What's in your Wallet?

Welcome…Brrrr..... Cold, frosty morn here on the Front Porch!…it is the day to get going and get ready to worship.  So, bundle up! set aside some time!...Utilize time to worship our Lord today….at the church of your choice...so we only have a few minutes.....so let’s talk…

Because time is of the essence today… and really everyday.... let’s get down to business…let’s utilize our time.  Yep, that is the “ize” word we are going to ‘discuss’.

Utilize..this is another one of those fine words we know…we utilize it on a constant, day-to-day basis.

Utilize: make the most of.  I refer to this as having ‘pockets of time’…those little gifts of time that we have throughout our day, our week, our lives.  Sometimes they are planned; other times unplanned and they just come around the corner and say “surprise!  What are you going to do with me?”

Hmmm...reminds me of that commerical advertizing a credit card..."What's in your Wallet?" They want you to  utilize their card....oh, really?? They want to separate you from as much of your money  as they can and put it in their fat wallets .  The are utilizing YOUR money.

How do you utilize your time?  Time management it is called.  It can be a challenge.  Most of us have way too much to do and never enough time to do it.  I am still baffled by this: we have every conceivable modern appliance and gadget to slice, dice, chop, and stir, wash, dry, steam and clean…yet our forefathers and foremothers seemed to accomplish more than we ever dreamed.  We were discussing this at a ladies meeting yesterday...they sewed…everything, made beautiful quilts, clothing, cooked from 'scratch’ (funny saying I need to research someday)...prepared the land, planted, weeded, harvested and canned…food enough for the winter…baked bread. Took care of farms: upkeep of animals, buildings and homes….raised their families….I think you get the picture: they managed to utilize every minute, every resource, and every opportunity: utilize.

We have the same 24/7…dare say, however, don’t think I utilize my time nearly as well as those folks did: running to and fro…on the go, go, go...running in circles, exhausted…hands full of resources…but often nothing to show for it…need to utilize.

This ability to utilize will come about if we can utilize some of the other ‘ize’ words…prioritize, organize, maximize, minimize, energize…that suffix...’to cause..to be’…

While we have families to raise, jobs to keep, relationships to maintain...we must not neglect utilizing our time for our Lord.  It is a must: prioritize, organize, maximize, minimize, energize... so we can utilize.

There again, we have gidgets and gadgets that are suppose to help us utilize our time with God.  Versions of the Bible so that no one can use the ‘excuse’…”I can’t understand the Bible-which could be true for the King James Version.  I’ve heard folk hold to this version as the ‘true Word of God’ and refuse to even consider reading another version.  Hello, folks, Jesus did not ‘use this version’….the Word was spoken in Hebrew…translated to Greek...then God anointed King James (an earthly king no doubt) to translate the original into the common folk-me and you readable version (for the most part)...this was utilizing this resource so that the masses could read for themselves on a daily basis the Word of God.  Keep in mind “men translated it”...into the ‘voice’ of that day-…King James…from England…with all the thee's and thou's…. Far better to utilize one of the newer translations and understand the WORD than to hold to a ‘tradition’ and not utilize a version that we can understand.  Make sure you utilize a version that is solid, and a genuine, bonified  translation.  Just sayin’….utilize!

Utilize and maximize are like brothers and sisters…in the same family…except I see utilize being what we actually have in our hands.  Like with Moses…when God asked him ‘what do you have in your hand’.  Moses replied all I have is a staff (plain ole walking stick-sheep herding tool).  God took that...staff…and blessed it in such a way that it was utilized to part the Red Sea…if you are not familiar with this miracle…and instead of watching.....  say…..another Sylvester Stallone, Chuck Norris, or Duck Dynasty episode this afternoon…how about setting aside a pocket of time and ‘utilize’ that time and read one of the greatest adventures known to mankind!  Oh, I know you may have seen the movie version of Moses in The Ten Commandments

  http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=OqCTq3EeDcY 

Trust me….the Book is far better than the movie…by the way God did not have to have Moses use the staff…the rod…it was a lesson for all of us how He can take and bless and ‘utilize’ what we have in our hand, what we are familiar with, what we know…and then He can maximize the results..

