valuable

by

A Lesson Learned Is More Valuable Than You Know

There is a lesson to be learned from almost everything in life. Some of those lessons are enriching and guide us going forward.

a lesson learned is more valuable than you know

Other lessons, well, they are difficult and they challenge us to be better, to do things differently.

One of the lessons that has stayed with me my whole life was learned when I was about four years old.

I was colouring in a colouring book in the back seat of the family car. We had just arrived at home and, before getting out of the car, I turned the page to start colouring another picture.

My dad, who was watching, said to me, “don’t start colouring another picture until you finish colouring the picture you are on.” 

That little sentence has stayed with me my entire life. The lesson I learned was “finish what you start”.

There have been many lessons learned along the way. Many have not been as impactful as that lesson my dad taught me that day. 

Some of the lessons have hurt. 

For a while I had difficulty with sharp instruments – like hand saws and utility knives. People were even hesitant to let me hold a knife with a sharp edge. 

I had cut myself sawing off the bottom of a door … while propping the door up with my knee and my left hand. When the door slipped, I almost severed the tendon of my index finger. 

About three months later, I took five stitches to the top of the same finger while using a utility knife to cut some fiber board for a sliding door.

I learned that I should have the proper tools and properly secure an object before I cut it. 

But that is nothing like the lesson I just learned.

I was using a Q-tip to clean my ears. … I have been using Q-tips on my ears for decades, so really, what could I possibly learn about cleaning my ears? 

Ya, I’ve seen the commercials about the special screw-type ear thingies that remove ear wax like an auger. But I like Q-tips; I’m proficient with them. And I get the originals. I don’t settle for some cheap ear swabs that basically feel like you are using a stick in your ear.

Well, the other day, I had a Q-tip in my left ear when I noticed that some hair on my head was out of place. So I swiped at the hair … and literally drove the Q-tip into my ear. 

Oh, baby, that was painful!

After reeling for a few moments, I had to leave for an appointment. On the way, my ear still felt sore and, when I put my finger in my ear, I realized it was bleeding.

The last two days I’ve been picking dried blood from that ear. I may have to see my doctor to make sure there isn’t any permanent damage. 

So what was the lesson learned? Well, that’s simple: don’t use a Q-tip while looking at yourself in the mirror. That’s what got me into trouble.

Here’s the thing: With so many experiences in our life time, we need to wisely learn the lessons that will benefit us as we journey on. The greatest lesson we can learn is that we all mess up and sin, but God will forgive us if we will place our faith in Jesus Christ. We get tons of practice to learn this lesson. The question is will we learn it? 

That’s Life!

Paul

Question: What life lessons have you learned lately? Leave your comments and questions below.

Subscribe to my blog and receive posts like this one to your email inbox twice weekly.

by

The Real Winner At Ribfest

Last weekend my wife, Lily, and I went to the ribfest in town. Anything with ribs in the title grabs my attention, so we go every time the tour stops in Kingston.

BmwiomYCQAAuQvV

If you’ve never been to one, you’re probably not much of a meat lover.

The main show is the huge structures that advertise each of the different rib venders all in a row.

It’s a friendly competition of who has the best ribs. Each vender has a table full of trophies, and their signage tells the story of which cities think they’re the best.

The ribs are good, but it really comes down to the sauce. We tried ribs from two different booths:

“Crabby’s” and “Smokehouse” and the difference was their own special sauces they put on their ribs.

Each vender hopes you will try their ribs and give them the best rating. They are looking for another trophy and more advertising they can put on their massive signs.

We’ve been for the last three years – the first two years involved a significant amount of rain which kept the crowds down and the atmosphere something less than electric.

This year it was sunny, warm and the place was hopping. Crowds covered the open field; it was tough to get a seat at a table.

But I have to say that, though all the signs and attention were focussed on ribs, they should really call it the onionfest.

In fact, I bet that’s what the “Colossal Onion” mobile fryer owner calls the festival – secretly that is … at the end of the night, by the warm glow of his fryer, as he counts his money.

While all the attention is focussed on ribs, the guy who has the biggest profit margin is the onion truck owner.

Unlike the rib venders who just sold you a half rack of ribs for $13 and a full rack for $23, the onion guy sold a blooming onion, onion rings and spiral fries each for the cost of $10.

I think the ten bucks was mostly to make it easy for the gentleman who was taking the money. This way, if the bill was purple, he just kept it and if it was green, well, he had to give one of those purple bills back to the customer.

The thing was the line up at the Colossal Onion was longer than any of the rib vender lines. People just kept getting in line to eat something alongside their ribs.

So you paid thirteen dollars for a half rack of ribs, and ten dollars to get a deep fried onion. The way I figure it, meat these days is costing a little bit more than what farmers are charging for the onions growing in their fields.

That means the onion guy is rubbing his hands in money … cha-ching!

It was all good though; we had a great time, and we’ll be back next year for onionfest, I mean ribfest 2016.

Here’s the thing: Some parts of life shine brighter than other parts. We get drawn in to the parts of life that are attractive and attracting. But there are parts of life that are more valuable – more valuable in some cases than the parts that shine. Don’t get sucked into living for what shines bright. Seek out what is most valuable and be sure you spend your time there.

That’s Life!

Paul

Question: What do you consider most valuable in your life? Leave your comment below.