebraska lost 56 to 7 - ouch!!!); Texas vs. Georgia - Texas came into the game ranked #1 in college football - and lost to Georgia by the score of 30 to 15 - and dropped to #5 in the polls (and Georgia moved to #2).  Dakota State, which started at 4-0, lost its last three games. In professional football, the Minnesota Vikings, who were undefeated, lost on Sunday to the Detroit Lions by the score of 31 to 29 (on a field goal by Detroit in the last two minutes).  

At least Quinnipiac’s football team didn’t lose!!  They have been undefeated since 1929 (of course, Quinnipiac doesn’t have a football team!!!).

It is fun to yell, “We’re NUMBER ONE,” - but only one team can be number one at the end of the season.  And next year, there will probably be a new number-one team.

If you are like me, you can’t remember what the team records were at the end of last season unless you are a diehard fan.  

Fame is fleeting.  I had trophies from years ago - EDSIG “Educator of the Year,” Quinnipiac University “Center of Excellence in Teaching,” and more.  And, I threw them out.  My children wouldn’t have wanted them?  They were just trophies.

In the Cars movies, Lightning McQueen says “ “This grumpy old race car I know once told me somethin': it's just an empty cup.” I’m not going to have my picture on currency; I’m not going to have a school named after me (Aside - humor - I do have two towns in South Dakota named “before” me - “Bruce” and “White”)

There are jokes about this. My ex was a quilter and had a lot of fabric. I saw a sign in a fabric shop that read, “Whoever dies with the most fabric wins.” 

I could say, “Willie Mays died,” and most people under thirty might say, “who”? In a hundred years, 98% of people will say, “Who was Willie Mays?”.

Yup, I was born, I lived, I will die.  I won’t have a Wikipedia page; I will “vanish”.  

I sometimes reflect on Ecclesiastes 1:1: “Meaningless! Meaningless!” says the Teacher. “Utterly meaningless!  Everything is meaningless.”

But I have to fight back against those terms.  YES - MY LIFE HAS MEANING. I can use my life (as small as possible) for good.  Is one atom important?  Yes - God made that one atom and that atom joined millions of atoms to make a tree, a rabbit, or a human.  

So, I need to refresh my memory this morning.  Sunday was a day when I thought I was worthless (or meaningless).  That is NOT true.  I do have value.

So, today, I will walk with my head high, I will be a valuable part of humanity!!!

Because:

LOVE WINS

LOVE TRANSFORMS

Karen Anne White, October 22, 2024

(Today would be the 112th anniversary of my father’s birth!! )

MONDAY, OCTOBER 21, 2024 SWIMMING

 MONDAY, OCTOBER 21, 2024 - SWIMMING

I really can’t remember learning how to swim.  I remember my parents going to Prairie Creek near Toddville, Iowa (my mother taught elementary school in Toddville before she married).  I was maybe five or six and I could float and dog paddle.  (Yes, I had plenty of body fat even then).  

I loved to ride my bike to the Ellis Park swimming pool (about three miles one way) to swim.  I worked at Ellis Park one summer.  I managed the swimming pool at the Keokuk Country Club one summer. I completed my WSI certification.  

I took a regular swimming class at Jefferson High School in the summer when I was sixteen.  (I remember swimming well - I also remember the day I forgot to bring clothes to change into when I was done and I had to ride my bike home in my wet swimsuit).  

I college I had three “C” grades.  The first two were in Freshman Composition I and II (I hope I’’m a better writer now).  The last “C” was in a tumbling class.  I wanted to learn enough tumbling so I could do dives and flips off the diving board at the swimming pool - but all I learned was that I was pretty awkward!!!

I’ve given up on swimming in the past few years.  My apartment complex has two swimming pools and I did swim laps in the pools.  After some swimming my right ear was clogged.  As I tried swimming more, my ear just got clogged again.  I might not be a cause-and-effect, but I opted to hear well instead of swimming.  (And a month ago - gulp - I got hearing aids!!!).

*****

I was recently reminded of an old adage: " Sink or swim.” It seemed like some parents (or maybe older brothers or sisters) threw a kid into the deep end and yelled, “Sink or swim!”

I don’t think the parents or older siblings were going to let the kid drown.  If it was a city pool, the lifeguards could jump in - but when I’ve seen it, the kid manages to dog paddle or swim to the edge and get out.  

Some kids are almost fish in the water.  (I was like that).  Others are scared of the water.  (My wife was that way).

*****

There are times in life when you have to sink or swim.  I think I’ve had my share.  