Speaking of utilize and God…He specializes in utilizing nothing….and making it into something...

Oh, little things like creation…every plant, tree, every animal…the sea, land, light. Down to the smallest molecule and HE put a ‘whole lotta ‘ stuff right here before us to ‘utilize’

BUT, the greatest resource He gifted us with…His Word…so my friends, as we close out today’s ‘discussion’…utilize…the Word…read it, cherish it, LIVE by it, walk it, talk it, breathe it, eat it, sleep it, consume it, devour it…there  is plenty of it for all of us all. Utilize.....

Then, take it even further and utilize it by sharing it the best you can, with those you love, those you know..evangelize ( a word for another day) utilize it…to exhort, encourage, enlighten,

So I need to ‘utilize’ my precious time before going off to worship today…Need to utilize my resources and time and get a nice, hot lunch started so the Preacher and I can come home and just cozy in for the afternoon.  Know he will start a fire…we will sit by it and utilize some precious time to eat our lunch as we sit by the fire and just talk a bit…reconnect…then he will slowly and surely drift off to Sleepsville and me…I will utilize my time this afternoon and work on some chores and 'to do' list…after all gotta..... utilize!

Tomorrow…stop by again…gonna be a little bit different type discussion: DRAMATIZE…we are gonna take a walk down Memory Lane…

Until then....stay warm and utilize!

You, me, unique as can be!

Saturday!  Don’t we love our weekends…glad you took a few minutes to stop by the Front Porch…I know you have a ‘to do list’… me too, so we will just get to the point...

The word for today is realize….We all know what that word  means….use it all the time…such as how did you feel when you got up this morning and you REALIZED it was Saturday…all day..even if you have a list of things to do a mile long…it is indeed nice to have the day stretching before you...

But the word REALIZE takes on a much deeper meaning when we use in context of knowing the Lord...where were you, when did you know and what were you doing  when you realized God loves you?  That is the defining moment of moments.  Great, wonderful milestones occur in our lives: birth, starting school, college, meeting the love of your life, marriage, and babies and so on.  Defining moments…life changers…

But absolutely nothing compares with accepting Jesus as your Savior…that moment when you REALIZE He loves you, loves you so much that He died for you….whether you are 6 or 60, rich or poor, educated or uneducated, whatever your station in life….the realization that Someone ‘out there’ makes sense out of everything: good, bad; He is control.

Realize, too, that not one thing happens to us at anytime, anyplace, anyhow….that He does not know about!  Amazing!  On the flip side realize that He knows all our faults, failures, follies and foolishness…the reason we say, do, not do…realize…Someone is watching us….a good thing!

Realize  that nothing, absolutely nothing is impossible with Him...Nothing…so as we march, make our way through  2013…continue to THINK BIG…we serve a BIG GOD…who is always on duty; 24/7.

Realize that even though He loves us with a love undescribable, unimaginable, uncountable…we will be tested and tried…

Realize that there is a much greater purpose in life than just the day to day routine; get up, do our business, go to bed; repeat; repeat; repeat.

Realize God has created us for a reason for our being….our existence, our time here on earth…

You, me…….

 Unique as can…

Different yet the same

Created in His name.

A purpose and a plan

For every boy, girl woman and man

You, me........

Forever we can be

With Him for

Eternity.

So long for now…thanks for stopping by…hope you can stop by again real soon…and until then...

REALIZE

That you live, move and have your being…..

In Him.

                                                                                                                                                                                          

VERBALIZE: Use your words!

Howdy and welcome on this Fabulous Friday!  Going to jump right in and begin our discussion today.  No small talk…no discussion just gonna jump in…the word is verbalize!  We are going to talk about talk.  Interesting thought, don’t you think.

Now as an educator we encourage children to ‘find your voice’ ‘speak up’. We have children gathered in small groups to discuss, explore their thoughts and feelings.  It could be on topics such as books read, science experiments, and current events.  TALK.

