kc bob

What Candidates need to do to ICE IT.

Inspiration: JFK and Reagan are two of the most notable examples of presidents that were able to inspire America. This seems to me to be the first step in securing a nomination. Great candidates inspire voters more than attack their competition.

Character: Honesty and trustworthiness are cornerstones of great leaders. A candidate with integrity and vulnerability is attractive to many people - even those having such a cynical approach to government. Often though, voters are not able to truly discern character.

Experience: I have found that leadership is something that is forged and refined in life. Folks like me are good leaders when we lead a few but falter when we lead many. So it is important to examine the leadership experiences of candidates to determine their ability to lead at the highest levels.

Ideology: Sadly some voters never get past this qualification. If a person matches their own positions on the issues they sometimes do not seriously consider other qualifications. Not saying that political ideology is not important. It should be weighed in with other criteria but not be the lone determination.

Temperament: Ronald Reagan and Bill Clinton had great interpersonal skills. Each was able to work with congressional leaders from the other parties. Great leaders are people who have the ability to transcend ideology and work across the aisle. I have found people like this to be a bit rare in politics.

Pizza Eating Personalities

Our small group talked about the Enneagram Personality Test this week. So my attention was peaked when I heard that Cosmo came up with personality types based on the way that you eat a slice of pizza. Here is the way that Fox News tells it:

There are 4 distinct personality types—drivers, influencers, supporters, and careful correctors—who tend to have very unique ways of doing things, even small tasks.

Cosmopolitan then applied that same research to people’s pizza eating techniques--and here's what they found:

If you fold it: Those who fold their pizza slice are considered "drivers." They're multi-taskers; they want to eat the pizza fast, and eat it while doing something else.
If you start with the crust: People who eat the crust first are described as “influencers” who are spontaneous and like to be different.
If you use a knife and fork: Those who cut their pizza are known as “supporters.” The research says they approach life relaxed and are warm and friendly listeners who likely let their friends get their slice first.
If you just pick it up and bite: Those who eat it with their hands and bite their slice are known as the "careful correctors." They like to plan ahead so everything turns out as expected. They usually stick with the same flavors and toppings.

I fold it but do not admit to the driver personality. I may be a multitasker but do not think that I eat it all that fast.

So how do you eat your pizza? Do you resonate with the associated personality?

LOL. It's Good for You!

Studies on humor and laughter from Duke University, Loma Linda University, UCLA,
and even from other countries such as Great Britain have shown:

Laughing helps relax tense muscles.
Laughter reduces the production of stress hormones.
Laughter and a positive attitude strengthen the immune system.
Laughter allows a person to 'forget' about aches and pains and perceive pain as less intense.
A good laugh is like an aerobic workout for the heart and lungs--increasing the body's ability to use oxygen.
Laughter helps lower high blood pressure.
There are no known negative side effects to laughter.

Read these in an email from Kim Allen and thought I would pass along.

Grown Up Hodgepodge

The folks at This Side of the Pond have a meme called Wednesday Hodgepodge. Here is my entry for today ...

At what age did you feel like a 'grown-up'? What keeps you young now?

Two answers: When I raised my hand and was sworn in to the US Army. And when the eye doctor told my first wife Ellen that she was going blind. These days my grandkids keep me young. Sort of. Sometimes they make me feel old. ツ
When did you last buy a vehicle? Was this by design or because you had no other option? Was the car/truck purchased for your own personal use or was it bought for someone else to drive? On a scale of 1-10 (with 10 being delightful and 1 being 'pass the Excedrin') how would you rate the experience?

In January 2008 I traded my great SUV in on a wheelchair minivan. It was a depressing purchase as we had no other option - except for color and features. I give the buying experience a 2 but these days I see it more as a 7.
Corn bread, corn chips, corn pudding, corn on the cob, cornflakes, corn chowder-your favorite of the corn-y foods listed? What needs to be served alongside your selection?

KC Cheesy Corn, corn on the cob and corn out of a freezer bag. Nothing beats a slab of KC ribs with a side of Cheesy Corn! Add a side of KC BBQ Beans and you have a meal!
What's something in your life that regularly requires you to 'put your thinking cap on'?

