22
Dec

Being Grateful – an important reminder

   Posted by: Wayne Armstrong   in Straight Talk

A simple thank you goes a long way. I keep thinking about how many people are so trapped in their thinking about what they don’t have. The big screen TV that their neighbor has, the cars, the houses etc.

I came from Africa where poverty is rampant. I now live in the US where poverty of a different kind is rampant. There is a poverty of thankfulness for all the blessings that we have here. I have a house, thank you Lord. I have a lovely wife and two wonderful boys, Thank you Lord. I have food on the table and a Christmas tree, Thank you Lord. I have family, extended family and church family who choose to share their love and their lives with me, Thank you Lord.

I have clean water, heat in the winter and electricity, Thank you Lord. I get to touch peoples lives with hope and blessing and share experiences with friends.

If you do not know what it means to be grateful and thankful take a trip to Zimbabwe for a year. Go without Water for Days on end. Go without electricity and have an erratic power schedule. Go to the store and find nothing of value on the shelves and what you can find is 3 times the price here in the US while earning  1/100th of what you would in the US if you are lucky enough to have a job.

All my years growing up there, while we may not have had everything we wanted we could always share a smile, share some love, have a meal together and laugh.

Reality Check : Lets get back to the basics. Loving family and friends and sharing life is a great way to live. we dont need all the stuff that America craves. If we can connect with our creator and each other we will find a depth of life that brings great joy and celebration.

Tags: , , ,

19
Dec

The Wisdom that comes with Age

   Posted by: Wayne Armstrong   in Funny

This is why women should not take men shopping against their will. A funny story I received by email. Let me say upfront, give me a chance at that age and i would do something like this.

After I retired, my wife insisted that I accompany her on her trips to Wal-Mart. Unfortunately, like most men, I found shopping boring and preferred to get in and get out.

Equally unfortunately, my wife is like most women – she loved to browse. Yesterday my dear wife received the following letter from the local Wal-Mart:

Dear Mrs. Smith,

Over the past six months, your husband has been causing quite a commotion in our store. We cannot tolerate this behavior and have been forced to ban both of you from the store. Our complaints against Mr. Smith are listed below and are documented by our video surveillance cameras.

1. June 15: Took 24 boxes of condoms and randomly put them in people’s carts when they weren’t looking.

2 . July 2: Set all the alarm clocks in Housewares to go off at 5-minute intervals.

3. July 7: Made a trail of tomato juice on the floor leading to the women’s restroom.

4. July 19: Walked up to an employee and told her in an official voice, ‘Code 3 in Housewares. Get on it right away. ‘

5. August 4: Went to the Service Desk and tried to put a bag of M&M’s on layaway.

6. August 14: Moved a ‘CAUTION – WET FLOOR’ sign to a carpeted area.

7. August 15: Set up a tent in the camping department and told other shoppers he’d invite them in if they would bring pillows and blankets from the bedding department.

8. August 23: When a clerk asked if they could help him, he began crying and screamed, ‘Why can’t you people just leave me alone?’

9. September 4: Looked right into the security cam era and used it as a mirror while he picked his nose.

10. September 10: While handling guns in the hunting department, he asked the clerk where the antidepressants were.

11. October 3: Darted around the store suspiciously while loudly humming the ‘Mission Impossible’ theme.

12. October 6: In the auto department, he practiced his ‘Madonna look’ by using different sizes of funnels.

13. October 18: Hid in a clothing rack and when people browsed through, yelled ‘PICK ME! PICK ME!’

14. October 21: When an announcement came over the loud speaker, he assumed a fetal position and screamed ‘OH NO! IT’S THOSE VOICES AGAIN!’

And last, but not least .

15. October 23: Went into a fitting room, shut the door, waited awhile, then yelled very loudly, ‘Hey! There’s no toilet paper in here!’

I hope you got a chuckle out of some of this. Do not underestimate the lengths at which men will go to avoid shopping.

Merry Christmas, Happy holidays, or whatever you want to say just enjoy it.

Tags: , , , , , ,

10
Dec

Christmas Sleigh Ride

   Posted by: Wayne Armstrong   in Funny

Now this one is for those of my readers who have a sense of humor. If you are a stiff board find another post.