It is believed that women talk far more than men: some studies indicate that this has merit; while others say there is nothing to it.  Hmmm...according to one study, women average 20,000 words a day (I know some that can easily double that countJ)…while men are suppose to engage in conversations that result in a mere 7,000 words per day.

That is just some FYI for you…I will let you chew on that yourself a bit…

But, all of us need to verbalize/vocalize…we have a voice; we have a time to speak.  The Wisdom is knowing when to speak and when to shut-up…like Kenny Rogers in his famous song…”know when to hold ‘’em, when to fold ‘’em and when to walk away’.  He was referring to gambling. Now this could easily apply to our conversations.  I know myself; I have been guilty of speaking when I should not and not speaking when I should.  Why is it so hard to get it right?

Verbalize…some of our talk is mere ‘chit-chat’; pleasantries…’how are you?’… “fine thank you’ talk...as if we really want to know? Sometimes we verbalize and it is to vent…about someone, something, somewhere who has done us wrong.  Sometimes we just plain gossip, repeat stuff we should never have listened to in the first place.  Verbalize...we have been given a voice to glorify, testify and magnify our Lord…sadly to say, we do not verbalize our feelings for our Lord enough.  Agree?

Now our brain, that complex thing that sits right there on top our shoulders inside that cage called the skull, should act like a gatekeeper, a control tower of our mouth.  We get those little checks in our spirit when we cross over into that dark valley and begin to verbalize things we should never ever utter.  Hmmmm... Thus, often we crash and burn….relationships are destroyed, trust is damaged and people are devastated...  We know better, brain says stop…mouth says no…..

 It is like the Denny Doyle story. He is a former Major League Baseball second baseman. There are hundreds of men who through the years who have held this position on a baseball team.  What is so special about this story? Hmmm.. Denny is known for being involved in a mishap involving one simple word. This is one of the Preacher’s favorite baseball stories to share.  He would retell it (verbalize) with flare and gusto if he were here on the porch with us. We have heard it countless times at our house…and if I am not mistaken, he was watching this particular game.  Anyway, let’s see how I verbalize this story.

Doyle's major league career is perhaps best known for his role in the infamous Game Six of the 1975 World Series versus the Cincinnati Reds.  The score was tied 6-6 and the bases were loaded with no outs and Doyle on third base. Fred Lynn hit a fly ball. Reds left fielder George Foster made the catch; Doyle tagged up and attempted to score the winning run. He was thrown out at home plate which seems fair enough. Another game lost.  But there is more to this particular story. After the game, Red Sox third-base coach Don Zimmer told the press, "I was yelling 'no, no, no' and with the crowd noise, he (Doyle) thought I was saying 'go, go, go. The coach was telling him to stay put… but….. Preacher likes this story so much that we have adopted and adapted it around our house…we say to one another… ‘no, no, no or go, go, go”….well maybe you had to be there….

Kind of like our brain and our mouth.  Brain says ‘No, No, No” and mouth says “GO, Go, Go”.

Now the tongue is tiny…but a tyrant…our words when we verbalize can bring peace, calmness and assurance or they can be loud, bitter and biting… another quote from a friend of ours compares our words to either a can of gasoline or a bucket of water.  You decide which one you want to use in a conversation or situation.  You can put a ‘fire’ of ugliness out or you can pour that gasoline into the fire...and create a bonfire. Have you ever used gasoline in a fire?  BEWARE!  You throw how volatile that stuff is.  If there is even a little tiny, teeny flame it will roar up and can jump back on your and you will be the one who ‘crashes and burns’.  Verbalize. Powerful stuff.

What about the lack of verbalizing?  Intersecting thought.  I think we probably don’t actually speak as much now as we have in past generations.  True, there are other ways to speak-verbalize. We tweet, text, e-mail, and fax…instead of verbalizing….

I am guilty too…used to send cards out...still send some out…but e-mail or Facebook “Happy Birthdays’ have replaced our verbalizing.  Sad. We take a nano-second to send messages instead of calling and having conversations….verbalizing. 

