Hey Kids letting you know we be on the foggy road to Allentown,PA in 45 minutes. Granny has a take off time of 12:20 EDST. What she has packed. 2 pounds of sweet Lebanon baloney.
She wanted to take a frozen ham loaf also, but changed her mind. Which got me to thinking about the current airport security procedures. If they X-ray this bag I could see the following situation unfolding. TSA agent " Gilda" What-the-heck is that? Looking intently at the brick sized object on her monitor. Bob! Get over here an take a look at this. Bob the supervisor says." Man, that looks like C-4 explosives" Bob sends an alert message over the secure internet lines to all concern agencies. Dogs are called in to sniff the luggage. Dogs go berserk sniffing the odder of a HAM loaf. FBI (Washington, TSA (Washington) FAA, (
Washington) and all local law enforcement are alerted. In less than 2 minutes several hundred agents and armed guards begin to descend on Allentown Lehigh Valley International Airport (ABE). THE AIRPORT IS SHUT DOWN AND LOCKED DOWN as they compare bag tags to passenger manifest. In three more minutes the gruff handling TSA agents present this 99.8 year old lady in a wheelchair to the "interrogation room." At this point the United States Airways command center in Washington suspends all flights nationwide. A gate stop is placed on all aircraft. Airplanes in the air, are re-routed to alternate airports. NBC, CBS, FOX scramble their mobile news vans and crews. And so, begins a rather, strange day for the Flying Granny.
PS the Ham loaf is not in the bag.
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FLYING GOAT
33 YEARS BEHIND THE STICK STILL ALIVE!
Sunday, October 24, 2010
Tuesday, June 16, 2009
Honest Opportunity
Short Story
Titled: Honest Opportunity
March 2005
By Wayne De Witt
Ralph was caught in traffic again. His temper was normal, cussing at the driver in his way. He had never been to the horse racing track before, but this day he needed money and thinking to him this will be a way to get some easy. As he finally picked up some speed on the edge of town he made his way to Orange Park Downs. He circled the parking lot four times before he found a parking spot on the outer perimeter by the fence. By this time his attitude was at its peak. His face was red with anger. Everyone was blocking his way through life. So on this bright warm clear afternoon in October a man named Ralph went to Orange Park Downs, the local horse race track to see if he could pick a winner and come home happy with more money than he went to the track with. Ralph, not knowing how to choose a horse to bet on picked up a fact sheet with all the horses that were scheduled to race and what race they were assigned to. Studying records of each horse in the first race he decided to place a $20 bet to win on "Flash Gordon". As he was walking to the window to place his bet a stranger approached him and in a low whisper said; "I have a hot tip on a horse in the first race" Ralph just kept his head up and ignored the man. Placed his bet went to the viewing area and waited for his horse to win. Flash Gordon came in dead last. Even though he was a favorite to win, with several wins to his record. So Ralph spent extra time reading all about the horses in the second race. Again picked the favorite and was on his way to place another $20 bet when the same stranger approached and again whispered; " I have a hot tip on a horse in the second race." Again Ralph just passed him by. Went to the window and placed his $20 bet on "Lightning ". Returned to the track to see his horse finish in last place. Ralph figured he must have been missing something in his analysis of the horses. So he spent all the time allowed before choosing " Early Bird" in the third race. Again on the way to the window the stranger came close and said " I have a hot tip on a horse in the third race". Ralph in his bull-headed way just plowed straight ahead to the window placed his bet and went back to the track. "Early Bird" did not finish. His jockey fell off on the first turn and the horse jumped over the rail and went back to his stall.
The same thing happens over and over for the next eight races.
Ralph picks a horse; the stranger comes up and whispers then Ralph picks the dud of that race. With twelve races on the card and this being the last race, and Ralph down to his last $20 he was totally discouraged. He picked the favorites but they all came in last place. How is a person ever to win at this? So Ralph didn't pick a horse for the last race. Instead he just started walking to the betting window. Just like the eleven times before the stranger came up to him and said" I have a hot tip on a horse in the twelfth race". Ralph stood back and for the first time really took a good look at this stranger. He was old, must be in his late seventies. His hair was white and long. His coat and pants had patches and dirt stains. His face was what Ralph noticed the most. His face was beaming with a big smile. His eyes sparkled with perfect energy. Ralph said; "okay, old timer, I have been beat in every race. Now I am ready to listen to you". "All right then" says the stranger. " I will give you the name of the horse that will win." But, you have to share the winning purse with me, 50/50. Ralph said, " Okay, what's the horses name so I can place the bet?" The strangers whisper was close so no one else could hear, " Her name is "Honest Opportunity!" So Ralph went to the window and look up at the odds and almost fell over, then he started reading the fact sheet on "Honest Opportunity". She had never won, or placed in a race in three years. If she didn't win or place today she would be going to the glue factory. This is her last race of her life. The odds posted were 80 to 1. At those odds the betters called it a "super long shot." Ralph turned to the old man and almost yelled; “ are you nuts this horse is a waste of bones and meat” The old man just nodded his head up and down. So Ralph put down his last $20 on "Honest Opportunity" to win in the twelfth race. As he turned around to go to the viewing area the little old man said........."you won't be sorry!”
