Thankful Thursday - Hands.

I am thankful for my hands. You see, without my hands, I would not be able to be typing this.

Other things I do with my hands:

Read books (hold the book)

Knit and crochet

Pick food in my garden

Cook supper

Bake cakes

Dig in the dirt

Pick up my baby sister

Draw a picture

Clean my bedroom

Eat

Get the mail

... and so much more.

I'm so thankful God gave us hands!

How Can I be a Better Listener?

Have you ever talked to someone, and when you ask them a question, they not respond? Maybe they did answer, but they didn’t answer the question. They might have said something completely irrelevant to your question. Maybe they did answer your question, but not in the way you wanted the question to be understood. Have you ever done any of that to anyone else?

All of those are poor listening habits. If the other person, or you, had truly been listening, the question would have been answered in a satisfactorily way. There are many poor listening habits, and most come from not paying attention.

Some people don’t even seem to be listening, others seem to, at first. Some only seem to hear some of what you’re saying. However, how could it be improved, how could you be a better listener?

First of all, think of the other’s speech as more important than your own thoughts. Don’t challenge what they’re saying, just listen. Conversations are not competitions.

Second, don’t interrupt. When you interrupt, you don’t hear all of what is being said, and it makes the other far less likely to listen to you.

Third, remember, that while you might like to talk, they like to talk too. If you’re talking, you can’t listen, so don’t hog the conversation.

Forth, remember that words are only a small part of speech. Pay attention to posture, gestures, tone of voice, and facial expression. They could say one thing and mean quite another, so listen with your eyes as well as your ears.

Fifth, listen to everything the other says. Only partially listening is not listening.

Sixth, try not to “zone out” even when the other is getting boring. They might be exhibiting their bad listening habits, but you don’t have to add yours to the show.

These are a few ways to improve your listening, and there are many more. So, thanks for listening!

Aristotle

Tammy: Hello folks! Welcome to the Past Times. I’m your host, Tammy Turnback. With me today is the brilliant philosopher, Aristotle.

Aristotle: And scientist.

Tammy: Yes. What sort of subjects interested you?

Aristotle: A good many of them, especially natural sciences.

Tammy: Such as?

Aristotle: Animals really interested me. I also liked plants.

Tammy: I see.

Aristotle: They are so question provoking. Have they always stayed the way they are now? Or have they changed over time? I am known for being one of the first naturalists.

Tammy: When we had Alexander the Great on our show, he told us that you were one of his tutors.

Aristotle: Ah, yes! Alexander! Yes, I went to Pella for a long while to teach him and his friends. His conquests so expanded my range of study.

Tammy: How?

Aristotle: He had several scientists with him, and would send back stuff that they found. That was some interesting stuff!

Tammy: So, he remembered what you taught him better than his other teacher?

Aristotle: As far as I could tell.

Tammy: Tell me about your early life.

Aristotle: I was born in the town Stagira. My parent’s names were Nicomachus and Phaestis. My father was a doctor and he instilled in me my life long love of science and learning, although we scientists were considered philosophers at the time.

Tammy: Interesting.

Aristotle: My Father was a good friend of Alexander’s grandfather, King Amyntas. That might have had something to do with King Philip later selecting me for Alexander’s tutor.

Tammy: You said that your father taught you, what kind of stuff?

Aristotle: Practically anything that would be useful for a doctor. He hoped that I would follow him in his trade. I learned what he taught me quickly, and he eventually enrolled me in one of the local schools.

Tammy: Where you did very well.

Aristotle: I did. However, both he and my mother died while I was a boy. My guardian, Proxenus, sent me to Athens when I was eighteen in order for me to get further education, when I got beyond the teaching of the local schools.

Tammy: And you liked the place so much you stayed a while

Aristotle: I did. I didn’t return to Macedonian until Philip invited me to be Alexander’s teacher. That is why I am better known for my connection to Athens.

Tammy: I see. What are you best known for today?

Aristotle: My questioning on whether or not life forms stay constant, or change over time.

Tammy: The second is the commonly accepted today.

Aristotle: Yes, but it still do not think it is necessarily is the correct one. Personally, I still think it could be either.

Tammy: My personal opinion is the first. What other things did you think about?

Aristotle: Plenty, of other stuff. If it pertained to life and could be considered science, I thought about it. I did experiments, too. My Father had taught me early in life how to dissect animals and other stuff. I used that skill often.

Tammy: I personally do not care for doing that sort of thing myself.

Aristotle: Nor would I expect you to. You’re a girl.

Tammy: Well, that’s all the time we have for today. Thank-you, Aristotle, for your brilliant insights. I’m your host, Tammy Turnback, tune in next time for more of the Past Times!

Aristotle: You’re welcome.

Why Delegate?

Why should we delegate authority? Is it because we need to teach those we delegate authority how to do what we delegate to them? Is it to make it easier on our parts? Is it so the cow can jump over the moon?

Okay, so the last reason is rather facetious. The cow doesn't have to jump over the moon, but the other two answers are legit. Mothers and Fathers and other people who are teaching skills and tasks delegate authority to teach their children and students how to do what they are delegating. Think about it, if you don’t delegate – and teach them how to do them when you first do so – how will they know how to do what you’re trying to teach them?

