The Bird Cage

There once was a man named George Thomas, pastor in a small New England town. One Easter Sunday morning he came to the Church carrying a rusty, bent, old bird cage, and set it by the pulpit.

Eyebrows were raised and, as if in response, Pastor Thomas began to speak....

"I was walking through town yesterday when I saw a young boy coming toward me swinging this bird cage. On the bottom of the cage were three little wild birds, shivering with cold and fright.

I stopped the lad and asked, "What do you have there, son?"

"Just some old birds," came the reply.

"What are you going to do with them?" I asked.

"Take 'em home and have fun with 'em," he answered. "I'm gonna tease 'em and pull out their feathers to make 'em fight. I'm gonna have a real good time.."

"But you'll get tired of those birds sooner or later. What will you do then?"

"Oh, I got some cats," said the little boy. "They like birds. I'll take 'em to them."

The pastor was silent for a moment. "How much do you want for those birds, son?"

"Huh?? !!! Why, you don't want them birds, mister. They're just plain old field birds. They don't sing. They ain't even pretty!"

"How much?" the pastor asked again.
 

The boy sized up the pastor as if he were crazy and said, "$10?"
 
The pastor reached in his pocket and took out a ten dollar bill. He placed it in the boy's hand. In a flash, the boy was gone. The pastor picked up the cage and gently carried it to the end of the alley where there was a tree and a grassy spot. Setting the cage down, he opened the
door, and by softly tapping the bars persuaded the birds out, setting them free. Well, that explained the empty bird cage on the pulpit, and then the pastor began to tell this story:

One day Satan and Jesus were having a conversation. Satan had just come from the Garden of Eden, and he was gloating and boasting. "Yes, sir, I just caught a world full of people down there. Set me a trap, used bait I knew they couldn't resist. Got 'em all!"

"What are you going to do with them?" Jesus asked.
  

Satan replied, "Oh, I'm gonna have fun! I'm gonna teach them how to marry and divorce each
other, how to hate and abuse each other, how to drink and smoke and curse. I'm gonna teach them how to invent guns and bombs and kill each other. I'm really gonna have fun!"
 

"And what will you do when you are done with them?" Jesus asked.
 

"Oh, I'll kill 'em," Satan glared proudly.

"How much do you want for them?" Jesus asked.

"Oh, you don't want those people. They ain't no good. Why, you'll take them and they'll just hate you. They'll spit on you, curse you and kill you. You don't want those people!!"

"How much? He asked again.

Satan looked at Jesus and sneered, "All your blood, tears and your life."

Jesus said, "DONE!" Then He paid the price.

The pastor picked up the cage and walked from the pulpit.

THE SHOEBOX

THE SHOEBOX

A man and woman had been married for more than 60 years.
They had shared everything. They had talked about everything.
They had kept no secrets from each other except that the little
Old woman had a shoe box in the top of her closet that she had
Cautioned her husband never to open or ask her about.



For all of these years, he had never thought about the box, but
One day the little old woman got very sick and the doctor said
She would not recover.

In trying to sort out their affairs, the little old man took
Down the shoe box and took it to his wife's bedside.
She agreed that it was time that he should know what was
In the box. When he opened it, he found two crocheted dolls
And a stack of money totaling $95,000.

He asked her about the contents.

'When we were to be married,' she said, ' my grandmother told me
The secret of a happy marriage was to never argue. She told me that
If I ever got angry with you, I should just keep quiet and crochet a doll.'

The little old man was so moved; he had to fight back tears. Only two
Precious dolls were in the box. She had only been angry with him two
Times in all those years of living and loving. He almost burst with
Happiness.

'Honey,' he said, 'that explains the doll, but what about all of this money?
Where did it come from?'

'Oh,' she said, 'that's the money I made from selling the dolls.' 

Aging

    Over the years as a nurse I have taken care of many many patients.   On the 28th of this month it will be 31 years.   I was so young when I started.   Just a baby.   And I would look at my older patients and try to think what they looked like when they were younger.   I watched with a detached interest the effects of aging on peoples posture,  their skin,  bones, and hair.  Many times I listened while they told me mentally some days they would pop out of bed feeling the same as they did when young only to be stopped cold by the reality of the mirror.  Sheesh,  who is that old coot.?  When the heck did that happen?

    Fast forward 31 years and it's me glancing in the mirror and being taken aback. Oh my.   My flirting days are over, LOL.   If I didn't have a mirror in the house and didn't have any aches and pains many days, heck most days I would feel no different then I did as a young nurse just starting out.   Well, a lot more cynical and a lot less gullible then I was back then.  But still loving the job I decided to do most days.  And like the young nurse I was then I find myself,  with a somewhat detached resignation, watching the aging process on my body.  

      I don't understand the tatoo fad.   If I had young unflawed un-sundamaged skin I would never deliberately mar it.   My poor old surgery ravaged body would kill for some of that tight non saggy skin.   If I could go back I would never go in the sun without skin screen,  I would buy the best lotions,  I would not have stretched it out repeatedly with yo yo dieting.   But I must admit I had some fine fun damaging it in the past.   Maybe it was worth it in retrospect after all.

   Lately my legs are developing road maps.   This is new since I started working out so much.  The ole body objects with physical evidence these days when I put it through a pounding.   And putting on eye shadow is a challenge.  The skin wrinkles up as I put the brush over my lid. Brother.  I find myself wearing make up seldom.  

    And my hair.   Never a thick mane worthy of tossing wildly to drive men mad it still had it's redeeming qualities that I appreciated.   But over the years it has gotten darker and darker and thin.  Oh yeah, thin.  I would rather go gray then go bald.  I said that so many times so what is happening now?  I am getting gray also.  Be careful what you ask for.