Ralph had no idea what the old man was talking about. As far as Ralph was concerned this whole experience at the racetrack has been a total failure. In fact he already figured his last $20 was gone. Ralph, with the old man following close behind went out to the viewing area in front of the clubhouse to wait for the start of the last race.
Down on the track the horses with the colorful jockeys mounted up were being led into the starting gate. Eight gates eight horses. Seven of the horses were wired to the max, snorting, prancing, biting, kicking, jumping sideways and spinning around not wanting to move into the gate. Horses required extra handlers to stuff them into the starting stall.
Ralph and the old man noticed that "Honest Opportunity" walked to the starting gate with her head down. No excitement, no emotion. No life seemed to be in her. The jockey was just the same. He appeared ashamed to be assigned to this racehorse. He wore the colors of the "pool Jockey". Jockeys that no owners want. They can be old over the hill types or young rookies. Either way they just show up at the track and wait in the locker room to be assigned to ride. No pool jockey likes to be scheduled for the "dead horse". The losers. On their last race before the glue factory. The Jockeys blouse on Honest Opportunity was colored all red with a big black X on the back. Mark of the "dead horse". Once inside the starting stall Honest Opportunity took a long deep breath and leaned against the wall. With her eyes closed, she drifted off into a deep remembering. “Racing!”” Racing!” “I don't want to race.” Was her response to "Super Success" her father? He had never lost a race. Never! And went all the way, Triple Crown and all. His attitude showed it. Super Success wanted his offspring to do the same and nothing less. He pushes his daughter all the time to try harder to be a good racer. Honest Opportunity would try but kept saying; "I don't want to be a racer"' I...I...Just want to be a horse. You know? Like, I just want little kids to rub on me, and, and to run to the top of the knoll and look around the country. Stand under the shade tree and daydream and eat some nice green grass. Take people for Sunday afternoon rides around the farm. That kind of horse! "No! You will race and that's that." Super Success stated with no excuse for an answer.
Smitty, the jockey sitting on Honest Opportunities back that day was also in a state of mental review. Here I am 51 years old, been a jockey for 33 years, won on the best of the best for 25 of those 33 years. Married four times, sometime alcoholic, sometime drug addict, and as a bonus I have broken almost every bone in my body. Two of my four wives had abortions. It was not a convenient time for them; they were so busy spending my money. All his wives spent his money. When there wasn’t enough they went somewhere else looking for more. He once was a top Jockey, in the big money, he had it made. All the other jockeys respected him. Smitty was known at tracks all over the United States as the Jockey that could coax the last drop of speed from any horse, if the horse was willing. Back then. Now? Broke, tired, and this may be my last race. No wife, no children, no home, no money. What the hell happen? Is this the way it was suppose to turn out? I should have seen it coming. I missed too many races do to being hung over, or stuck in divorce court. I should have quit while I was ahead. But, nuts I never got ahead. What will I make on this horse? A $100 bucks! Big deal. Smitty said out loud, “ We both might as well just walk off into the sunset and forget this race.”
Ralph wondered about this hot tip. If this is the old mans hot tip in this race, his hot tips in the other races must have be real jokes.... although I didn't pick a single winner.....hmmmm....I wonder. Who is that old man anyway? He does look like a man I might have seen before? Anyway just a local bum, looking for a hand out, thought Ralph. What’s he got to lose? It’s my last $20 on this nag.
The old man picked a spot to stand where he could lean up against a concrete wall and rest his back while still being able to see the starting gate and the whole track. If you looked at him now his eye were electric, his smile was now ear to ear. He had a chuckle in his throat, while his right foot tapped out a little dance. The old man mused to himself, “today is the day.” Today all the people at this track will see something happen they can’t ever tell about, because no one will believe them.” The old man knew the jockey on Honest Opportunity. He also knew what and why Smitty had his head down.
