Sunny yesterday, overcast with promise of rain today, clear next couple days.  Hope to smoke some ribs on Monday or Tuesday, getting to the end of the season.

Not much else going on. 

Do not like memes or whatever they are called. I was doing the smiley face thing from the late 60's and then someone came out with the yellow dot.

It didn't bother me, when typing I had do the sideways one, until every program started changing it from MY smiley face to the dot.

Took me a while but I figured out that if I turn the whole thing around it doesn't change. (-:

so far......

1 Thessalonians 2:5-6  For neither at any time used we flattering words, as ye know, nor a cloke of covetousness; God is witness:

⁶ Nor of men sought we glory, neither of you, nor yet of others, when we might have been burdensome, as the apostles of Christ.

One of the things that really bothered me when I was running for Office was I had to tell everyone how ‘great’ I was, knowing that it wasn’t just me that made a difference it was all of us.

Still I needed reassurance, I needed to have people pat me on the back and tell me what a good job I was doing.  It puffed me up and all too often made me think I was better than I am – even knowing that some of it was just fluff, it still made me feel good.

I remember when I was asked to go to Antelope, by the citizens there, as they were ‘given’ back the town by the Rajneesh.  They wanted me to take possession of all city documents and property so none of them had to be involved. 

There was a lot of patting on the back and thank you’s.  Later in the month I was in a Sheriff’s Association meeting and mentioned that, to them, I was a white knight on a white horse coming in to save the day.

One very wise Sheriff who had been through a lot said, ‘Art, be prepared for a come down, you can have 100 atta boys and one oh no moment will wipe them all away.’  He spoke from experience and he was right as I also found out, from experience.

When we do our job well, it is too easy to pump ourselves up with pride as we gain recognition.  It is too easy to feel we are doing so well we can actually coast a while.

Or, as so often happens these days, we so crave that attention we do everything we can to get it.  We become devious; we become possessive of our realm and don’t accept others or their advice.

It always amazes me when I hear politicians who are running for an office that is just one seat of many, claim that they did this, or they will do that – as if by electing them they will accomplish things on their own.

It takes cooperation, and unfortunately some compromises to get anything done in a legislative body anymore.  There are always leaders who are able to move the legislation they want along a little easier than others – but almost in all cases the political party calls the shots and those in that party that forget that often find themselves on the outside looking in.

AND we accept that from our politicians.  The larger the body the more it is true.  Local politics have it too a much lesser degree because there are fewer decision makers and these people are part of the community that see their constituents on a regular basis.  But, it is still there, none of them, including elected department heads, like the Sheriff, can do it on their own, they must work with others to truly make a difference.

Oh, the individuality will work for a bit, but, that person learns that they must appoint people who can help form and accomplish goals.  They don’t have to agree all the time, but they do need to discuss and fine tune what they want to get done.

Our nation – indeed the world – is becoming so self-centered that nothing less that total self-absorption and gratification is expected, if it helps someone else, that’s okay, but the important thing is to be patted on the back.

It is hard.  I look at Christian men and women who I have the highest respect for, I see their humility even though they really have made a difference and shake my head. 

They accept the mantel so effortlessly, it seems, they don’t live for glory, they live and work so others will be better off.

I NEED that in my life.  The glow of a temporary flattering, wears off quickly and I am left with who I am.  Do I want to do something JUST to be ‘admired’ and looked up to, or because it is the right thing to do and in doing so it might actually be to my detriment as far as my ego is concerned?

I shouldn’t even have to think about it.  Hopefully, before I leave this earth I will draw closer to Christ and farther away from my inner man.

I really am trying.

Later, Art (-: