Work Ethics

            I can recall when I was about 12 years old, my father took me aside and told me it was about time I starting making some money by going to work for him.  At the time he owned a gas station in our home town that was situated on a major highway (US 41) that ran between Atlanta, Georgia and Macon.  That was before the Interstate highway was built so a good traffic flow was always on the road.  We also lived next door to the station so it was easy for me to walk to work every day after school.  I started off cleaning the bathrooms, keeping the concession stand area clean, and sweeping down the parking lot as needed.  That lot took a lot more work at times due to the dirt (or rather mud) that would collect on it after a rain.  My Dad said it didn’t matter what the work was that I did as long as it was honest work and I did the best I could while doing it.  So I made sure that my work assignment was always taken care of the best I could.  As I got older I was even allowed to pump the gas for customers, check their oil levels, and clean the windshield.  Those were “full-service stations” at the time, so you did what was needed to make the customer happy.  My Dad was always telling me “If the customer is not happy he won’t come back.  And if he doesn’t come back you’ll go broke!”  I always tried to remember that, but there were times on a damp, rainy evening when a car would pull in for gas when it wasn’t easy.  You would go running to the pump only to have to wait (in the rain) for the driver to “crack” the window down and order “fifty cents worth of regular.”  Gas was only twenty-nine cents a gallon for regular gas at that time and it seemed like fifty cents would give you enough to drive around the whole weekend.  But those situations built within me a work ethic that has continued all these many years.  Since that time there has been many times I had to do things in my work career that have not been pleasant, but I knew they were necessary for me to continue my employment.

            As I got older (during my junior and senior years of high school) I worked for a local grocery store.  There too I had to remember that there would be things I would have to do for my employer that I personally would prefer not to do, but that was the job!  By the time I reached graduation day I had been “promoted” to manager of the produce department.  Now, to those who know me well, (and that may only be a few of you) you’ll understand how ironic that was.  For the most part I don’t eat vegetables, never have!  And to be “in charge” of all those items was somewhat funny.  But, I remembered what my Dad had told me about work.  So I took it upon myself to learn a bit about all that the department offered.  When the “little old ladies” came in on the weekend I could help them choose what was “ripe” or what would be the items they would like to have.  And then when I saw them going through the check-out line (and I wasn’t busy with another customer) I would run over, help sack their purchases, and carry them out to their car.  This went a long way with our customer satisfaction and did not go unnoticed by the boss.  He appreciated it enough to “pad” my paycheck on more than one occasion with extra funds for that pay period.

            I think many of you who have already lived a number of years can appreciate that type of upbringing and teaching.  Why do I mention all this work ethics background?  It’s because today I feel it’s no longer there!  Now I’ll have to admit that today’s younger generation has many problems placed upon them that did not even exist in my youth, peer pressure is greater and cyber-bullying, just to name a few.  But many youth are not encouraged to work after school (and I know available jobs are hard to come by.)  Many spend there “extra” time (or even their prime time) playing video games or other such activities, such as constantly being on their cell phones.  And those who do find work seem to think that they can do whatever they want, when they want, and the business owner is still suppose to pay them a large sum of money for taking so long in getting the job done (if they do!)

            Many young people today want a “title” not a job.  They will spend more time trying to find ways to get out of doing the work instead of getting the work done!  It almost seems there is a “bragging right” with their peers on HOW MUCH they got paid in comparison with HOW LITTLE they had to do to get it.  There doesn’t seem to be any work ethics in most young people today.  WAIT, don’t blow a gasket!  I know there are many exceptions.  And when I hear about some of them, especially when it is a young person working to help others, and not them, I must sit back and think, “Maybe there’s a chance after all!  Maybe there’s hope!” and I have a wonderful feeling of redemption.

QUOTE TO CONSIDER

THOUGHTFUL GEM

"How much work could you get done, if you stopped dreaming about how much work you could get done, and GOT BUSY!"

Difference

            I find it very interesting that, as humans, we are always looking for something different.  It doesn’t matter what it is that we are discussing or comparing, we always look for something different.  Let’s consider just a few areas and see how our thinking process works in that particular area.

