Category: On Any Given Day

Selling Point

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©jb katke

Have you ever encountered something that impacted you in a big way? You were not looking for it—it just presented itself to you. Add seeing it in the most unexpected place. Wow, right?

Pictured here is what was written on a business van, just making its daily service calls. I was running an errand—not on the lookout for a meaningful moment. But here it was.  

Currently I am in progress of writing a devotional and the wording on the van “It’s about the relationship” resonated with me. Some way, some how this will work itself into my book. My plan is not so much to teach, but it could. True to my way of doing things, it is intended to plant encouragement and hope. Could ya use some?

The words on this truck nailed it. I don’t have a plumbing, heating, or air conditioning issue—but if I did, I would be inclined to call them up. What is it that sells you on any given product or service?

It seems the way of the world is to tell people what they want to hear. Give the shoddiest job done and move on. Years ago, Dave and I were on the receiving end of a similar situation. I got a verbal estimate and requested a written statement for my husband to read over. Going to his truck, the man tore off a corner of paper and wrote the price down. Real professional, huh?

That’s not the way to promote your business.  I know. My husband was a remodeler in a previous life. Early on, most of his work was from recommendations. Friends of friends. Small repairs often grew into future home remodels on a larger scale. It was important to listen the homeowners because—bottom line, these people had to live with the end result.

It just makes sense to establish a relationship first. Offensive as it may sound, first impressions are your first impression. If that does not go well, forget it.

That holds true in business, co-workers, and neighbors. How we present ourselves is the defining moment. Considering the fact that nothing happens by accident, it could even be a Jesus moment.

There is Hope

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© jb katke

Me and my kitchen have never been good friends.

Memories of bloopers flood my mind. My future husband, Dave, gave me a cookbook a year in advance of our marriage. I took the cellophane off it after our wedding. Shortly after opening it I cooked a roast misunderstanding the oven temperature for the inner temperature of the meat. Dinner was late that night.

The year I roasted my first turkey, Dave invited a single friend to join us. For starters I neglected to realize there were little ‘treats’ left inside the cavity that needed to come out. Before roasting. Our friend loved stuffing, or dressing, as some say. Call it what you will, I didn’t make any. It’s bad enough to not enjoy cooking, but to be a disappointment to your guest. That is unacceptable.

There was the cake that refused to raise, ditto for the meringue on my lemon pie. Need I go on?

It isn’t just food issues, it’s appliances too. When the kitchen was remodeled a dishwasher and garbage disposal was added. I didn’t see the need them I wasn’t missing what I didn’t have. It’s for resale value I was told.  No time at all and I had adjusted to them.

Years ago, when microwaves were the thing, Dave insisted our kitchen should have one. I resisted—I fought the new-fangled thing that would take up space on the counter. The kids would grow used to one so that when they left home it would be a necessity in their mind. All to no avail. The pressure was on when we purchased one for Mom, with a price too good to be true. Now I cannot imagine a kitchen without one. Told ya so.

Yesterday was da ja vu. Air fryers were the topic.

Mine will arrive today. But no promises from me. Again, I resisted, but knuckled under ahead of schedule. I know defeat when I see it. I will get used to it as I did to all our other conveniences. Adjusting to change is hard when your husband does all he can to make my life easier.

Permissible Remains

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© jb katke

Mom used to refer to leftovers from dinner as remains. Hardly exudes an appetite, no matter how  disguised it is for another meal.

I have fabric scraps lingering from a quilt project that I hope to never repeat again. These little squares take up valuable real estate in the quilt room, and their presence gets in the way of  my moving forward. To address the situation, I am making quilt blocks for a future quilt I may never make. Translated: the real estate now has become a larger storage issue.

Do you have past experiences that you wished had never been? Regrets that weigh you down today, even though the occurrence was long ago?

Some things cannot be disguised. Not in food. Not in a quilt. It is the most uncomfortable of ruts to live in. So—don’t. Give yourself permission to do something about it.

Moving forward is easier said than done. Harsh words or regrettable actions harden with age. Let it be said here that I do not have all the answers to life’s issues. But today could be the start of a larger-than-life change.

Using the quilt block for instance, I gave myself permission. I told me it was okay to put those tiny little pieces together to make something bigger. They had potential for use and future warmth.

Ill-spoken words cannot be unsaid, but there is room for an updated version that can bring a balm to the soul  and relief from guilt.

Ditto for regrettable actions. Here is a thought. Try mending relationships with new and improved actions. If done long enough, kindness wins. Even if it falls apart, you have made a commendable effort.

