An Ounce

As the wind blew, the bright-colored kite sailed aloft. A lone patch of color dancing in contrast to a gray fall ocean sky.

A child in a warm coat and cap, with bright red cheeks, smiled has looked skyward and held the string that tethered the kite. 

The kite however was not at all happy. But, no one would have known. Its frustration was not visible in the beautiful and vibrant colors. Its anger could not be seen as it floated 100 feet or more over the earth and waves below.

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Pride – Arrogance – Conceit.

We can pretty quickly see these things in others. And, most of the time it’s annoying as heck. We often however can be completed clueless that we are just like those we disdain for their self-importance.

Pride is funny that way.

Those of us who know it all are often annoyed by those who think they do.

You are almost never as cool, as tough, or as important as you think you are.

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Who really wants to have to deal with challenges? They can so uncomfortable as to be painful, they may be so difficult that they seem impossible to bear, so definite that dreams can be crushed and hopes lost.

There is an interesting quality in hardships and challenges that is often overlooked by myself and others. And, as we attempt to push through, we see only the challenge, the struggle, the pain, and the hardship. It’s only natural – It’s really tough to see past things like that.

But, often we are in the hands of a greater power, a fate, a refining process, that in the end seems to miraculously put us right where we need to be.

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The human tendency to see want we want to see is an innate condition. One that perhaps keeps us happy, by blinding us from what we don’t want to know – or just simplifying life by ignoring what we decide doesn’t matter. 

Maybe it’s an outgrowth of “Confirmation Bias” that tends to open our eyes to see what we expect – or believe. 

It could be the Baader-Meinhof phenomenon where - what one focuses on, thinks about, and put energy towards - becomes more noticeable because of the familiar neural pathways we’ve created in our brains.

Regardless of the reason – it happens. And, it can be very useful to us.

However, it may also blind us – those things we don’t expect, that we don’t want to know, or that we haven’t noticed much before – they remain hidden from our conscious mind. Like our keys laying on the side table under the key rack.

This can be a problem. 

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Every home has the potential to have some extra uninvited guests. I am speaking of pests, bugs, or critters, and the like. But there are some things you can do about it. This episode is all about how and why you should. 

In this episode, I have the privilege of an interview with Ryan Burke who works with a locally owned company called bug blasters. Ryan is a straight-shooting guy who is happy to answer questions and share ideas on why and how to manage the pest who are undoubtedly sharing your home with you.

Questions-Business and Contact information for Bug Blasters can be found here: https://bugblasterspestcontrol.com/

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There have been some amazing things done in the name of science. Some, that today, seem absolutely ridiculous. Some seemed like a great idea - at the time. Some that actually proven to be great ideas.

A few that could make your head explode with disbelief or amazement. Check it out….

There are a lot of ‘Sciences’. Some are more legit than others. But let's focus on one of the most important to us personally. Medicine.

Medical science is one of those that has had some amazing ideas. Incredible advances, and seemingly miraculous cures – and a few that have proven to be – well just stupid. 
No doubt – most have made some kind of perfect, scientifically proven, and logical sense – at the time.

But arts and sciences – even the sum of human knowledge – has and will continue to change.

Covid, climate change, flat earth, is our reality a computer simulation, is there a God?

The best one can do is try to seek truth (yes it’s out there) and make an informed judgment – and then go with what you’ve got.

But, all need to be cautious of being too cock-sure of what they think they know. We need to be grateful that even our scientifically proven facts can sometimes turn around and slap us in the back of the head – and teach us more. 

There – that’ll fix ya!

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Got a story about 2 sisters who aren’t that well known, but probably ought to be. 

Let’s take a moment to set the stage…

It was not until the mid to later part of the 20th century that most folks were able to travel from coast to coast in the US without a lot of preparation, plenty of fortitude, and a hefty bankroll. 

In 1916 the United States was on the verge of entering WW1 and the Van Buren Sisters - Augusta (24), and Adeline (22), were known affectionately as Gussie and Addie. This pair was quite non-traditional for their time. The impressive and talented women were active in the suffrage movement, and they wanted to help in the war that everyone was coming. 

