A Slower Pace

May the 4th be with you.

…..Dan at aslowerpace dot net

I was following my normal protocol and listening to Dave Ramsey’s podcast on the way home from work and he went into how to buy a used car for the best deal. He went into specifically how he bought a used truck a while ago and shared his experience. However, it was the verbiage and direction this talk took that cracked me up.

“Do you remember when gas shot up to 5 dollars a couple of years ago? I bought a killer Chevy Silverado used; it was an older truck about 5 years old and it had 90,000 miles on it. But it has the big engine in it; my goal is to personally mess up Al Gore’s life. And so I want a big carbon footprint; I want to burn big engines, lots of gas. I’m a gas hog, I like big engines. I’m a boy. And so I want a truck that I can put a Prius in the back of it. OK, that’s what I want. And so, you drive what you want to drive. You want to drive a Prius, that’s ok. I’m not mad at you. That’s just what I was after. And I got the biggest honkin’ engine that Chevy makes and puts in there. It’s awesome! And I was looking for a red truck. Yes, I’m a redneck. I’m a hillbilly. I wanted a red truck and I put so much chrome on it that it’s ridiculous.”

Dave Ramsey has done a lot of good, not only in my family, but in his financial ministry and community giving. But his stock just went up tenfold when he said that statement about Al Gore. I actually laughed out loud in my car.

…..Dan at aslowerpace dot net

These funnies might be funny if they weren’t so true. Hat tip to Dad.

I am really concerned about North Korea’s appointment of the “dear leader”, Kim Jung Ill’s youngest son to be the new leader of North Korea– a nuclear power!

After all, Kim Jung Un (pronounced Kim’s young-un?) had NO military experience whatsoever before daddy made him a four-star general in the military. This is a snot-nose twerp who has never accomplished anything in his life that would even come close to military leadership: he hasn’t even so much as led a cub scout troop, coached a sports team or commanded a military platoon… …So, setting that aside, next they make him the “beloved leader” of the country. Terrific!!!

Oh, crap! I’m sorry. I just remembered that we did the same thing here. We took a community organizer who has never worn a uniform and made him Commander-in-Chief; a guy who has never led anything more than an ACORN demonstration and made him the leader of this country. I’m sorry I brought this up, never mind.

…..Dan at aslowerpace dot net

I heard this on a Dave Ramsey podcast today driving home.

“The downside to liberty and freedom is that stupid isn’t illegal.”

The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and discipline. – Proverbs 1:7

…..Dan at aslowerpace dot net

Below are a couple of observations by my son, D, from this week.

After spending the day at the hospital — “Dad, why are there nurses smoking? Shouldn’t they know that it’s bad for you?”

Funny statement this morning — “Dad, you know how you can hunt a deer and donate the meat to the Hunters for Hunger? Well, I want to hunt squirrel and rabbit and donate the meat to Wayside (Christian Mission). They can use the meat and the city folk won’t know the difference.”

That kid cracks me up,
…..Dan at aslowerpace dot net

Today we spent 8 hours on the road taking R back to college and returning home. It was an all day affair and, luckily for us, was a beautiful sunny winter day for a road trip.

On our way to R’s school, we got to talking about the “old days” when I was a kid. It was prompted by a gas fillup at a station up in Indiana. I pulled into the gas station island where there was an attendant. I didn’t mean to and didn’t realize that service still existed. I swung around to another island — the “self serve” one — and the kids asked what that was all about. I went into a description of “back when” and the “old days” where there were full service gas stations and the station attendant would come out after you ran over the “ding, ding” hose (remember that cool sound?). They would pump your gas, wash your window, inflate your tires and check your oil for an added 10 or 15 cents a gallon.

This conversation transitioned to candy. My son is transfixed by the candy from back then and had all sorts of questions. I gave him all sorts of stories including types of candy and prices, which amazed him and my daughter K.

This conversation specifically cracked me up:

Me: “25 cents would get you a full size candy bar. 1 dollar would get you 4 full size candy bars.”

D: “And 10 dollars would get you sick.”

Such a witty and funny boy.

…..Dan at aslowerpace dot net

My wife and I just finished Dave Ramsey’s Financial Peace University two weeks ago. It has been an amazing journey and has really propelled us to get our finances in even better order than they already were and to ensure we are always good stewards with the blessings God has given us. In fact, back in October I even blogged about my Florida beach vacation souvenir. That beach vacation was our family’s first all cash vacation and this Christmas will be our first all cash Christmas! The Dave Ramsey Financial Peace plan truly works and will positively change your family tree.

But here is the funny story.

BACKGROUND
I am a religious podcast listener of Dave Ramsey’s radio show. He is on every weekday for 3 hours and podcasts one of those hours free (I highly recommend subscribing). On his Friday shows, he will have people call in who have followed all 7 steps (which he gives out freely on his website) and who are now debt free. He will interview them a bit and then they will wrap up the call by having the person, couple or family yell at the top of their lungs — “We’re DEBT-freeeeeeee!!!!!!!”. It is inspiring and really good to know that others out there have done it — not through a secret program that costs hundreds or thousands, but through sheer planning, persistence, determination and sacrifice. I plan on driving down to Nashville with the family and doing my debt free scream at Dave’s Financial Peace Plaza lobby some time in 2018 (all debt including the house which is about all that’s left).

So because of our emphasis this Christmas on not spending money and focusing on the giving, my son has spent the last several weeks making crafts for our family presents. He just now came down to the basement and yelled in front of the family — “I’m CRAFT-free!!!!!!!”

I guess my listening to Dave’s Friday show podcasts in the car are rubbing off.

…..Dan at aslowerpace dot net

I am partial to this brand.

…..Dan at aslowerpace dot net

Saw this and thought it was funny so I am sharing.

‘Tis the season.

…..Dan at aslowerpace dot net

If you are a regular reader, you probably know that I don’t have much patience nor pay much attention to the ninety-whine percenters who are blathering out there. On top of adding initiative, work ethic, values, and manners to the traits these folks are lacking, you can also add the word “bowel” to their “movement” definition.

But rather than spend time ranting about it (which was done much better by this re-post by Dave Ramsey), I am going to share several of the clever, witty and spot on pictures that have come across my inbox.

and finally…..

That last one cracks me up!

…..Dan at aslowerpace dot net