Give yourself permission to right wrongs. Life is too short and the burden of guilt gets heavier over time. You are worth the effort. Jesus knows your potential and with a little help from him, it becomes mission-possible.

The Unexpected

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© jb katke

An unwelcome and unexpected visitor came by this week. If the possum could talk, he/she may have been in agreement.

We have a couple window wells that come flush with mother earth. Animals can easily be nosing along the ground when suddenly they are pedaling air until reaching a stone-filled landing. Three concrete walls surround them with a row of windows on the other side.

Our home is in a well populated, heavily trafficked neighborhood, meaning the critters do not have much woods to call home. But this wasn’t the first time. One would think word would pass in the animal kingdom.

There is no alternative but to get the homeowners attention. Get me outta here!

This, in the dead of night. My dearly beloved is about to crawl into bed when the scratching began. If left unattended our window would be destroyed. On go the clothes, out comes the truck, down comes a long board to put into the window well so the poor thing can crawl out. Which he/she takes their lazy good-for-nothing time to do.

C’mon, it’s cold out here and I wanna go to bed.

I slept through the whole escapade. When morning came, I found him/her eating breakfast.

Have you ever found yourself in a hopeless situation? You need help but unsure of where to turn. What can a person do in the dead of night with no one around to help? Pray? It can’t hurt.

The Good Book tells us that not a sparrow falls that Jesus does not know about it. Surely, he looks after possums—and people too. Pray. What do you have to lose?

OMG-She’s Alive!

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© jb katke

Her lights flashed to get our attention.

Dave: “Alexa, do you have a notification?”

Alexa: “One new notification from Alexa News from Fox News. ___________. Do you want to hear more?”

Dave: “No.”

Me: “I wonder why she does that? She says it is from both Alexa News and Fox News too.”

Alexa: “I’m sorry, I don’t have an answer to that.”

Yikes—she heard me and responded!

Artificial Intelligence, or AI, has been a regular topic in the news of late. It started out as convenience, but has quickly become a concern.

We have been using it—perhaps without realizing it. Have you texted someone recently and found the word you were starting to write pop up? That is AI. Or maybe while scrolling through the internet gathering info on a potential purchase—suddenly all these ads come at you without your prompting? AI is at work. I heard of a couple talking face to face, in front of their phones apparently, and ads starting streaming in to relate to their conversation.

Can it go too far? Technology knows so much these days that it can be frightening.

This has been a talking point in the writers meetings I have attended. It seems there are websites available that will help an author produce an online book using their own voice.

As tempting as that may sound, I suspect there may be drawbacks.

TV commercials speak of multiple mortgages being made on your home without your knowledge. Snail mail enters your mailbox of a security breach at your bank. While it may or may not be AI, it definitely is technology. It is only a matter of time and your voice may be ‘kidnaped’ and used against you in some way.

Yes, in my world, that is going too far—and we all should proceed with caution.

But consider this:

There is one who does more that hear what we say—he reads hearts. He knows our thoughts and desires. Not Santa Claus, but Jesus. The Good Book documents such happenings in Mark 2:6-8 and Luke 9:46, to name a couple instances.

Words should be used wisely—and beware of what enters our heart. He knows. Jesus understands what we want—and like a good father provides for our needs. There is a difference, and can explain why some of our desires go unfulfilled. It takes faith and trust to comprehend what the fifties television show indicates, Father Knows Best.

https://blogreedsy.com/guide/audiobooks/ai-narration

 

Dear Whomever

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© jb katke

Our society has come to this. Beware—a can or worms is about to be opened.

A recent shopping trip to find a birthday card led me to see this. Why doesn’t the card just say it like it is? ‘Whoever you are, Happy Birthday.’ Does that fill you with all the warm fuzzies coming from a loved one?

Me either. Greeting card shopping has become a challenge in recent years. It is hard to come by a card that expresses my wishes. The son-in-law that feels more like a son—the daughter-in-law that is more like a daughter. Just because we didn’t raise them—as most cards indicate, doesn’t mean they are any the less dear.

It goes without mentioning the estranged parents that want to celebrate their child, but the card says “us.” If a divorce took place “us” does not fit. What about the child that determines he is not a he anymore, but becoming a she? Or vice versa.

My mother had a clever saying, “The gravy thickens.”

Relationships have become convoluted. Families are not what they used to be and can easily leave one riding the waves, unsure of what shore they will wash up on.

Except for you and I. There are many that read my words that I have never met. Even so, I want to let you know how much you mean to me. It humbles me that you give time to read my thoughts of the day.

