Home for the Holidays (part 2)

As I sit back and stare at my Christmas tree I am reminded of Christmas. The six foot tree in my living room leaves no secret. By the time you read this Christmas story Christmas Day may have passed, however it's worth sharing so here it is.

Rolling down the tree from top to bottom my eyes saw an assortment of colored light bulbs. Enough lights to make any imagination to go wild along with a variety of Christmas tree ornaments sparkling and reflecting a glow. A gold star on top of the tree completed the decoration.

Surrounding the tree was parked an assortment of gifts wrapped in attractive boxes. Big and small boxes in beautiful colors kept the family guessing what's inside.

Underneath the tree we saw a manger scene. Miniature angels, shepherds, three wise men, the baby Jesus lying in a manger with Mary and Joseph standing or kneeling in some hay, and some sheep reminded us all about the real meaning of Christmas.

From Corner Lots Baseball we'd like to wish all of you a very Merry Christmas and Happy New Year. Also we hope 2022 is a better year for you as we all continue to move forward with joy in our hearts.

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Traveling with Friends

 

Do you feel discouraged? With all the ups and downs in this world do you feel that sometimes you have so much on your plate that life appears to be a no win situation? Relax because I have good news for you.

Recently my son encountered a difficult situation with his boss on a new job. My son is an architectural manager. The company works on several projects at the same time and don't always get the necessary support from clients, i.e. information to complete the project. The boss is unreasonable and there are deadlines to meet. 

For many years I worked in healthcare. My responsibility was caring for the sick. So I lacked the necessary experience that architects and artists had.

Meanwhile, back to my story. When two personalities clash between the manager and the boss, a third person is necessary. That person is usually a person within the company with a like personality to the manager and experiencing the same frustrations.

Two people experiencing the same thing can build each other up. The trials don't always go away immediately, but hard working honest people can continue to work with integrity.

I am a devout Christ-follower. Naturally my immediate thought is what does the Bible say about this situation? The answer may surprise you. A thousand pound weight was just lifted off my shoulders.

In the gospel of Mark Jesus chose twelve men to be His disciples. He went on to make them apostles with authority and sent them out to heal the sick, cast out demons, and preach repentance for their sins. (Mark 6:7-13)

Jesus knew that they would encounter resistance. So Jesus encouraged them to go out in pairs. That way they can build each other up in the faith. Two-by-two they can encourage each other.

Traveling with friends makes a lot of sense. It gives us strength to meet the troubles of the world. Amen!

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Lovable Little Creatures

 

For this holiday season I thought I'd share with you my love for our furry little creatures.

During my many years of married life we had three dogs. Lady, our Airedale named after Lady and the Tramp was our first dog. She was a female so it wasn't appropriate to name her Tramp. Later we got Coco, a toy poodle, and Lucy, a fox terrier we inherited from our son. All three were lovable dogs.

Now we have Moody, an adorable dachshund. He loves people and likes to play with toys. It's amazing how strong he is with a long back and short legs. He has lots of energy that often wears us old folks out.

One day we decided to send Moody to obedience school. Little did I know that we learned more than he did.

Dogs are smart. Don't think you can ever fool them. They are smarter than you think. Use the word too many times without a reward and they'll ignore you. Don't overuse the word 'no.' And we think in setting firm limits we are training our dog correctly. Wrong!

Do you love your dog? Dogs require lots of love just like people. It shows in your attitude. They sense your love and will ignore you if you have a harsh relationship with them. 

If your dog is distracted it might be hard to get him back. The best way to help him stay focused is to get him to sit and offer him a treat. Hold a small dog biscuit in front of him before giving a command. You now have a new dog that's fun to be around. And remember to keep loving the little guy.

The pleasure of having a pet has just begun. No more frustrating moments. There is fun for the whole family. Even your friends and neighbors will be knocking at your door. Keep loving them. Love goes along way. 

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Corner Lots Baseball

 

When we think about the board room it often stirs mixed emotions. A sophisticated membership in an exclusive club may ring a bell. An elite group of men and women. The envy of other folks whom strive to reach the top. Knowing people in high places might help you get a prestigious position.

Another interesting thought about board rooms leaves us with fear and trembling. Disciplinarian action. The Board of Education demands dealing with misconduct among peers. Perhaps a corporation's standards were broken and corrective action is necessary. 

But I'm more interested in board games. The thing that brings friends together for some fun like Monopoly or a game of Sorry. I'm sure you have a long lists of memories.

The baseball season just ended. Christmas is here and we might have a long wait before opening day for more baseball. The thought can drive a baseball fan crazy, but there is hope. It's time for Corner Lots Baseball.

With some plastic miniature baseball players, a spinner, and a game board, it's time to play ball. Use a piece of scratch paper and nine innings will go by quickly.

I was anybody I wanted to be: manager, broadcaster, or player. It was fun and I could do it all day with friends or alone.

Yep, baseball was not dead in the off season. Time will fly when your having fun and before you know it another baseball season will be here. 

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Sting From a Snowblower

 

Don't take common sense for granted. We all have it, but don't always use it wisely. Is that you? I recently encountered an experience that would of been better for my own good if I used some common sense.

A few years back I purchased my first snowblower. We get a lot of snow in the winter time where I live often leaving big piles of snow in our driveway. 

For ten years I had no problem starting my snowblower. Easily the engine turned over and purred like a kitten. Then disaster struck and it wouldn't start. I must of not been living right. Punishment was at my front door. Has that ever happened to you?

For the next three years I encountered challenges that I didn't want to think about. The old engine just didn't want to start. I talked to it. Even sang some favorite tunes to it. I did everything I could think of to start it, but still no go.

I called my local handyman for some help, but no go. He was booked solid for the next two weeks. So I asked my friendly neighbor and he was more than willing to pick it up in his truck and take it over to his shop. For the moment I was riding on cloud nine.

My snowblower friend whom I previously called and was booked up said all he did was set the choke lever and pulled the chord. It got me to thinking so I decided to try it.

I never like to leave any stone unturned so I went outside and gave it a try. The red circular level on the engine said "run" while the other word said "choke."

For the past three years I never thought about putting the lever on "choke." I don't know what I was thinking. It must of been luck that started it at all. So I pulled the chord again and she started up right away and started to purr like a kitten. Where was I when the world was made? 

Immediately I called my neighbor, told him the whole story, and thanked him for his generosity.

The moral to this story was don't take common sense for granted. It might come up like a bee sting and surprise you. 

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