The Grass is greener.

They say that the grass isn't greener on the other side of the fence. I believe that.

In my blog-reading travels (I must admit I haven't been spending much time looking others up recently) I have discovered the joy of reading the first post. I love the first post of a new blog.

When I discover a new blog-link, I usually try to get a feel of how the blog has been going by checking the frequency of posting and how long it's been since the last post. Then I skip straight to the first post. It is always so revealing.

People put all their good intentions in their first posts. They might not know what a blog is about, they may have not found their style or muse, but their determination to stick with their new blog is usually dripping from their keystrokes.

They also usually spend 5 times the effort on the first post as they do on, say, the fourth. You know that if the first post sucks, you can bet that their writing probably won't improve much with age.

Well, I wandered over to the Sisters' site (the only blog I seem to visit on a regular basis, read a wonderfully inspirational post by Katie, spotted a de-cluttering idea from, well Katie, I guess and read the first comment.

Blog comments are another place I like to spend my reading time. You find more quality blog-links in comment reading than in a hundred Google searches.

Which leads me to Simon.

Simon lives in California. Grass Valley California. And he works for Grass Roots Software. In his first post, he speaks eloquently of his life, faith family, and future plans.

To tell the truth, it doesn't sound like the grass is any greener there than it is right here. I already like Simon and I don't really know him.

Well, not much more that what I read in his first post anyway

Keep up the good work Simon. I promise I will read more. Oh and link you to the PBGs.

Like a Fern or Bamboo?

Ric shared with me an inspirational link that I wanted to share with you. If you are thinking of quitting work, sprituality, perhaps life itself, this may help you. It is a very gentle message about the grace of God done in such a way as to be accessable to even the most cynical viewer.

I include it on the PBGs Path because its core message speaks to the PBGs big Plan. We may not know the part we play on God's stage, but there are no unimportant parts. In the big scheme of things, everything matters.

 

EDIT: I have never been close to suicide, so I don't really know if this message is helpful for that. If a google search brought you here, take a look. Perhaps it will give you the strength to carry on.

Google Maps

Here is a nifty link for a new tool provided by the folks at Google.

Hey ma', I can (nearly) see my house!

Make sure you try both the map and satellite versions and play around with the navigation controls. Some other neat places in the world are:

• Cairo -- spot the pyramids?
• Paris -- how about the famous steel structure?
• Hong Kong -- look at all the 'tiny' container ships freighting trinkets to the rest of the world!
• Hoover Dam -- It may look tiny, but you can see it from space!

Wandering Soul

Well, I was on Official PBG Business tonight. Mo and I were returning home in the car when a little boy by a bus stop caught my eye. He was only about three years old and was wandering around with only a diaper, a T-shirt and sandals on. It wasn't his appearance that really caught my eye; it was how he looked right at me and gave me a tiny wave.

In that split second, I knew there was something wrong.

I turned the car around and went back and, sure enough, he was blocks away from home and was searching for his mother.

He was old enough to talk but I had difficulty getting any solid answers from him. As luck would have it, Mo was able to flag down a passing police car to assist us. As if one lost boy wasn't enough, there were two, unrelated and younger boys, at the same time and location, also looking for their mother. Three lost boys.

We managed to find both mothers, and the police officers gave them (we hope) a stern talking to. I can't imagine letting my kids wander away like that.

Seems like another example of how we can listen with our hearts to Gods small voice and be ready for action. Susan over at Sisters puts it well. Love is about action as much as it is about "I love you"

I am the hands of the PBGs and OOPBGB!

Top Flight Life?

So, the new me decided to try golf as a replacement for running. It's a fine way to spend a sunny evening. A bit of exercise, some nice scenery, pleasant conversation. Except for being hard on my feet, what's not to like?

I discovered that I am not the greatest golfer in the world. But hey, I just started. I only have up as an option. My golf partners were very understanding and supportive. What a great group.

All well and good, you might be thinking, but what is PBGish about golfing? Well, I got to thinking about the number of golf balls that wind up in the North Saskatchewan River. The must be hundreds of balls per day. The river must go through lots of golf courses on its travels to the sea. Probably millions of golfballs a year wind up in the oceans from this river alone!

that's a lot of balls

There must be whole shoals of balls out there. What life forms do you think are living on these balls? Perhaps as we speak, there is some new life-form evolving on the dimples of the golfballs collecting in the ocean depths.

And if these new creatures become dependent on their golfball oasis', what will happen if there is a recession and the number of golfers plummets?

Just think about that for a second. Kinda makes you want to take up golfing. But perhaps not get too good at it, or you won't hit any "top flight" balls into the river.

 

EDIT: I was listening to CBC radio's Quirks and Quarks. This article, although it doesn't mention golfers and ocean golf ball shoals, is exactly what I was talking about!