It’s you that helps me phrase those thoughts. While we all live on planet earth, our lives seem worlds apart. The norms of everyday living are vastly different. Yet here we are sharing a moment together. Thank you seems so trite—but I do thank you.

It is not just me that thinks of you regularly. So does Jesus. He played a huge part in creating you and continues to have great plans for your life. That is if you allow him to be a part of it.

What does that look like when you cannot see the guy?

Allow me to share what I have found to be a great help.

Early in my day, I talk with Jesus. Tell him what he already knows. He is great and powerful. (It’s a simple matter of giving credit where it is due) I bring up my family and put them into his hands because I can’t control their day or their thoughts like he can. I thank him for things in my own life that has brought me to a closer relationship to him and ask him to guide me through the day. Putting my concerns on his to-do list makes more sense because he is a get ’er done kind of guy.

It’s that simple. You are not a whomever person. You are a big somebody to Jesus. Consider each sunrise to be his greeting card to you. Nothing pleases him more than the two of you sharing life together.

Private Eyes

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© jb katke

“Momma, is it true, private eyes really are watching us?”

Daughter Naomi had a legitimate concern.

Dealing honestly with my children was a must, “No honey, no one is watching us.”

Her question was based upon a song that Hall & Oates produced the year of her birth. ‘Private Eyes Are Watching You’ played for substantial years, long enough for her to comprehend what the lyrics meant.

But was I being honest with her? To my knowledge security cameras were few and far between. Unlike today. We cannot even make a run to the corner store for milk without being under surveillance.

I once had a neighbor with one of those Ring doorbells that gave video of who was at their door. His range of vision was vast—knowing our every move.

The lights that line our streets serve more than just giving us light in the dark. Them things have cameras. People need to know that fact.

Don’t throw caution to the wind. There are apps available for cell phones that inform what location firemen are called to and the nature of the emergency. Privacy has gone out the window.

The worst of it is what comes into our homes. Reality TV shows air the stupidity of thieves making errors in their effort to steal. Police shows share videos of drivers gone bad.

Not to mention the news. Wars are telecast for us all to see the atrocities of evil. Everyone can see everything. I repeat:

Was I being honest with my daughter?

Particularly when I know Jesus. He sees all and knows all. That fact is too important to forget. It has impacted me in an unexpected way. He led me to start writing.

Those that know me, know I have never fathomed writing. But here I am making contact with you to know what I know. At some point I will be face-to-face with Jesus, I don’t want to explain why I didn’t do what he asked of me.

He willingly died before there were cameras and television to record the horrific event. But you can read all about it in the Good Book. It wasn’t pretty.

Reading further, you will also run across parts that tell how much you are loved. That too, is a fact. Let Jesus be a guiding light instead of the street lights with cameras.

At War

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© jb katke

Are you at war within yourself-switch on, then switch off again? Life is full of dispute.

Being on the proverbial fence, not knowing whether to change gears to be pro this and con that. The news and social media give never-ending viewpoints making it hard to know where to stand.

Dilemma can be on any given subject. Seniors, soon to graduate high school—then what? Not only are colleges expensive, but possibly not the answer. Trade schools are great but one must know what they want to do in life.

That brings up the subject of job v career. A job brings in the cash flow—a career is doing what you love and getting paid for it. It circles back to what do you want to do in life. Here is a clue to get your mind going, what brings you pleasure? Dig around and see what occupations would supply you with satisfaction.

Are you willing to marry and spend the rest of your life with the current boo? I have lots to say on that, but will leave it with this: It has nothing to do with how great your sex life is. If you want details, ask me.

Thinking about the future may seem an exercise in futility, considering the nations at war. Is our safety switch on or off? One can only guess if the end is near.

The politics of the day is a great example of mud-slinging. Is one political party better than the other? It is a personal decision. I have asked Jesus’ dad to decide how life will play out. That may sound noble, but the question is—can I live with what he deems good? That is the sixty-four-dollar question.

The answer could be, ‘Yes I can.’

The Good Book is full of promises. It says that Jesus is the son of God, that he came to earth in a supernatural way and died so that you and I can have access to hope now—and  live eternally with them later. Folks eternity is a really long time.

I have read that Jesus’ dad has plans for each person and that he is always with us. Is there a hitch? Of course. The Good Book also says we have to want him in our life. The decision is yours to make—don’t be at war when so much is at stake.

Connecting With Jesus

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© jb katke

The challenge—should I choose to accept it, was noting the way I connect with Jesus. Then writing about one that I do not connect with.