They were ‘Outdoorsy ‘and adventurous they knew how to fly, box, race horses, and - - they loved to ride motorcycles. The sisters knew they’d never be allowed on the front during wartime. But, they could be very useful if they would be allowed to serve as motorcycle dispatch riders, carrying messages for the commanders – the soldiers used for this duty could be freed up to fight.

But they knew they’d have to prove it would work – that girls could ride as good as boys - because with the way things were in 1916 it was never going to happen. At least not without a big push. Women just didn’t do things like that back then.

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The secret life of a spy. Anonymously watching an enemy, quietly passing information, dodging detection, living heroically, stoically, and quietly - and staying under the radar.

Well, most spies are probably like that. In fact, most spies might describe their lives as discreet and somewhat boring – unless they get caught. 

But, that’s the point right – avoid detection, don’t attract too much attention.  

Would you be surprised to learn that there are a few spies in our history who were not at all the ‘unknown hero’s” that no one ever knows? Let’s take a brief look at a few of our countries most useful intelligence assets (spies) that you didn’t know you knew.

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Here is a story that shows how completely different people are in the way they interpret what they witness – In how they comprehend what they see.

Every person experience’s life differently. There are a lot of things that shape our perspective. We have different histories. We have divergent interests. We do not value things the same way. One has a passion for this – and the other for that. One has a fear of something, and someone else loves it. Attitudes, education, awareness, religious and political philosophies. The overall perspective for every person is just not the same.

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Have you ever meet someone who thinks they know it all? I have, and I can tell you those people really annoy people like me who really do know it all…. OK

Everybody knows something – and if you speak with the most learned you’ll find – if they are honest with you – they will admit there is much more than they know they don’t know than there was before they began their studies. They find that the more they learn the more they know they don’t yet know.

In fact, most of us are Cocky enough to think we know better, and profoundly unaware of our ignorance.

 A story I heard when I was young that brings it all back into perspective.

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Rod Allen shares the story of miracles in his life. How, along with the support and love of neighbors, he and his wife were able to face the potential loss of the 18-month-old son.

Rod talks about the feeling of helplessness, have to watch his son through the glass as his condition deteriorated. Being brought to a point of humility where he and his wife had to accept whatever the Lord was going to bring about for them – even if they did like it, or felt it might be too much to bear.

This story is told from a profoundly Christian perspective. However, anyone will be able to relate to the story and the lessons and insight the story provides us.

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You may not have heard of Violet Jessop – But, you should have. She is one of the luckiest – (or, depending on how you look at it perhaps unluckiest) – people who have ever lived. Her life was hit, up-close and head-on, in 3 well-known disasters at sea.

-The Olympic

-The Titanic

-The HMHS (The Brittanic)

She continued working at sea for another 35 years after the sinking of the Britannic and retired in 1950 to Suffolk, England. A total of 42 years on the sea.

In 1971, at the age of 84, Violet passed away

She Survived, and thrived, in an amazing life.

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This episode begins with a story about a dreaded monster named contempt. And, how in spite of a wise wizard's message that the monster is a liar, the people reject the wizard and choose to keep the monster.

Contempt is defined by Webster as ‘the act of despising: the state of mind of one who despises”. “Lack of respect or reverence for something” or someone. There are a lot of other words that might describe the weapon of contempt – Scorn, Disdain, Fear, or Hate to mention a few. 

Most people are generally good.

Please allow yourself the chance to believe this in spite of what the broadcast, print, and social media; and the politicians tell you. They make their money by keeping your attention and motivating you with contempt - you can bet the message is skewed – even your favorite talking heads are telling you their opinion mixed in with a few carefully selected facts. Doesn’t necessarily make them bad or wrong – but they should be taken with clear eyes and a healthy dose of skepticism.

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Vizzini (as played Wallace Shawn), a character from the classic film “The Princess Bride” famously said …

“Haha! You Fool, you fell victim to one of the classic blunders! The most famous of which is, ‘never get involved in a land war in Asia,’ but only slightly less well-known is this: ‘Never go in against a Sicilian when death is on the line!’”

There is another classic blunder that Vizzini failed to mention. Perhaps because he died shortly after declaring the first two. An additional ‘classic blunder is surely “never involve yourself in a love triangle”.