Trying understand where a person is coming from. Not making assumptions about their motives.
Trying to walk a few proverbial blocks in their shoes.
Share a favorite movie set in a school or classroom, or whose theme relates to school days in some way.

Both "To Sir With Love" and Grease come to mind.
Reading, writing, and 'rithmatic' are commonly referred to as the three R's. What are the 3 R's in your life right now?

Reading blogs, developing Relationships and walking to Restaurants close to our loft.
What's something you've learned or tried recently you can say was as 'easy as ABC'?

Learning about the affects of carbohydrates on my body. Putting my learning to use and eating less carbs.
Insert your own random thought here.

"Only the mediocre are at their best every day."

Thanks for reading. Join the fun at This Side of the Pond.

I'm Not a Robot

... according to Blogger. Who is pretty much a robot. ツ

Irish Proverbs

Better good manners than good looks.

Promise is in honour’s debt.

Forgetting a debt doesn’t mean it’s paid.

Who gossips with you will gossip of you.

It is more difficult to maintain honour than to become prosperous. ...... However long the day, night must fall.

Better to be a man of character than a man of means. ...... Lie down with dogs and you’ll rise with fleas.

A man may live after losing his life but not after losing his honour. ...... Who keeps his tongue keeps his friends.

Slow is every foot on an unknown path. ...... If God sends you down a stony path, may he give you strong shoes.

Tesla X suv

Anyone else see the problem with the doors?

Job and The Grieving Process

Three years ago this month I shared a series of devotions on the book of Job and how his process of grieving the loss of his ten children is so relatable today. Following are links to those 31 daily meditations.

Naked I came. Naked shall I return :: utterances from a very numb person
The Lord gave. The Lord has taken away :: a cloaked accusation of sorts
It may be that my children :: worry, on the surface, is not problematic
Shall we not receive evil? :: clichés keep us stuck in denial
Job opened his mouth :: after seven days of sitting shiva, Job can no longer contain his hurt
Why? :: sometimes questions keep us stuck in our pain
What I dread befalls me :: suffering loss sometimes produces a fear of future pain
He wounds but he binds up? :: a damaging theology that stifles the grieving process
The arrows of the Almighty are in me :: blessed denial fades making way for intense grieving emotions
Does God pervert justice? :: religious people sometimes feel a need to play detective with our pain
Now you have destroyed me altogether :: bad theology can create toxicity in the one who us grieving
You will forget your misery :: advice sometimes only angers people in pain and keeps them stuck in grief
I am a laughingstock to my friends :: all Job could feel was a sense of finger pointing
Though he slay me, I will hope in him :: such bargaining is further evidence that Job is grieving
If a man dies, shall he live again? :: the death of a loved one causes us to contemplate our own mortality
What is man, that he can be pure? :: there is a temptation to blame victims when bad things happen
My pain is not assuaged :: sometimes training in church causes us to think in simplistic clichés
My spirit is broken :: we need to step into our pain to release it
Why are we stupid in your sight? :: "being there" for a grieving person can be awkward but very helpful
I know that my Redeemer lives :: without hope it is so easy for grief to stall in despair and depression
Look at me and be appalled :: in great loss our mind goes to dark places
If ... Then ... :: the intense pain of grief can never be eased by rules, principles or formulas.
He is not there ... I do not perceive him :: a person can feel so alone. sometimes God seems absent
Oh, that I were as in the months of old :: dealing with the past is a normal and essential phase of grief
I cry to you for help and you do not answer me :: grieving is complicated by unanswered prayers
He burned with anger :: we learn to grieve because we have to
The LORD answered Job out of the whirlwind :: all I hear is God asking Job to trust him
I lay my hand on my mouth :: there is a time to be still and know that He is God
Will you even put me in the wrong? :: it is so easy to lash out at God when we suffer great loss
I have uttered what I did not understand :: only God can bring beauty out of the ash heap of our grief
The Lord blessed the latter days of Job :: sometimes we get a second chance at life after grief

I dedicate these meditations to those who have suffered loss. Please feel free to share with hurting friends.

What does it mean to be blessed?