Anyway, moving on….Proverbs 8 mentions a Lady…her name is Wisdom... She verbalizes and her words are the kind you want to sit up and take notice to, heed them, listen, cherish them, chew on them and relish them…hide them in your heart, they will be health to your bones….If you get a chance read Proverbs  8 and 9, …especially if you a Message Bible….very interesting stuff.  The Bible is as current as up to date as any book or publication.   Amazing…

 Anyway, Lady Wisdom calls out and tells those around her how to live your best...only truth and right words come from her mouth…

  When Lady Wisdom enters a room, she enters with grace, beauty, is gorgeous and grand.  Her charm and wit and statue turn heads and stop conversations.  Shhhh...Listen Lady Wisdom is going to speak!

 Then we meet the “Snooki’ from the Proverbs pages…. she did not live back then…but there is a pretty good description of her and gals such as her…Wise-cracking, smart mouth, foul mouth, loud, rude, brazen, empty-headed, frivolous…know anyone like her?..…

Proverbs gives her a name; it is Folly…no lady at all...the Message Bible also refers to her with another name…since I am trying to keep this G rated, I will not go there…but I encourage you to take time and ready these 2 chapters.  Interesting take on our verbalizing…our talk…a ‘ what is in your heart coming out of your mouth’ lesson.  Also warning about whom to listen to.

 Anyway, she (Folly) sits on her front porch on Main Street, of course, and uses her words to entice, entangle and ensnare…she is a bad one..indeed…she promises a good time, no one will know …but she lies, lies, lies. Proverbs 9:18 tells where all her followers and those who listen to her will end up: Hell…

So use your words, my friends!  Verbalize! Speak Up! Speak Out!  Yeah, you can really use words; we would love to hear your voice…your sweet, sweet voice.  But, in 2013 there are so many ways we can verbalize!  If you cannot actually talk face to face then use that computer, Facebook, Tweeting, Texting, e-mailing and verbalize good things, inspiration, encouragement, share how much you love and appreciate your family and loved ones.  No, we don’t always know!  Tell each other…’thanks, good job, love you, and miss you’……verbalize…verbalize…verbalize….. say something meaningful…sincere…uplifting and encouraging…

Well…..another busy day…thanks for stopping by…enjoy your day and verbalize!

Use

DUCK DYNASTY...duct tape, cable ties, bungee cords

It is Thursday already…week just moving on by…hope yours is going pretty good.  We have experienced a couple of very soggy days…rained over 3 inches in some places and we needed every single drop…and muddy, muddy, muddy.  Now the wind is blowing and whipping and sounding mighty furious.  Texas, don’t like the weather one day…just stick around because it changes so fast and pretty soon it will be what you are looking for!

Well, just a little refresher here...why I am inviting you to stop by here on the Front Porch…in late December just praying and thinking  about the new year and what improvements, resolutions, changes I might need in my life…some words just started flowing….words like…forget resolutions….lifestyle living …hmmm…interesting and then more words began to just flow…all these words ending in ‘ize’…prioritize, revolutionize, maximize, minimize, organize….starting writing them down and ended up with 28….so I thought I would explore them, write about them for 28 days and so here we are!

What is going to happen after 28 days?  Not sure, for right now…one day at a time.  

Today…gonna discuss capitalize…meaning to use an event or a situation to help you to achieve something or to get an advantage.  This meaning has nothing to do with grammar or business or balance sheets.  No, capitalize….making the most of an situation or event…..Seize the moment…grab hold of that deal, find that silver lining behind that cloud…make the most of  that situation. Grab the gusto; go for it…capitalize...

One of the best examples of this is the Robertson family of Monroe, Louisiana…better known as Duck Dynasty.

