Even more random thoughts

The perspective of one's world is measured by the expanse of their mind and their willingness to comprehend what it contains.

When you find the thing you do best. Pursue it with all of your heart, all of your mind and all of your soul. And trust God to lead you on the most wonderful journey of your life.

Fred Hinegardner The thing I do best is sitting on the couch in front of the TV. I'm not very good at what I SHOULD be pursuing, but expect I'll get better at it as I go. Not many started out good at what they do. What I'm pursuing at the moment is what I'm worst at. I pump air into my flat tire instead of overinflating a good one.

Tonya Burnett Davis Thank you for this!

Heather Jahn Amen!

Those who scream the loudest generally know the least.

In the busyness of your week don't forget to set aside some time for yourself.

Holly Walker like this.

Judy Roberts Thank you. Even setting time aside to think of your maker.

Tina Feten Thanks for the reminder Stacey!

A simple smile can change your life forever.

When we can learn from those with whom we do not agree, we grow in our own understanding and opinion. To ignore opposing opinion is to remain ignorant in why we believe the way we do.

John Scott Yes,,,,

Acknowledge your failures and overcome them with persistence and a never die attitude.

Bruce D. Roberts And, keep two dollars in your pocket for coffee.

Lisa Francescon YES!!

God speaks to my spirit and I know his voice.

Gary Silber Thank you for a great thought to start my day. Blessings Gary Silber

Happy 16th to my son Kyle.

Holly Walker SIXTEEN????? ALREADY???? Seem like he should only be 7! Time sure passes quick - huh?

Fashion question two. Brown or black shoes with navy blue pants?

Inku TheInku Yo The important thing is that your belt match the shoes. Black shoes? Black belt. Brown shoes? Brown belt.

Angela Cartwright Gottsch black. However, if you like the retro salesman look - white.

Valerie Morrison I would say brown and yes the belt needs to match.

DeAnna Dimmitt belt and shoes do need to match but navy blue is a cool color so it goes better with black than with brown.

Georgina Ghionis Black shoes - with a black belt :)

Giving your child more freedom to make choices should come only after you have taught them responsibility.

Fred Hinegardner Whenever my kids asked for the freedom to make their own choices, I generally let them. That was how they learned responsibility. Both are now successful and have never screwed up yet.

Cyndi Hall-Wilcox As much as it may hurt at the time they grow wiser even by sometimes making the wrong choice. You just have to be there to support them and know you did right because they learned a lesson from the choice.

Fred Hinegardner Thank you, Cyndi. You sound experienced.

Nothing allows more free thinking and perspective than when you are pushing a lawnmower.
Fred Hinegardner Riding one's even better. I keep paper and pencil in it.

Ignoring those who can help you most is akin to deciding you want to fail.

Fred Hinegardner Yep. Problem is, people don't usually ignore those they THINK can help. Their "decisions" are always against those who they think CAN'T help. People fiercely defend the way they've always been doing things, and when that way starts to fail, they defend it even harder.
We keep doing what we've always been doing and praying for a different result.

Are the color of my socks supposed to match my pants or my shirt? This always confuses me.

John Lo Ur tie

Ella Carlson Pants. I was educated on this by a snooty salesman when I took my son for his first suit.

Jim Roshan Your underwear - just in case you're in an accident and you have to go to the hospital!

Sam Gardner The main thing is... the socks have to match each other! And stay hidden beneath your trouser legs anyway. But relax, there will always be a fashion Nazi handy to inform you of your error.

Stacey Friedlein Sam, I have trouble matching my blue and black socks. What do you suggest.

Louisa Larson Don't worry about it! If you can't tell, most likely other people won't be able to either. At least that's what MY husband tells me when I'm agonizing over pairing his socks.

Cindy Powell Match your pants or go crazy and buy some striped or polka dotted socks with bunnies...all bright colors and wear them!

Stacey Friedlein I do have a pair of Bugs Bunny golf socks and a pair of Road Runner Socks, Guess they would go wtih about anything.

Scott Tidmore Stacey... some things are better kept secret..

David S Pickel The color of my sock is often an issue at my house. "Quit looking at my feet and look me in the eye"

Tracy Michelle Silva Depends on the rest of the outfit.

Suki Brown are your socks the same color? I'd go with one matching the shirt and one matching the pants, then you are covered!

Stacey Friedlein Suli, That sounds like a plan. To everyone else, thanks for your input.

Fred Hinegardner We're supposed to wear socks? Dang. No one tells me anything.

Make the most of every opportunity. Tomorrow it may be gone.

Face the morning sun and feel the glory of a new day.

Kimberly Coombs There is no sun here, just rain...But there is the SON! Happy Sunday ;0)

When a door closes a window opens. Be prepared the window could be on the ninety-third floor.