This came via my writing coach, having read Sacred Pathways by Gary Thomas.  According to Thomas, there are eight ways people can connect with Jesus:

  • Naturalist-loving Jesus outdoors
  • Sensate-loving Jesus through the senses
  • Traditionalist-loving Jesus through ritual and symbol
  • Ascetics-loving Jesus in solitude and simplicity
  • Activist-loving Jesus through confrontation
  • Enthusiasts-loving Jesus with mystery and celebration
  • Contemplatives-loving Jesus through adoration
  • Intellectuals-loving Jesus with the mind

First off, I wish to say none of these ways are wrong. Nor is one way superior to another. Mankind is a vast people group of individuals. How we relate varies among us all—even among our circle of family and friends. Not to confuse the issue with a split-personality, we just learn how to adapt our communication with how individuals relate to our words.

I chose Naturalist, mostly because I am not an outdoors girl. Some would point me out as being a hot-house plant. I am okay with that, because there is too much sunshine, heat or cold and bugs for my liking.

The very reasons I dislike outdoors is no doubt why others love it. Fresh air, well all right, I enjoy a good breeze. But there is more, plants, trees, and just nature itself to be appreciated. And I do, mostly as I look out my window.

What I find interesting, living in this day and age—are those who are entirely wrapped up in climate change. My goal is not to get political. But those who are actively endorsing ways we can save the earth are frustrated that others do  not join their cause. Unfortunately, I have a feeling that other nations are not their teammates.

Jesus created nature, not only for our well-being, but for its beauty. However, that is not all that he created:

Jesus gave mankind senses to take in the sights and sounds of pleasure. How unfortunate, understandably for safety sake, we can no longer smell burning autumn leaves.

He instilled in mankind a need for organization—a practice or an object that brings Jesus to our mind.

Have you noticed some folks just need a down time? A mind without distractions is an excellent time to think on Jesus.

There are those who feel the absolute need to voice their love of Jesus to everyone and anyone who will listen. They have a point that needs to be heard.

Many who love Jesus love to dwell on how he accomplished his mission. It can boggle the mind as we celebrate his birth each December and beyond.

Often just thinking about Jesus, his mission—how he loved on others and drew such crowds brings such thoughts of gratitude.

The mind is a wonderful creation of his—that we can be fascinated by an ordinary man that was anything but ordinary.

Any one of these connections can be dangerous if taken to the excess. While mankind has breath, it is imperative that each connection has its own time of reflection on our soul.

“In all your ways, acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths.”

Proverbs 3:6 (ESV)

I would enjoy hearing how you best relate to Jesus!

Speechless?

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© jb katke

Me—speechless? In your dreams!

I have all sorts of thoughts and ideas that roam freely inside my head. At the end of the day, when my feet are level with my head they activate, keeping sleep at a distance. My mind is not a blank screen.

Just this morning, as we watched the news, my husband Dave commented, “There is something I have noticed about you.”

“What is that?” I asked laughingly. Only to sober up enough to wonder did I really want to know?

“You have lived with me too long. You’re talking back to the television like I do.”

True statement. But the TV needs to know how off-base it sometimes is.

Like so many others I have an unnatural attraction to social media. Oh—the useless information one can learn! Much of it questionable.

Some feel the necessity to share the name of the restaurant they went to for lunch. Others post the pictures of their vacation.

This leads me to thinking many may need a relationship. We live in a busy world these days and don’t seem to find the time to establish friendshipe. That is where social media comes in handy.

We can reach out to a world of people we may not even know and get feedback from them. The response may stem from the topic or maybe the picture always attached. It doesn’t matter as long as some response comes from somewhere.

Beware of the questions memes ask. “What was your pets name when you were growing up?” or, “What was the make of your first car?” Someone, somewhere appears to want to know you. “Just for fun they say.” The information you provide can give them access to change your password, make expenditures in your name, or any other kind of mayhem. They are not your friend.

My personal unfavorites are the political ones. I don’t have enough fingers or toes to count how many times I would like to respond, but hold back. We live in a day and age when everyone feels the need to let the world know who they support.

So then, why don’t I respond, letting others know how I feel?  Because there is another issue of far greater importance—that no one wants to discuss.

Like what? It is important to me that you know this. Too many people don’t acknowledge life after death.

My beliefs are based upon the Good Book. It is there that truth and hope live. I do not aim to flaunt my opinions, but to point others to read it for themselves. If you take Jesus’ words personally, you won’t be sorry.