Just a little humor for the Christmas season.

Reality Check : Things don’t always go as planned. Beware the unexpected and always be willing to laugh even at yourself.

Have you got any funny Christmas stories to share feel free to leave a comment.

Tags: , ,

5
Oct

Bias

   Posted by: Wayne Armstrong   in Straight Talk

Am I free from bias? No. I am just tired of hearing all the bickering and he said she said. I am tired of the destructive negative campaigning if only that much energy could be put into finding viable solutions to the current problems in the country we would be a lighthouse for the world.

Excellence should be expected from all citizens and residents in this country. It is in being excellent that we can be proud of what we accomplish. We would not need to blame shift but would be accountable for our actions.

It is time to change the culture of America from the current it is my right to get, get, get to what can I give, how can I improve the lives of my family, my community and my country.

Reality Check – Freedom should never be seperated from responsibility. People come first not profit!!! Greed always robs honor and dignity and causes harm to everyone

Tags: ,

29
Sep

Moral concience

   Posted by: Wayne Armstrong   in Straight Talk

Moral Conscience

I have a question relating to our moral conscience. If we in this media generation have spent more time in front of television and being fed a version of reality which often times does not line up with experience. How much can we trust our moral conscience when the majority of young people don’t believe in any absolutes. If truth is relative to the believer then how can I trust that my neighbor, politician or any leader has our best interest at heart.

The courts don’t define truth they just interpret it based on the facts or lack of facts. The worship of man and his intellect has led us down a path of moral decay. Our moral conscious cannot be trusted unless it is based on a universal truth that is greater than us or our interpretation of it. Corporately we now value the life of seals or dogs more than the life of our fellow man. We throw tons of money into environmental causes yet we let our neighbor struggle to feed his starving family. We abort thousands of babies a day yet do not shed a tear, but tear men apart as inhumane for killing an animal.

Man and his material needs will never give us the moral compass we need. Only God.

The American system of government was founded by men with a high regard for the divine. The bible says

“For the LORD is our judge, the LORD is our lawgiver, the LORD is our King; it is He who will save us” (Isaiah 33:22). Do you see the three branches of the perfect government ruled by God. The legislative, judicial and executive form of human government is intended to be a reflection of the divine and as such have its sources directly connected to the divine in order for it to be effective.

For America to work as she was designed she needs to corporately connect back to the creator and his truth. Then she will once again rise in prosperity under the mighty hand of the Almighty.

Reality Check :

If people believe that voting their moral conscience will work then make sure your moral conscience is connected and trained by the divine creator and not by the intellect of man.

Tags: , , , , ,

28
Sep

Television Friend or Foe?

   Posted by: Wayne Armstrong   in Straight Talk

Number of minutes per week that parents spend in meaningful conversation with their children: 3.5

Number of minutes per week that the average child watches television: 1,680 (28 hours)

Number of murders seen on TV by the time an average child finishes elementary school: 8,000

Number of violent acts seen on TV by age 18: 200,000

Percentage of Americans who believe TV violence helps precipitate real life mayhem: 79

Number of 30-second TV commercials seen in a year by an average child: 20,000

Source

http://www.csun.edu/science/health/docs/tv&health.html

So with these few selected stats is it any wonder we have families in so much trouble. The troubling thing for me is not only the above but that our moral conscience is being formed and manipulated to conform to the norms force fed us through the various media channels.

Think of it this way 28 hours or more a week devoted to learning and discovery, training our minds and spirits to listen to our creator would bring us many of the solutions we are currently needing in our society. We would learn how to creatively solve problems, communicate effectively with each other and maybe just maybe bring the joys of being in a family back to the family.

Instead of training our children the resolve their issues through violence, manipulation, gossip etc all found in prime time viewing maybe we could have heart to heart conversations with them, pass on our love and concern and experience life first hand and not through the little glass screen.

Am I advocating the removal of TV by no means just a reduction of the amount we expose ourselves to someone else’s values that are not health for me or my family.

Here’s a thought maybe invite your neighbor round for a barbecue and get to know them as a person.

Reality Check : Is it time to take stock of your life and see how much of your life you may be loosing to TV? Life is meant to be lived and shared. Someone needs you!!!

Tags: , , , ,