Bruce Mayhill That is why I always wear my cape!

Bruce D. Roberts That sounds like it was spoken from experiance....and you are so right.

Stacey Friedlein Yeah, I am getting really good at building the parachute on the way down.

Wl McCoy Jump! Jump!...haha

Fred Hinegardner Go ahead and jump. God will catch you

The best gifts often come with no fancy wrap, ribbons, or bows.

Lori Bailey Simkavitz I like that!

If I can make a positive difference in the life of just one person today, I have served my purpose.

Tina Marie Vance-Crnic I like this one.....need to steal it today! (For my ststus too!)

Patience and perseverance can be difficult attributes but the results can be amazing. Pray to God with conviction and he will answer your prayers.

Lisa Francescon So true. Thanks for the wonderful words to start my day.

Becky Homich Thank you for posting this thought. It is just what I need to read today.

When you have a fire on your tail you can either douse it out with water or throw on a little gasoline and allow it to be a motivator.

Give the gift of kindness. Do a random act today for someone you do not know.

Sharma Kaefer Ferrugia Amen!

Some things are just not worth the investment. Don't let desire outweigh common sense.

Cyndi Hall-Wilcox Common sense seems to be lacking these days.

Scott Tidmore I think I traded my common sense in on something... don't even remember what it was now...

Riding the pigs

The boy’s were outside playing like most days they spent on their grandparent’s farm. Grandpa had gone to town to deliver some milk to the creamery and make a stop at the local tavern.

He had found it was easier to go by himself to town. This way there was no chance Stacey or any of his brothers would be able to tell grandma about the stop at the tavern. When he did take Stacey, who was now eight years old, he would set him up on the bar and buy him peanuts in exchange for keeping quiet about the side trip.

On this day Stacey and his twin were bored. They had tired of playing in the hayloft and did not feel like going up to the mound to play. It was then the twin had an idea. He said to Stacey, “Let’s go chase the pigs in the hog lot.

Grandma had already gotten after them for chasing the chickens and disturbing the hen’s roosts. She scolded them because if the chickens got riled they would not lay properly and there would be no eggs to sell.

With little encouragement Stacey decided the twin had a good idea and it would be fun to chase the pigs. Along with the pigs were a few old sows that were farrowing the newborn piglets. The boys not realizing the danger of chasing pigs in the hog lot, with the sows and their newborn piglets, were having a great time. That is until grandma caught them.

Apparently sows become very mean and very aggressive when they have newborn piglets. The old woman came running out the back door of the house. She was attired in her usual paisley printed cotton dress and a pair of work boots. To say she was yelling would be an understatement.

She grabbed each boy by the scruff of their necks and dragged them out of the hog lot and into the house. The boys had never seen her so angry or upset. She grabbed the switch off the back porch and started wailing on the twin, something she had never done before. He immediately started to cry and after a few swats she let him up.

Now it was Stacey’s turn for the switch. The old woman laid him across her knee and began whipping him with the switch. But Stacey refused to cry. The more grandma spanked him the more he resolved not to cry. This made the old woman even angrier and she continued to wail on his backside but still no tears or screams. Soon the old woman gave up and decided there was no point in any more spanking.

It was the one and only time grandma ever spanked the boys, though they probably deserved it often. She was driven by her fear of what would have happened to those boys if one of the sows had gotten a hold of them. A lesson both boys learned that day through the business end of the switch and the love, care and concern of grandma.

Change is God's way of helping us to grow

The days have passed and turned into weeks. There is much activity in my life. I have been apartment hunting and will be moving in a couple of weeks. Adjusting to a new lifestyle and less space will take some time but like all things I will make it work.

My business has begun to gain some traction and I am fully optimistic in its future success. Today I begin interviewing candidates for the newly created Business Development Manager. I am encouraged by the quality and number of applicants and feel comfortable the right person is among them.

God continues to lead me on this path. Every time I get to the end of a path a new direction appears. The trail is often not marked but I step forward in the knowledge God is with me.

It was a year ago last Sunday when I first sent Susie an e-mail with a smile. It is a smile which has had a profound impact on who I am and she has given me so much encouragement as I move forward with where God is leading me. I truly love her and am grateful for every day we are given together.

The distance remains an obstacle for us. Sixteen hundred miles makes for some loneliness but has also given us time to really get to know each other and build a relationship through words and understanding. We both believe God has a plan for us and will let us know when the time is right for us to be together. His grace is what sustains us and allows us to be patient.

Where there is God there is hope, love and a sense of purpose. The good news is God is everywhere and all we have to do is reach out and He will sustain us. Blessings to each of you in your own journeys.