Yep, Duck Dynasty…At first glance the Robertsons look like a typical Louisiana (really??) family who lives for duck hunting season, and squirrel and  blowing things up!  A closer look, however, reveals they live very well because of duck hunting season. The Robertsons own and operate Duck Commanders, which specializes (one of our ‘ize’ word) in fabricating duck calls and decoys out of salvaged swamp wood. The company has grown from a mom-and-pop operation to a multimillionaire sporting empire, established in 1973 by family patriarch Phil (aka the Duck Commander) and now run by his business-savvy son, Willie. ``Duck Dynasty'' follows the Robertsons and their booming business.  Other family members such as his brother Jase, who has a mischievous streak (almost a passive/aggressive thing going on there), and Uncle Si, a Vietnam vet such colorful, unpredictable character and we never know what armchair wisdom will fly out of his mouth.  He manages to keep the guys and gals in the workshop occupied with his many stories. And of course, we all know who really runs the business, the family and has the final say: Miss Kay! Love how it’s Miss Kay’s way or no way (the goat episode).

I have some family members who follow these bearded guys glamorous gals (really ladies…you like those beards?)…and I must admit after watching a couple of episodes, they do kinda grow on you…we all know someone like Uncle Si.  We admire Willie’s business savvy and feel his pain when Jase leads the crew on yet another one of his harebrain schemes. We chuckle with and at Uncle Si.  We wonder what yummy dish Miss Kay will come up with next.  We sigh with relief when at the end of the 30 minute show, all ends well, with the family gathering around eating fine fixins such as fresh fried catfish or fresh squirrel and gravy, fried frog legs… (don’t they ever shop at Walmart’s and buy…chicken, or roast beef or ham??)  ….then at the end of each episode they gather for supper….and end up hand in hand praying, laughing and planning their next moment on which they can capitalize. Duck Dynasty indeed!

I am not sure who ‘discovered’ this family or who their agent is…but you gotta hand it to someone for discovering, marketing and capitalizing on this family’s……hmmmm should I dare say talents?  Most of the episodes are filled with the Robertson family’s madness, mayhem and foolishness….but hey, they have sure capitalized on being rednecks, doing outlandish, bizarre things for the entire world to see.  The old saying, “ They are crying all the way to the bank” comes to mind.  Capitalizing….

I was not sure what I thought of this family and this show until I saw the episode about Willie being whisked away in a helicopter from Duck Dynasty land to Plano, Texas by a client who wanted to increase his contract for Duck Dynasty goods (things such as hats, tee shirts, sun visors, etc.) by 10 fold…10 times the original contract. 

Willie returns to Louisiana with big plans…but has a dilemma on how the family business can actually pull this off.  How can they mass produce these items? After some discussion with Jase and gang they decide ‘automation’ is the key.  Jase and company build a conveyor belt.  Upon close scrutiny of this belt…we can see nails bent, twisted, looks like a piece of junk and it was.  They were capitalizing on their capitalizing.  Perhaps you had to be there to actually see just how redneck and ridiculous this was.

But, believe it or not I related to this episode.  I have this little farm here in McKinney, Texas…and on this little farm I have a variety of animals...the good news…the bad news...something is always falling apart, breaking down….fix or repair daily….wear and tear.  The farm is my little Kingdom’; the Preacher just doesn’t care much for the animals and certainly doesn’t care about the maintenance.  Every now and then he will ask me if I am ready to move to the Condo….hmmm on days like we have just had…trying to slosh down to the barn and feed everyone….I might just be tempted…..

Anyway, my three best friends are: duct/duck tape, cable ties and bungee cords.  These 3 items keep my fences held together, my gates secure and various other structures held together.  I’ve nailed many boards that looked just like the ones Jase and his gang nailed.  I have boards in various places on the farm that are full of bent, sticking up all over nails, in every direction.  For every nail I nail that goes through the board and makes connection with another board, I may have 5 or 6 nails that did not...don’t even ask how many times I have busted my fingers with the hammer! ….Redneck indeed...and growing up in Kentucky and now living here in Texas…I know a little about Rednecks.

Anyway, back to capitalize….for lifestyle living…we should  all look for opportunities to use an event or a situation to help us to achieve something or to get an advantage. Who knows when any of us might discover, invent or stumble upon that one thing that we can capitalize upon and thus have our very own “Duck Dynasty!