When Honest Opportunity heard the words “sunset” she pictured a beautiful rolling cool green field. A field with out a fence. No fences insight for as far as one can see. “This must be horse heaven”. Honest Opportunity thought. “ I will never get to go there, I have to run races that I don’t want to run.” Despite Honest Opportunities record she was the best looking horse. She was sleek, trim, and solid. She had everything a racehorse was suppose to have. She had it all. But the will to run!
The old man seems real pleased. He knew before hand that Ralph would ignore him each and every time he approached Ralph with a hot tip. He knew that Ralph would be ready to listen on the last race. The old man knew everything. He knew Ralph’s heart, his mind, and his soul. He knew Ralph real well.
Ralph was getting anxious for the race to start. That was Ralph’s way in life. If there was a type of man called the classic jerk, Ralph was it, selfish from head to toe. His whole life has been a lie. A lie to his family, a lie to his bosses, and there were many, plus His constant perpetual lie to himself. Ralph didn’t know who he was. He never bothered to ask. Ralph from a teenager on was prowling for a sure get rich quick scheme. Short of becoming a criminal Ralph had spent all his time, money and energy following sure winners into the losers circle. So far today was a normal day for Ralph.
Smitty came out of his thoughts looked around and noticed the problems holding up the start. The horse that belonged in the number 5 gate was not about to go in. Smitty leaned down over the beautiful neck and mane of Honest Opportunity and started to whisper into her right ear. “ I just want you to know my friend this is our last race. It doesn’t look good for your future. Some say you will be put down and boiled into glue after this race.”
“ They may do the same with me.” Honest Opportunity shifted her weight to all four feet, and pick up her ears to full alert. The words she was hearing brought her back to present time.
Smitty continued to speak softly into her ear. “Look girl, I have no idea what your past record is. I just know that when you get tagged as the “dead horse” it is not a good thing.” A dead horse? Honest Opportunity questioned the term by thinking about what she saw back on the horse farm. When the humans decided, for whatever reason, horses were shot, burned and buried. Now this man is telling me I am a “dead horse?” “ I don’t want to be a dead horse. I want to just live a peaceful life on a perfect green field” “ I never wanted to be a racer. Who decided I was to be a racer, then when I couldn’t race decided I am to die?” “ So if they decide a dog should be a cat and he can’t do they shoot him? Who makes up the rules? Smitty’s voice was there again, soft and caring. “ You know my friend it just came to me. You and me, we, the two of us, we are going to the end together” “ I have ridden the best of the best. I rode a horse once all the way to the Triple Crown, his name was “Super Success” what a horse.” Smitty added, “he had the will to run” “No one knows if he had the will to win, but he sure had the will to run.” Honest Opportunity listen to the jockey and started to paw the dirt then shifted her weight to her hind legs. “What is this I am doing?” She questioned. “ I have never moved around like this before” “This Jockey rode my father? This guy has been around a long time. Father won the Triple Crown years before I was born.
The old man watched Ralph pace back and forth and concluded, poor Ralph hasn’t one foggy idea of a notion what is going on. He is so out of touch with the world around him. No doubt Ralph can claim a zero for situational awareness. 56 years now Ralph has played the game of life his way. The wrong way, as a man who thinks in his own mind he has the answers to life only to never see or hear the right question. Ralph is good with the wrong answers, even worse, in his mind it seems to work. But, then these last few months Ralph finally slowly began to catch himself wondering about relationships. One morning last week Ralph looked into the bathroom mirror and ask out loud to the face looking back. “You look older today? How are you feeling? I mean really feeling?” “ I feel bad about the way I treated Rita.” Rita, his third wife? “ Maybe Id better tell her I am sorry” “ Nah, what the heck, she’ll get over it.” Ralph talked to the face in the mirror. For a second at the track Ralph skimmed over a quick thought about his second wife Betty Ann.” Wasn’t she married before to a jockey? What was his name? Smith? Sam? ah.... Smitty? Yea! Smitty Johnson. Man, that Betty Ann sure loved the money. I couldn’t afford her. She ran up the charge cards and left. Good thing too.”
Smitty Johnson was talking a little faster now. The bell is going to ring any second. Smitty leans in real close. The hairs inside of Honest Opportunities ears are touching his lips. “Okay girl, what’s it going to be?” “Are we going to walk out of here? Or are we going to run?” Honest Opportunity felt her leg mussels twitch; her head came up over the gate. She could see down the track. To her it looked like the most perfect green field ever. At the far end the field seemed to just fade away into endlessness. She wanted to go there play, jump and run.
