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WITandWISDOM(tm) - January 10, 2006 ISSN 1538-8794 ~~~~~~~ THOUGHTS: The height of your accomplishments will equal the depth of your convictions. - William F. Scolavino Source: The Funnies, http://groups.yahoo.com/group/andychaps_the-funnies ~~~~~~~ SPECIAL THOUGHTS: He lived in the plain little farmhouse at the end of a lane that turns off the highway above the covered bridge and disappears in the dense foliage which overgrows the riverbank. Since the early years of his married life he had lived there; and of all the rural characters on the broad flatlands south of the river, he certainly was one of the most picturesque. A strong-willed old patriarch, his friends and neighbors often found it difficult to understand his likes and dislikes. One of his most vehement aversions was ripe tomatoes. He was fond of green-tomato pickles and sauce, and did not object to the use of ripe tomatoes in other dishes, But fresh from the vine—“No, siree! Not for me!” Where his idea about ripe tomatoes all started, not even those closest to him knew. Perhaps someone told him that they are not good for food. Possibly he may have read such a statement somewhere. Or his prejudice may have resulted from a combination of circumstances. It is doubtful that he himself knew exactly. One thing is certain, it was not a proved dislike. His boast was that he had never tasted tomatoes. The way he said it, it was plain that he never intended to. As the years passed, the old farmer’s aversion became a matter of pride. His attitude was scornful and superior. His manner was emphatic and final. To be sure, he grew tomatoes in his own lush garden which flourished at the river’s edge, and was disappointed and humiliated when his were not as early or as large as those grown by his neighbors. He enjoyed watching his wife and children eat them. But he? “No, siree!” Not he! Not ever! Finally, in his seventy-third year, a wise and winsome granddaughter induced him to taste a ripe tomato. Once his consent was given, a special trip was made to the garden, and a half-pound beauty was brought fresh from the vine. It was washed and sliced and carefully seasoned to taste. Then the family stood back to watch. That was an epic moment. Gingerly and with fine condescension the white-haired grandsire took a bite, chewed it exploratively, swallowed. He took another, then a third. Then the reaction set in. The expression that came into his face was unforgettable. Surprise, awareness, incredulity, chagrin—all were there in one meaningful, shamefaced total. “S-a-a-y,” he exclaimed, “they are not bad! They’re good! S-a-a-y, I’ve been missing something! Yes, siree! I’ve been missing something good all my life!” We can smile at this farmer’s imagined dislike, and shake our heads at the price he paid. His objections had been needless; he had feared that which did not even exist. However, the lesson his experience teaches cannot wisely be laughed aside. “O taste and see that the Lord is good.” Psalm 34:8 By Sanford T. Whitman Source: Signs of the Times, Copyright (c) October 14, 1952, Pacific Press, http://www.signstimes.com ~~~~~~~ THIS & THAT: BATTLE CREEK, Mich. (UPI) -- A Paw Paw, Mich., man's idea to free his car mired in mud went slightly awry when the driverless vehicle careened across a field at 100 mph. Calhoun County Sheriff's Lt. James McDonagh told WWMT-TV, Kalamazoo, the 29-year-old man tried to push his car out of the mud Wednesday but found it impossible without someone in the vehicle to pus the gas pedal. So, he grabbed a toolbox from his trunk and put it on the gas pedal of his rear-wheel drive car. A couple of pushes later, the car popped out and sped off across a muddy field at speeds reaching 100 mph, McDonagh said. The car even became airborne a couple times until it hit a tree. The embarrassed driver was not ticketed. Source: ArcaMax – Weird News, http://tinyurl.com/9kf44 ~~~~~~~ KEEP SMILING: The staff at the office where my wife works was hosting a farewell luncheon for a retiring colleague. As the group prepared to go to the restaurant, they found that they couldn't fit the giant balloon they had purchased for the guest of honor into the car. Undaunted, they simply held the balloon out the window as they drove. My wife and her co-workers weren't prepared for the glares they received from passers-by. As the long line of traffic in front of their vehicle began to turn, they saw that their car was right behind a funeral procession. There was nothing they could do but hold on to the balloon with its bright red farewell message: "Gone but not forgotten." Source: Cybersalt Digest, http://www.cybersalt.org/ ~~~~~~~ TRIVIA: If you ever reach the point where you wonder if the struggle is worthwhile, give this a twirl: “. . . J. L. Kraft was a grocery-store clerk when he began peddling cheese from a one-horse wagon. He began this venture with the sum total of $65. . . . H. J. Heinz planted horseradish and came up with 57 varieties for the delicatessen housewife. By J. O. Iversen Source: Signs of the Times, Copyright (c) July 1962, Pacific Press, http://www.signstimes.com