More thoughts on thoughts, at least for now, and then I'm going to go find my happy, silly self.
There is a lot of focus on hate, even to the point of having to make anti-hate laws. Making laws will never change the way people think, it doesn't work that way.
Think of all the things we hate. Some hate cold weather. Some hate differences they do not understand. We hate the neighbor whose yard is an eyesore. We hate wars. We hate to hear bad news, unless it is about the above mentioned neighbor. We hate disease, especially the big C. We hate this and we hate that.
What happens with all that hate floating around? I believe it fuels the fire.
Using a light/dark analogy, look at it this way. When we have good, happy, love filled thoughts, we can place a white hat on those thoughts. Those kind of thoughts are bathed in white light. But, when we have bad, hate filled thoughts, the bad guys in the black hats, there is a darkness that we harbor and attract.
When we say we hate disease, such as cancer, which we think of as dark, black and ugly, are we fueling that darkness with the amount of hate we give it? Does it feed off of that hate? What would happen if we embraced it with thoughts of love?
God is referred to many times as light. The light of the world, a light for our path. If we were to think of ourselves as being encircled in the bright white light of the love of God at all times, would there be any room for darkness?
The darkness of the blackest cave can be overcome by the light of a single match. There is no place for darkness to hide in the light of unconditional love.
Shine your light on all things.
Thursday, October 30, 2014
Wednesday, October 29, 2014
Oh Baby, A Whole Lot of Thinkin' Goin' On!
"The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again, expecting different results"
Unknown
A recent book, that has become one of my all time favorites, E Squared by Pam Grout, stated that we have over 6000 thoughts everyday. That is a lot of thinking. You would think that with all those thoughts pouring out into the universe every single day there would be a cornucopia of new ideas saturating the planet.
Unfortunately, about 98% of those thoughts are the exact same thoughts we thought the day before......and the day before.....and the day before that.
The premise of the book is that thoughts are powerful. That they can influence not only our lives, but our surroundings and the lives and surroundings of others. Somewhat like the Law of Attraction. We get what we think about most. For those who scoff at this idea, or call it New Age nonsense, here is another example, that has been around a whole lot longer than anyone reading this: As a man thinketh, in his heart, so is he. Proverbs 23:7
So what are those 5880 thoughts that we repeat each day? Are they a direct reflection of where our lives are at the present moment? Do they help us to repeat them day after day? Are those thoughts getting us to where we want to be? If we constantly think about a lack of something, say money, do we attract that lack into our lives unknowingly? Is there a reason we were told, "Do not worry"?
Consider this. What if we changed the way we think about ourselves and the world as a whole? Could we not only cure, but eradicate disease? Could we think our way out of war? What could the endless possibilities be?
If we could turn off the constant babble in our brains, by a switch located somewhere behind the ear, or maybe just set our brains on a platter for an hour or so, imagine what would happen. Imagine what we would hear. There was a reason the Psalmist wrote: Be still and know that I am God.
Think about that.
Unknown
A recent book, that has become one of my all time favorites, E Squared by Pam Grout, stated that we have over 6000 thoughts everyday. That is a lot of thinking. You would think that with all those thoughts pouring out into the universe every single day there would be a cornucopia of new ideas saturating the planet.
Unfortunately, about 98% of those thoughts are the exact same thoughts we thought the day before......and the day before.....and the day before that.
The premise of the book is that thoughts are powerful. That they can influence not only our lives, but our surroundings and the lives and surroundings of others. Somewhat like the Law of Attraction. We get what we think about most. For those who scoff at this idea, or call it New Age nonsense, here is another example, that has been around a whole lot longer than anyone reading this: As a man thinketh, in his heart, so is he. Proverbs 23:7
So what are those 5880 thoughts that we repeat each day? Are they a direct reflection of where our lives are at the present moment? Do they help us to repeat them day after day? Are those thoughts getting us to where we want to be? If we constantly think about a lack of something, say money, do we attract that lack into our lives unknowingly? Is there a reason we were told, "Do not worry"?
Consider this. What if we changed the way we think about ourselves and the world as a whole? Could we not only cure, but eradicate disease? Could we think our way out of war? What could the endless possibilities be?
If we could turn off the constant babble in our brains, by a switch located somewhere behind the ear, or maybe just set our brains on a platter for an hour or so, imagine what would happen. Imagine what we would hear. There was a reason the Psalmist wrote: Be still and know that I am God.
Think about that.
Monday, October 27, 2014
To Blog or Not To Blog
So far today I have not heard from my proof reader. I have a vision of her throwing spit balls at my picture propped up on the end of her desk.