The day was getting late. The sun was about to set directly behind the starting gate. From the viewing area the sun would back light the gate in just a few more moments. Even now the spectators were shading their eyes putting on sunglasses or just squinting to make out the starting gate. The old man said; “perfect, just perfect.” Ralph pinched his eyelids tight together trying to make out the gate. Just when the whole scene went into a black outline the starters bell rang out . RINNNNNNGE! The track announcer came over the loud speaker. “ANNND THEIRR OFF!” The favorite horse in the twelfth was a two-year-old brown colt named “SEE YA” he was fast, and today wasn’t any different for him. He was out of the gate first and heading for the inside rail with positive determination to be out front the whole way. The rest of the horses seemed to follow “SEE YA” as if on some automatic mode. Eight horses strung out nose to tail.
Smitty was still whispering into Honest Opportunities ear when the bell sounded. The noise startled the both of them. Neither was ready for the gate to spring open. Ralph and most of all the other fans couldn’t see what was going on, the sun was right in their eyes. At this point even the track announcer wasn’t sure who was where. Smitty almost went off the back as Honest Opportunity sprung from the stall. A take off force Smitty had never felt before in 3,280 rides. Smitty was so unprepared he never put down his goggles still perched on top of his helmet. His whip slid up his right arm almost to the armpit in a useless position. The old man’s right foot was now doing a full jig, with the left foot starting to join in.
Choking dust was thick in the air as the eight horses galloped down the front straightaway. Honest Opportunity sped into the dust cloud with out hesitation. Some where in the dust was seven horses going as fast as they could to make it around this 1 mile oval first. A natural mixture of sun and dust created a strange phenomenon hardly ever seen. Known in science as the “Halo effect”. When the sun angle is real low to the horizon and fine particle dust or smoke are in the air, objects inside this become outlined as if a single pencil line is all that is there. The bodies of the objects are seen as hollow and missing. During the great war between the states this happen several times. The federalist and con-federalist would play mind games against each other all day long, then in the late afternoon would launch a charge at each other. Black power smoke from the rifles and cannons would quickly fill the battlefield. Those troops advancing into the sun had the advantage of at least seeing ghostly outlines to shoot at.
From the viewing area the spectators could see outlined bodies of horse and jockeys. Legs moving underneath these bodies made the picture of a giant centipede with several people riding it. No one could tell who was what or who was where. Since no one could see if his or her horse was in the lead, a simultaneous hush fell over the grandstand. Not a sound. Just like the Masters golf tournament went the golfers are about to make a shot, no one even whispers. Silence, dead silence. It was strange to hear the jockeys calling out to the horses their favorite commands. Usually a voice no spectator ever hears unless you visit a training facility and hear the jockey talking to his ride. Sometimes a jockey will use a short sharp whistle or a sharply repeated “hey-ya! hey-ya! hey-ya! Or the secret words of the old jockey Smitty Johnson, never before ever heard. Because Smitty never used these word in training or when anyone would likely over hear his commands. But now, with the track in silence those words came drifting out of the dust cloud. The jockeys were too busy trying to see in the dust to notice the silent situation. Smitty could not see anything looking forward. The dust was so thick it caked onto his eyes.
The old mans life would be one of misery for any one else to live. How he enjoyed his life only he could say. The old man had spent most of his adult life all 79 years hanging around horses, sleeping in stables, cleaning stables. From his childhood was fascinated with horses. So he skipped any and all schooling to spend his life doing any chore to be around the horses. Making little money for doing all the dozens of dirty mindless jobs needing done around the stables. Walking 5 miles into town to eat at the rescue mission when he could. As for food he liked Thanksgiving and Christmas at the mission. That’s when all the local guilty feeling folks came down to serve the homeless people food. There was lots of good food and plenty of seconds and thirds. I suppose if it wasn’t for the food and the spiritual talk at the mission he wouldn’t be here today. The old man developed a close relationship with God. The one that the good people at the rescue mission talked about all the time. The old man believed with out a doubt the bible was true from the first word to the last. Some years back the old man prayed to God about his life. He had said then and still says to this day, “Lord, I thank you for my life, just the way it is.” Being a man of few words he kept his life simple, always making sure everything he did was according to the word of God. Why then was he led to the other side of the track? The gambling side? For, his was a wonder at the creation of the horse. To the old man, the horse was just one of Gods beautiful creatures, but the one he liked best. He never ventured to the gambling side. This was where Satan ran the show. The old man believed Satan was for real and could influence good people to do destructive things. But today was different the old man was here on a mission from God. He kept his back against the wall as the jockeys’ commands to their mounts drifted up over the grandstand. He heard Smitty Johnson talking to Honest Opportunity just as plain as if he were standing right next to him.