On a more serious note: the best event or opportunity any of us could ever capitalize upon is God’s love and His plan of salvation.  Best deal-ever.  We make a trade...our sins-every single one-for eternal life.  Also, the Promise that He will never leave us nor forsake us…be our best friend.  Capitalize….

Well, we are suppose to dry out some today…warm up…tomorrow up in the 70’s…Texas…gotta love it here on the Front Porch! Until then….capitalize!

 

'GOD IS WATCHING US"

Grab an umbrella, hot cup of coffee or tea and come join me here on the Front Porch!  My, my getting rain; lots and lots of rain.  It’s raining here, there and everywhere…. rain…but long overdue and much needed indeed.

Well, how we doing on our discussions?  Ready for another ‘ize’ word?  Remember that suffix means ‘to cause, to be’.  The more I dig into these words, the more I realize just how meaningful this little study time is helping me in my pursuit of Lifestyle Living.

 My goal for 2013 is to have more than just “ a list of resolutions and revolutions” that looks so good on paper but in reality never jump off the page and become something fluid, living and active in my life.  Mere words, hopes and dreams and wishing upon a star for a lifestyle change in my life.  I hope maybe you have a moment of inspiration or two, too, from our little talks.

So let’s just get down to business here.  Scrutinize…that’s it…that’s our word discussion for today. The word just sputters and spits out when spoken.  Gives you an indication that it is not one of those nice words we like to hear about-especially if we are the recipient of scrutiny.

 The root word, scrutiny means: a close, careful examination or study. 2. Close observation; surveillance.   So scrutinize means to cause or to be closely examined or observed.  Not the nicest thing we meet on the street or coming down the block. We want to jump out of its way, cross the street and avoid this fellow at all cost.

Scrutinize…that’s the two fingers to the eyeballs and back at ya thing, “I’m watching you” with that little threat in the voice. Reminds me of the Bette Midler song, “From a distance”…suppose to be a nice, soothing little song about peace, harmony, I’m Ok you’re ok…we are brotherhood song.

Here is just a portion of the lyrics:             

 “This is the song of every man.
And God is watching us, God is watching us,
God is watching us from a distance.
Oh, God is watching us, God is watching.
God is watching us from a distance”.

This song was a hit for Bette Midler in 1990. Other people have also recorded it: Judy Collins, Nanci Griffin (who?), The Byrds (anyone remember them?) Cliff Richard (who?).  The songwriter, Julie Gold, had this to say about the song’s meaning “I believe in an imminent and beneficent God, and also think that people have a right to interpret the song any way they want, as with all art.”  She also stated that the song is about the difference between how things appear to be and how they really are.

Perhaps a reminder that God is watching and so are others!

Interesting. Interesting indeed. God is watching us…and not from a distance…but He is up close, personal and very much involved in our existence.   Yes, He is watching us…especially when we start doing the scrutiny thing

 

 

Romans 2:1 from the Message reminds us just how up close and personal He is:

“Those people are on a dark spiral downward. But if you think that leaves you on the high ground where you can point your finger at others, think again. Every time you criticize someone, you condemn yourself. It takes one to know one. Judgmental criticism of others is a well-known way of escaping detection in your own crimes and misdemeanors. But God isn’t so easily diverted. He sees right through all such smoke screens and holds you to what you’ve done.” OUCH!  Now who is under the magnifying glass and rightfully so?!

Scrutinize is something we do not like to have done to us…however, we love to do it to others; we are self-appointed experts when it comes to scrutinizing others! We nail that person down under the microscope and pick, peer, peek, poke, tear, trim, terrorize and spread our own brand of tyranny among those placed on our microscopes. We do this with our own self appointed scrutiny.  We stand with our arms folded across our chest, foot tapping, a frown on our faces with the list of offences we have against that person.  Scrutiny…

We are back to the splinter, speck in other’s lives that just bugs us to pieces.  We stiffen up when we see them coming, we cringe when we hear their voice; we have heart palpations when we hear their name.  Somewhere along the way we have scrutinized that person with our high powered microscope and found something or many somethings that we don’t like; feel we just can’t bear or live with.  Our scrutiny has blown out of portion the fact that we are all humans, none of us perfect, all of us with our little faults, pet peeves, tics, habits, annoyances, and our humanity.  Scrutiny of others brings about that sense of superiority…better than you, brighter than you, bigger than you mentality.  The more we scrutinize people the more we see wrong with them (in our perceived sense of rightness and wrongness) and the less we see wrong in ourselves.

