Don't put the key to your happiness in someone else's pocket - keep it in your own.

Found this on the web-- too good not to share


Burnt Buscuits

When I was a kid, my Mom liked to make breakfast food for dinner every now and then. I remember one night in particular when she had made breakfast after a long, hard day at work. On that evening so long ago, my Mom placed a plate of eggs, sausage and extremely burned biscuits in front of my dad. I remember waiting to see if anyone noticed!


Yet all my dad did was reach for his biscuit, smile at my Mom and ask me how my day was at school. I don't remember what I told him that night, but I do remember watching him smear butter and jelly on that ugly burned biscuit. He ate every bite of that thing - never made a face nor uttered a word about it!

When I got up from the table that evening, I remember hearing my Mom apologize to my dad for burning the biscuits. I'll never forget what he said: "Honey, I love burned biscuits every now and then."

Later that night, I went to kiss Daddy good night and I asked him if he really liked his biscuits burned. He wrapped me in his arms he said, "Your Momma put in a hard day at work today and she's real tired. And besides, a little burned biscuit never hurt anyone!"

As I've grown older, I've thought about that many times. Life is full of imperfect things and imperfect people. I'm hardly the best at anything, and I forget birthdays and anniversaries just like everyone else. But what I've learned over the years is that learning to accept each other's faults - and choosing to celebrate each other's differences - is one of the most important keys to creating a healthy, growing, and lasting relationship.

That's my prayer for you today: that you will learn to take the good, the bad, and the ugly parts of your life and lay them at the feet of God. Because in the end, He's the only One who will be able to give you a relationship where a burnt biscuit isn't a deal-breaker! We could extend this to any relationship. In fact, understanding is the base of any relationship, be it a husband-wife or parent-child or friendship!


Don't put the key to your happiness in someone else's pocket - keep it in your own.

So, please pass me a biscuit, and yes, the burned one will do just fine.



Be kinder than necessary because everyone you meet is fighting some kind of battle.

Changing the Safety Culture - It begins with YOU!

If you want to change the culture you have to start with yourself and a firm commitment to Safety.  Safety must be a personal value.  We must first hold ourselves accountable and then each other.  We will never get there without commitment and accountability.

Here are ten things you can do to help change the culture.
Make Safety Personal - Start every meeting with a Safety Share - take a couple minutes to set the focus . Explain to them how important working safe is to you and your crew members. Stop at-risk behavior immediately, but do it constructively -- educate the offender
Be a Positive Part of the Safety Team - Willingly accept and follow safety policies and procedures, and encourage others to do so. Your attitude toward safety can play a major role in the prevention of accidents and injuries.
Know the Policies and/or Procedures - and follow them! Policies and procedures are written to reduce the potential for incidents and injury. If you have questions, ask your supervisor to clarify any gray areas.  Then, make sure crew members understand and follow these company policy and procedures.

Understand the Risk associated with the Task - Follow the written Job Safety Analysis but don't be afraid to challenge a JSA if something is missing. Be sure you understand the risks and take appropriate measures to mitigate them.  Confused - STOP, THINK and ASK!
Make Sure You can Perform the Task Safely - Supervisors are human and they may make bad assumptions. You are responsible to notify your supervisor of your capabilities. If you are not capable of performing a task safely (because you lack the training, experience or tools) tell your supervisor.
Know the Process Hazards – Review and understand the process, before signing on to a Safe Work permit. The overview must take place on the job site in order to make sure all process conditions are stable, and the area is safe to perform the work prior to performing the task.
Get Comfortable With the Job - If you are unsure of something ask questions before proceeding. Avoid making assumptions and don't accept vague answers. You and your crew members must feel confident before proceeding.
Follow Proper Lifting Techniques - Most muscle and spinal injuries are from strains and spraing. Lift with your legs not your back. Use the ‘50lb or less’ rule when sizing up a job before lifting. Keep the object close to your body and check your path prior to picking the object up.
Alway Practice Good Housekeeping- Too many injuries due to slips, trips, and falls. Maintain safe access/egress by controlling clutter.  A stray tool or cord on the ground can cause a person to slip, trip or fall.
GIve Machinery the Respect it Deserves - Stay out of the line of fire, and pay close attention to all moving machinery and equipment. Get in the way of a machine and it could be over.  Machines pinch, crush, shred, cut and move whatever comes in their path. Ensure pull cords and guards are maintained in good condition and always follow LOTO procedures prior to working on machinery or equipment. 
Safety Always!

