Lord, forgive me when I whine

I heard this poem many years ago and I think it is a timely reminder that I found it again today.

FORGIVE ME WHEN I WHINE !

Today, upon a bus, I saw a very beautiful woman and wished
I were as beautiful.
When suddenly she rose to leave,
I saw her hobble down the aisle.
She had one leg and wore a crutch.
But as she passed, she passed a smile.
Oh, God, forgive me when I whine.
I have two legs; the world is mine.

I stopped to buy some candy.
The lad who sold it had such charm.
I talked with him, he seemed so glad.
If I were late, it’d do no harm.
And as I left, he said to me,
“I thank you, you’ve been so kind.
It’s nice to talk with folks like you.
You see,” he said, “I’m blind.”
Oh, God, forgive me when I whine.
I have two eyes; the world is mine.

Later while walking down the street,
I saw a child I knew.
He stood and watched the others play,
but he did not know what to do.
I stopped a moment and then I said,
“Why don’t you join them dear?”
He looked ahead without a word.
I forgot, he couldn’t hear.
Oh, God, forgive me when I whine.
I have two ears; the world is mine.

With feet to take me where I’d go.
With eyes to see the sunset’s glow.
With ears to hear what I’d know.
Oh, God, forgive me when I whine.
I’ve been blessed indeed, the world is mine.

Have a wonderful week!

Kenneth

Water Conservation Tips

This month, I begin a series of blog posts focusing on conservation of energy. The tips below may refer to the holidays, but apply in our everyday lives too.

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From City of Tampa Online:

The Southwest Florida Water Management District shares six easy ways to prepare for your holiday meals and parties without running up your water bill.

“It is especially important to conserve water during the holidays, as they fall within our traditional dry season,” said Robyn Felix, the District’s media relations manager. “We can all make a difference by incorporating a few simple tips into our routines.”

During the holidays, water plays a role in everything from food preparation to the clean-up process. Here’s how to incorporate water conservation into your holiday preparations:

1. Defrost frozen foods in the refrigerator or the microwave instead of running hot water over them.

Conserve water

2. Rinse vegetables and fruits in a sink or pan filled with water instead of under running water. This water can then be reused to water houseplants. A running faucet can use up to 4 gallons per minute.

3. When washing dishes by hand, fill one sink or basin with soapy water and fill the rinsing sink one-third to one-half full. Avoid letting the water run continuously in the rinsing sink.

4. Select the proper size pans for cooking. Large pans require more cooking water than may be necessary.

5. Scrape food scraps into the garbage can or a composting bin, rather than rinsing them into the sink’s garbage disposal. A garbage disposal uses up to 4.5 gallons of water per minute.

6. Run your dishwasher only when you have a full load. Dishwashers use between 7 and 12 gallons per load.

For more water conservation tips, visit the District’s website at WaterMatters.org/conservation/.