Maybe she thinks I'm resting. I guess I'm supposed to be resting or taking it easy, but geez, that's really boring.
One day last week, I was the lucky recipient of an out-patient surgery procedure, so yeah, I'm supposed to be sort of resting.
Out patient procedures are the kind where they herd you in and herd you out, in, hopefully, less than a day.
They always like for you to be there early. I think that is because they secretly hide and giggle because they know you will bust your butt to get there on time......so you can wait.
I was fortunate enough to not have anything seriously wrong with me. Of course, I didn't know that the day before so I spent the entire day before feeling sorry for myself and crying. Crying always does such wonderful things for the eyelids, mine always looked like I just climbed out of the ring with Sugar Ray.....and I didn't win.
I had asked the doctor if I could drive myself home after the procedure. I got a big fat NO for an answer. I thought it might be rather fun, who knows where I would have ended up.
My husband and I drove for an hour.....in the fog. I thought about placing a couple of wet tea bags on my eyelids during the ride, to reduce the swelling, but since I could not wear any makeup or fix my hair I figured puffy lids were the least of my worries. I was supposed to bathe with an antibacterial soap too, but I didn't have any. So, I rinsed off with a solution of 3% food grade hydrogen peroxide......I may have been foaming.
Coming out from under anesthesia is always fun. The last time I had a procedure I woke up pain free and talking like a physic woodpecker. All the other patients in the recovery room were moaning and groaning except me, I felt like a million bucks. When whatever I had for pain began to wear off and I had to ask for something, the nurse planted that hypodermic needle in my thigh with a vengeance.....she had listened to me long enough.
This time, I just woke up, no pain, no big deal and not too chatty. But, before the O.R. team put me under, I did sing them one of my birthday ditties. When I started on the second verse, that was the last thing I remembered. I really do think they enjoyed my humor.
And so, I have blogged.
Maybe she thinks I'm resting. I guess I'm supposed to be resting or taking it easy, but geez, that's really boring.
One day last week, I was the lucky recipient of an out-patient surgery procedure, so yeah, I'm supposed to be sort of resting.
Out patient procedures are the kind where they herd you in and herd you out, in, hopefully, less than a day.
They always like for you to be there early. I think that is because they secretly hide and giggle because they know you will bust your butt to get there on time......so you can wait.
I was fortunate enough to not have anything seriously wrong with me. Of course, I didn't know that the day before so I spent the entire day before feeling sorry for myself and crying. Crying always does such wonderful things for the eyelids, mine always looked like I just climbed out of the ring with Sugar Ray.....and I didn't win.
I had asked the doctor if I could drive myself home after the procedure. I got a big fat NO for an answer. I thought it might be rather fun, who knows where I would have ended up.
My husband and I drove for an hour.....in the fog. I thought about placing a couple of wet tea bags on my eyelids during the ride, to reduce the swelling, but since I could not wear any makeup or fix my hair I figured puffy lids were the least of my worries. I was supposed to bathe with an antibacterial soap too, but I didn't have any. So, I rinsed off with a solution of 3% food grade hydrogen peroxide......I may have been foaming.
Coming out from under anesthesia is always fun. The last time I had a procedure I woke up pain free and talking like a physic woodpecker. All the other patients in the recovery room were moaning and groaning except me, I felt like a million bucks. When whatever I had for pain began to wear off and I had to ask for something, the nurse planted that hypodermic needle in my thigh with a vengeance.....she had listened to me long enough.
This time, I just woke up, no pain, no big deal and not too chatty. But, before the O.R. team put me under, I did sing them one of my birthday ditties. When I started on the second verse, that was the last thing I remembered. I really do think they enjoyed my humor.
And so, I have blogged.
Wednesday, October 22, 2014
Cobwebs, Lady Bugs & Mud
Today I believe I have walked through 1043 cobwebs. It did not matter if I had walked from the house to the garage in three minute intervals, each time I went, I walked through cobwebs.
During those moments of exploration, I flailed my arms and beat off 1093 lady bugs. OK, so they really are not lady bugs, they are Asian Beetles. Asian Beetles are somebody's great idea to get rid of some other pesty pest in soybeans. They may do what they were brought here to do.....BUT.....come harvest time they are nothing short of a menace. Since they no longer have a soybean plant to cling to, they cling to the doors, windows, and one's self, trying to get inside where it is warm. They stink, they bite and they are just an all around un-useful pest as far as I'm concerned.
If you have ever driven late at night during harvest time, when the temps are still what is considered mild in this part of the country, you have probably experienced windshield slaughter. That is when you have possibly smushed every insect, within a 10 mile radius, on your windshield. If said smeared bugs are allowed to dry on said windshield, it takes nothing less than a putty knife to get them off.
So I'm thinking......why not contact one of the automobile paint places and suggest to them to add cobwebs and bug guts to their paint. Not only will this solve the problem of rust spots on your vehicle, but the body will actually last longer than the engine. This will cut down on landfill space and make steel last umpteen times longer than originally expected.
Now for the mud. It's dang near election time....mid term elections that is. Since we have to make rules and laws for lack of common sense, why not make one that says: "If you can't say anything nice, then don't say anything at all!"
Plead your case. Tell us why we should vote for you. Show us how you will make things better. BUT, whatever you do, do not bring up your opponents dirty laundry!
We all have skeletons in our closet......before too long....someone will be rattling your bones.
During those moments of exploration, I flailed my arms and beat off 1093 lady bugs. OK, so they really are not lady bugs, they are Asian Beetles. Asian Beetles are somebody's great idea to get rid of some other pesty pest in soybeans. They may do what they were brought here to do.....BUT.....come harvest time they are nothing short of a menace. Since they no longer have a soybean plant to cling to, they cling to the doors, windows, and one's self, trying to get inside where it is warm. They stink, they bite and they are just an all around un-useful pest as far as I'm concerned.
If you have ever driven late at night during harvest time, when the temps are still what is considered mild in this part of the country, you have probably experienced windshield slaughter. That is when you have possibly smushed every insect, within a 10 mile radius, on your windshield. If said smeared bugs are allowed to dry on said windshield, it takes nothing less than a putty knife to get them off.
So I'm thinking......why not contact one of the automobile paint places and suggest to them to add cobwebs and bug guts to their paint. Not only will this solve the problem of rust spots on your vehicle, but the body will actually last longer than the engine. This will cut down on landfill space and make steel last umpteen times longer than originally expected.
Now for the mud. It's dang near election time....mid term elections that is. Since we have to make rules and laws for lack of common sense, why not make one that says: "If you can't say anything nice, then don't say anything at all!"
Plead your case. Tell us why we should vote for you. Show us how you will make things better. BUT, whatever you do, do not bring up your opponents dirty laundry!
We all have skeletons in our closet......before too long....someone will be rattling your bones.
Tuesday, October 21, 2014
The Good Spirit
At a time when the news networks, newspapers and social media like to focus and report on every bad, sad and grisly thing that goes on in the world today, it is good to know that the goodness of the human spirit lives on.
There are 102 counties in the great state of Illinois. Nine of those counties have a land mass of over 800 square miles. The county of Pike falls into this category coming in at #8 with a land mass of 830 square miles.
So what?
The other eight counties have a total population of 1,194,051 people. The average for the counties, with the exception of one located close to Chicago, is somewhere around 40 to 60,000 people. Pike County takes the lead for having the least, less than 17,000 souls live here. So when I say that I live in the sticks, I'm not kidding.
When you live in a rural area, everybody knows just about everybody. If you do not know them, they are probably some distant relative.
Recently, this large land mass but sparsely populated area came together for a cause. A benefit was held for a young person in the community who is having the fight of their life.
The outpouring of support and love that could actually be "felt" in the room was incredible. People came from miles around. They gave from their purse and their businesses. Even those whose pockets were empty gave what they could and offered their time to help where help was needed.
It was the best and purest example of mankind laying aside their differences and coming together as a whole, single unit, to lift up someone in need. Everyone sharpened their focus on the task at hand, and it worked. The benefit was a huge success.
Maybe we should do this every weekend, so we don't lose the momentum, the awesomeness of what we really can accomplish.
There are 102 counties in the great state of Illinois. Nine of those counties have a land mass of over 800 square miles. The county of Pike falls into this category coming in at #8 with a land mass of 830 square miles.
So what?
The other eight counties have a total population of 1,194,051 people. The average for the counties, with the exception of one located close to Chicago, is somewhere around 40 to 60,000 people. Pike County takes the lead for having the least, less than 17,000 souls live here. So when I say that I live in the sticks, I'm not kidding.
When you live in a rural area, everybody knows just about everybody. If you do not know them, they are probably some distant relative.
Recently, this large land mass but sparsely populated area came together for a cause. A benefit was held for a young person in the community who is having the fight of their life.
The outpouring of support and love that could actually be "felt" in the room was incredible. People came from miles around. They gave from their purse and their businesses. Even those whose pockets were empty gave what they could and offered their time to help where help was needed.