            MUSIC!  Think of all the different styles of music, rock-n-roll, classical, country, rap, contemporary and many others.  But within these various styles there are always things that are different.  Imagine if you had only ONE type of music to listen to and yet within that type there was only one song!  Regardless of what you may WANT to listen to, it always had to be the same song, over and over again.  A different melody?  A different set of words?  Of course you would love to have that!  Your inner person can find exquisite enjoyment in all the different musical offerings there are in the world.  And what a joy we find in “discovering” different musical instruments and the sounds that they make!  At times you can become very soothed by the pleasant sounds of a calming tune.  At other times you can be moved to great emotional feelings because of a specific tune or perhaps because of remembering the situation you were in when it was playing.  What a more joyous and wonderful world we have because of the many different styles of music.

            FOOD!  I’m pretty much a “meat and potatoes” kind of guy. (My wife, bless her heart, gets deprived many times because of my simple tastes.)  But, it’s almost impossible to conceive the many different variations of food that are available in the world.  Imagine the meats, fruits, vegetables, and grains that are grown all over the world.  We’re not even going to mention the seasonings and spices that can be added to these foods.  But again, consider the many different combinations that these food items can be arranged in to and you can only guess at the limitless possibilities that are available.  But, what if there were only ONE food!  How you would yearn for something different.  When a “new” dish would be placed before you, your palate would want to saver all the different sensations that would explode upon your taste buds.  And even today, many people in the food industry make life long careers of creating new and exciting foods for us to enjoy.  The varieties of foods from all around the world provide the opportunities for new restaurants being opened in cities all over the country.

            FLOWERS!  Which one of you ladies wouldn’t look forward to receiving a beautiful arrangement of flowers?  And yet, as beautiful as they are, what if there were only ONE type of flower and add to that maybe only ONE color!  Don’t we enjoy the many different kinds of flowers and the wide variety of colors?  And we could add to that the many different fragrances that they give off.  At times just walking into a room of freshly cut flowers we can become overwhelmed with the aroma that enters our nostrils.  Our lives are truly enriched because of the different flowers we have in the world!  And consider some of the flowering plants (or trees) that we have that also provide a variety of edible items for us to enjoy.  While some flowers may be vastly different from ones we may be more familiar with they are still enjoyable to us.  Now as a spousal moment of weakness, I encourage you men who haven’t gotten your special other flowers lately, do so!

            ANIMALS!  Look around the world and what do you see?  Animals of all kinds!  Different in looks.  Different in size!  Some can be domesticated and live peacefully with us as pets.  Others we can visit in zoos or reserves and enjoy seeing them there.  We will also include birds in this group.  Many different kinds!  Some so beautifully colored we almost can’t fully appreciate their beauty!  What about waking up on a warm, spring morning and hearing the beautiful songs of the birds?  And their wonderful tunes can be as different as the music we create as humans.  The majestic giants in the sea and on the land simply amaze us.  How enchanting they are although being so different from one another.  What a truly miserable world we would have to live in without animals!

            We look in the areas I have mentioned, and in others, and we are overwhelmed by the many differences within them.  Music, food, flowers, and animals are all different from one another and even different within their own groups.  And yet it is because of these very differences that we so deeply appreciate and enjoy each one.  It is the differences that make us appreciate them as unique and a truly wonderful creation.

            However, regardless of all these differences that we have pointed out in the world around us that bring us happiness and joy, that truly makes our lives more satisfying, there is one other group we need to consider and it is the same as all the others considered with the exception that it’s the DIFFERENCES in this group that makes us react differently!  HUMANS!  As with all the other groups we discussed, music, food, flowers, and animals, for some reason when we look at our fellow humans and notice our differences, we are repulsed instead of joyful.  We are alienated instead of having a desire to be unified.  We cannot look at ourselves and others and grow in our lives by embracing the differences and allowing our lives to be enriched because of them.  It is these very differences that provide a variety in life that we should appreciate within our fellow man as we do with all other things in the world.  When we take the time to truly “get to know” what’s in the hearts of people we better understand what is in our own hearts and perhaps at times this is what scares us.  Maybe we are afraid to understand others and give them a chance because we are afraid to understand ourselves and the dark secrets we hide in our own hearts.  When we love ourselves we can love others.  When we can treat people the way we want to be treated we will have gained a great step forward in having peace.  We need to stop looking for those things that are different because we want to have a reason to hate.  But, look for the things that can bring us closer together and THEN learn to appreciate the things that are different.  Enjoy these differences in people as we do in all other things.  Let’s start by making changes within the person we see in the mirror.  That will help in bringing us together because ALL of us are only human!

