Tuesday, August 14, 2007

The Golden Rule.

Post 286 - - - - - Tuesday, 14th August, 2007.

Hi Everyone ~~ We had a nice day here today, my washing got
quite dry on the line - no airing needed, which was a nice change.
I hope you all had a good day with pleasant weather, not too hot
and not too cold. I cooked more meals today, Corned beef with
potatoes, Onions, Carrots with butter and honey on them, peas
and corn and Brussell sprouts and tomato, onion & capsicum, so
the dinners look nice and it is good to keep ahead. Who knows
what the next day will bring !! My home care lady came today
so we are all nice and tidy again, with fresh bed linen. Nice !!

The photos tonight are different - - -




A poster I had for years of a stallion and his herd. It was too shiny.



I like any painting of some trees and some water, and this was painted with
the paint brush held in the mouth of the artist. I have a couple of others
that she did.


This was on a Christmas card and I had it as my Desktop for a long time.
Our wonderful eucalyptus (gum) trees plus some water. Love it.

The first article tonight is "The Golden Rule" and this story was written
by Mac Anderson, who said "Feel free to share with friends and family."

I grew up in Trenton, a west Tennessee town of five thousand
people. I have wonderful memories of those first eighteen years,
and many people in Trenton influenced my life in very positive
ways. My football coach taught me the importance of hard work,
discipline, and believing in myself. My history teacher is still the
funniest person I've ever met. He taught me that a sense of humor
and especially laughing at yourself, can be one of life's greatest
blessings.

But my father was my hero. He taught me many things, but at the
top of the list, he taught me to treat people with respect . .. to live
the Golden Rule. I remember one particular instance of him
teaching this "life lesson" as if it were yesterday.

Dad owned a furniture store, and I used to dust the furniture
every Wednesday after school to earn my allowance. One
afternoon I observed my Dad talking to all the customers as
they came in . . .the hardware store owner, the banker, a farmer
and a doctor. At the end of the day, just as Dad was closing,
the garbage collector came in.

I was ready to go home, and I thought that surely Dad wouldn't
spend too much time with him. But I was wrong. Dad greeted him
at the door with a big hug, and talked with him about his wife and
son who had been in a car accident the month before. He empathized,
he asked questions, he listened, and he listened some more,


I kept looking at the clock, and when the man finally left, I asked, "Dad,
why did you spend so much time with him? He's just the garbage
collector." Dad then looked at me, locked the front door to the store,
and said. "Son, let's talk."

He said, "I am your father and I tell you lots of stuff as all fathers
should, but if you remember nothing else I ever tell you, remember
this. . .treat every human being just the way that you would want to be
treated." He said, " I know this is not the first time you've heard it, but
I want to make sure it's the first time you truly understand it, because
if you had understood, you would never have said what you said."

We sat there and talked for another hour about the meaning and the
power of the Golden Rule. Dad said, " If you live by the Golden Rule
everything else in life will usually work itself out, but if you don't, your
life probably will be very unhappy and without meaning."

I recently heard someone say, " If you teach your child the Golden
Rule you will have left them an estate of incalculable value.
Truer words were never spoken.
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Recently I as awarded a Nice Matters Award, and have to pass it on
to 8 others. I meant to do this last night, but forgot. Thank you
very much Connie for giving this to me.

I would like to give everyone one but have to keep it to eight.
I have chosen 1. Nick, 2. Horizon, 3. Mountain Mama,
4. Miss Vickie, 5. Granny Ann, 6. UK Bob, 7 Val,
and 8. Meow aka Connie.

The first joke tonight came from Granny Ann, Thanks Ann.

There were 5 country churches in a small Texas town ; Presbyterian,
Baptist, Methodist, Catholic and a Jewish synagogue.

Each church and synagogue was overrun with pesky squirrels.

One day, the Presbyterian Church called a meeting to decide what
to do about the squirrels. After much prayer and consideration they
determined that the squirrels were predestined to be there and they
shouldn't interfere with God's divine will.

In the Baptist Church, however the squirrels had taken up habitation
in the baptistery. The deacons met and decided to put a cover on the
baptistery and drown the squirrels in it. The squirrels escaped somehow
and there were twice as many there the next week all dressed up in
little bathing suits and sporting tiny scuba gear.

The Methodist Church got together and decided that they were not in
a position to harm any of God's creatures. So they humanely trapped
the squirrels and set them free a few miles out of town. When they
returned to the church they discovered the squirrels had beat them back.

