Today in the United States we celebrate Thanksgiving. It reminds us of the early settler’s thanks to God for the new land He’d brought them to, and also for the help from their new friends, the natives who lived here.

I was recently perusing some of my archives, and ran across this post: Seven Things I Am Thankful For. Since everything I said then is still true (even the part about my job which, sadly, has since flown the coop, so to speak), I thought it would be simpler to just point you there.

Have a great Thanksgiving, y’all! And… someone pass me the pie.

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Yeehaw, y’all; a tip o’ the ol’ Stetson to ya!

If you’ve ever said to yourself, “Gee, I sure wish I could read those fine stories from the Middle Zone even when I don’t have online access,” well, Bubba, you wish has come true! Yessir, the first official book from Middle Zone Publishing is available now!

Now, I just know you can’t wait to get your hot little hands on your very own copy, so click on this link: MZM Books, or on the “MZM Books” tab up there at the top and you’ll learn everything you need to know!

[p.s. Do me a favor, won't you? Tell your friends. Tell your neighbors. In fact, tell your friends' neighbors, too! Thanks a herd, y'all, and again, a tip o' the topper to ya!]

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In the United States today, we set this day aside to honor our fallen heroes. It’s a powerful reminder that freedom is precious – and rarely free.

Thanks, y’all, from the bottom of my heart, and my hat is off to you.

If one eats pizza from the round end first instead of the pointy end, could it mark the end of life as we know it? That’s the Question Of The Ages: Is there, in fact, a “wrong” way to eat pizza?

The reason the question comes up at all is because of a little-known incident that happened at last year’s SOBCon08.

Now, if we can color you intrigued by the above introduction – well, you’ll have to pop on over to the SOBCon blog to read the story. All ya gotta do is follow this handy link.

Don’t worry; I’ll still be here when ya come back!

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Photo: Blogging Buddies, by Joanna Young

Yours Truly, Joanna Young & Brad Shorr @ SOBCon08

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Today, Christians throughout the world celebrate the fact that Jesus Christ, the Son of God, rose from the dead. It’s a day marked with celebration and joy as we consider His sacrifice in our place.

A sobering thought, that One so perfect, pure and holy would willingly lay down His own life as a substitution for us – just because He loved us. Kinda hard to find fault with that level of love, don’cha think? Yet some folks do. Go figure.

As for me, I’m just glad He did!

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Painting: He is Risen, by Jesus Martinez Gordo

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Yee-haw, y’all! Just want to wish y’all an enjoyable April Fool’s Day.

I’m just sayin’.

After reading my last post the other day (Holding Hands), a good friend accused me of being an “old romantic”. Notwithstanding the now near-automatic “hey, who you callin’ ‘old’” response (I mean c’mon, I only just turned 55 last week!), I must say I’m flattered.

But yes, I suppose it’s true. I am a romantic at heart, especially when it comes to Mrs. MZM. And I’m a sucker for romantic movies, books or poetry, too. I mean, as long as there’s space ships, explosions, or world domination plots involved, I’m there.

Naah; just kidding. Actually, I do enjoy relaxing with Mrs. MZM and a good romantic comedy – although our tastes generally run to classic movies rather than more recent ones. Some of our favorite classics are Roman Holiday, The Philadelphia Story, Charade, and How to Marry a Millionaire. Of those more recent ones, the few we really like include Sabrina (the remake with Harrison Ford), French Kiss and While You Were Sleeping.

The truth is, there’s a lot to learn about love, and not just from the movies. There’s always, y’know, real life, right? And I’ll tell ya, in the 26-plus years we’ve been married, there’s actually a lot of really good stuff I managed to pick up along the way. Really.

In fact, in a moment of enthusiasm insanity (and not realizing how ridiculously long such a thing would actually be), I started making a list!

[Disclaimer: Understand, though, that just because I wrote this doesn't mean I'm an expert on the subject! In fact, I'm a lot like that fellah who, upon holding his newborn son for the first time, looked the kid in the eye and said, "Son, lemme tell ya everything I know about women." There's a few seconds' pause while he prepares his thoughts, then with a sigh he ruefully adds, "Nothin'!"]

