Changing the World

Let there peace on earth and let it begin with me.
When I was a young man, I wanted to change the world. I found it was difficult to change the world, so I tried to change my nation. When I found I couldn’t change the nation, I began to focus on my town. I couldn’t change the town and as an older man, I tried to change my family. Now, as an old man, I realize the only thing I can change is myself, and suddenly I realize that if long ago I had changed myself, I could have made an impact on my family. My family and could have made an impact on our town. Their impact could have changed the nation and I could indeed have changed the world. Unknown Monk 1100 AD
We all have said at one time or another, “If only the world were different....If only this country got back to the basics of life.... I wish the city government would.....” Admit it you have said that and so have I. Well, we cannot change the world, the country or the town. Believe me, if we could we would not please everyone. We cannot even change our family. But there is one thing we can change—ourselves. If we put more time into improving ourselves and less time worrying about others, we would slowly notice the change in other people. If we spent time with God everyday our families would notice the peace that time alone with the Father brings. If we start exercising on a regular basis, we would notice out health improve and so will our families.
A woman was praying to God one day to change her husband. He was not as attentive to her as he once was. The answer was not what she expected to hear. “You cannot change him, only change yourself. Be more attentive to him and expect his behavior to change.” She decided to give it a try. She started meeting him at the door after work and even wore clothes other than her sweat pants she had been cleaning the house in. She would ask him about his day and actually listen to him. She served his favorite dinners and showed him she loved him. To her surprise, he did become more attentive to her and began taking her out more. When their friends noticed the change in their relationship, the wife explained what she had learned. This made a difference in her friends' relationships, as well. She found out that by changing herself, she did manage to change her little corner of the world.
So my friends if you want to see change, it must begin within. Once we have made that change in ourselves, we will notice the change in other people.

Father, help me to realize that the only person I can change is myself and I can only do that with your help. I cannot change anyone else but I can be an example to them. I pray that others will see you in me and realize that you are the way, the truth, and the life. I want people to look at me and how I live my life as an honor to you and want you in their lives too. I realize that in order to change my little part of the world, I need to look to you and spend time with you each and every day. .

Get Off the Pity Pot

Unless you have living under a rock you have seen the riots in our city streets over the recent elections.  I have heard many people say that protest is good and is guaranteed under the Constitution of the United States.  I agree.  However, instead of peacefully protesting, these people (thugs) are destroying property, endangering lives and over all making nuisances of themselves.  A washed up singer recently said that America is the laughingstock of the rest of the world.  I won’t mention any names if that’s alright with you, Madonna.  Well, honey, what do you think you were when you offered to perform sex for a vote for Hillary.  We have been the joke of the rest of the world for the past 8 years under Obama.

When I see the “Snowflakes” crying and wringing their hands because they are “offended” by people that do not agree with them, it really offends me.  Oh, excuse me, I can’t be offended because I am not a liberal.  Let me see if I have this straight—I do want to be politically correct. HA!   Conservatives offend but can’t be offended while Liberals can’t offend but are offended.  OK.  Gotcha!

I went to college in the 70’s.  It might surprise the “enlightened” kids (yeah kids they are not acting like grown-ups) of today’s college campuses but we actuall6y learned from listening to the differing views and opinions of our classmates.  This was during the Viet Nam war era and classes were filled with a wide diversity of students—from the fresh out of high school students, older more mature students and *gasp* even veterans.  We did not run out of the room crying if someone voiced an opinion that differed from ours.  We discussed the opinions and each student was able to take a little bit of knowledge out of that room.  We did not curse or brow beat each other.  The college did not offer safe spaces, play doh or cute little puppies to salve our wounded egos and hurt feelings.  The only safety pins we wore were to hold a hem up or mend out clothes until there was time to mend the clothes the way they should be mended.

If you plan to prosper and flourish in this world, you need to realize LIFE IS NOT FAIR and the world does not revolve around you and your feelings.  You might be offended when the bank tells you to make your house payment or you will lose the house.  Your feeling might be hurt when your boss tells you to do something you do not want to do.  You will find that no one will provide a safe space for you when the real world hits you in the face and you have kids to feed and clothe and bills to pay and you can’t stretch that paycheck far enough.

So SUCK IT UP BUTTERCUP, face life and GET OFF THE PITY POT.