“Congratulations, Mr. White, you are the new Dean of the College of Business and Information Systems.”  (Huh - me a Dean?).  Congratulations, Dr. White, you are now a member of the Computing Accreditation Commission.” Congratulations, Dr. White, you are visiting Kazhstran for an accreditation visit.” “Congratulations, Dr. White, you are approved for a Fulbright visit to Belarus”. 

Those were kind of “sink or swim” times.  I guess I’ve tried to handle the new activity like I’m experienced.  

*****

How about you?  Did you cope well with new situations?  Did you “sink,” or did you swim?  

It seems that as we grow older, there are more things to adjust to. (Many are health-related.).  I have a friend who is getting a kidney transplant - she is scared but learning as much as she can.  They have a kidney donor - and I assured her that this was a common surgery these days.  I’m not sure if that gave her peace or not.  If it were me, yes, I’d be scared, but I think I would “swim” - “go with the flow”.

How we handle difficult situations is an important trait.  Can you approach things calmly?  

Will the Peace of God which passes understanding help you in tough situations?

LOVE WINS

LOVE TRANSFORMS

Karen Anne White, October 21, 2024

SUNDAY FUNDAY - OCTOBER 20, 2024

 SUNDAY FUNDAY 

OCTOBER 20, 2024

PETS

JOKE

They say that Dogs are a man’s best friend.  Bobby Wayne put his wife, Shirley, in his car trunk for thirty minutes and drove around.  When he opened his trunk, she yelled and screamed at him.  Then he put his dog in his trunk and went around thirty minutes again.  When he opened the trunk, the dog came out, tail wagging, licking the man, and excited to be with him.  Bobby Wayne concluded that “Dogs are man’s best friends”!!!

*****

People like their pets—and pets like their people (owners?). For older people, pets can fill the void left by losing a spouse. I haven’t had a pet. I think I am busy enough with bridge, granny basketball, orchestra, band, writing, and my other activities; it wouldn’t be fair to the pet. 

People love their pets so much because:

• Pets provide simple love, availability, and presence we live for.

• Pets are not cognitively complex and mainly live to connect and be present with us.

• Studies show that kids who have pets enjoy higher self-esteem, cognitive development, and social skills.

• Pet owners are healthier and happier.

• Buying something for a pet makes people happier than buying something for themselves or someone else.

• Pet owners report being less lonely and enjoying a higher sense of self-esteem and life satisfaction.

• Pets can contribute toward emotional stability by teaching us to be more mindful, loving us for who we are, and playing different roles all at once.

(Psychology Today) 

DOG JOKES

• I can't take my dog to the local pond anymore because the ducks keep attacking him. It's my fault for choosing a pure bread dog.

• What’s the best way to stop your dog from barking in the front yard? Put him in the backyard.

• Why did the poor dog chase his own tail? He was trying to make both ends meet!

• What's a dog's favorite mode of transportation? A waggin'!

• Why do dogs tend to run in circles? Because it's really hard to run in squares.

• What kind of dog never throws anything away? A hoarder collie.

• Why are dogs such terrible dancers? Because they have two left feet.

• The secret to life is to handle every situation like a dog: If you can’t play with it, eat it, or bury it, just pee on it and walk away.

• What did the police officer do when he saw a dog giving birth on the side of the road? He gave her a ticket for littering.

• What do you call a wild dog that meditates? Aware wolf.

• How did the dog get from Boston to Austin? He took a Greyhound.

• Why did the cowboy get a Dachshund? He wanted to get a long, little doggy!

• My dog’s not fat; he’s just a little Husky.

• Why are there no losers in a Dachshund race? They’re all weiners.

• Why are border collies such good listeners? Because you can tell they really herd you.

• What did the Dalmatian say when he finished dinner? That hit the spot.

• What’s a herding dog’s favorite game? Hide and sheep.

CAT JOKES

• What do cats call a nice dinner? A fancy feast.

• Why are kittens excellent bosses? They have great littership.

• What’s a cat’s favorite dessert? A mice cream cone.

• What do you call a cat who loves to bowl? An alley cat.

• Who was the most powerful cat in China? Chairman Miaow.

• Why don’t kittens play fetch? They’d rather catch a nap.

• What’s a cat’s favorite jacket? A purr coat.

• What do you call a cat prom? A Fur Ball.

• What do you call a fluffy male cat asleep on a bed? A Himalayan.

• What did the alien say to the cat? Take me to your litter.

• Did you hear about the cat that climbed the Himalayas? She was a sher-paw.

• What kind of cats teach college classes? Purr-fessors.

• Why did the cat have trouble writing his second novel? He only had one tail to tell.

• What is a cat’s way of keeping law and order? Claw enforcement.

• Why does the cat do stand-up? He lives for the a-paws.