Smitty had no idea where he was. He could hear the hoof beats of the horses ahead. Are we gaining? Should we go inside? Outside? He was hoping he could open his eyes soon. His words to Honest Opportunity brought assurances to them both. He kept talking and riding. His hands had dropped the reins on her neck; he eased his body flat level with her back then relaxed his feet and ankles against her side. He held on to the reins with the slightest grip. Letting Honest Opportunity do what ever she wanted to do. By leaning forward he was able to observe Honest Opportunity’s ears. In this position Smitty would be able to sense what she was thinking. In her mind Honest Opportunity was running on the greenest grass ever. Over there towards the hill still more endless green. She had never been so free. This jockey has set her free. As horses think, she did. No yanking on the reins, no whipping, no yelling, just his voice, all I hear is his voice.
Smitty Johnson, the supposedly washed-up jockey felt connected again. What the old man of the stables told him late last night was coming true. The commitment Smitty made on his knees in the dark of the stable was for real. Smitty couldn’t fall asleep in the back of his beat up old Dodge van. It was just too warm. So he got up and out to walk past all the horses slated to race the next day. When he came to a stable where the old man was tending a nice looking horse he stopped to visit. He had known the old man for years, mostly by seeing him working around the horses on the stable side of the track. “Hey old timer, how you doing?” Smitty ask as he leaned against the stall door frame. “Hi there Mr. Johnson, what brings you over here tonight?” replied the old man. “I just needed to get out of my little house on wheels, besides I must have something bothering me, sleep was not coming easy.” Smitty added. “ You don’t say, well do you want to sit and talk a spell?” The old man invited. Smitty thinking he should try to get some sleep hesitated, not to shun the old man, he wanting to say no, but the word came out. “ Yes, I guess I could hang with you a while.” Smitty wondering why a desired no, came out a desired yes?
Earlier that day the old man was doing his duties checking on all the horses in the stables. Checking for food, water and fresh bedding. When he came to the stable with the best looking horse he had ever seen in his life. She was just perfect. He pulled her documents from the clear plastic envelope clipped to the stable door. All horses have to have their doc’s on the door. It tells the stable boys all about the horse.
Name, age, racing records. A list of special instructions. For food, exercise and veterinary schedule. At the bottom any comments about the horse then all the important phone numbers. The owners, the jockey, if one is assigned, and the race schedule for. It was there in some ones bold messy handwriting. LAST SCHEDULED RACE/ OWNER TERMINATED REGISTRATION.
The Old Man went into Honest Opportunity’s stable. She turned and looked the Old Man over. The man gently put his arm over her neck and prayed to the creator beside her right ear.
Who could have ever have predicted, that the next day three men and one horse would have their lives changed forever?
Now, the horses were around the first turn, the dust was being moved away by the slight breeze from the North spectators could now see the field.
The dust covered the horses and riders. No special colors could be made out. Excitement was wild as the track announcers voice came over the speakers. “See ya” has the lead with SnakeBite second, Flameretarder third, HolySmokes forth, Somethingsaid fifth, Comingnow sixth, Suckerpunch seventh, and way back is “Honest Opportunity”.
For some special reason, no one knows, at least no one on this earth knows, unexplainable things happen. Things happen because it is time for them to happen. Only God knows. Sometimes a man becomes a hero, because he does the dumbest thing that turns out smart. Smart in, as the world becomes a better place because they did a dumb thing that turned out right. God orders what is. If then you want to know “What!” What is? Then you have to asked the question who is it that has the answers? We all ask the questions. Important is …….who is it that answers… God had for this day, at this horse race track, with this jockey, with this old man, with this better and with this horse named “Honest Opportunity” to make horse racing history.
Going into the final turn of the one-mile race the race announcer said. “ I don’t believe it, I don’t believe it, no one believes it, and this can not be real.”
Smitty, relaxed in his classic jockey position leans onto Her neck dropping the reins on her main saying, “ lets go girl”…. She never heard a voice so wonderful as his. So loving, so caring, so safe. Why is it living things on rare occasions respond to their creator perfectly?