QUOTE TO CONSIDER

"THOUGHTFUL GEM"

"Kindness can be given away all day and you won't run out!"

Parents!

            You’ve had them!  You may have even been one (or maybe you’re one now.)  Let’s think back a number of years when you were growing up.  Your parents seemed, to you, to be the dumbest people you had ever known.  They were not “modern.”  They never let you have any fun, or at least that’s the way it seemed to you at the time.  Almost every time you wanted to go somewhere special with your friends, they never let you go!  But, let’s be honest, there were times when you really didn’t want to go with your friends, but you couldn’t think of how to tell them that without seeming like a “party pooper.”  Thank goodness for your wonderful parents!  Now the conversation went like this:  “I would love to go, guys.  But my parents have said “No Way!”  There’s no way I’m going to be able to talk them out of their decision!”  And yet, under your breathe, you’re thinking “I’m glad I have these parents!”

            You think back to of all the things you did that your parents NEVER knew you did.  Recall all the headaches you DID give your parents!  Maybe they couldn’t have survived if they had actually known the truth.  And, no doubt, they probably did many things that seemed to drive YOU crazy.  You know the kind of things I’m talking about.  Your Dad, if he was anything like mine, was usually NEVER (or at least seldom) around.  Raising children was women’s work!  He had to concentrate on “bringing home the bacon.”  Of course, that meant I never had a close relationship with my father.  My mother, bless her soul, was kind and gentle most of the time until you got her upset!  She was a small wiry woman who could manipulate a switch like no one I’ve ever seen.  And you knew you were REALLY in trouble when she yelled for you to come to her and used your entire FULL name!  This must be some unwritten rule in the mother’s handbook. But, now that they have both passed away I (as well as you) fondly remember all those “irritating” things they used to do.  And I miss them both.

            So, if you are a parent (or have been), I’d like to give you a little advice that I hope will help you within your family circle.  All these things that you can remember YOUR parents did that you thought were inappropriate, or at least unnecessary, don’t do them to YOUR children.  And remembering all those areas in which you parents really helped you out or maybe provided YOU that extra support that motivated you to move forward, bless YOUR children with all the support THEY need.  And, you fathers, be a part of your children’s lives.  They need to know that you’re there for them when needed.  This is true regardless if your children are boys or girls.

            And, believe me, I understand there are going to be times they will test your patience beyond the limits.  This is the time you’ll need to remember how much you love them and put that love into action.  And when you feel that you can’t do any more, pray for the strength to go further.  You also have to remember parents aren’t perfect.  And it doesn’t reduce your authority or position in the eyes of your children if you let them know that YOU WILL make mistakes.  There’s really no parenting manual that you can continually refer to for all the answers.  Even if you have more than one child, they are all going to be different.  And your parenting skills will have to continually adjust as you go along.  So you will make mistakes!  When you do you may have to apologize to your child and move forward.  And there will be those times when you think everything you’ve done has failed!  That’s when you’ll get a little note or a picture drawn by your child with those unforgettable words “I love you” on it and your heart will melt.  Sometimes this may come in ways you didn’t expect or understand.  One year during a parent-teacher conference one teacher showed us several pictures that one of our sons had drawn.  The assignment was to draw a picture of the house in which you lived.  Our son had drawn a home that actually looked similar to what we lived in but, it had several chimneys on the top.  We told the teacher our home didn’t have a chimney, much less FIVE!  Her response was interesting.  She told us our son must really feel warm and secure in our home and this was his way of showing that in a picture.  That makes you feel really good as a parent.  You will continue to have those types of experiences through your years as a parent.

            Then, one day, you’ll find that after decades of giving, physically, emotionally, and spiritually, to your children, you have reached a point in your life where the parent has become the child and the child has become the parent.  You must realize that your children truly love you and now it is their desire to care for YOUR needs.  Sometimes this is not always easy.  You don’t want to admit that you can no longer do the things you want to do or maybe, at least, not to the extent you are able to do them at one time in your past.  Then your children come to your assistance either financially or maybe physically.  Or maybe it’s just that they are there to give you a comforting shoulder to lean on.  Then you realize you did a pretty good job!  They turned into some mighty wonderful people.  It was worth all the work, all the sleepless nights, and even those times of heartache, pain, and tears.  These are YOUR children and you can’t express the joy you have in them.  At times it may have seemed like a thankless job.  It may obviously have been one that didn’t pay very well and costs a lot in money and time.  But there can be NO other job that winds up giving you such a wonderful feeling of accomplishment.