The Catholic Church came up with the best idea and most effective
solution. They baptized the squirrels and registered them as members
of the church. Now they only see them on Christmas and Easter.

Not much was heard about the Jewish Synagogue, but they took one
squirrel and had a short service with him called circumcision and they
haven't seen a squirrel on the property since.
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A man was waiting at a hospital to see a doctor. When he saw a white-
coated figure approaching, he asked anxiously, "Are you a doctor?"

"No," came the reply. "Actually I'm a student passing out as a doctor."
This happened again in a few minutes later with the same reply to his
question. When a third white-coated figure appeared the visitor was
becoming despondent and said, "I suppose you're a student also, passing
out as a doctor.

"Oh, no," the newcomer said, "I'm a painter, passing out for a pint."
<><>

Two men were sitting on the bank of a river in Africa, dangling their feet
in the water. Suddenly one let out a yell and the other said, "What's the

matter?"

The first man replied, " A crocodile has just bitten off one of my feet."
"Which one ?" the other said.

"What does it matter ?" came the reply, "Those crocodiles all look the
same to me.
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Mrs Green had a truly remarkable parrot and when the vicar came to
tea one afternoon she could not resist demonstrating to him how
clever her pet was.

"If you pull this string on it's left leg, Polly will sing, "Abide With Me" "
said Mrs Green, proudly. "And if you pull the string on it's right leg it
will sing "Onward Christian Soldiers"."

"How remarkable!" exclaimed the vicar. "And what happens if you
pull both strings at once ?"

"Simple !" replied the parrot. "I fall off my perch, you stupid old twit."
<><>

Which side is it best to have the handle of a teacup on? The outside.

Where was the Declaration of Independence signed? At the bottom.

Where do you find mangoes? Where womangoes.

A few quotes - - - -

I think that I shall never see, A poem lovely as a tree.
- - - Alfred Joyce Kilmer.

We all like to think we are unique until someone tells us we
are different. - - - P. K. Shaw.

Whatever women do they must do twice as well as man to be thought
half as good. Luckily this is not difficult. -- - Charlotte Whitton.

No wise man ever wished to be younger. - - Jonathan Swift.

Bye for now my friends, Have a lovely rest of the week.
Take care and enjoy your lives. Love and best wishes
to you all. Cheers, Merle.

Post 286 - - - - Tuesday, 14th August, 2007.
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7 comments:

Lady Di Tn said...

Merle
Had to read 2 posts today. I liked the picture of you in my favorite color purple. The picture Peter took was really good.

Mac Anderson's Father taught the same lesson My dear sweet Mother did. I think it funny both were Tennesseans.

West Tennesse is beautiful as other parts, Middle and East.Prince's fathers side hail from West Tennessee near Trenton in a small town Mason Hall. A little town inbetween is Kenton know for its white squirrels.

As usually lol at the jokes. Thanks
another 3 digit day for us.

love and prayers

RUTH said...

Glad you are keeping well; a good idea to stock up on meals :o) I really enjoyed your post and the jokes. The painting by the lady using the brush in their mouth is remarkable. It makes one humble to see how much some people achieve. Take care, stay well
Rx

Gledwood said...

You are entertaining as always!

Mountain Mama said...

I love the pictures , especially the Gum trees. That picture is so restful I want to go take a nap from just looking at it. I do love the balck stallion watching over his herd too.
Thank you for the 'Nice Matters' award Merle. It's sweet of you to think of me. Is there something I am supposed to do, like post about it on my blog? I dont't know much about these sort of things.

Vickie said...

I love the story Mac Anderson shared---My father also taught that rule--When he passed away it was such a delight for me to hear the many people talk about how my dad lived his life and what a great man he was---he did not just teach it he lived it.

Thank you so much for the "Nice Matters" award---coming from you it means more than you know.

Take care Ms. Merle.

Lee said...

I particularly love those paintings, Merle. It awesome to think someone can paint so well not using their hands. It truly is wonderful.

I'm behind in blogging as yesterday my keyboard froze up on me and I had to have my computer guy come and restore the system for me and previous to that I was pretty busy with other matters. I'm slack, aren't I? ;)

audrey` said...

Hi Merle

"The Golden Rule" is so true.
Mutual respect and acceptance are so essential in every friendship =)