What's it all for?

Why do we work so hard? at being nice, being benevolent? Are you looking for some kind of 'thank you'? Do you need affirmation? Do you need recognition? Or are we just being kind for the sake of being kind? It's a question we care about. We as humans need a little bit of 'you're doing a good job' don't we? We need some 'ataboy'.

What if it were just a way of life? Let's translate this into Texan terms...say you're on the road and you let someone cut in front of you. What are you waiting for? The Wave...right?...out the back window? What if you don't get it. Are they less Texan? maybe. But what does it matter? You did what daddy taught you so who gives a flip if you're thanked? I realize this as I drive to work and understand that I'm in the midst of many different kinds of people who come from many different places. I realize that Christ wasn't expecting anything and He gave anyway. In this particular instance, this is what Jesus would do. Just don't ask me to wear that dang bracelet. Jesus wouldn't wear that bracelet! I'm pretty sure of that!

Would you do it all again?

Someone asked me that question today. "If you had it all to do again, what would you change?" We've all heard this question before but have you ever really thought about it? It seems silly to think about it since we can't change the past. On the other hand, could it shape our future and how we could do things from now on? We always heard that we learn from history...although sometimes it seems like the history we learned in school has been repeated many times. I say that we as individuals fall into the same patterns.

So if you could do something over, somehow get another chance, where would that change occur? Would you have studied more? Would you have treated someone differently? Would you erase a mistake therefore changing where you are now? Or do you see it as a part of the big plan?

Let's put aside the whole everthing -works -for -good notion. Let's say, for the moment, that our choices weren't necessarily what made us who we are. Maybe instead we made those choices because of who we are. What if we think about those bad choices and simply learn from them and chalk that up as just a really bad choice. what then? Isn't it okay to just accept that we made a bad choice and nothing good is going to come from it? The best part is that we don't have to make it again. We can move on to the next thing...all fresh and new.

Think about this today. Think about your past whether it was 20 years ago or yesterday. Move on and get over it then thank God for your free will for the choices you will make tomorrow.

Blind as a bat...i mean...armadillo

After a few hours at the river during my time off the first week of August, it was time to get back to the cabin and eat a little dinner. On the 5 minute walk back we encountered this little guy. He's just minding his own business, grubbing a few worms and roots I guess. I stopped to let him cross the path but he has no idea I'm there. I really love armadillos. Just doing his thing and being cute.