SENIOR CERTAINTEES (5)

Slow – – – Up to Speed

The other day when I showed up for work with my bobcat, I spontaneously said,
“I may be slowing down and take longer to get here, but my bobcat is up to speed.”

The customer appreciated that (as do others since then), and most folks seem willing to wait for me, and patiently watch me struggle to climb onto my machine, and then autopilot takes over from decades of experience and God’s blessing, and we are both happy.

Now would be a good time to share the secret of my bobcat work (an amazing machine).
I tell people it’s really simple:
+ two pedals
+ two levers
and
+ an unspecified number of angels

Indeed, I ask God to anoint me and my bobcat on every job.

SENIOR CERTAINTIES (4)

Sometimes humor is helpful in senior years (sometimes not).

I’ve been stopped about speeding only two times in my life.
Notice I said about speeding, not for speeding.
One time I was driving my 80cc Yamaha motorcycle on a rough street.
I was stopped for driving too slow—no ticket, no problem.

The other time was a during a sincere effort for a second honeymoon after some very rough years.
We were involved in meaningful conversation, and I didn’t realize I had slowed down, and that got the attention of an officer.
He had me get out of the car, perhaps to check if I was under the influence.
He pointed out that I was driving too slow, and wondered why.
I told him the truth.
He had to verify this with my wife in the car, separately.
When her answer matched mine, the officer was amazed by our story, and engaged in a few minutes of warm conversation.
– – –
A couple positive notes about driving, from my personal experience:
+ In 59+ years of driving, I never had a ticket for a moving violation.
That may have something to do with growing up on the farm, and driving as soon as I could reach the pedals—and driving the tractor slowly for loading hay before I could reach the pedals.
+ The second is such an amazing blessing, holding true for nearly four decades now—there never was a time when I was a passenger with any of my four children driving, that I felt uncomfortable with their driving.
That calls for a humble shout of PRAISE THE LORD ! ! !

PRODIGALS WITHOUT THE PIGPEN

Prodigals without the riotous living
Prodigals without the consequences
Prodigals without the crash
Prodigals without hitting rock bottom
Prodigals without coming to themselves
Prodigals without accountability
Prodigals without confrontation
Prodigals without intervention
Prodigals without consequences (again)
Prodigals without involvement
Prodigals without anyone willing to help
Prodigals without a day of reckoning
Prodigals without Jesus

Prodigals with “approval”
Prodigals with “encouragement”
Prodigals with “support”
Prodigals with “respect”
Prodigals with “reinforcement”
Prodigals with “excusers”
Prodigals with “examples”
Prodigals with “mentors”
Prodigals with “good morals”
Prodigals with “a form of godliness”
Prodigals without THE POWER OF GOD

FIGURE IT ALL OUT ?

“We think it’s our job to figure it all out.”
—–Willie Robertson, in two hour interview with Tucker Carlson

That was a most enjoyable two hours—more fun and enlightening than any episode I’ve seen of Duck Dynasty.
Watch it if you can.

NOT MY RELATIVES

When I was at the bank the other day, I had to comment about a sweet picture on a calendar.
It showed a mother gorilla gently holding her baby—lovely, for sure.
I simply said, “Sweet, but not my relatives.”
The two bank employees heartily agreed.

Then I posed a question, “If that gorilla could talk and comment on people in a similar endearing picture, what would she say ?”
Immediate response, without hesitation, “Lovely humans, not my relatives.”

CHARLIE BROWN THANKSGIVING

I heard this for the first time on afr.

Perspective on Thanksgiving.

Lying on his doghouse, as he was accustomed to doing, Snoopy could smell the absolutely wonderful food being prepared and eaten on Thanksgiving Day.
His spirits soared as he imagined special treatment with a special treat shared by his beloved master.
Later in the day Charlie Brown came out with a bowl of “dog food”.
Snoopy was so disappointed, devastated, finding it hard to be thankful.
Finally he realized he could be thankful that he was not a turkey.

NOSTALGIA

“Nostalgia is not all it used to be.”
—–Peter Rosenberger (Hope For The Caregiver, afr.net)

ALL-TIME OXYMORON – – – MODIFIED FOR SENIORS

Occasional Outbursts of Reality

ALL-TIME OXYMORON

Occasional Outbursts of Consistency.

NO PAIN – NO GAIN – – – THEN AND NOW

NO PAIN—NO GAIN
Fine motivational poster/slogan for youth fitness, generally based on fact.

Now, for seniors, the saying takes on a different wording, also largely based on fact.
PAIN—NO GAIN