what I really believe

Things I know

I do know some little things about life, here at the ripe old age of 29. And, as far as I can know, they are fundamental as to how life works. I have religious beliefs, and then there are the beliefs I have despite what others preach as “right” or whatever. Here are some:

Things we humans get hung up on simple do not matter; for example, the bad things the neighbor did years ago, the cuss word your teacher punished you for, but she says at home when she gets mad.

Profanity is only profane because we assign it as so. How a thing is said of course matters. Sometimes spoken profanity makes the communication more accurate. Such as, instead of saying “I really disagree with you, sir” you may be thinking in your mind “what a bunch of bullshit.”

If you feel bad about a thing you have done, well, there is a reason for that. Probably you did it with the wrong intention, motivation or something. Your concience helps you know where your really at. You can know in yourself you did a wrong thing even when it looked exactly like the right thing to everyone else, and vise-versa.

All people feel. Your background, ethnic culture, doesn’t really divide you from others unless you let it. Basic humanity overcomes basic culture. Don’t we all have fingerprints and beating hearts?

Life is not, contrary to the american way, a pursuit of happiness. In my way of thinking, it is a pursuit of right ways vs. wrong ways and hopefully making the choices rightly, thereby finding ones self happy with it, and content. Its not a contest.

Most things in life, to my best guess, just are. They were planned to be just that way, beyond explanation.

What seems like a conincidence may really have been providence. If you bother to believe in providence; meaning, many people claim God did a thing, but actually, he didn’t, he just let the thing happen. But sometimes, God really does, really does make a thing happen. Usually not.

If I came into some money, it would make me happy for a little while. It is like this: money or a good sex life can make you a little happy for a little while. Then that feeling wears off. Feelings waver too much to last very long about anything.

Music is a basic human need. It can make you feel what you didn’t want to feel, or what you wanted to feel. It can have you wishing to sing and cry at the same time. Or make a liar out of you. Music is a basic essential element of every known culture that ever existed so far on earth.

We humans are connected forever to the earth and the animals. When I was not in contact with these, I began to feel myself die. When I came home, and got to touch the dirt again, and be with the animals again, I felt life come back to me. I don’t know why God made us like this, but you read the first few chapters of genesis and see that I am right. I need the dirt and the animals and they need me. After all, we are all made of dirt according to the scriptures anyhow.

We are all self preservationists. Don't tell me you are thinking of charity when you have missed a meal yourself. You are thinking about filling your own stomach first, am I right?

Superstitions

We all have some. Its not that I really believe them anymore, but at some point, they did help me make sense of the world.
Ones I have been (secretly!) harboring, since childhood:

You can’t watch the toilet flush or it won’t go down.

If you stare long enough at the sky you might see God.

Don’t say the bad thing you think is going to happen next; it sure will happen if you do.

The odds are secretly stacked against all of us. (is that the definition of pessimism?)

If you kick a dog, God will send someone to be mean to you that day for sure.

If you are telling the truth, and you really need the person to hear it, you can look at them with your left eye and they will understand you are telling the truth.

I have always believed that if I really had the guts to try walking on water, and really was sure I would WALK on the water, that it would happen.

Do you have a strange belief that you can’t explain but you know its so?

Huh?

This evening my mother and I had a little moment. My mother was trying to instruct me on how to make chinese stir-fried vegetables. HAHA! I found this VERY FUNNY! Between she and I, which one of us is more likely to know? ,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

Yes Auntie, Thank You

I went to the farmer's market tuesday afternoon, which is just like any market you would see in Seremban: some farmers, some veggies, some flowers, some meats. Only, because of regulations all the meat is slaughtered at the shop and brought out already wrapped in paper. Really very neat and clean. It is always in the parking lot somewhere and very quiet and friendly, no matter how large the crowd, and never smelly.

Well, there were several local farmers there I wanted to buy from. Oh yes, another difference, you don't haggle the price. It is considered rude. You just find who is selling for less by trial and error.

Guess what? You will laugh....

The lady selling vegetables was an asian lady, which is a little surprising, considering the area, but probably she was from LaCrosse, which is more diverse. My instincts kicked in. My manners would not allow me to address her as anything but "auntie" (as you know, is the standard polite address in Seremban, correct or not?)