I know this is a post from a few months ago but it appears to be getting more relevant as each day goes by.  I read an article that the University of Missouri is paying the price of catering to the millenial snowflakes.  Enrollment is down, dorms are empty and jobs have been lost.  So I must say again—GET OFF THE PITY POT!!!

Privilege is Not Just For Some

Well, I have to vent again.  I am so sick of hearing about White Privilege.  In fact I am so mad I could spit enough nails to build a house.  And friends in the south that is pretty darn mad.  I hear about how whites have more inherent rights than minorities because we are white.  Who is spreading this  atrocity?  I will tell you.  It is the white hating race baiters like Sharpton, Jackson, Holder,  and yes, even the president himself.  Well I want to clarify a few things that need to be said.  Not all whites were born in the lap of luxury.  I, for one was born into poverty.  I come from a family of six kids.  We lived in a small house with two parents, an elderly grandmother, and an aunt who was wheelchair bound.

We did not have food stamps or welfare.  Yet we had food to eat and clothes on our backs.  We did not always have what we wanted to eat but we had nourishing food.  We did not have the latest fashions but we had clothes even if they were hand  me downs.  We felt rich at Christmas and when school started each year because we could get  some new items and new shoes.  What we got came from the hard work of our parents not from government handouts.

On second thought I guess you could say I am privileged.  I am privileged to have parents that loved all their kids and taught us to love and fear God.

I am privileged to be adopted into God’s family.  I am proud to say my Heavenly Father is the only king I will bow to.

I am privileged to say I got a college education.  I not only graduated one time but I went back to college after my kids were grown and I was raising grandkids and working full time and graduated with honors and a second degree.  I got no free ride either time.  The first time I worked my way through.  I admit I had to take out student loans but they are paid in full.  The second time I worked and paid my way through.

I  am privileged to have the support of my family.

I am privileged to have five sisters who are close and love each other.

I am privileged to raise two kids and four grandkids and teach them about God’s love and grace.

I lost my only son two years ago but I am privileged to know that I will see him again one day in Heaven.

I am privileged to have a husband who has provided for his family the best way he could.  It has been tough at times, I will admit and it took both of us working to make ends meet.  I am privileged to stay home now so I can take kids to their activities and school functions.  It will not be easy since social security will be our income now but I have faith that God will provide our needs.

Yes, I guess you could say I am a privileged white but not in the politically correct sense.  There can be privilege for everyone in America if they are willing to dare to dream and work hard everyday to make those dreams come true.  Don’t expect to get anything for free.  Use your heart and mind and don’t be afraid of that four letter word-WORK.

Now here is my disclaimer:  IF I OFFEND ANYONE DON’T EXPECT AN APOLOGY FROM ME BECAUSE YOU WON’T GET IT!

Never Give Up the Fight

Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.Galatians 6:9

"I give up! I can't do this! It's too hard!" Nick slammed his math book shut. I stopped washing dishes and sat down beside him. After helping him for about 20 minutes he hugged me. "Now I understand and it is not as hard as I thought." He gathered up his books and prepared for school the next morning. I sent him to the shower before he went to bed.

After his shower and he had gone to bed, I sat down to relax a bit before I finished my nightly routine. I began to think about Nick and his homework. I realized that I too, want to give up and quit when success seems out of reach. Sometimes when I work on a goal and run into a brick wall I want to throw up my hands in despair. That is when I cry out to God, "Lord, this is too hard! I can't do it. You are asking too much from me." I often feel defeated before I start because I try to work in my own strength. Just when I feel overwhelmed with my endeavors, God speaks to my heart, "Child, I am here for you-- don't forget that you do not have to go alone in your own strength. I called you for a special purpose and I will go before you and equip you with all you need. Don't give up. You helped Nick with his homework and he knew you were there for him. I want you to know that I am here for you."

I would like to say that all my doubts were wiped away but I can't. Doubts still come and I still get overwhelmed at times. I would like to say that I never want to give up and reach every goal I attempt without fear. Again I can't say that. I still have doubts about my ability but when these doubts do rear their ugly heads, I remember I don't have to face them alone. I have a loving and caring Father who will always be with me to help me keep on keeping on.

When you get into a tight place and everything goes against you, till it seems as though you could not hang on one minute longer, never give up then, for that is just the place and time that the tides will change, Harriet Beecher Stowe

Don't Quit

Don't Quit no matter what!