Observe the Opportunities
God Provides All
Provides the Means
The invitation from God with all the provisions
Because we are unable to come to any decisions
God Himself provides the following means
So we can come to him fully ready to except
He provides the proper clothes to ware
He provides the time we need to be there
He provides the willingness
He provides the belief
He provides the faith
He provides the power
He provides the transportation
He provides the yes
He provides the sanctification
He provides the Holiness needed
He provides the completeness
He provides the steadfastness
He provides the rooms to live in
He provides the safety and security
He takes away the human doubt
He replaces black with white
He provides
He provides
He allows us to enjoy the gift
He makes sure we meet the Host
He provides it all
He provides it all
He provides the One who greets us at the door
He provides the seat at the table with honor
If I am to error on salvation. I error to Gods completeness “sovereignty ” where as I have brought nothing, provided nothing, to merit , warrant, or otherwise provide anything in His working this out in His grace to me. If I had anything to do in this, it would be tainted black with sin.
Wayne DeWitt
All to God we owe
Mystery
What is it we search for?
Starved for?
Sacrificing for?
What is the mystery?
A life time looking for some pleasure
That will last forever, not a feeling , an always be
There, but where?
Looking and looking but not seeing.
When did the longing begin?
Can I remember when?
I listen and do not hear.
A voice is calling me, who is it there?
I fill my mind with daily tasks.
Soon a life time of daily tasks go by.
What is it worth? With out the answer to the mystery?
My obituary is read then tossed away. What did I mean to the world Anyway?
Will I go to the grave unfulfilled because I was unable see, or hear the mystery.
Possibly I need to be more quiet, paid less attention to me.
It is the attention to me that gives the world it’s success. For I look then buy. For me. For me.
All my efforts line others pockets. But the mystery is not mine.
And, I am told can not be purchased. “Tis a free gift” they say. That makes nonsense to me.
“What ! unable to buy, truth, happiness and life?” I say
Then again the soft voice I hear, and the voice is saying. “You can not!”
What is this power that has seduced me. Convinced me, to believe without question It is all about me. The attractions have become distractions from the mystery. The world keeps me convinced.
Starved for?
Sacrificing for?
What is the mystery?
A life time looking for some pleasure
That will last forever, not a feeling , an always be
There, but where?
Looking and looking but not seeing.
When did the longing begin?
Can I remember when?
I listen and do not hear.
A voice is calling me, who is it there?
I fill my mind with daily tasks.
Soon a life time of daily tasks go by.
What is it worth? With out the answer to the mystery?
My obituary is read then tossed away. What did I mean to the world Anyway?
Will I go to the grave unfulfilled because I was unable see, or hear the mystery.
Possibly I need to be more quiet, paid less attention to me.
It is the attention to me that gives the world it’s success. For I look then buy. For me. For me.
All my efforts line others pockets. But the mystery is not mine.
And, I am told can not be purchased. “Tis a free gift” they say. That makes nonsense to me.
“What ! unable to buy, truth, happiness and life?” I say
Then again the soft voice I hear, and the voice is saying. “You can not!”
What is this power that has seduced me. Convinced me, to believe without question It is all about me. The attractions have become distractions from the mystery. The world keeps me convinced.
Attitude
YOUR ATTITUDE: How important is it?
We’re all going to experience a certain amount of blessing and a certain amount of pain as we pass through life. Sometimes we’ll experience failure; at other times we’ll experience success. Sometimes we’ll get a well deserved promotion; at other times we won’t. Sometimes we’ll fell like we have won the world: at other times we’ll feel like giving up. That’s the way life comes at us from day to day.
Achieving and maintaining a “good attitude” when life comes at us from so many directions is one of the most difficult, yet, one of the most critical things we’ll ever face.
The individual who allows his attitude to turn “sour” will suffer for it in a thousand different ways. It will color the way he thinks, the way he feels, and the way he responds to almost everything. There’s no way to escape it: like our shadow, our attitude is always present, shaping our thoughts, our feelings, and our responses to life.
The attitude we have toward our job affects our performance; the attitude we have toward others affects our relationship. If our attitude toward our neighbor, for instance, is one of love we’ll fell like baking him a cake; if it’s one of hostility we’ll feel like scattering nails in his driveway. Attitude governs our entire outlook on things.
One doesn’t have to be around an individual very long before he can sniff out the kind of attitude he has. A gracious attitude makes a gracious person; a sour attitude makes a sour person; a suspicious attitude makes a suspicious person. In a sense we are what our attitude is. Our attitude literally shapes our whole personality--how we think, how we feel, how we study, how we work, how we l, play---everything!
