Red Marbles

This is a great story. 

I was at the corner grocery store buying some early potatoes. I noticed a small boy, delicate of bone and feature, ragged but clean, hungrily apprising a basket of freshly picked green peas. I paid for my potatoes but was also drawn to the display of fresh green peas. I am a pushover for creamed peas and new potatoes. Pondering the peas, I couldn't help overhearing the conversation between Mr. Miller (the store owner) and the ragged boy next to me.

"Hello Barry, how are you today?"
"H'lo, Mr. Miller. Fine, thank ya. Jus' admirin' them peas. They sure look good."
"They are good, Barry. How's your Ma?"
"Fine. Gittin' stronger alla' time."
"Good. Anything I can help you with?"
"No, Sir. Jus' admirin' them peas."
"Would you like to take some home?" asked Mr. Miller.
"No, Sir. Got nuthin' to pay for 'em with."
"Well, what have you to trade me for some of those peas?"
"All I got's my prize marble here."
"Is that right? Let me see it" said Miller.
"Here 'tis. She's a dandy."
"I can see that. Hmmmmm, only thing is this one is blue and I sort of go for red. Do you have a red one like this at home?" the store owner asked.
"Not zackley but almost."
"Tell you what. Take this sack of peas home with you and next trip this way let me look at that red marble" . Mr. Miller told the boy.
"Sure will. Thanks Mr. Miller."
Mrs. Miller, who had been standing nearby, came over to help me. With a smile she said, "There are two other boys like him in our community, all three are in very poor circumstances. Jim just loves to bargain with them for peas, apples, tomatoes, or whatever. When they come back with their red marbles, and they always do, he decides he doesn't like red after all and he sends them home with a bag of produce for a green marble or an orange one, when they come on their next trip to the store."
I left the store smiling to myself, impressed with this man. A short time later I moved toColorado, but I never forgot the story of this man, the boys, and their bartering for marbles.
Several years went by, each more rapid than the previous one. Just recently I had occasion to visit some old friends in that Idaho community and while I was there learned that Mr. Miller had died. They were having his visitation that evening and knowing my friends wanted to go, I agreed to accompany them. Upon arrival at the mortuary we fell into line to meet the relatives of the deceased and to offer whatever words of comfort we could
Ahead of us in line were three young men. One was in an army uniform and the other two wore nice haircuts, dark suits and white shirts...all very professional looking. They approached Mrs. Miller, standing composed and smiling by her husband's casket. Each of the young men hugged her, kissed her on the cheek, spoke briefly with her and moved on to the casket.
Her misty light blue eyes followed them as, one by one, each young man stopped briefly and placed his own warm hand over the cold pale hand in the casket. Each left the mortuary awkwardly, wiping his eyes.
Our turn came to meet Mrs. Miller. I told her who I was and reminded her of the story from those many years ago and what she had told me about her husband's bartering for marbles. With her eyes glistening, she took my hand and led me to the casket.
"Those three young men who just left were the boys I told you about. They just told me how they appreciated the things Jim "traded" them. Now, at last, when Jim could not change his mind about color or size....they came to pay their debt."
"We've never had a great deal of the wealth of this world," she confided, "but right now, Jim would consider himself the richest man in Idaho ."
With loving gentleness she lifted the lifeless fingers of her deceased husband. Resting underneath were three exquisitely shined red marbles.

The Moral : We will not be remembered by our words, but by our kind deeds. Life is not measured by the breaths we take, but by the moments that take our breath.

Today I wish you a day of ordinary miracles ~
A fresh pot of coffee you didn't make yourself.
An unexpected phone call from an old friend.
Green stoplights on your way to work.
The fastest line at the grocery store.
A good sing-along song on the radio.
Your keys found right where you left them.

IT'S NOT WHAT YOU GATHER, BUT WHAT YOU SCATTER THAT TELLS WHAT KIND OF LIFE YOU HAVE LIVED!

Blonde in 1st Class

A PLANE IS ON ITS WAY TO HOUSTON WHEN A BLONDE IN ECONOMY CLASS GETS
UP AND MOVES TO THE FIRST CLASS SECTION AND SITS DOWN.
 THE FLIGHT ATTENDANT WATCHES HER DO THIS AND ASKS TO SEE HER TICKET.
SHE THEN TELLS THE BLONDE THAT SHE PAID FOR ECONOMY CLASS AND THAT SHE
WILL HAVE TO SIT IN THE BACK.
THE BLONDE REPLIES, "I'M BLONDE, I'M BEAUTIFUL, I'M GOING TO HOUSTON
AND I'M STAYING RIGHT HERE."
THE FLIGHT ATTENDANT GOES INTO THE COCKPIT AND TELLS
THE PILOT AND THE CO-PILOT THAT THERE IS A BLONDE BIMBO SITTING IN
FIRST CLASS THAT BELONGS IN ECONOMY AND WON'T MOVE BACK TO HER SEAT.
THE CO-PILOT GOES BACK TO THE BLONDE AND TRIES TO EXPLAIN THAT BECAUSE
SHE ONLY PAID FOR ECONOMY SHE WILL HAVE TO LEAVE AND RETURN TO HER
SEAT.
THE BLONDE REPLIES, "I'M BLONDE, I'M BEAUTIFUL, I'M GOING TO HOUSTON

AND I'M STAYING RIGHT HERE."
THE CO-PILOT TELLS THE PILOT THAT HE PROBABLY SHOULD HAVE THE POLICE
WAITING WHEN THEY LAND TO ARREST THIS BLONDE WOMAN WHO WON'T LISTEN TO
REASON.
THE PILOT SAYS, "YOU SAY SHE IS A BLONDE? I'LL HANDLE THIS.
I'M MARRIED TO A BLONDE. I SPEAK BLONDE."
HE GOES BACK TO THE BLONDE AND WHISPERS IN HER EAR, AND SHE SAYS, "OH,
I'M SORRY." AND SHE GETS UP AND GOES BACK TO HER SEAT IN ECONOMY.
THE FLIGHT ATTENDANT AND CO-PILOT ARE AMAZED AND ASKED HIM WHAT HE
SAID TO MAKE HER MOVE WITHOUT ANY FUSS.
I TOLD HER, "FIRST CLASS ISN'T GOING TO HOUSTON

Bathtub test

It doesn't hurt to take a hard look at yourself from time to time, and

this should help get you started.

During a visit to the mental asylum, a visitor asked the Director what

the criterion was which defined whether or not a patient should be

institutionalized.

"Well," said the Director, "we fill up a bathtub, then we offer a

teaspoon, a teacup and a bucket to the patient and ask him or her to

empty the bathtub."

"Oh, I understand," said the visitor. "A normal person would use the

bucket because it's bigger than the spoon or the teacup.

"No." said the Director, "A normal person would pull the plug. Do you

want a bed near the window?" 

Does this make sense?

 Here is a REAL INTERVIEW with an illegal Mexican at a protest march in
Texas Trying to reason with an Illegal Mexican. This is good!

 Below is a good example of a discussion with a master of circular logic.
Don't be logical, don't respect the truth or your adversary, just say what
you think makes a new case when the previous case gets too difficult to
defend.

 On the streets of downtown Houston, May 1, 2006. Jim Moore reporting for
a Houston TV station:

 Jim: Juan, I see that you and thousands of other protesters are marching
in the streets to demonstrate for your cause. Exactly what s your cause
and what do you expect to accomplish by this protest?

 Juan: We want our rights. We will show you how powerful we are. We will
bring Houston to its knees!

 Jim: What rights?

 Juan: Our right to live here...legally. Our right to get all the
benefits you get.

 Jim: When did you come to the United States?

 Juan: Six years ago. I crossed over the border at night with seven
other friends.

 Jim: Why did you come?

 Juan: For work. I can earn as much in a month as I could in a year in
Mexico. Besides, I get free health care, our Mexican children can go to
school free, if I lose my job I will get Welfare, and someday I will have
the Social Security. Nothing like that in Mexico!

 Jim: Did you feel badly about breaking our immigration laws when you
came?

 Juan: No! Why should I feel bad I have a right to be here. I have a
right to amnesty. I paid lots of money for my Social Security and Green
Cards.

 Jim: How did you acquire those documents?

 Juan: >From a guy in Dallas. He charged me a lot of money too.

 Jim: Did you know that those documents were forged?

 Juan: It is of no matter. I have a right to be here and work.

 Jim: What is the "right" you speak of?

 Juan: The right of all Aliens. It is found in your Constitution. Read
it!

 Jim: I have read it, but I do not remember it saying anything about
rights for Aliens.

 Juan: It is in that part where it says that all men have Alien rights,
like the right to pursue happiness. I wasn't happy in Mexico, so I came
here.

 Jim: I think you are referring to the Declaration of Independence and
that document speaks to unalienable right ... Not Alien rights.

 Juan: Whatever.

 Jim: Since you are demanding to become an American citizen, why then are
you carrying a Mexican Flag?

 Juan: Because I am Mexican.

 Jim: But you said you want to be given amnesty.. To become a US
citizen.

 Juan: No. This is not what we want. This is our country, a part of
Mexico that you Gringos stole from us. We want it returned to its rightful
owner.

 Jim: Juan, you are standing in Texas. After wining the war with Mexico,
Texas became a Republic, and later Texans voted to join the USA. It was not
stolen from Mexico.

 Juan: That is a Gringo lie. Texas was stolen. So was California, New
Mexico and Arizona. It is just like all the other stuff you Gringos steal,
like oil and babies. You are a country of thieves.

 Jim: Babies?You think we steal babies?

 Juan: Sure. Like from Korea and Vietnam and China. I see them all over
the place. You let all these foreigners in, but try to keep us Mexicans
out. How is this fair?

 Jim: So, you really don't want to become an American citizen then.

 Juan: I just want my rights! Everyone has a right to live, work, and
speak their native language wherever and whenever they please. That's
another thing we demand All signs and official documents should be in
Spanish. Teachers must teach in Spanish. Soon, more people here in Houston
will speak Spanish than English. It is our right!

 Jim: If I were to cross over the border into Mexico without proper
documentation, what rights would I have there?

 Juan: None. You would probably go to jail, but that's different.

 Jim: How is it different? You said everyone has the right to liveBR>> wherever they please.

 Juan: You Gringos are a bunch of land grabbing thieves. Now you want
Mexico too? Mexico has its rights. You Gringos have no rights in Mexico.
Why would you want to go there anyway? There is no free medical service,
schools, or welfare there for foreigners such as you. You cannot even own
land in my country. Stay in the country of your birth.

 Jim: I can see that there is no way that we can agree on this issue.
Thank you for your comments.

 Juan: Viva Mexico!!!

test for smart people

Ok people, here is a test for all you smart people out there.  There is a total of 4 questions.  I will post the first question, give your guess in the comment section then in a few days I will post the answer and the next question.

 

Ready….here we go.

 
1. How do you put a giraffe into a refrigerator?

Redneck fish

A redneck was stopped by a game warden in Eastern Oklahoma recently with
Two ice chests full of fish. He was leavin' a cove well-known for its
Fishing.
The game warden asked the man, "Do you have a license to catch those
Fish?"
"Naw, sir", replied the redneck. "I ain't got none of them there
Licenses. You must understand, these here are my pet fish."

"Pet fish?"

"Yeah. Every night, I take these here fish down to the lake and let
'em swim 'round for awhile. Then, when I whistle, they jump right
Back into these here ice chests and I take 'em home

""That's a bunch of hooey! Fish can't do that."
The redneck looked at the warden for a moment and then said, "It's
The truth Mr. Government Man. I'll show ya. It really works."
"O. K.", said the warden. "I've got to see this!"
The redneck poured the fish into the lake and stood and waited.

After several minutes, the warden says, "Well?"
"Well, what?", says the redneck.
The warden says, "When are you going to call them back?"
"Call who back?"
"The FISH", replied the warden!
"What fish?", replied the redneck.

Moral of the story:
We may not be as smart as some city slickers, but we ain't as dumb as
Some government employees 

Mothers Who Drugged Us!

 The other day, someone at a store in our town read that a

 Methamphetamine lab had been found in an old farmhouse in the

 adjoining county and

 he asked me a rhetorical question,

 

 ''Why didn't we have a drug problem when you and I were growing up?''

 

 I replied, I had a drug problem when I was young:

 

 I was drug to church on Sunday morning. I was drug to church for

 weddings and funerals.

 

 I was drug to family reunions and community socials no matter the

 weather.

 

 I was drug by my ears when I was disrespectful to adults.  I was also

 drug to the woodshed when I disobeyed my parents, told a lie, did not

 speak with respect, spoke ill of the teacher or the preacher, or if I

 didn't put forth my best effort in everything that was asked of me.

 

 I was drug to the kitchen sink to have my mouth washed out with soap

 if I uttered a profanity.

 I was drug out to pull weeds in mom's garden and flower beds and

 cockleburs out of dad's fields.

 I was drug to the homes of family, friends, and neighbors to help out

 some poor soul who had no one to mow the yard, repair the clothesline,

 or chop some firewood and, if my mother had ever known that I took a

 single dime as a tip for this kindness, she would have drug me back to

 the woodshed.

 Those drugs are still in my veins and they affect my behavior in

 everything I do, say, and think. They are stronger than cocaine,

 crack, or heroin; and, if today's children had this kind of drug

 problem, America would be a better place.

 

 ~author unknown~

 

 God bless the parents who drugged us.

 

Year 1907

Who knew at the time how pertinent his speach would be today?

The year was 1907......but the speaker knew what he was talking
about.

Theodore Roosevelt's ideas on Immigrants and being an AMERICAN
in 1907.

"In the first place, we should insist that if the immigrant
who comes here in good faith becomes an American and assimilates himself
to us, he shall be treated on an exact equality with everyone else, for
it is an outrage to discriminate against any such man because of creed,
or birthplace, or origin.. But this is predicated upon the person's
becoming in every facet an American. But as an American...There can be
no divided allegiance here. Any man who says he is an American, but
something else also, isn't an American at all. We have room for but one
flag, the American flag... We have room for but one language here, and
that is the English language... And we have room for but one sole
loyalty and that is a loyalty to the American people."

Theodore Roosevelt 1907