QUOTE TO CONSIDER

THOUGHTFUL GEM

"Momma said: 'Be nice to people.'

LISTEN to your mother!"

A Sad Day!

            I can remember when I was a young boy filled with an almost uncontrollable excitement because the circus was coming to town.  Then when the time rolled around there was a thrill in the air.  All the trucks came pulling up into the empty lots and began to unload the tents, the poles, and all the other equipment they would need to create out of the nothingness, the world of dreams that was the circus.  Surrounding the Big Top were an unimaginable amount of other tents and the “side shows” of the carnival, the rides, and the games, all took their spots in the final creation of the “magic city” that would dominate the community conversation for days.

            My Dad operated a gas station at that time and it also served as a gathering place for some of the more “colorful” patrons to sit around and share their news (and many complaints) about the topics of the day.  I would hang around at times so I could listen to these “voices of wisdom” so I could get educated in the field of local gossip.  Of course, in doing this, I would have to “work" for the privilege of gaining this unbelievably valuable creative experience by cleaning the bathrooms, sweeping the parking lot and driveway and other odd jobs.  But, this also gave me the opportunity to earn some money so I could go to the circus and partake of the fantasy atmosphere.

            I would sit on the bench with my pop, my popcorn, the cotton candy, and some type of candy bar.  Of course, I wouldn’t have them all at the same time, but the vendors would make their rounds throughout the audience like is done today at baseball games.  You couldn’t pass up an opportunity to make a purchase from them.  It made the enjoyment of watching the circus acts more pleasurable to watch instead of just sitting there on the bench.  It made you feel like you were personally involved in the actions of each act that was presented by the Ring Master!  I marveled at the acrobatic teams.  These were usually families who had spent generations in perfecting their craft.  I sat mesmerized by starring in amazement as they carefully walked across the tight rope and seemed to fly effortlessly through the air finally dropping into the net, ending their act and once again allowing me to catch my breath and take another sip of my pop.  Then the animals would come out --- the lions or tigers and then those majestic elephants.  At times there could be dogs, horses, or even seals, but to me nothing seemed as exciting as watching the elephants go through their routines.

            As I got older there were a couple of specific years that the circus came to town that remain impressed in my memory.  One year I heard that the circus people were looking for some locals to help them set-up the tents, etc in preparation for their performances.  So, after school, I ran over to inquire what was needed and could I be used.  I’ve always been “big” for my age, so I lied about my age so I could get the work, especially when I found out I would get twenty dollars pay (almost a fortune for that time to a 16 year old) for the work, free passes to the circus every day it was in town and coupons for the “snacks” to eat while there!  I was going for this work in a BIG way!

            The other occasion was the very next year when the circus returned to our town.  By this time I had a regular after school job so I was making “good” money and didn’t need (or want) to work at the circus to get tickets.  I could afford to pay for entry!  And this time I got selected as one of four people called out of the stands to walk the tight rope!  This was one they had set up in the ring of the Big Top.  It was only about six feet off the ground and about twenty feet in length, but it seemed a lot more dangerous than it appeared!  Before starting my walk, I asked for some advice on how to be prepared.  The professional artist leaned over and whispered into my ear: “If you feel like you are about to fall, make sure BOTH legs are on the same side of the wire!”  That was good advice because I only made it about three quarters of the way across before I felt myself coming off the wire.

            Now, today, for the first time in 146 years, the circus is NO LONGER coming to town.  Ringling Bros. And Barnum & Bailey Circus will be concluding its show in May of 2017.  The pressures of modern day activists who are unhappy with the treatment of the animals, kids having a shorter attention span because of becoming an electronically entertained generation, and add to those things the circus’ competition from modern spectacles like Cirque du Solei have, in effect, made it practically impossible for the circus to compete economically.

