“December 7, 1941 — a date which will live in infamy — the United States of America was suddenly and deliberately attacked by naval and air forces of the Empire of Japan.” – President Franklin D. Roosevelt
Today is the day we honor the men and women who served and died during the surprise aerial attack largely on Pearl Harbor.
“I fear all we have done is to awaken a sleeping giant and fill him with a terrible resolve.” – Isoroku Yamamoto
Today, I had to have my car towed up the road to a mechanic who replaced my starter. FYI, the starter in my car has been giving me problems for the last two weeks and I basically put off replacing it until today. I replaced it because the starter gave out last night and rendered my car useless. Talking about waiting until the last minute! 
So anyways, I’m talking to the tow truck guy and hear an accent. Almost anytime I hear someone with an accent, I ask them questions about their nationality. Well this guy, Vic, was from Iraq! He said it with hesitation; however, after I responded with enthusiasm, he quickly opened up. He told me he had been in the states for 32 years and got out of Iraq at the beginning of Saddam’s reign. He eventually got his dad out too. Unfortunately, a couple of his cousins have died over the last few years.
We talked a bit more and I asked him if he spoke Arabic. Since I’ve been to Egypt, I know a couple words in Arabic so I spoke to him in Arabic, “Thank You.” He was a bit shocked and returned “Thank You” in Arabic.
I enjoyed that interaction more than he did I think. With the exception of taking a beautiful young lady out on a date, that was probably one of the most rewarding hunks of cash I have spent in the last few months. No regrets.
Next time you meet someone, say an encouraging word. You might make their day… or they may make yours!
We have a bunch of rubber bands at the office. Sometimes, we’ll shoot them at each other or other objects in the office. I can shoot a rubber band over 20 feet pretty accurately. It’s one of those life skills I have acquired!
Q: When is a rubber band most effective?
A: When it is being stretched.
I pondered.
A rubber band is most useful when it is wrapped around something; most effective when it is stretched. Of course, it may be wrapped around a bunch of junk mail; nonetheless, the effectiveness of a rubber band all depends on its ability to stretch!
A lot of times, in the midst of being stretching, there is pain; there is uncertainty; there is a lack of comfort. Even though we know the stretching process is causing us to grow, it still causes us to wonder why in the world it is all happening. It is a good thing that I know who is in control. I’ve given Jesus control of my life so when i get stretched, atleast I know he’s there to catch me when I snap. hehe.
Later I did notice that the rubber band on my arm was cracking and dry. I don’t know what analogy to come up with for that. I guess if a rubber band sits too long w/o doing anything, it can become useless.
As with any rubber band, I need my rest and relaxation. Thanksgiving will be a great time to relax. I will be deer hunting with my Dad in Mississippi and hanging out with my mom and brother. I love driving and it’s very therapeutic, as long as I’m not in traffic. So I’ll strategically plan my trip to avoid traffic. That means an early morning drive on Thursday!