Anyway, here’s the first few items on my list (click on these images for a larger view – trust me, it’s worth it):

Eloquence doesn’t excuse a self-serving heart – Come to think of it, neither do brilliance or extreme self-confidence, either. It can happen so easily in our relationships, can’t it? We get so caught up in our own “truth”, we forget we’re dealing with another human being; one with thoughts, emotions, and yes, their own personal investment in the relationship.

My you-didn’t-ask-for-it-but-you’re-going-to-get-it-anyway advice: before launching into that soliloquy (you know the one I mean: the one called “why you should always see things MY way”), try this simple, 3-step technique: 1) pause, 2) take a deep breath, and 3) count to 10. Trust me; you’ll thank yourself in the morning.

Not even generosity can veil a poor spirit – Hey, just because you’re willing to give your money or time to a cause, help someone out of a jam, or donate a lung, it doesn’t make you a great person. No, it’s what’s goin’ on inside that counts; that’s where the truth hides.

Now please don’t get me wrong – all those things – and more – can be wonderful blessings to the recipient. It’s just that (and you can take my word for this), when you do these things for the wrong reasons, well, sooner or later, it shows.

Real love is built on absolutes – Love, as I have discovered, is built on, among other things, four absolutes: patience, kindness, consideration and forgiveness. Can you imagine real, genuine love that’s missing any of these four? I sure can’t.

Go ahead; Google your memory banks for those “speed bumps” in your love relationships. Now be honest; weren’t they, when you get right down to it, because one of these four cornerstones got, um, left out?

Celebrating truth beats out negativity, every time – It’s a sad fact of life, ain’t it, that negativity sells. Hey, I wish it weren’t so, my friends, but there it is. On the other hand, who ever managed to develop into a, well, likable person, if you get my meanin’, on a life filled with nothing but negativity?

One thing I learned from my Doctoral business classes was the difference between strategic versus tactical thinking. And it’s a sad fact that many of the short-term actions we take these days aren’t really all that good in the long run.

My point is, the strategic thing to do is celebrate the truth; the positive things in life. You do that and I promise you’ll find yourself not only becoming more likable to those around you, but you’ll even like yourself more! And Bubba; that’s one key to a truly great love, I’m tellin’ ya – you need to be comfortable with who you are.

So What Is Love?

Well, along about now I began to realize that everything I’d written so far seemed awfully familiar. Then it hit me (sound of dull thud)! In the Bible, the 13^th chapter of the book of 1 Corinthians, the Apostle Paul answers the question, “What is Love?” ‘waaaay more magnificently than I ever could.

(I always thought it was fascinating that the 13^th chapter, dealing with Love, had exactly 13 verses in it. Now recognizing there can be no coincidences with God, there’s a factoid that would intrigue even a Vulcan!)

What if I could speak all languages of humans and of angels? If I did not love others, I would be nothing more than a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. What if I could prophesy and understand all secrets and all knowledge? And what if I had faith that moved mountains? I would be nothing, unless I loved others. What if I gave away all that I owned and let myself be burned alive? I would gain nothing, unless I loved others.

Love is kind and patient, never jealous, boastful, proud, or rude. Love isn’t selfish or quick tempered. It doesn’t keep a record of wrongs that others do. Love rejoices in the truth, but not in evil. Love is always supportive, loyal, hopeful, and trusting. Love never fails!

Everyone who prophesies will stop, and unknown languages will no longer be spoken. All that we know will be forgotten. We don’t know everything, and our prophecies are not complete. But what is perfect will someday appear, and what isn’t perfect will then disappear.

When we were children, we thought and reasoned as children do. But when we grew up, we quit our childish ways. Now all we can see of God is like a cloudy picture in a mirror. Later we will see him face to face. We don’t know everything, but then we will, just as God completely understands us.

For now there are faith, hope, and love. But of these three, the greatest is love.

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[Note from the Proprietor: this is my second entry in this month's What I Learned From... groupwrite project. This month the topic is LOVE, and if you'd like to contribute your own entry to the party, hey, you're welcome to join us! We'll be accepting entries through Sunday night, Feb. 8. Just click on that link and read all about it!]

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Photo credits:

What is Love? By Chia-Ling

Eloquence, by reallyboring

Generosity, by jahfool

Absolute, by HaniAlYousif

Truth, by TW Collins

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