Recently one of my neighbors had a tree cut down. When I went outside that afternoon, I saw orange construction cones blocking the street I live on in both directions. I was not driving anywhere so it did not matter to me. I was, however, going to check my mail down the street. There was…
Nonexistent Ice Cream Truck Lady
On a recent Saturday morning, I woke up a little after 7:00 a.m. without the sound of an alarm clock. I got up and performed my usual routine of getting ready and eating breakfast. Then I read for a little while at the kitchen table when suddenly, I heard it. The continuous blaring sounds of…
The Tissue Magician
I found out recently that I have a special gift; the uncanny ability to transform a small wad of tissues into a thousand pieces of mini tissues. No, I’m not really a magician. For those of you fortunate enough not to have left tissues in your jacket pocket before tossing it in the washing machine,…
Experience of the Ages
An interesting thing about getting older is that the more experience one has, the greater the temptation is to think they know everything. There are several problems with thinking this way. For starters, let me be clear – you don’t, despite how highly you think of yourself. It doesn’t matter how intelligent you are, you…
The Power of No, part 7
When I started writing the final part of this series on the power to say no, I knew where to take it. While listening to a sermon last week, the pastor said something that immediately grabbed my attention. It was about being enslaved to your way out of something. It was such a powerful thought…
The Power of No, part 6
I’ve talked a lot lately about the power to say no. In some of the earlier parts, I’ve given some suggestions that have worked for me. In case this is your first time reading, here again are some of the things that have helped me to say no. – Exercise has made me think twice…
The Power of No, part 5
The power to say no isn’t just needed to overcome physical cravings or wrongful desires. It is also a powerful tool when dealing with people. Disclaimer: All that follows may seem harsh. It’s a sad part of life that these things even need to be said. I am in no way advocating leaving marriages, splitting…
The Power of No, part 4
Things seem innocent enough where we may not distinguish a difference. If we are not taught that something is wrong, we will likely try it. But even when we are taught something is wrong, there is a small part of us that wants to partake in it anyway. As in life, anything that is fed…
The Power of No, part 3
It’s easy to slip and fall. While thinking about the power of the sweets, I realized it had a great deal to do with a loss of self-control. I had gotten so accustomed to getting what I wanted, that I completely lost control of myself. My urges were driven by desires that I left go…
The Power of No, part 2
Photo by Maria Lindsey Multimedia Creator on Pexels.com Saying no to food was extremely difficult for me in the beginning. I was a guy that used to eat as many as three or four different kinds of chips and a solid row of cookies, all in one sitting after dinner. Everyone’s bodies are different but…