    In my youth by now when I worked out at the gym as religiously as I do now I would have had some impressive results.   But nothing really seems to work on the bat wings under my  arms or the abs of flab.  My legs however look pretty darn good,  road maps and all.

     Actually though for my age I look pretty good.  No one usually believes me when I tell them my age and compared to many of my patients I am not showing the wear I should be considering the wear and tear I put my body through.   And even though I get a pang of sorrow at times about things not changeable I am for the most part content with where I am at this point in my live.   If I could change anything it would be the speed of time.   Because even the winters don't seem very long anymore.  It is like someone has sped up my clock.   But I am determined to enjoy every minute of it, wrinkles and all.

Let the Challenge begin

           I started our the Live Healthy America Challenge at work with 6 of my co-workers on the 20th.    I had gained back 5 pounds and needed something to get motivated again because for me it's so hard in the winter.   I just want to stay inside and eat comfort food.    So this is just what the doctor ordered.   So far I have lost 1.2 pounds.  Not bad.   And shortly we are going to the gym.   My knee is being tricky today so I am going to be careful on the treadmill and leg lifts but I am determined to exercise every day.


    Let's see,  whats new.    Today is my youngest son's birthday.   He has some weird uncanny ability to age while I stay the same young age I have always been.  Oh yeah.   But the way the gray is finally showing up in my hair this year I am slowly getting convinced.   Time marches on.


      It is the time of year where I look at Rick and ask the same old question.   Why the #$@% are we still in Iowa this winter.   It's cold and snowy and cold and snowy and cold cold cold.   We must be nuts to stay here year after year.   The only good thing is we don't live in International Falls, Minnesota where it was -25.   Here at least we are +2.   A heat wave by comparison.   And North Dakota with their 25 feet of snow,  Yikes!   I am yearning for Spring and the bike trails.  And flowers.

 

And butterflies

 

And bike trails.

     Well,  it is the middle of January and it will be here soon enough.     


     I heard about Detroit closing a ton of their schools.   They only have a 25% graduation rate as it is.  Why are they closing them?   To pay for their pension plans.   That is so much more important then teaching the future of our country how to do the most basic things like read and spell and do math.   This is what your tax dollars go for in that state?  And did you know 95% of union dues go to Democratic programs or campaigns.  No wonder enrollment in unions is at a all time low.   The unions of the old days are long gone.


      Lets see,  what else.   I have been re markedly healthy and well this winter.   Nary a cold or flu symptom at all.   I think it is all this healthy eating and my daily green monster.   I also added in some extra vit D since I never get to see the sun on my nights I work.    I am a happy camper about that.  You take your health for granted until it is gone.   Course I still have my aches and pains but without them I might question if I was alive.  But even that is just normal aches and pain and not anything going out on me.  


    I am behind getting to everyone's blogs but will make up for it this weekend since I am off work.   Ta all and take care.

When Men Bake Cookies

Snow snow go away

                 By this time last year we probably had 40 inches,  so it's not as bad as all that, but we did get 13 inches of snow and it is really really really cold today.   In the minus degrees.   Burrrrrrr.


             So what do you do to stay warm.   Yesterday we didn't do anything but dig out and wish the snow would stop.   Today Rick is going to the dentist and I am going to the gym.   The gym is right next door to the dentist.   Might as well warm my ole muscles.   Hopefully I will have the gym to myself.


         I haven't missed the snow,   I was almost hoping it was going to miss us this time.   I think we did our share last year.   And I still can't use that darn snow thrower.   Rick has it darn pat though.   Note all the paths he made for Zoey,    She still likes to wander all over and sniff and the path cutting across the yard is for this small dog that visits every morning and drives Zoey crazy.  Rick is so accommodating.

              I am fortunately off work this week.  I am glad I didn't have to try and get to work last night.   And my other son was off.   But he did get to try his SUV out in the snow and it works well.   He is happy.  Glad someone is happy about all this snow.


             My weight loss is doing terrible right now.  In fact I think I might have gained.   When it is cold like this nothing hits the spot more then a rich stew like soup and a thick bread to dip in it.   Course that doesn't help the old middle.   I can't wait until spring.  And we are getting close.  Yippy.


          My son still hasn't found a job.   There are not many around here.   I am worried about them but there is not a darn thing I can do.   Except feed them if needed.

                     I got out and got some shots yesterday.   You can only take so many photos of snow though.   And its cold out there.   But here they are.   Some of them.   I usually take like 100 more photos then I need.   An overachiever.   


           Well,  Rick is about done with his shower.   I had better make my green monster and get ready for the gym.   The thing about gym clothes.   Not much insulation in the pants.   The leather seats are going to be soooo cold.   I think Rick should start up the van and get my heated seat going don't you.    I think I will do my best hinting and whining.   See you all later.  Take care.

10 finkers

10 Finkers 

Ole vas vorking at da fish plant up nort in Dulut vhen he accidentally cut off all ten of his finkers. 

He vent to da emergency room in the Clinik and vhen he got der da Norsky doctor looked at Ole and said, "Okie dokie, let's have da finkers and I'll see vhat I can do." 

Ole said, "I haven't got da finkers."

"Vhat you mean, you hafen't got da finkers?" he said. "Lordy- don't you know, it's 2010 and I'ves got microsurgery and all kinds of incredible techniques. I could hafe put dem back on and made you like new! Vhy didn't you brink da finkers?"

Ole says........."How da heck vas I suppose to pick 'em up?"