2011 - Day Three Hundred Sixty Five; Saturday...

Let me get the proselytizing over with, and then we will move on...

pros·e·ly·tize (prs-l-tz)
v. pros·e·ly·tized, pros·e·ly·tiz·ing, pros·e·ly·tiz·es
v.intr.
1. To induce someone to convert to one's own religious faith.
2. To induce someone to join one's own political party or to espouse one's doctrine.
v.tr.
To convert (a person) from one belief, doctrine, cause, or faith to another.

Maybe proselytizing is not really what I am going to do, because I am not trying to win anyone over...maybe it is more of an admission that good advice is easy to give, and difficult to accept or take action on. You be the judge...

If you were looking for a short entry today, you may want to log out and come back another day.

This is the end of my THIRD YEAR of this journal. I did miss one day this year because of technical difficulties (Internet was out), but I cannot believe I have been doing this on a daily basis for that length of time.

Every entry I write ends the same way:

Deeds: Do a good deed for someone, particularly someone that is not expecting it of you. You do have the ability to change the lives of everyone you meed throughout the course of your day. It does not have to be anything big, it can be something as simple as a smile, a recognition or a thank you.

Actions: Actions go right along with deeds. If you say you are going to do something, then do it. Actions do not have to be big either. BUT, even small things can make the difference in someones life. PAY IT FORWARD. Do something nice for someone. Hold the door open for them. If someone is having a hard time, shut up and let them talk. Be a good listener. You can do it, I know you can.

Changes: Make small changes in your life. Those changes will have a reverberating effect on EVERYONE around you. If you start an exercise program (I am not advocating that, I am just using it as an example) and feel better about yourself, that change will be felt by everyone around you. The best thing you can do for yourself and those around you, is to fall in love. That will really make a positive change in your life. You will be happier, and everyone around you will recognize it, and they will be happier too. I highly recommend it. I have been in love for twenty years, so I know of what I preach!

Kindnesses: My friend Kay posted something to her FaceBook page tonight: Please, Thank You, You Are Very Welcome, RSVP (that means tell them if you are going to attend, it does not mean ignore it), I'm Sorry, Pardon me. Now this is where I take over. What is so hard about that. If you have done something to offend someone, just apologize. DO NOT SAY, I am sorry if I offended you. JUST APOLOGIZE! Do not make your apology conditional. You either need to apologize or not.

Whirled Peas: You have either figured it out by now or you have not. If you haven't, there is really no hope for you. Please close this program, turn off your computer and go to bed.

FUN! For God's sake. Try to laugh everyday. Twice a day is better. Laughing will make you live longer, and statistically speaking, people who have more birthdays live longer. You cannot argue with that.

There. I am done with that. Except for this. How many times have I lost my way this year? There were 365 days in this year, and I am certain I lost my way at least that many times. I missed at least that many opportunities to make a positive change in someones life, and I did not take it. I have been selfish on many occasions. I took the easier road many times. I took the path of least resistance time after time after time. Although I consider myself to be a better person now than I was ten or twenty years ago, I still have a LOT of room for improvement. I will try to do better.

I did rekindle some old friendships and I am happy about that. I said things to some of my closest friends that I am not sorry to have said, but those words did not really have any kind of benefit to either party. There is a big difference between being honest and open, and being hurtful. I will try to remember that. No guarantees, I am only human.

Happy New Year, God Bless You, and I love you all...

We now return you to your regularly scheduled programming...

Orchid has a new calf, and I am going to name HIM (I am pretty sure it is a him) NEWBIE. One of my New Year Resolutions is to get all the paperwork on the cattle brought up to date. We shall see. He is a pretty little boy, I think he is a couple days old, so that is what I will call it. That makes EIGHT calves this year, and two of them were from Orchid.

Jody and I went out and did our part to stimulate the economy. We started at CostCo and that was fun, took off to IKEA where it was more fun, and ended up at Dairy Queen where it was just as much fun. IKEA was out of something we wanted (Okay, I went back to IKEA only to find out the item was out of stock), but it is supposed to be available at 10AM tomorrow morning. Guess who will be there at 10AM tomorrow morning?

Hubert came over today and sowed about twenty acres of pasture with oats and some blackland prairie seed that I have had for a couple years. Now all we need is rain.

I am sitting here with a glass of wine, and basking in the fact that I am the luckiest man in the world. Thanks!

Deeds, Actions, Changes, HAPPINESS, Kindnesses, Whirled Peas, FUN!