It was the best and purest example of mankind laying aside their differences and coming together as a whole, single unit, to lift up someone in need. Everyone sharpened their focus on the task at hand, and it worked. The benefit was a huge success.
Maybe we should do this every weekend, so we don't lose the momentum, the awesomeness of what we really can accomplish.
Monday, October 20, 2014
The Pantry
Having brought home a rather large portion of groceries, I decided it might be a good time to clean out the pantry.
My pantry can house many a mysterious item.
Since it was already looking like it belonged to Ms. M. Hubbard, I knew it would not take too long to clean.
Pantries have a way of collecting goods and services in their far back recesses. Items that do not get used very often, like a can of pumpkin, so they just keep being rotated further into the abyss.
One of the first things I came across was a can of sweetened condensed milk. Actually, I found three cans but the first was looking kind of rough around the edges....literally......it had rust on it. I checked the expiration date...02/28/2007....a seven year old can of sweetened condensed milk......I think it is a safe bet I can pitch it.
I'm wondering why I even have sweetened condensed milk. I do not make fudge or candy or whatever else can be made with this stuff. I think I was probably looking for evaporated milk and grabbed the wrong thing. The other two cans do not have an expiration date on them, so I guess they are safe to put back in the pantry.
The next item of mystery was a small jar of sliced pimientos. I know it has been in there a long time because it has an actual price tag sticker on it. Most kids today would not have a clue what that is. The only thing I can think of that I would use sliced pimientos for is cheese spread. I'm sure that whenever the last time was that I made cheese spread, I had eaten half of it before I realized I had forgotten to add the pimientos. They still look quite lovely, their pretty red tender slices swirling in some golden liquid. They are a bonus item. They do not expire until October of the year 2020! There were a couple of more dots of ink past the first 2 & 0 but that's my story and I'm sticking to it.
Then I found three 5 year old cans of cranberry sauce, the kind that slides out of the can in one piece, and two 2 year old cans of sweet potatoes and the above mentioned, moved to the back of the pantry, pumpkin.
My oldest daughter reminded me of the time she and her younger sister had to clean out the pantry. They found a bag of opened marshmallows.....that were hard as rocks.....that they began to hurl in my direction......across the kitchen....while they laughed like idiots. Hardened marshmallows can be used as weapons of mass destruction.
If there was a prize to be given to the oldest item in the pantry it would have to go to the two packages of yeast. Their expiration date was 09/01/1999. If I hang on to them for another ten years they will be considered antiques. Maybe I will keep them, after all there were seeds found in the great pyramids of Egypt that were still good. Somewhere there is a place, far far away, deep in some mountainside that houses a storage facility for seeds, just in case there is a raining of hardened marshmallows on mankind that would wipe out a large portion of not only the population but the plants on earth. Maybe they would like my two packages of yeast.
I could open them up. There might be an image of the Virgin Mary, Elvis or some ancient alien code that would unlock the mysteries of life on the inside of their small foil lined packages.
My pantry can house many a mysterious item.
Since it was already looking like it belonged to Ms. M. Hubbard, I knew it would not take too long to clean.
Pantries have a way of collecting goods and services in their far back recesses. Items that do not get used very often, like a can of pumpkin, so they just keep being rotated further into the abyss.
One of the first things I came across was a can of sweetened condensed milk. Actually, I found three cans but the first was looking kind of rough around the edges....literally......it had rust on it. I checked the expiration date...02/28/2007....a seven year old can of sweetened condensed milk......I think it is a safe bet I can pitch it.
I'm wondering why I even have sweetened condensed milk. I do not make fudge or candy or whatever else can be made with this stuff. I think I was probably looking for evaporated milk and grabbed the wrong thing. The other two cans do not have an expiration date on them, so I guess they are safe to put back in the pantry.
The next item of mystery was a small jar of sliced pimientos. I know it has been in there a long time because it has an actual price tag sticker on it. Most kids today would not have a clue what that is. The only thing I can think of that I would use sliced pimientos for is cheese spread. I'm sure that whenever the last time was that I made cheese spread, I had eaten half of it before I realized I had forgotten to add the pimientos. They still look quite lovely, their pretty red tender slices swirling in some golden liquid. They are a bonus item. They do not expire until October of the year 2020! There were a couple of more dots of ink past the first 2 & 0 but that's my story and I'm sticking to it.
Then I found three 5 year old cans of cranberry sauce, the kind that slides out of the can in one piece, and two 2 year old cans of sweet potatoes and the above mentioned, moved to the back of the pantry, pumpkin.