• Did you hear about the cat who swallowed a ball of wool? She had mittens.

• Why was the cat so small? Because it only ate condensed milk!

• Why was the cat sitting on the computer? To keep an eye on the mouse!

• What did the cat say about her intuition? "I just had a feline."

• What did one cat say while her friend was complaining? "Tail me about it."

• How did the cat comic know he was funny? The audience was yowling with laughter.

WRAP UP

Politically, you will be bombarded with political ads for the next two weeks.  Early voting in Texas starts on Monday, October 21st.) 

Next week will be the monthly pot-luck at Stone Haven.

The Brushy Creek Brass Band will perform on Saturday, the 26th, starting at 6:30. Last week, we had a large audience.

Halloween is eleven days away. 

LOVE WINS

Karen Anne White, October 20, 2024

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 19, 2024

 SATURDAY, OCTOBER 19, 2024

Will Rogers was an American humorist, political analyst, and ordinary person from Oklahoma.  Here are some quotes from Will Rogers I selected.

*****

 

You can be killed just as dead in an unjustified war as you can in one protecting your own home.
(Karen adds - or from a drunk driver, fentyal, or in a school building)

 

America is a land of opportunity, and I will never forget it.

 

A Man only learns through reading and associating with smarter people.

(Karen adds that I read a lot through my life and still do.  I’ve also associated with intelligent people!!)

 

Ten men in the country could buy the world, and ten million can’t buy enough for all of them to eat.
(Karen adds - We used to have millionaires.  Now we have billionaires - and little has changed. Greed still is active.)

 

We don’t have to worry about anything. No nation in the history of the world was ever sitting as pretty. If we want anything, all we have to do is go and buy it on credit.
(Karen adds: - and pay it off over two years - with interest!!)

 

This would be a great time for some man to come along who knew something.

 

We will never have true civilization until we have learned to recognize the rights of others.
(Karen adds - still valid.  We’ve recognized blacks, Hispanics, Jews, Asians, Muslims - and even the rights of women - and some want to go back on those rights)

 

Mothers are the only race of people that speak the same tongue. A mother in Manchuria could converse with a mother in Nebraska and never miss a word.

 

My ancestors didn’t come over on the Mayflower, but they met the boat

(Karen adds that some of my ancestors came to this country for a new life; my great-great-grandfather on my mother’s side came because his oldest brother got the farm and didn’t want to fight in the army against other humans).

 

Villains are getting as thick as college degrees and sometimes on the same fellow.

 

They want peace. But they want a gun to get it with.

(Karen adds - Guns - the constitution guarantees the right to bear arms - and we still have gun violence in the streets and in the schools.  Of course, in Texas in the summer, I can wear a sundress - the right to “bare arms”) 

 

There ain’t nothing to life but satisfaction.

 

No man is great if he thinks he is.

(Karen adds - humility is still a virtue) 

I maintain that it should cost as much to get married as it does to get divorced. Make it look like marriage is worth as much as divorce, even if it ain’t. That would also make the preachers financially independent, as it has the lawyers.

 

Remember, write to your Congressman. Even if he can’t reathat politicians.
(Karen adds - Politicians need to get along and understand they are helping run the greatest nation in the world.  Our budget significant, the needs are great, and yet we can’t help the person who is homeless or is hungry)

 

You got to sorter give and take in this old world.

 

For that's all there is to success is satisfaction.

 

I never met a man I didn’t like.
(Karen adds - This might be Will Rogers's most famous quote.  I write “Love Wins” and “I can only love God as much as the person I love the least” I need to live - (really LOVE everybody)

 

We shouldn’t elect a President. We should elect a magician.

 

Why don’t they pass a Constitutional Amendment prohibiting anybody from learning anything? If it works as good as Prohibition did, in five years, we will have the smartest people on earth.

(Karen adds  Prohibition was to stop the flow of alcohol - instead, it pushed it underground.  Rogers implies that if we made learning illegal, people would want to learn!!) 

I am no believer in this “hard work, perseverance, and taking advantage of your opportunities” that these Magazines are so fond of writing some fellow up in. The successful don’t work any harder than the failures. They get what is called in baseball the breaks.

 

Some people spend a lifetime juggling with words, with not an idea in a carload.

 

This country is bigger than Wall Street. If they don’t believe it, show ’em the map.

 

What constitutes a life well spent, anyway? Love and admiration from your fellow men is all that any one can ask.

Karen adds that it seems like common sense isn’t all that common. Compromise is impossible, and political parties and lobbying groups run this country. We want to live quiet and peaceful lives - and love everybody)

*****

LOVE WINS

LOVE TRANSFORMS

Karen Anne White, October 19, 2024