I guess a lake view is a blessing to some.

What do you think of when your hear the word "blessing"?

Check out my commentary here.

Terminator Genisys | ★★★★★★★★☆☆

Yes. I am a fan of the Terminator series. A few things that I liked about this installment:

• Loved the way that they reimagined the story using an alternate timeline.
• The casting of Sarah Connor stayed true to the original movie.
• The smile. The throwback signature lines. Made me smile out loud.
• The twists and turns in the plot kept me engaged and on my toes.
• 21st Century technology greatly improved the special effects.
• Lastly. Arnold. He resurrected the series after that last failed t-flick.

If you are a fan of the Terminator series, I think that you will like this one. A lot.

I liked the movie and, on a Terminator scale of ten, give it ★★★★★★★★.

Catch my other mini-reviews by selecting the Movies link in the menu bar above.

Theologian Quiz

Who had/has a theology that included these ideas:

Transubstantiation is a valid view of communion;
The bible contains errors;
It is okay for Christians to drink beer;
Purgatory and prayers for the dead;
Possibility of salvation after death.

Here are your choices:

John Calvin
N.T. Wright
Arminius
John Shelby Spong
C.S. Lewis
John Wesley
Martin Luther

Check here for the answer and let me know how you did.

The New Colossus

Not like the brazen giant of Greek fame,
With conquering limbs astride from land to land;
Here at our sea-washed, sunset gates shall stand
A mighty woman with a torch, whose flame
Is the imprisoned lightning, and her name
Mother of Exiles. From her beacon-hand
Glows world-wide welcome; her mild eyes command
The air-bridged harbor that twin cities frame.

"Keep, ancient lands, your storied pomp!" cries she
With silent lips. "Give me your tired, your poor,
Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free,
The wretched refuse of your teeming shore.
Send these, the homeless, tempest-tost to me,
I lift my lamp beside the golden door!"

* A poem by Emma Lazarus engraved on a tablet within the pedestal on which the statue stands.

Five Bob Facts

My bloggin' friend Gregg tagged me in a meme a while back. I thank him for recognizing me as a creative blogger.
The first part of the meme is to share five facts about myself. A few thoughts:

I have been blogging for 10+ years.
I greatly enjoy spending time reading and discussing books with our Wednesday night BYOB group.
Nothing beats playing games like UNO, Risk and Concentration with my two grandchildren.
I routinely share devotional thoughts from the bible on the
An Eye for Redemption blog and prayers at Daily Prayer.
My greatest source of inspiration is my wife Ann. Each day she shows me what grace and courage looks like under fire.

The second part of the meme is to nominate other creative bloggers. Here are my nominations:

Pearlie at Pearlie Gates. A long time friend, thoughtful blogger and devoted follower of Christ.
Wanda at Got a Minute or Two? A fellow Daily Prayer blogger and wonderful Christian friend.
Mike at Mike Erich - The Mad Theologian. Another Daily Prayer blogger and very thoughtful man of faith.
Debby at Just Breath. Love reading her Wednesday Hodgepodge and movie review posts.
Fred at One the Journey. Another Daily Prayer blogger. His faith journey resonates with my own.
Sue at photowannabe. I have been enjoying her pics for years and appreciate Sue's photographic skills.
vanilla at String Too Short to Tie. A new friend with fun and interesting insights.
Alice at Whatsoever is Lovely. An honest blogger who communicates such reality about her life's journey.

I could nominate more. Over the years my life has been touched and enriched by so many bloggers.

I invite the folks nominated above to follow suit posting five fun facts about themselves and then nominate others to do the same. Please let me know when you do as I am sometimes a bit slow in my blog reading. ツ

Bruce Lee Wisdom

Knowledge will give you power, but character respect.

A quick temper will make a fool of you soon enough.

Obey the principles without being bound by them.

If you love life, don't waste time, for time is what life is made up of.

Mistakes are always forgivable, if one has the courage to admit them.

If you spend too much time thinking about a thing, you'll never get it done.

A wise man can learn more from a foolish question than a fool can learn from a wise answer.

I'm not in this world to live up to your expectations and you're not in this world to live up to mine.

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