Things That Make You Go Hmmm

READY... “If you change the way you look at things, the things you look at change.”  ~ Dr. Wayne Dyer

AIM…  Every once in awhile I’ll stumble across a situation that really makes me scratch my head and think.  I must admit, while these scenarios certainly stretch my brain, they also make me snicker or laugh really hard.  See for yourself and let me know if you figure out any of the answers or if they have you wondering hmmmm as well.

·         If nothing ever sticks to Teflon, how do they make Teflon stick to the pan?

·         What do people in China call their good plates?

·         If the police arrest a mime, do they tell him he has the right to remain silent

·         What was the best thing before sliced bread?

·         How come there aren't B batteries?

·         How is it possible to have a “civil” war?

·         If the #2 pencil is so popular, why is it still #2?

·         What happens to an 18 hour bra after 18 hours?

·         Why do tourists go to the tops of tall buildings and then put money into telescopes so they can see things on the ground close-up?

·         What happened to the first 6 "ups"?

·         Why do hot dogs come 10 to a package and hot dog buns only 8?

·         How do you know that honesty is the best policy until you have tried some of the others?

·         Can you buy an entire chess set in a pawn shop?

·         What if someone died in the living room?

·         Where in the nursery rhyme does it say Humpty Dumpty is an egg?

·         Why do people tell you when they are speechless?

·         Why do we have hot water heaters when hot water doesn't need to be heated?

·         Why doesn't Tarzan have a beard?

·         Why are hemorrhoids called "hemorrhoids" instead of "asteroids"?

·         What if the Hokey Pokey IS what it’s all about?

FIRE!   Admit it, you laughed and actually recited the Humpty Dumpty nursery rhyme to yourself to make sure there wasn’t any mention of an egg, right?  Great!  At least now I know you enjoyed a laugh or two to start your day.  Feel free to forward and share these scalp-scratching scenarios with your friends so they can laugh with you!

Be Excellent!

Lori

Which Half?

READY… “A pessimist is one who makes difficulties of his opportunities and an optimist is one who makes opportunities of his difficulties”  ~ Harry Truman

 

AIM…  Your approach to life can vary from day to day, and it can change based on your circumstances and attitude.  So, are you a glass half full or a glass half empty kind of person?  I know several glass half empty folks.  I can say loads of positive things about most of them.  However, no matter what happens, they expect the worst in all situations.  You know the ones; they just know nothing good is going to happen. Even when things are going well for them, they are waiting for the tide to turn. 

 

I hate to admit it, but I get into those slumps occasionally; although, my glass is usually half full.  Yes, I am an eternal optimist.  I believe that something good is going to happen in every situation.  I, like other glass half-fullers, expect that life is going to work out positively and that God makes sure everything happens for a good reason. You might be saying to yourself, “Self, that is just an unrealistic approach to life.”  Yes, that may be true.  However, I guess if I’m choosing my attitude, I’d rather step up and face life head on with my outlook on the sunshine, up side of things rather than to stand with one foot ready to plunge into the depths of a blue funk.  You know, it’s never too late to change directions--even in the midst of the plunge. If you haven’t hit rock bottom, there’s time. If you have hit the bottom, there’s only one way to go--up.  It’s never too late to take a different attitude to your circumstances.  What do you have to lose?  You can either feel excited with anticipation about life or you can worry with despair about what is to come.  So I ask you again, are you a glass half full or glass half empty kind of person?

 

FIRE!   Ok, so there’s something interesting and joyful about this having a glass half full attitude.  My advice to you comes from a great friend. If there’s a time when you get to feeling not so positive, be sure your glass is at least half full of an incredible beverage!

 

Be Excellent!

Lori

Bullies

READY… “When people hurt you over and over, think of them like sand paper. They may scratch and hurt you a bit, but in the end, you end up polished and they end up useless.” ~ Chris Colfer

AIM…  I understand that October is national anti-bullying month.  I know bullying has become a major issue in the school systems, especially since kids have almost unlimited access to social media. Social media provides a place where their identities are protected from behind a screen. It’s a lot easier to hurl insults and accusations when you don’t have to see the other person face to face.  The truth is that bullies have existed from the dawn of time.  It’s almost a survival of the fittest situation.  However, it’s not ok; it’s never been ok. Sooner or later we, as parents and community members, have to stand up for what’s right and put an end to this dangerous behavior. 

Most folks will argue that the crackdown has to come from home; specifically from the parents.  Well, with broken families and one parent trying to do the job of two, it’s difficult to love and punish with purpose.  I say that is no excuse. That is just a challenge; you can make it work regardless if you have two parents or not.  It’s whether you CHOOSE to reinforce the good morals of kindness, love and honor in your home and outside of your home.  Sadly, the honor of the family name doesn’t mean what it used to.  Kids don’t understand the amount of trouble they can get in and how it will affect the family name and reputation.  There’s so much negativity in our world that most of those inappropriate actions go unaddressed or overlooked.  It’s not until that innocent young girl or awkward teen-age boy comes home and tries to hurt themselves that our society takes notice—and starts to lay blame.

You are a responsible human being with good moral character and integrity, and I challenge you to take care of the people around you.  Bullying isn’t just for kids anymore.  Social media has become a springboard for inappropriate messages and information from all ages.  We must take responsibility to stop bullying.  We must be sure we aren’t contributing to the problem; ignoring what is being posted online is condoning it. Be mindful of your texts and social media comments.  Watch your words in conversations; they become your destiny.  If you wouldn’t want someone else speaking to you in a specific tone or with certain phrases, don’t use them yourself.  Be on the lookout for young men and women who may be in need of a trustworthy adult to confide in or provide direction for help.  It’s time for each one of us to take action against bullies.  Yes, in the long run, most of us have turned out to become amazing people despite our own bullying stories.  However, we can’t risk the chance that just one human being slips through the cracks and falls off the radar due to a lack of awareness or fear of getting involved.

FIRE!   Talk to a young person today.  Ask him about his day; who he hangs out with and what his friends are like.  Be interested in the things he is doing.  Check up on his electronic media and be aware of who he is chatting with online.  (If your kids object, tell them it is your responsibility as a parent to ensure that that they are being socially responsible.) Believe me; you’ll be doing him and yourself a favor in the long run.

Be Excellent!

Lori

Bullseye!

READY… “Whoever walks in integrity walks securely, but whoever takes crooked paths will be found out.” Proverbs 10:9 NIV

AIM… WOW!!  This is the 150^th edition of Arrows of Integrity!  I am still amazed every week (or so) that so many of you are enjoying the stories, gaining personal insight and direction, and are using these messages to help you make good decisions for your life.  I must admit, there are moments when I wonder if this is it.  Am I supposed to continue writing my Arrows messages?  Then, one of my loyal readers will send a comment to me regarding how that week’s information really made a difference for him or her.  Thank you, from the bottom of my heart, for your continued support, love, and grace over the past three years!  I’m thrilled to see what God has in store for these Arrows in the future.  I am so grateful you have shared these messages with your friends, and I hope you encourage them to subscribe if you find yourself forwarding them each week.

I would be remiss if I didn’t share a few bits of inspiration with you on this very special celebration of our 150^th edition.  It got me thinking about the tagline for our title.  Are you REALLY “Aiming for excellence as you target life together” with the rest of the Arrows of Integrity gang?  Have the weekly messages caused you to change directions or think twice about your approach in life?  The overall intent is for each one of us to take these God-inspired words and apply the instruction and advice to our daily lives; for each of us to CHOOSE the high road, to set an example of excellence and to be a guiding light in the world of chaos we live in.  Remember, true integrity is determined by the choices you make when no one else is watching.  However, your example of integrity is being watched every moment of every day. Who is learning from YOUR example?  I encourage each one of us to take a moment to evaluate our intentions and rethink our approaches and reactions to life.  No matter if you are performing a task at work, shopping at the grocery store, driving down the highway, coaching a little league team, leading a Bible study at church, studying for an important test or preparing for retirement, your character determines your destiny.  Choose wisely, my friends, and nothing will stand in your way of hitting the bullseye of success!

FIRE!   As you target life, be true to yourself and your commitment to living a life of integrity.  Let your “yes” be yes and your “no” be no.  Be honest.  Make wise choices that your children would be proud to witness.  Have the courage to stand up for your moral decisions.  Love others.  And at the end of the day, when you look in the mirror and have maintained your self-respect, you’ll know you can sleep peacefully on your journey to success.

Be Excellent!

Lori  

 Check out my daughter, Alyssa’s version of Arrows of Integrity.

I’d say it’s a bullseye!