As I was approaching fifty years old I sought the wisdom of my elders. I sought out men and women older than I was to learn lessons on life that they had been learning.

Monday I began a series entitled A Treasure Chest Of Wisdom, including:

1. Don’t Hold Grudges
2. Take Care Of Your Health.
3. Compassion Makes Sense and Giving Is Better Than Taking
4. Greed Gains Momentum
5. Gratitude Leads To Contentment

Contentment Leads To Generosity

Note: This post in NOT intended to brag or boast.

As I was approaching fifty years old I sought the wisdom of my elders. I sought out men and women older than I was to learn lessons on life that they had been learning.

Monday I began a series entitled A Treasure Chest Of Wisdom, including:

1. Don’t Hold Grudges
2. Take Care Of Your Health.
3. Compassion Makes Sense and Giving Is Better Than Taking
4. Greed Gains Momentum

Instead of focusing on what we don’t have, it’s important to be grateful for the amazing gifts we already have.

Loving family
Faithful friends
Good health

As I was approaching fifty years old I sought the wisdom of my elders. I sought out men and women older than I was to learn lessons on life that they had been learning.

Monday I began a series entitled A Treasure Chest Of Wisdom, including:

1.  Don’t Hold Grudges 
2.  Take Care Of Your Health.
3.  Compassion Makes Sense and Giving Is Better Than Taking

Today is the day after Thanksgiving known as Black Friday.  A nationwide marketing “holiday” to trigger sales in anticipation of holiday gift-giving and gatherings.

Stresses weigh us down.

When we’re screaming nonsense, pounding on walls, swearing about our circumstances, and mumbling under our breath, we need hope; because , “A cheerful heart brings a smile to your face; a sad heart makes it hard to get through the day.“  1

Worries tighten us up.

“If you are cheerful, you feel good; if you are sad, you hurt all over.” 2 Fortunately, there’s hope. 

And, now’s an ideal opportunity to introduce you to an uplifting, hope-filled song by India.Arie.

“There’s Hope“

Amy and I saw incredible beauty and riches in Hawaii, and we saw signs of tragedy and injustice.

Challenges

“How many steps does it take to become homeless? It depends.

Remember the owl in the old tootsie pop commercial? He would ask how many licks to get to the center of the pop; take a few and then chomp down on it. Task accomplished.

So needless to say it doesn’t take all that much to hit the streets for survival.

This Christmas week was very different. For the first time since we got married we did not travel.  We had a great time the 23rd — our Christmas — but the 24th & 25th felt a little empty and lonely.

Don’t get me wrong, we had a peaceful and blessed Christmas week, it was just different than in the past.

Perilous Presents

If our family and friends depended on me knowing their interests and needs they would never get anything.  Whether I’m being frugal or I’m ignorant, I simply don’t know what people like.

I’m not a hunter, but I can relate to the feelings that many of my hunting friends have enjoyed.  I love thinking about food, the hunt for food, capturing my food, preparing and consuming my food.

My love for food — like many loves — can easily be mismanaged.

Mismanaged MMMmmms

I loved Arby’s “5 for $5.95″ deal.  I remember sitting in an Arby’s with a freshly filled bag of Arby’s Beef and Cheddar sandwiches — toasted bun, piled high with sliced beef, a doll up of tasty cheddar cheese, complimented by Arby’s Sauce and Horsey Sauce.  Since Arby’s no longer sells that amazing sandwich a quick search turned up the nutrition information. 1

Yesterday after church Amy and went grocery shopping.  I love the grocery store.  I couldn’t shop for you and love it, because my shopping joy is wrapped up in my absolute delight in the anticipation of eating and enjoying the food I am gathering.

As I reflect on my trip through the grocery store aisles I’m struck with three amazements:

1.  I am amazed at how many foods that are for sale I never eat.