Who should we scrutinize?  Who are we qualified, justified and specialized in scrutinizing?  No one, but ourselves.  We do not the right, the power the wisdom or ability to scrutinize anyone, anytime, anywhere.  But we do all the time, most of the time without even realizing it; we have whipped out the Scrutiny Toolbox and begin pulling out all those probing devices.  New people we encounter, people in the neighborhood Wal-Mart, folks driving by, sales people in department stores, people at our job, in our church, even in our family.  Scrutinize.

We are back to the plank, the 2 x 4 piece of board sticking straight out, front and center, in our own eye.  But we cannot see it or if we do get a quick glance at it, we blink and convince ourselves its gone, if it even existed…a figment of our imagination. We have this huge mess hanging on us, obvious to all, and when we get close to others that plank, that 2 x 4 is poking, and hitting and battering the poor soul we are scrutinizing.  Whew, are we a mess or what?!

Why even try to scrutinize others?  Good question!  I think we sense some weaknesses in others…so we much like a bully or a group of wolves, circle in for a ‘kill’…when we scrutinize others we somehow feel better about ourselves (huh?)part of that nasty human nature we have), we feel threatened, fear that person and want to ‘one up’ them and try to establish our position or superiority.  Who knows!  Just like Mammy said in Gone with the Wind,” It ain't fittin'... it ain't fittin'. It jes 'ain't fittin'... It ain't fittin”….meaning it ain’t right, so don’t do it!

 

So scrutinize yourself, look at yourself closely, examine yourself often and thoroughly. Change as un yesterday’s word: revolutionize….your thinking, your perceptions, yourself-more than enough to handle.  Gonna close out with this quote:

Everyone thinks of changing the world, but no one thinks of changing himself.
Leo Tolstoy

So until tomorrow:  watch the scrutinizing!  TCB…take care of business

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Let's Start a REVOLUTION! Revolutionize....

Well, well, we meet again on the Front Porch…rain is moving in later today and suppose to RAIN for the next 48 hours or so…expecting anywhere from 2 up to 5 inches of rain.  Here on the farm rain is good news! Bad news! We desperately need rain, the pond has been dry since summer…poor ducks swimming in teeny tiny tubs...pitiful…BUT with that glorious rain comes oozing, goozing, swishing, sloshing, suck your boot right off your foot mud…the barnyard becomes a big swamp, much like stepping in quicksand…it is a tenacious chore trying to feed the animals…but rain must come…so thank you Lord for the rain. So the dry hard ground gives way to the rain and becomes slushy, gushy mud that each step requires great effort.   This necessary change for the greater good…Change…This Transformation (not our word for today) that must happen to the barnyard…the revolution.

Well, the new word, the new discussion, is an interesting word, thus, hopefully an interesting discussion; the word REVOLUTIONIZE. So what comes to mind when you hear that word?

Well, the root word is revolt; meaning to oppose, refuse, break away.  Anything come to mind yet?

 

 How about the Revolutionary War? This was the war that inspired brave leaders such as George Washington to stand up to England because the tensions between Great Britain and the colonists became so great. The colonists did not want to follow the rules from Great Britain 3000 miles away. They did not want to pay taxes to Great Britain. All their hard work and seemed to mean nothing.  They had no say in matters and got not benefits .Hmmm…there is a grass roots effort here in Texas to try to make Texas its own country…Interesting…but some of the same issues…hundreds of years later.