When things go wrong, as they sometimes will,

When the road you're trudging seems all uphill,

When funds are low and the debts are high,

And you want to smile but you have to sigh,

When care is pressing you down a bit,

Rest if you must, but don't you quit.

Life is queer with its twists and turns

As every one of us sometimes learns,

And many a failure turns about,

When he might have won if he'd stuck it out.

Don't give up, though the pace seems slow -

You may succeed with another blow.

Often the goal is nearer than

It seems to a faint and faltering man;

Often the struggler has given up

When he might have captured the victor's cup,

And he learned too late,

when the night slipped down

, How close he was to the golden crown.

Success is failure turned inside out -

The silver tint of the clouds of doubt,

And you never can tell how close you are -

It may be near when it seems afar;

So stick to the fight when you're hardest hit -

It's when things seem worst that you mustn't quit. -

by Author Unknown

Hold Fast To Your Dream In Spite Of Other People

Friends, I am going to vent again.  I am so tired of being told not to do or say certain things because it might “offend” someone.  I am so done with this political correct crap you can stick a fork in me—I am so done. My twelve year old grandson came upon this P.C. crap personally the other night and yes I am offended by what this “grown-up” told him in front of other students and parents.  Yes, I am offended by her reaction.  Oh, my bad liberals can’t offend they can only be offended. 
My grandson is a budding comedian and was chosen to appear in Graves County’s Got Talent at Graves County High School on Saturday, October 17.  Rehearsal was Friday evening.  Everything was disorganized as all rehearsals are but after Nikolas was finally able to perform his routine.  The director of the program told him his jokes offended her.  Now he did not use profanity, I hear his jokes to make sure that are appropriate, all his jokes were clean and family appropriate.  She was offended on a political joke about a Democratic woman running for President.  This woman told him in plain language that his jokes offended her.   She told him she was voting for this candidate.  Now I don’t care who she votes for but to throw her political views in the face of a child is, to me, unacceptable.  It would be bad enough for her to do this when she was alone with him but she put him down in front of other kids and their parents.  That my friends, offended me.
Now, I will not mention her name because I am not trying to stoop to her level.  Besides, she knows who she is, as well as, all the people there that night.  This is an open letter to her because I want her to know how she almost ruined a young man’s dreams.  I say almost because I talked to him all the way home encouraging him not to give up his dream.  I told him all good comedians have offended people at same point in their career.  I have been offended by a few comedians that can’t tell a joke without using profanity. So here goes.
Dear Ms.
I am totally ashamed of you and also embarrassed for you.  You were supposed to be the adult but I am proud of my grandson because he showed much more maturity than you.  Before he did his routine Saturday night he did say that some of his jokes might offend some people and he apologized but it was comedy. I am proud of him for that but by the applause he got, few people were offended.  I really hope you are happy because he was ready to give up on his dreams because of you.  I understand you are a drama coach and teacher and no doubt a good one.  However, if you humiliate and embarrass some of your students like you did my grandson, you would probably lose your job.  I do know that if my child were in the class I would definitely be at school the next morning and pardon me, I would haunt you until you apologized in front of the entire school.  I’m sorry but you have riled up a grandmother who is teaching her kids how to work for their dreams.
I don’t know how many comedians you have seen but let me tell you I cannot think of a single comedian that is worth watching who has not offended anyone at times.  Even Jesus offended people when He walked this earth—usually the self-righteous Pharisees. I know you probably don’t like me and that is ok because I don’t care.  If “everyone loves you”, you are either not being authentic or have a lot of fake friends.
If I have offended  you I will not apologize because, madam, you offended me when you tried to step on my grandson’s dreams.  Oh, by the way, he has been asked to be a part of a comedy show in November at the Market House Theater in Paducah.  The director of that show has heard his jokes—even the one that offended you and he likes them.
Have a good day and may God bless you.







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Learn from Mistakes

 

Thomas Edison tried two thousand different materials in search of a filament for the light bulb. When none worked satisfactorily, his assistant complained, “All our work is in vain. We have learned nothing.”

Edison replied very confidently, “Oh, we have come a long way and we have learned a lot. We know that there are two thousand elements which we cannot use to make a good light bulb.”

If Thomas Edison had given up, where we be today?  We don’t learn as much from our successes as we do from our failures.  The only failure is the person who fails to get back up when he is not successful the first time.  If there is something you want to accomplish---don’t give up.  We learned to walk after falling down numerous times—life is the same way.  Fall then get back up.  Don’t let one failure define you.