Ray's Daily

Every day do something that will inch you closer to a better tomorrow.

Doug Firebaugh

I really enjoy the many people I know who not only invest in themselves by remodeling their persona as time goes by, but do it with great skill. If they are not happy with something they change it if they can rather than just living with whatever it may be. What especially impresses me is how those who succeed seldom accept less than the best. Each of us has a chance every day to accept our situation even if it could be improved or we can do a little remodeling work to make the day a little bit better.

I wonder sometimes why so many of us look for excellence in others but accept something less in ourselves. I honestly believe we would be better off if we treated ourselves as discriminating customers who expect nothing but our best in whatever we do for ourselves. I think the following story does a better job of explaining what I mean.

The Carpenter’s House

Author Unknown

An elderly carpenter was ready to retire. He told his employer-contractor of his plans to leave the house building business and live a more leisurely life with his wife enjoying his extended family.

He would miss the paycheck, but he needed to retire. They could get by. The contractor was sorry to see his good worker go and asked if he could build just one more house as a personal favor. The carpenter said yes, but in time it was easy to see that his heart was not in his work. He resorted to shoddy workmanship and used inferior materials. It was an unfortunate way to end his career. When the carpenter finished his work and the builder came to inspect the house, the contractor handed the front-door key to the carpenter. “This is your house,” he said, “my gift to you.”

What a shock! What a shame! If he had only known he was building his own house, he would have done it all so differently. Now he had to live in the home he had built none too well. So it is with us. We build our lives in a distracted way, reacting rather than acting, willing to put up less than the best. At important points we do not give the job our best effort. Then with a shock we look at the situation we have created and find that we are now living in the house we have built. If we had realized that we would have done it differently.

Think of yourself as the carpenter. Think about your house. Each day you hammer a nail, place a board, or erect a wall. Build wisely. It is the only life you will ever build. Even if you live it for only one day more, that day deserves to be lived graciously and with dignity. The plaque on the wall says, “Life is a do-it-yourself project.” Your life tomorrow will be the result of your attitudes and the choices you make today.

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Be not afraid of growing slowly; be afraid only of standing still.

Chinese Proverb

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Some Camping Tips

When using a public campground, a tuba placed on your picnic table will keep the campsites on either side vacant.

While the Swiss Army Knife has been popular for years, the Swiss Navy Knife has remained largely unheralded. Its single blade functions as a tiny canoe paddle.

Modern rain suits made of fabrics that “breathe” enable campers to stay dry in a downpour. Rain suits that sneeze, cough, and belch, however, have been proven to add absolutely nothing to the wilderness experience.

The canoe paddle, a simple device used to propel a boat, should never be confused with a gnu paddle,a similar device used by Tibetan veterinarians.

Take this simple test to see if you qualify for solo camping: Shine a flashlight into one ear. If the beam shines out the other ear, do not go into the woods alone.

The guitar of the noisy teenager at the next campsite makes excellent kindling.

It’s entirely possible to spend your whole vacation on a winding mountain road behind a large motor home.

Bear bells provide an element of safety for hikers in grizzly country. The tricky part is getting them on the bears.

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A day without radiation is a day without sunshine.

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“What do you love most about me,” a husband asked his wife, “my tremendous athletic ability or my superior intellect?”

“What I love most about you,” responded the man’s wife, “is your incredible sense of humor.”

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It is not death that a man should fear, but he should fear never beginning to live.

Marcus Aurelius

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A Blonde’s Cookbook

Monday: It’s fun to cook for Tom. Today I made angel food cake. The recipe said beat 12 eggs separately. The neighbors were nice enough to loan me some extra bowls.

Tuesday: Tom wanted fruit salad for supper. The recipe said serve without dressing. So, I didn’t dress. What a surprise when Tom brought a friend home for supper.

Wednesday: A good day for rice. The recipe said wash thoroughly before steaming the rice. It seemed kind of silly, but I took a bath anyway. I can’t say it improved the rice any.

Thursday: Today Tom asked for salad again. I tried a new recipe. It said prepare ingredients, lay on a bed of lettuce one hour before serving. Tom asked me why I was rolling around in the garden.

Friday: I found an easy recipe for cookies. It said, put the ingredients in a bowl and beat it. There must have been something wrong with this recipe. When I got back, everything was the same as when I left.

Saturday: Tom did the shopping today and brought home a chicken. He asked me to dress it for Sunday. For some reason, Tom keeps counting to ten.

Sunday: Tom’s folks came to dinner. I wanted to serve roast, but all I had was hamburger. Suddenly, I had a flash of genius. I put the hamburger in the oven and set the controls for roast. It still came out hamburger, much to my disappointment.

Well, good night, dear diary. This has been a very exciting week. I am eager for tomorrow to come, so I can try out a new recipe on Tom. If I can talk Tom into buying a bigger oven, I would like to surprise him with chocolate moose.

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Change and growth take place when a person has risked himself and dares to become involved with experimenting with his own life.

Herbert Otto

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Stay well, do good work, and have fun.

Ray Mitchell

Indianapolis, Indiana

Management is not responsible for duplicates from previous dailies. The editor is somewhat senile.

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