During the American Revolution It seemed that the very reason they had come to the New Land meant nothing.  No freedom, no say.  They changed addresses but the tyranny, taxation and threat of punishment hung over them. Thus, the result ”enough is enough’!  This getting fed up with a situation, the ‘straw that breaks the camel’s back’ situation usually precedes a revolution.  Revolt: a breaking away, a breaking of the rules, a refusal to pay taxes.  What was the change, the reform, the refashioning that came about?  Many things.  Why, the signing of the Declaration of Independence, freedom for the USA and the birth of the greatest nation on the face of the earth, just to name a few! This revolution inspired men such as Patrick Henry who stood and proclaimed…”Give me liberty or give me death”! Revolutionize indeed!

 Or how about the French Revolution? People were destitute.  A terrible famine in the land and absolute apathy by the King and His Royal Court. Conditions became so desperate that there was little or no bread. The famine was so severe that over 50% of their wages went to buy bread-if any could be found.  Bread-the staff of life.  . It is believed that the phrase "Let them eat cake" was uttered by Marie Antoinette, wife of King Louis XVI of France during this famine in France. Talk about someone ‘out of touch’, losing sense of reality’. Callous, uncaring, cruel.  She and the King living in finery, while the common folk suffering and dying. Enough is enough...therefore there was a revolt, a revolution to overthrow, and not only overthrow but destroy the uncaring monarchs.  The people had had enough of the luxurious privileged living. Change…Revolutionize….

Well, what about the Industrial Revolution? If you watched any of the Opening or Closing ceremonies of the Olympics last year, you saw some of the changes portrayed through song, dance and acting.    The revolt, the breaking away from the old way of producing goods.  That revolt, that revolution was a series of complex radical socioeconomic changes; changes that took place in England in the late 18th century.  Fundamental changes that happened when goods were no longer produced in home-based hand manufacturing to large-scale factory production  change to accommodate a growing population and demand for more goods. It was necessary to REVOLUTIONIZE!...  CHANGE.  This opened up inventions and revolutions in every walk of life. 

Other revolutions, include, but are not limited to: revolution in war time brought about by airplanes, Renaissance brought about by European Art and Thought, and the light bulb and what about the musical revolution brought about by the Beatles?  One of their hit songs had that name: Revolution. Change, breaking away, a refusal to have things going along in the same ‘ho hum’ ho hum’ ho hum; instead stepping out, breaking away, a new day, a new way to live.

In each of the major revolutions mentioned, the change resulted in pain, loss, great effort, a great cost. No pain, no gain.  Here in America, bloodshed, hunger, frostbite for many of the young men fighting against England.  The monarchy of France suffered and little Antoinette was beheaded…ouch...the Industrial Revolution meant that those who sold horses, made carriage, buggies, the harness, reins, whips needed for that mode of transportation lost their livelihood. No more little cottage business…but the revolution resulted in great smoking, belching factories that mass produced goods. A new of life. Good news, bad news. More of the good news, bad news.

 

What does any of this have to do with Lifestyle Living?      Hmmm, well as I see it,we have our own ‘defining moments’ when we encounter an opportunity to embrace or expel change: a personal revolution. I find for most of us change does not come easy.  Change is something we tend to avoid as if it were a plague.  WHY?  Change, revolt, a revolution requires a lot of us.  It is costly, it is time-consuming, it can be painful, and it requires a lot of energy.  Remember we just talked about energize and synergize.  Both necessary for effective, long term change.  Change...we resist it, we avoid it, we are afraid of it.

 

But, if we can find the courage and strength to embrace, and envelop and change, the results will be worth it!

Don’t like the weight gain hat has snuck up on you? Revolutionize.  Don’t like your job, where you live, how people treat you, take advantage of you, how you cave in to sin and self?  Start a revolution in your life..

 

One step, one thought, one action, one task at a time….

 

So on this morning as we close out our time on the Front Porch going to leave you with a quote.

 

You can change your story anytime you like. Just start a new chapter and begin again. It's your story.

~Dorothy Mendoza Row♥

Revolutionize Your life, Your Story…

Until tomorrow…….