9-17-12 Make Time for LOTO

Protect Yourself -- Make Time for LOTO!

A factory worker was injured when his head and neck became trapped in a packaging machine. The accident happened at the factory of Cromar Building Products, Ltd. Glyn Addison was working on a packaging machine when he was injured. The machine was designed to wrap and seal rolls of roof felt with polythene. During its use, the machine became blocked and Mr. Addison attempted to fix the fault himself by reaching under the conveyor to free some of the polythene that had become trapped.

However, as he was doing this, the ram that pushed rolls of felt into the machine moved and trapped his head and neck against the frame of the machinery. Luckily colleagues noticed this and managed to free his head from the ram. He did however suffer injury in the incident. Mr. Addison suffered nerve damage to his neck and shoulder in the accident. These injuries have left him unable to work since for the past 18 months. An investigation into the accident found that employees regularly walked in-between gaps in the machine so that they could clear blockages. The company was therefore fined… Change is always an option – if you can’t change the Culture, you may want to change jobs! You won’t do the family any good by getting injured.

Talent is God given. Be humble. Fame is man-given. Be grateful. Conceit is self-given. Be careful. -John Wooden

Work Safely because You Can’t Count on Luck
How many times in your life (on or off the job) have you said to yourself, "Wow that was a close call!?"

No matter what do or where you work, accidents can happen especially when someone cuts corners or takes unnecessary risk. That's why we all need to remember Safety first—Safety Always! You have to plan your work and perform each task safely because you can’t count on luck!

Review the task and identify the associated risks, communicate those risks to team members, then develop a strategy to mitigate the risks so the task can be performed safely.

A Few Ways to Increase Brain Power
Use your brain. You also need to exercise your mind. The more you do to keep your mind sharp, the better your level of memory and creativity. Exercise your mind by brainstorming, working word puzzles, playing games like chess or bridge, or performing mathematical tasks.
Get moving. Regular exercise can play an essential role in improving brainpower. Older adults tend to benefit more than their younger counterparts, possibly because older adults have more to gain with respect to cognitive function.
Avoid ‘‘bad’’ fats. A diet high in saturated fats can have a negative effect on brainpower. Consuming omega-3 fats has been associated with improved brain function, reduced memory loss, and less cognitive decline.
Limit Alcohol Intake. Consuming too much alcohol can impair brainpower by contributing to brain atrophy, which is linked to memory loss and impaired cognition.
Associate with positive individuals. Avoid naysayers. Being with positive people and those who encourage you will enhance your level of creativity. Negativity stifles brainpower.
Chill out. Don’t let the small stuff bother you – it can prevent you from concentrating fully. Learn to relax to think more clearly and have better focus and recall.
Take control of your life. You have control over your surroundings, make good choices and accept the responsibility for the consequences. People who feel they have no control tend to be more depressed.
Try something new. New experience can enhance your ability and willingness to think inventively. And don’t be afraid of making mistakes Think of mistakes as simply being an opportunity to learn.
Engage your inner child. To spur your sense of creativity, be a kid at heart. Take time to daydream from time to time in order to stimulate a stream of mental activity.
Expand your world. Don’t limit yourself to a narrow channel of seeing and thinking about things in a singular way. Try to think in new ways, consider other viewpoints, and develop other interests. Read, read, read, read, and then read some more. Source: Fitness.com

Lighten up
What did one ball say to the other ball? Nothing - he just looked round!

Why were all the ink spots crying? Because their father was in the pen!