She looked up and smiled at me a little surprised. She was from Thailand. We chatted a little.

I paid her four dollars for 10 carrots and two eggplants.

I said "Thank you Auntie" when I left and she looked so pleased. :)

Ruth Is....

I sometimes like those books or quizzes on "personality types" and all that mumbo jumbo. Of course it all depends on how you feel that day, and how you think of yourself. Along that vein, here I will describe myself as...

Tall. Or maybe just average.
Blonde. Or maybe not. My sis calls it dishwater hair!
Friendly. Do you think so? It all depends...
Smart. This is certainly debateable.
Professional. But only at work.
Silly. My kids would agree for sure.
Polite. Or maybe her manners need a little refining.
Redneck. Well, I started out that way. I can drop it if I have to.
Flexible. wellll.......not so much.....more like,
Stubborn. But I can make compromises when it is best.
Hardworking. But not as hardworking as the men around here.
Motherly. It happened in a second when my eldest was born.
Inquisitive. Now WHY would one say that?
Quiet. But I sure write a heap!
HAHA-what do you think??!

Train Wreck

Road to LaCrosse was closed tuesday morning. Why? There was a train derailment exactly at the junction where the blacktop road (26) meets our gravel roads (249). I didn't know about it until Linda (nanny) told me when I brought the kids to her. Going to her place is a slightly different route. So, I couldn't get through and had to go around all tuesday. Thursday, I was able to see it. Wish I could post a pic for you (computer too slow, will not post pics). There are 27 train cars derailed into running slough at Reno and some had leaked ethanol petrol. What a mess! Huge mess. The cars are accordianed into the mush and some are wheels-up, some are sinking into the slough and still others have been pulled out with a wench. One could see that the rail bridge had fallen. Round-the-clock fire station supervision of the area is required because of combustion risk. Traffic is still one lane due to the work zone created to try to handle the clean up.
I really hope it didn't poison the slough and other backwaters. I love to fish there.

Wild News

My uncle had a cougar near his barn. This is not the first time-
Anyway, he didn't know for sure if it was a cat or a bear, he was not close enough. From curiosity, he got closer without remembering his gun. (That seems really odd knowing him) Well, his dog went to chase it off and came back to him scared.... ...good indication it was a cougar. It was light brown and moved quickly, so likely not a bear (which would be dark in color and slow moving.) A cougar coming that close to the buildings is a real threat and so we are all on alert. My uncle has calves. We have both calves and small children. Continuing to be on alert and armed at all times. Likely it will come to nothing.

Dad's Back!

Robyn and Dad had a great time on their little road trip. They loaded up her pickup truck, checked the oil and added petrol and they were off! They drove out to Arizona over two days. This time, they decided to cut north of the mountains (last time they went through Wolf Creek Pass, which from what I hear, was its own adventure) and through Alberquerque (sp.?) This is the second road trip they have done together-I am glad they do this-great memories as time passes. Bound to become tradition! Robyn got acquainted with her new apartment, a small one bedroom deal, of which Dad repaired the wiring in the ceiling fixtures and Robyn has already painted the interior. TR (Robyn) reports no other bumps along the way to settlin' in. Robyn put Dad on the bus Tuesday aft, and he rode 1515 miles back on the mighty Greyhound transit system. Mom picked him up for another 70 miles or so in their car. So finally Friday night Dad was home!
We really, really missed our captian, chaplain, woodsman and strongman. Farm just didn't seem right without him. Much to quiet around here. So what do we do to welcome back our fearless leader? EAT, of course!
Friday supper was:

Hickory Barbequed Chicken, a piece for each, including the kids
Macaroni and Cheese, the Real Deal with peas and ham
Fluffy Fruit Salad with mango pudding
Date Hickory nut cake in powdered sugar
Moist Homemade Cornbread with butter, syrup or gravy
Homemade cucumber pickles (this year's garden)
Campsite Coffee with cream
Iced Tea and Iced Green Tea

We are happy to have Dad back after a week away and wish Robyn the best for her coming school year in Arizona!