It’s reflected in the little boy who says: “If I can’t pitch, I’ll take my ball and go home.” It’s reflected in the person who says, “I’ve been hurt, so I’m throwing in the towel.” It’s reflected in the individual who doesn’t give a day’s work for a day’s pay. On and on the list goes. The whole tone of life is set by what our attitude is.
It’s easy to have a good attitude as long as things are going our way. It’s when the washing machine breaks down, when a child breaks our favorite vase, when an expected promotion doesn’t materialize, when and unexpected expense or loss occurs…that’s when we find it hard to maintain a gracious attitude.
One thing about “attitude” for which we can all be grateful is that attitude is not fixed. It’s not something we are born with that can never be changed. Certain things in life are not ours by choice. They’re ours by birth--a large nose, a gravelly voice, crooked teeth, etc. There’s not much we can do about these. Our attitude, however, is different. It isn’t foisted upon us at birth. It’s something we acquire. And thankfully, it’s something which can be changed. I may have to live with the dark fact that I wasn’t born a beauty queen; but I don’t have to live with a bad attitude. To have one of these is to have it by choice. Otherwise I’d change it.
When people take advantage of us, we don’t have to respond in self-pity, resentment or rage. We can return blessing for cursing, kindness for injury, love for hate. It’s all a matter of choice.
Two soldiers were stationed in London during the Second World War. Both were directing airplanes in and out of the runway on their bombing missions. The weather was damp and cold the airfield ankle deep in mud. One soldier whistled while he worked; the other grumbled and complained. The situation was the same for both--”attitude” is what made the difference. Any one who tolerates a bad attitude is doing himself a great disservice.
Your attitude, like your shadow, will be with you wherever you go. It will color your whole life-- your feelings, your reactions, your personality. It will affect you for good or for evil in a thousand different ways. To the degree that your attitude is bad, to that degree it needs to be changed.
Author unknown
We’re all going to experience a certain amount of blessing and a certain amount of pain as we pass through life. Sometimes we’ll experience failure; at other times we’ll experience success. Sometimes we’ll get a well deserved promotion; at other times we won’t. Sometimes we’ll fell like we have won the world: at other times we’ll feel like giving up. That’s the way life comes at us from day to day.
Achieving and maintaining a “good attitude” when life comes at us from so many directions is one of the most difficult, yet, one of the most critical things we’ll ever face.
The individual who allows his attitude to turn “sour” will suffer for it in a thousand different ways. It will color the way he thinks, the way he feels, and the way he responds to almost everything. There’s no way to escape it: like our shadow, our attitude is always present, shaping our thoughts, our feelings, and our responses to life.
The attitude we have toward our job affects our performance; the attitude we have toward others affects our relationship. If our attitude toward our neighbor, for instance, is one of love we’ll fell like baking him a cake; if it’s one of hostility we’ll feel like scattering nails in his driveway. Attitude governs our entire outlook on things.
One doesn’t have to be around an individual very long before he can sniff out the kind of attitude he has. A gracious attitude makes a gracious person; a sour attitude makes a sour person; a suspicious attitude makes a suspicious person. In a sense we are what our attitude is. Our attitude literally shapes our whole personality--how we think, how we feel, how we study, how we work, how we l, play---everything!
It’s reflected in the little boy who says: “If I can’t pitch, I’ll take my ball and go home.” It’s reflected in the person who says, “I’ve been hurt, so I’m throwing in the towel.” It’s reflected in the individual who doesn’t give a day’s work for a day’s pay. On and on the list goes. The whole tone of life is set by what our attitude is.
It’s easy to have a good attitude as long as things are going our way. It’s when the washing machine breaks down, when a child breaks our favorite vase, when an expected promotion doesn’t materialize, when and unexpected expense or loss occurs…that’s when we find it hard to maintain a gracious attitude.
One thing about “attitude” for which we can all be grateful is that attitude is not fixed. It’s not something we are born with that can never be changed. Certain things in life are not ours by choice. They’re ours by birth--a large nose, a gravelly voice, crooked teeth, etc. There’s not much we can do about these. Our attitude, however, is different. It isn’t foisted upon us at birth. It’s something we acquire. And thankfully, it’s something which can be changed. I may have to live with the dark fact that I wasn’t born a beauty queen; but I don’t have to live with a bad attitude. To have one of these is to have it by choice. Otherwise I’d change it.
When people take advantage of us, we don’t have to respond in self-pity, resentment or rage. We can return blessing for cursing, kindness for injury, love for hate. It’s all a matter of choice.