            What a truly sad day in the history of some of the most marvelous entertainment that has ever been around.  I understand the problems and issues involved from a financial point of view, but it saddens me to imagine that future generations of young ones will be denied the opportunity to enjoy the chances to lose themselves in the magic of the “Big Top” or stroll through the “streets” created within the fascinating “magical place” built around the circus.  We can continue to recall the wonderful experiences we had with our visits to the circus, but after May, 2017, the creation of circus magic will cease.  Take time to share your enjoyment of the circus experience with the younger generation.  Don’t let circus joys be gone forever!

QUOTE TO CONSIDER

THOUGHTFUL GEM

"The one you help today may be the one to help you tomorrow."

Scam

                Has it happened to you?  I’m almost ashamed to admit it but it happened to me a few years ago.  Got scammed and they emptied my bank account.  It was a hard few months to get things straightened out, but we did. Why do people do these things?  There always seems to be someone out there who is trying to get something for nothing.  And sadly they seem to prey on those who are the most vulnerable.  Maybe you should educate yourself on some of their tactics and you’ll be better equipped to avoid being one of their targets.  I’m not, by any means, an expert on scammers but here are a few of the terms used to describe their mode of operations!  Maybe you have heard of some of them or maybe you need to do a little more research and get some more details on what they mean.  Here are the terms: brute-force attack, catfish, drive-by download, ghosting, hash busters, keyloggers, malvertising, man-in-the-middle attack, pharming, phishing, ransomware, scareware, skimming, smishing, spear-phishing, spoofing, spyware, vishing, and whaling.  There may be more that could be added to the list, but it is unbelievable the lengths that people will go to sucker you out of your money.  Personally I think that the people who are smart enough to create and carry out some of these scams (especially those involving computers) should be able to get a legitimate job and make a lot of money because of the skills they have!  But, that’s just my opinion!

            The worst part is how they put their skills to work on people who can’t really afford to lose ANY of the money they have.  But don’t let yourself believe that you can’t fall for a scam just because you are well educated or you think you’re above being “fooled” by their hoaxes!  It happens somewhere every day to people of any type of status!

            Some scams fall into what might be classified as the “more common scams” that are being done today.  Consider the following:

(1)    Telephone Scams.  Every year, thousands of people lose their money and personal information to telephone scams.  Typically, phone scammers will try to sell you something you hadn’t planned to buy and will pressure you to give them personal information, like your credit card details or social security numbers.  Such scams may involve travel packages, credit or loan offers, fake business and investment opportunities, or perhaps some charitable causes because of some recent disaster relief efforts.  Avoid phone scams by registering your home and cell phone numbers with the national “Do Not Call Registry” either online (www.donotcall.gov) or by calling 1-888-382-1222.  It won’t stop all unsolicited calls, but it will stop most.

(2)   Banking Scams.  There are several ways that scammers can con you out of your money.  Consider the unsolicited check fraud.  This is where a scammer may send you a check that you didn’t have a legitimate reason to receive.  Unfortunately, if you cash it, you may be authorizing the purchase of items you didn’t ask for, signing up for a loan, or something else you didn’t ask for.  The Federal Trade Commission (www.ftc.gov) offers tips to help you avoid being a victim of these scams, and recommends what to do if you have already been a victim.  Or the scammers may use phishing, sending you an email message that asks you to verify your bank account number or debit card PIN.  By clicking on the link or replying to the email with your account number, you are giving a scammer access to your financial accounts.  NEVER DO THIS!  If you question such a request, contact your bank by phone and verify before taking any action.

(3)   Pyramid Schemes.  A pyramid scheme, also known as a Ponzi scheme, is an illegal form of multilevel marketing.  In these programs, your ability to earn profits is based on the number of new participants you recruit, instead of the amount of products or services you sell.  Sometimes there actually aren’t any real products that are being sold.  These schemes rely on the income from new participants in order to pay fake “profits” to people that have been part of the scheme for longer amounts of time.  However, the scheme falls apart when there aren’t enough new recruits to pay into the system, so the earlier participants no longer receive earnings.

(4)   Lottery and Sweepstakes Scams.  Not all lotteries and sweepstakes are legitimate.  Before you participate, keep these tips in mind.  Scam artists often use the promise of a valuable prize or award to entice consumers to send money, buy overpriced products or services, or contribute to bogus charities.  REMEMBER: Legitimate sweepstakes DON’T REQUIRE you to pay to collect your winnings!  Scam operators use the telephone and direct mail to entice consumers to buy chances in foreign lotteries.  These lottery solicitations violate U.S. law, which prohibits the cross-border sale or purchase of lottery tickets by phone or mail.