My oldest daughter reminded me of the time she and her younger sister had to clean out the pantry. They found a bag of opened marshmallows.....that were hard as rocks.....that they began to hurl in my direction......across the kitchen....while they laughed like idiots. Hardened marshmallows can be used as weapons of mass destruction.
If there was a prize to be given to the oldest item in the pantry it would have to go to the two packages of yeast. Their expiration date was 09/01/1999. If I hang on to them for another ten years they will be considered antiques. Maybe I will keep them, after all there were seeds found in the great pyramids of Egypt that were still good. Somewhere there is a place, far far away, deep in some mountainside that houses a storage facility for seeds, just in case there is a raining of hardened marshmallows on mankind that would wipe out a large portion of not only the population but the plants on earth. Maybe they would like my two packages of yeast.
I could open them up. There might be an image of the Virgin Mary, Elvis or some ancient alien code that would unlock the mysteries of life on the inside of their small foil lined packages.
Friday, October 17, 2014
The Grinch Who Stole Homecoming
A very disgruntled member of a nearby community wrote a very disgruntled letter to the editor of the daily newspaper.
He was livid with the recent homecoming activities, especially the one that requires many rolls of toilet paper. He referred to this practice as "trashing the town".
Since he was really angry, he also decided to throw in a few comments on how girls, young girls, should act. I'm guessing he thinks they should be in the kitchen and some other room in the house.
The man went on to say he wished for just 15 minutes in front of the student body, so he could shame them into being better members of the community.
I always thought TP'd trees look rather pretty, especially when the wind is blowing. Surely they used the cheap kind of toilet paper. This would be an advantage twofold. First, you can buy lots more cheap toilet paper with whatever amount of money you have at your disposal for said commodities. Second, we all know what happens to cheap toilet paper when it gets wet.....so, if it would happen to rain, which, by the way, it has done for several days in this part of the sticks, the toilet paper is not going to hang, no pun intended, around long.
When my daughter got married, someone TP'd the large tree in front of their house. I watched as my new son in law took a small butane lighter, lit the ends of the toilet paper and let them burn themselves out of the tree. It worked marvelously. Although it may not be a wise idea to use this method if the tree is completely covered.....unless you just don't like the tree....or are very bored.
In dealing with the young people, or girls and being a mother of daughters, I can only think of one thing to say......"Good luck with that."
It's funny, as we generate into the next generation, we seem to think the younger one is completely off their rockers. How quickly we forget the folly of our youth.
I'm a firm believer in 'what goes around, comes around' and when you start pointing fingers and lashing out, someday it will come back to haunt you........and they all know who you are and where you live......how many trees are in your yard?
Relax, Mr. Mad Guy, they are just kids. It won't be too long before some of them will be very outstanding members of the community.
Life goes on and with it many an adventure. Enjoy them all.
He was livid with the recent homecoming activities, especially the one that requires many rolls of toilet paper. He referred to this practice as "trashing the town".
Since he was really angry, he also decided to throw in a few comments on how girls, young girls, should act. I'm guessing he thinks they should be in the kitchen and some other room in the house.
The man went on to say he wished for just 15 minutes in front of the student body, so he could shame them into being better members of the community.
I always thought TP'd trees look rather pretty, especially when the wind is blowing. Surely they used the cheap kind of toilet paper. This would be an advantage twofold. First, you can buy lots more cheap toilet paper with whatever amount of money you have at your disposal for said commodities. Second, we all know what happens to cheap toilet paper when it gets wet.....so, if it would happen to rain, which, by the way, it has done for several days in this part of the sticks, the toilet paper is not going to hang, no pun intended, around long.
When my daughter got married, someone TP'd the large tree in front of their house. I watched as my new son in law took a small butane lighter, lit the ends of the toilet paper and let them burn themselves out of the tree. It worked marvelously. Although it may not be a wise idea to use this method if the tree is completely covered.....unless you just don't like the tree....or are very bored.
In dealing with the young people, or girls and being a mother of daughters, I can only think of one thing to say......"Good luck with that."
It's funny, as we generate into the next generation, we seem to think the younger one is completely off their rockers. How quickly we forget the folly of our youth.
I'm a firm believer in 'what goes around, comes around' and when you start pointing fingers and lashing out, someday it will come back to haunt you........and they all know who you are and where you live......how many trees are in your yard?
Relax, Mr. Mad Guy, they are just kids. It won't be too long before some of them will be very outstanding members of the community.
Life goes on and with it many an adventure. Enjoy them all.
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