Two soldiers were stationed in London during the Second World War. Both were directing airplanes in and out of the runway on their bombing missions. The weather was damp and cold the airfield ankle deep in mud. One soldier whistled while he worked; the other grumbled and complained. The situation was the same for both--”attitude” is what made the difference. Any one who tolerates a bad attitude is doing himself a great disservice.
Your attitude, like your shadow, will be with you wherever you go. It will color your whole life-- your feelings, your reactions, your personality. It will affect you for good or for evil in a thousand different ways. To the degree that your attitude is bad, to that degree it needs to be changed.
Author unknown
A New Day
A NEW DAY
The light precedes the sun to announce a new day
As twilight lingers behind to give a hug saying all will be ok
In between this time I awoke to think, move, and talk
Finding that nothing I do will stop this God ordained clock
Each measured day is not gone forever, but instead
Is recorded for us in the eternal records at the place Jesus bled
A day that time interrupted itself and stopped the sun
Demands my attention to the events that caused blood to run
I was there, standing in the shadows, hiding myself hoping none would notice me
And for a long while I watched this man die there in agony
I lack the words to describe this scene; there were many on the knoll weeping for Him
Distracting me to look at them and their reaction, wondering to myself “ what do I feel?”
The light precedes the sun to announce a new day
As twilight lingers behind to give a hug saying all will be ok
Now witnessed, the image of the picture was burned into me
Like an atomic flash that leaves outlines of victims on the walls
Energy of the Holy Spirit was released to the people of the world
Standing present, or two thousand years away, notice was given to all
I sensed the change coming over me. I was given something from history
Author of creation was put into me; I was filled, even while watching agony
A transformation took place within my heart, mind and soul
First sight was how selfish I am, doing only what didn’t make me whole
Now the bright new day has made life so much clearer to me
A light that has given me ears to hear and eyes to see
The light precedes the sun to announce a new day
As twilight lingers behind to give a hug saying all will be ok
Wayne E. DeWitt, November 20,2002
The light precedes the sun to announce a new day
As twilight lingers behind to give a hug saying all will be ok
In between this time I awoke to think, move, and talk
Finding that nothing I do will stop this God ordained clock
Each measured day is not gone forever, but instead
Is recorded for us in the eternal records at the place Jesus bled
A day that time interrupted itself and stopped the sun
Demands my attention to the events that caused blood to run
I was there, standing in the shadows, hiding myself hoping none would notice me
And for a long while I watched this man die there in agony
I lack the words to describe this scene; there were many on the knoll weeping for Him
Distracting me to look at them and their reaction, wondering to myself “ what do I feel?”
The light precedes the sun to announce a new day
As twilight lingers behind to give a hug saying all will be ok
Now witnessed, the image of the picture was burned into me
Like an atomic flash that leaves outlines of victims on the walls
Energy of the Holy Spirit was released to the people of the world
Standing present, or two thousand years away, notice was given to all
I sensed the change coming over me. I was given something from history
Author of creation was put into me; I was filled, even while watching agony
A transformation took place within my heart, mind and soul
First sight was how selfish I am, doing only what didn’t make me whole
Now the bright new day has made life so much clearer to me
A light that has given me ears to hear and eyes to see
The light precedes the sun to announce a new day
As twilight lingers behind to give a hug saying all will be ok
Wayne E. DeWitt, November 20,2002
GOD CALLED ME ON THE PHONE
God called me on the phone
I was sitting there with a scotch and water in hand
When the phone rang and I answered to a strange man
His name was Ron Steele, a kind and soft spoken person
He ask me if I had time to answer some questions
Being a friendly fellow myself, I said why no, go right ahead
The first question was do I go to church? I said No I don’t
The second question was did I know Jesus Christ
And again I said no, I do not
Then Ron said would you mind if I prayed for you right now?
I said No, I do not mind. Go ahead.
Today I am a Christian
God called me on the Phone
This happen October 1976
I was sitting there with a scotch and water in hand
When the phone rang and I answered to a strange man
His name was Ron Steele, a kind and soft spoken person
He ask me if I had time to answer some questions
Being a friendly fellow myself, I said why no, go right ahead
The first question was do I go to church? I said No I don’t
The second question was did I know Jesus Christ
And again I said no, I do not
Then Ron said would you mind if I prayed for you right now?
I said No, I do not mind. Go ahead.
Today I am a Christian
God called me on the Phone
This happen October 1976
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