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Posts tagged ‘Life Lessons’

Jun 3

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How do you know when it’s time to let go?

I spent a chunk of my day off yesterday cleaning out the “kid’s closet”.  My district is having a yard sale on Saturday to raise money for Easter Seals, so I decided this was a good time to let go of some things.

The kids of the “kid’s closet” are my two nephews, who are now 13 and nearly 17 years old.  When they were little boys, I worked at a toy store; I figure that’s enough said, you can imagine the rest (it’s a big closet).  They spent a fair amount of time with me back then, but that was before they needed cable and the internet to stay entertained.  Back then, they were happy with a movie marathon and a marble maze.

continue reading…

May 15

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To give or not to give?

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.from a journal entry dated 7/19/1993

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…Nannie brought up her old neighbors and she told us about how her neighbor Burt used to always borrow onions, tea and potatoes.  She said that he had borrowed so many onions, tea and potatoes that there were no hopes of him ever paying them back.  Not that he intended to.  So one day she resolved that she would put an end to this constant borrowing.  

That night, she was reading in her Bible Study, and the Bible verse said that if anyone borrows from you, give freely. And if he comes the next day and borrows more, give again.  So the next time Burt asked, she again gave.

In later years, when Grandpop was drunk and had fallen down, she would call for Burt.

And he would always come.  

He’d say, “Come on Jim, and lie down.”  Grandpop would say he didn’t want to lie down.  But Burt would pick him up anyway.  “Come on Jim and lie down a while.  It’ll make you feel better.”

Nannie said those times were worth more to her than any amounts of onions, tea and potatoes.

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Query This:

Do You Give Freely?

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Apr 23

Rainbow

What is the lesson of a “bright and beautiful day”?

When I was 20, I worked in Washington, D.C., which was about 50 miles from my home.  Those miles translated to at least an hour and a half commute each day, each way.  However many years later (wouldn’t you like to know!), I can still get a clear mental picture of the van and my fellow commuters, some of whom were more colorful than others.  For example, there was this one man in my vanpool that started each ride with, “What a bright and beautiful day!”  Come rain or come shine, “What a bright and beautiful day!”  And then he told every woman on the van how beautiful she looked.  I mean, this was a guy who tackled each day with a positive, grateful-to-be-alive attitude.  And he meant it, too!

The rest of us thought it was really annoying. Continue Reading…

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