They won’t. And it’s the job of teachers and parents to make sure that their students and children learn how to be worthwhile adults. When we delegate, our students and children and other subordinate will learn what we delegate.

Also, when we delegate, there is less that we have to do, others can take care of it. If we delegate to others the less important stuff, we have more time and energy to take care of the more important stuff. And if we have more time to get the more important stuff done, everything will just run smoother. And that’s what counts, right?

Also, if we delegate authority, the ones we delegate the authority to will often rise up to the challenge we present them with and fulfill our expectations. People often do.

Therefore, we delegate authority for three basic reasons, to teach those subversive to us, to make things easier on us, and to make more responsible people of the ones we delegate authority to.

Gawain and Lancelot and the Golden Knight.

You’ve heard the legend of how Sir Gawain chopped off the head of a green knight, and then, a year later, had to have his own head chopped off? Well, that wasn’t the only colored knight he came across. One day he and Sir Lancelot were questing and looking around for damsels in distress to rescue, when they saw a figure in the distance. They rode up to this figure and found that it was a golden girl.

“Good sirs,” said she. “I am Lady Nanette of the Gilders. I serve the Princess Mayrette.”

“Well,” said Gawain. “I have never seen a girl of pure gold before. How came you so?”

“It was the Golden Knight, good sir. He came to our castle and enchanted everyone into golden statues. And I alone did he leave the power of movement and conscious thought.”

“And how may this spell be broken?” asked Lancelot.

“By besting the Golden Knight in sword play …” said Nanette. “But if one fails, he is added to the collection of golden statues.”

“And where might we find this castle wherein we would find your mistresses?” asked Gawain.

“It is three weeks journey by foot down this road,” said Nanette.

And, of course, this was all that Sirs Lancelot and Gawain needed and they were off on this quest down the road to find the Golden night and best him in swordplay and turn all of the golden statues back into flesh.

Of course, since they were on horseback, it didn’t take them three weeks to find this golden castle, but far less time. How it glinted! It was solid gold, every bit of it, even the moat ran with golden water.

“Who goes there?” asked a voice, as they approached the gates.

“Sir Lancelot.”

“And Sir Gawain.”

“Why come ye here?” asked the voice.

“To break the spells that the Golden Knight has afflicted upon this castle,” said Lancelot.

“Are you prepared to fight?”

“We are,” said they both at once.

“Very well,” said the voice. Then the drawbridge lowered and the voice said, “Enter … if you dare.”

They rode in and found a courtyard filled with golden statues of knights - the men who had tried to rescue the inhabitants of this castle and who had failed.

“This sends shivers down my spine,” remarked Lancelot. “All these fine men converted into golden statues - what foul magic caused this?”

Suddenly, into the courtyard rode a knight in golden armour riding a golden horse. “Which of you shall I fight first?” he asked.

“I shall fight you,” said Sir Lancelot.

They both dismounted, and Lancelot drew his sword and the Golden Knight drew a solid golden sword.

The fight was long and well matched, but eventually it was Sir Lancelot who surrendered. “You fought well,” said the Golden Knight, “But you have failed.” He took the glove off his right hand and touched Lancelot’s head. In a flash, Lancelot was a statue like all the others.

The Golden Knight turned back to Gawain. “Do you still care to fight me?” he asked him.

“Yes,” said Gawain, and he drew his sword. “I fight not only for the souls of them I know not, but for Lancelot, my friend, also.”

“Very well,” said the Golden Knight. And this fight commenced. It lasted deep into the night and into the small hours of the morning when the Golden Knight finally surrendered.

“Now,” said Gawain, “restore everyone to their proper compositions.”

“But …” said the Golden Knight, looking up at Gawain. He raised his visor and Gawain saw that there was fear in the man’s eyes. “But I don’t know how to turn them back.”

“You don’t?” said Gawain. “Then why did you turn them into statues in the first place?”

“I - I,” said the man, clearly ashamed.

“Why did you turn them into statues?”

“Because, in my youth, l loved money and gold. I once did an old woman a favor and in reward she said she would give me whatever my heart desired. I asked that whatever I touch would turn to gold.

“This wish she granted, but she told me that I would regret it. I have. When I touched the girl I loved, she became a golden statue. I had no idea how to bring her back. She was the Princess Mayrette of this castle. In my despair, I turned all of the inhabitants to gold.”

“What of Nanette?”

“I do not know who Nanette is.”

“And your challenge?”

“It was news to me when my first challenger came. But as I am a swordsman of great skill, and have never been beaten until this day, I thought little of it.”

Gawain frowned. “How then will they be freed.”

“I do not know,” said the man.

Nanette appeared suddenly before them. “I am glad to hear you repent of your love of money, good Knight,” she said. “I was the old woman who you helped and who gave you your wish. I am also the golden Nanette who has noised your challenge abroad. You have a good, kind heart, and earnestly wish to return to the right, and for that I will put an end to the foul magic that has bound this place.”

And at that, all of the Golden statues returned to flesh - and all of the other things that the knight had touched returned to their proper compositions as well - including his armour, which turned back to steel.

The Princess Mayrette and the former Golden Knight were married that day, and Lancelot and Gawain rode off again to do more good in the world.

Via Pinterest

5. Except for their hair, the Hidden are immune to fire. In fact, they use it for healing.