The last day of July in a summer that's been very nice, indeed, so far. We've only had one week of insufferable heat and just enough rain to keep the grass growing.
One final reminder that there will be no e-mail version of Mark's Musings next week. I'm heading out of town on Tuesday for a convention and only want to worry about updating my blog. So the Great Blog Experiment begins. I'll be back in your Inbox on Monday, August 10.
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AN OLDIE BUT A GOODIE: "WHAT I'VE LEARNED"
Age 5: I've learned I like my teacher because she cries when we sing "Silent Night."
Age 7: I've learned that our dog doesn't want to eat my broccoli, either.
Age 9: I've learned that when I wave to people in the country, they stop what they are doing and wave back.
Age 12: I've learned that just when I get my room the way I like it, Mom makes me clean it up.
Age 14: I've learned that if you want to cheer yourself up, you should try cheering someone else up.
Age 15: I've learned that although it's hard to admit it, I'm secretly glad my parents are strict with me.
Age 24: I've learned that silent company is more healing than words of advice.
Age 29: I've learned that wherever I go, the world's worst drivers have followed me there.
Age 30: I've learned that if someone says something unkind about me, I must live so that no one will believe it.
Age 44: I've learned that you can make someone's day by just sending them a little note.
Age 48: I've learned that no matter what happens or how bad it seems today, life does go on and it will be better tomorrow.
Age 50: I've learned that motel mattresses are better on the side away from the phone.
Age 51: I've learned that you can tell a lot about a person by the way he or she handles three things: a rainy day, lost luggage, and tangled Christmas lights.
Age 52: I've learned that keeping a vegetable garden is worth a medicine cabinet of pills.
Age 64: I've learned that you shouldn't go through life with a catcher's mitt on both hands. You need to be able to throw something back.
Age 72: I've learned that everyone can use a prayer.
Age 82: I've learned that even when I have pains, I don't have to be one.
Age 90: I've learned that every day you should touch someone. People love that human touch.
Age 92: I've learned that I still have a lot to learn.
[selected from Pastor Tim's Illustrations, but seen all over the 'Net]
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You know, I'll bet this is a subject upon which my readers can do better. Send me what you've learned, and your age - don't worry, I won't reveal your name to anyone - and in a couple of weeks I'll publish a new batch.
And who knew the White House reads my blog? Or that they are so afraid of my staunch readership? Within one day of publishing the "Cash for Clunkers" links, the U.S. Government shut down the program because it was running out of money too fast. But hey, as I double-checked this on Friday afternoon, the House of Representatives is rushing to add another two billion so the program should be back in operation soon enough.
Goodness. I'll see you on Monday. At the blog and the blog only.
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WEB SITE of the WEEK: Are you just about done with your summer reading list? Need one more book to carry you through to Labor Day? Try visiting http://www.randomhouse.com/modernlibrary/ and review their lists of 100 different books from individual genres. There's novels, nonfiction, editor-recommended, reader-recommended, and others.
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Mark's Musings is sent each weekday - EXCEPT FOR NEXT WEEK - using Ezine Director and I pay a little extra every day to make sure those folks are certified by Habeas to be a safe sender of e-mail. Subscribe, view past issues in my Archives, and otherwise pleasantly click your mouse at my web site. To contact me and sooner or later get a reply, click here. My wife told me to stop trying to be funny and just upload the post, already, so nothing goofy in this space. Sorry. You can forward or reprint "Mark's Musings" freely but please keep the credits attached. I don't care so much that I get credit for this work but the credits do impart some important information. Original material and musings © 2009 by Mark Raymond. I update this blog with a copy of my post daily and occasionally with "bonus material" whenever the mood or muse strikes. Look for the label that says "bonus" and you can bring all that extra material up with one click. My personal mission statement remains John 3:30. Find me on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/baldmark/. And the road goes ever on.
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WORDS for YOUR WEEKEND: "It's all right to have butterflies in your stomach. Just get them to fly in formation." (Robert Gilbert)