            I can’t possibly discus ALL the possible ways some may try to scam you out of your money.  However, a good place to look for more up-to-date details and current information is online at https://www.consumer.ftc.gov/scam-alerts.

You could almost assume that for every legal way to process some activity there is going to be those who will try to “adjust” the system in their favor, even if this means using illegal measures.  We may feel “that would NEVER happen to me!”  But, speaking from experience, it can, and it did!  So educate yourself to the possibilities and always be on your guard.  Remember - - - we’re only human!

QUOTE TO CONSIDER

THOUGHTFUL GEM

"Don't let your education get in the way of practical wisdom."

Is It Acceptable?

                Maybe you are in that age group as am I, where you can remember back into the 1950s and 60s, when television was beginning to expand its youthful growth period.  A couple of specific programs that come to my mind from that period are “I Love Lucy” and “The Dick Van Dyke Show”.  These programs were family sitcoms that were so funny.  Just your basic humor that even when you watch them replayed today on Nick at Nite (or some other network) they will still make you laugh.  As a matter of fact, you can hear a few words of the program and can then repeat the entire show almost word for word.  However, it is still funny!  It just doesn’t matter how many times you watch these programs they are just funny.  Now let’s consider something about these programs that maybe you hadn’t considered.  In BOTH of these programs they covered day-to-day life situations of two married couples, the Ricardos and the Petries.  You may also find it interesting that during the original broadcasting period these “married” couples were not allowed to sleep in the same beds when any bedroom scenes were included in the broadcast.

                How times have changed!  The media would claim that their programming had to change because of a changing society and what had become “acceptable” to the viewing audience.  Some would claim that television broadcasting has made subtle changes during the years that have slowly “changed” the expectations of their viewing audience.  Whichever view you may take as to the cause of the broadcasting changes, you will have to admit that, regarding current network broadcasts, they have indeed changed!  From even married couples having to refrain from being in the same bed in scenes to individuals not married in sexual scenes (not limited to bedroom scenes) to individuals not even the same sex.

                But the influence is not limited to sitcom programs on television during those eras.  Also being compared can be those of the “old westerns” and also “action” programs and movies.  Consider this example.  From the earlier programs the end of the program moral was that the “good guys wore the white hats” and ALWAYS had to win in the end.  During the program the “good guys” may face many difficulties, but they NEVER dropped the high moral standard “of the code” that was expected to be displayed by the ones who had the “truth” on their side and could always show that “justice” would prevail in the end.  This was the same in the movies.  You always knew who the heroes were and that regardless of what may happen during the course of the program, they were going to win by the end of the movie.

                However, somewhere during the passing years it was determined that on many occasions the “good guys” had to be as BAD as the “bad guys”, sometimes even worse!  And with the changes made, at times, during the program or movie, you may not exactly be able to distinguish the “good guys” from the “bad guys”.  Or maybe they would go back and forth and even at the end you’re not quite sure because the “bad guy” gets away and is never really punished for his actions.  Again some people would argue that television is only reflecting the moral decline in human society.  Others would contend that programming in television and movies has lead or perhaps even aided in creating the current moral decline in society.  And perhaps it’s a little bit of both!  But you can’t argue that the current acceptable moral situation around the world is extremely deplorable.

                So, is it acceptable or not?  This would depend on who you asked and what “touch stone” they were using as a moral guide.  Consider, if you lived within a tribe of cannibals would it be acceptable to eat human flesh?  Of course it would, based on the standard of that community!  But would that make it the right thing to do?  Most people would agree that it would not.  Many would say that during war time many atrocities could be committed “in the name of war!”  But would that make it acceptable?  Most people would say NO!  Just look at history and the Nuremberg trials concerning war crimes during World War II.  But what if the discussion involved a situation, a condition, or an action that YOU personally thought was okay?  Would your opinion alone make it acceptable?  We can readily see that it’s not really possible to use the standards of humans as the “touch stone” of what should be acceptable or not.  What is “in fashion”, what is the “style”; even what is the human “law of the land” today may easily be changed by public opinion tomorrow.  What is really needed is a time tested standard for human morals that is as relevant today as it has been thousands of years ago and will remain so for thousands of years in the future.  This can only be the guidelines, the principles, which our Creator has given us in his written word, the Bible.  Nowhere else can we find a set of standards that will never change and can be used for all eternity for our everlasting benefit.  If you had a new “gadget” and wanted to fully understand how it should be used for the greatest benefit you would contact the manufacturer and get all the details on how to use it properly and also what NOT to do to damage the device or make its intended use less reliable.  We should do no less for ourselves and get connected to our Creator and let him guide us in our lives as to what is acceptable and what is not according to HIS standards.  It sounds easy, but we are imperfect, we make mistakes.  We’re only human!

QUOTE TO CONSIDER

THOUGHTFUL GEM

"When that 'little voice' tells you NOT to do something:

LISTEN!"

Fear

                What makes you fearful or worry about a situation?  Some people worry about everything!  It’s often surprising that they can get anything done because of their constant anxiety over so many details.  But there are many situations that make people worry and there are those situations that bring a dreaded fear upon some people.

                One of the biggest areas that brings fear and worry to individuals and families is MONEY!  They fear they are never going to have enough or maybe they won’t have it at the specific time they need it.  Of course, often the problem concerning money is that people don’t have a realistic budget or maybe they don’t have one at all!  Others are extremely carless with money.  They take an attitude “if I have it, I’ll spend it and then I’ll worry about getting more later!”  Years ago I had a brother-in-law who got himself into an extremely bad situation financially by not paying his bills.  His thinking was like this:  “I owe creditor “A” $500 and I owe creditor “B” $300.  Today I only got paid $250.  Since I don’t have enough money to pay either of them the balance of what I owe them, I’ll not pay either of them anything!  I’ll just have this money for myself!”  Needless to say that type of thinking didn’t go over very well with ANY of his creditors!

                And the truly sad part of the fear of not having enough money doesn’t really end there.  When people have an abundance of money they “UP” their style of living so that what they have continues to be insufficient to cover what they now have to spend.  Even when a person has, as the expression goes, “more money than they know what to do with”, they worry that someone is going to take it away from them, or cheat them out of it, or that the stock market will crash, or a company will “fold-up” and their investment is gone, or whatever other situation they can imagine in their minds.  There may be some solid foundation to some of their concerns but most often people create so many varying situations in their minds that they can’t sleep at night because of the worry.

                A second area that has many people overly concerned is HEALTH!  Now, let’s start by my saying, I understand today there are many people suffering from one affliction or another.  And I am, by NO means, wanting to sound like I’m making light of those who are dealing with such conditions.  I am merely observing that often people “focus” their time, efforts, finances, and other resources on their afflictions (real or not) until they cannot function on a day-to-day basis.  There used to be a word for that --- hypochondriac.  I don’t know if they still use that word or not.  To give you an example I would like to start by saying my family are Caucasians.  But when I was growing up, my Mother would hear a report on the evening news about a “new” illness that was afflicting ONE percent of the MALE pigmy population in Africa.  The next morning she would inform us that she was positive that she was having the symptoms of the “new” disease they had mentioned the night before on the news!!!

                There are some people who are going to worry about becoming sick to such a point, they, in effect, make themselves sick from the worry.  So not only are they in fear of losing what portion of good health they have, but they will also increase their worries because they’ll spend money on “cures” that only have the effect of depleting their bank accounts and do NOTHING about the condition of their health!  And for those who COULD receive some help from medications or medical services that are on the market, they CAN’T AFFORD to obtain them!  Now this is one area that can really get me thinking seriously.  Aren’t pharmaceutical companies (at least usually) set up as non-profit organizations for research purposes?  They get huge grants from the government and from other companies and even donated funds from individuals to pay for the research they do in producing the products that they offer as remedies for various ailments?  But when these products come to market, they are made available at outlandish prices in an effort “to re-coupe their research funds.” Why are they “recouping” funds that were freely given to them to start with?  It sounds like a money scamming machine to me!

                When you listen to the news on the television or on the radio, every day there are many new reasons to plant fear, anxiety, and worry into our minds.  We will probably find, from a human perspective, we will never find the solutions to all the problems we face within ourselves.  This must bring into play another aspect of our human nature --- faith!  Yet, faith is not the possession of all people.

QUOTE TO CONSIDER

THOUGHTFUL GEM

"Accidents happen to us all,

but PLAN not to have one."