Triangles - When it comes to analogies and the revealing and explanation of wise ideas and practical concepts, triangles are very common.

You have your fire triangle - Fuel, Oxygen, Heat.

The education triangle – Student, Teacher, and Parent.

And, so many others.

I have another triangle I’d like to share with you. A three-sided analogism that helps us understand a very critical, but often complex part, of human existence - Love and Relationships.

Yes, that’s right – a love triangle!

But, not like the one that everyone knows as a ‘classic blunder’.

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How do you feel about your mistakes? Do they make you angry, embarrass you, make you feel like a failure, or cause you to want to give up?

Do you blame them on someone else?

Do you try to ignore them? 

Do you repeat them again and again?

 Have you ever tried to take hold of those mistakes, and own them, and let them make you better?

I had a fun conversation with Charlotte, a 14-year-old cousin of mine. And, she’s already got it figured out. You'll enjoy what she has to say!

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Here we are at the close of another summer. Kids are back to school, the nights are cooling off, and if you haven’t yet, you’ll probably be watching a football game. Be it community league, College, Highschool, heck – you might be one of those who still watch the pro’s play in spite of the politics and the egomaniac personalities. 

I get it.

Back in 1978-79, before the internet – and shortly after the end of the renaissance, I was in my senior year in high school. Football always began 2 or 3 weeks before classes started. The coaches figured players needed to get in shape and show their stuff as they vied for a place on the varsity team. It was two-a-day practice's. A physical and metal trial that began as the sun came up – and when the coach figured you were exhausted enough you got a break, you could go home, sleep, eat, and be back at the field by 3 PM for the second practice of the day. 

And it was an extraordinary year – we had a perfect season. That’s right, an un-marred and flawless achievement set to go down in the annals of Emery High School History - But probably not in the way one might expect...

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Well, I’ve never been one to shy away from a good story, even when the historians and other ‘experts’ can’t agree on the details. And, this story… It’s a good one - about the deadliest Sniper ever in the Russian military.

The problem – the facts seemed to be in doubt. Some claim it’s all about propaganda. That the record of this Hero of the Soviet Union was padded. In orderder to make the story better, more powerful. 

Ok, maybe it was, and there is an equal chance it wasn’t. As this sniper had a way of ruffling the feathers of superior officers – who were known to do their best to sully the reputations of those who crossed them.

On the whole, the sniper's life shows a one that was not only unconventional for the time but also one of integrity and principles.

Not an easy thing when your ideals bump up against the status quo. But then, having true integrity, though always right, is seldom easy.

For more information consider these and other sources:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lyudmila_Pavlichenko

https://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/eleanor-roosevelt-and-the-soviet-sniper-23585278/

https://www.pri.org/stories/2018-03-09/life-and-myths-lyudmila-pavlichenko-soviet-russias-deadliest-sniper

https://ww2db.com/person_bio.php?person_id=296

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Corkie Mann shares a story about overcoming the negative labels and tags placed on us. She shares a sweet story as an advocate for one of her children. And, with encouragement, how he overcame challenges and accomplished more than he believed he could. 

Corkie talks about never giving up, showing up, and expecting to win.

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Like many folks, my wife and I are closet preppers. We try to keep a supply of emergency food and supplies stashed away, just in case. It came in pretty handy during the recent ‘pandemic inspired’ economic shutdown.

One of the items we had stashed away was about a decade old, and according to the directions it was within a few years of passing its ‘best if used by’ date. It was a #10 can. That is a can that is about 7 inches tall and 6 inches in diameter. It was filled with dehydrated, sliced, bananas. And, yes that is a lot of bananas.

What we found inside, however, was a bit of an unwelcome surprise.

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One of the great joys in life, especially during the late summer, is the crunchy, sweet, and buttery satisfaction of good sweet corn on the cob. 

In one particular small farming community there lived a brilliant farmer who raised the best sweet corn ever. It seemed every year at the county fair this farmer won the prize for the best corn. He was an institution. There was just no one who could coax a little yellow seed up into a 7-foot stalk of corn with ‘scrumptious kernels of golden joy on a cob’ like he could.  

His secret of ongoing success. Well, it was a little surprising - it was kinda' like giving away the secret family recipe. But, everyone was better for it.

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