Home Spun, by Jim Olson

Happiness...

2017-11-06T15:42:00.002-07:00

Happiness is something humankind has sought since the dawning of time. Thousands of games and other forms of entertainment have been invented to stimulate it. What most never realize however is all happiness is fleeting unless you first bring it with you. Happiness is not a destination. It must come from a place inside of you. True happiness is never external.
Happiness is sought in many ways. Some look for it in the form of shopping, or roping, others in the form of a buddy or partner. Many sit around, saying they are bored, looking for something to do. Something to entertain them. Something to make them happy. They are hoping something “out there” will come along and magically make them happy.
People play games, watch sports, take a trip to Vegas, on and on, in search of the elusive “happiness.” And generally, they find it—for a little while. Soon enough however, the euphoria fades away and they are bored or melancholy once again. Then they continue looking for the next form of entertainment to make them “happy.” Most think happiness could be theirs, “if only.”
It has been proven, time and again, having “this” or “that” does not fulfill your deep-down need for happiness. Most of us never realize that all external forms of happiness are merely ephemeral. True happiness is something you must bring with you.
“The greatest discovery of my generation is that a human being can alter
his life by altering his attitudes of mind.”- William James
There are many ways to get, and remain, happy. Just remember, it is always an inside job. Each has their own specific triggers that work for them. Personally, I love to read inspirational material. I also constantly dwell on things I am thankful for. These things help my state of mine be right. One lesson I learned long ago was to be happy with what you have, and where you are at—regardless. Make the most of each and every situation and moment. This does not mean you should not aspire to reach greater heights, but your state of happiness should not depend upon reaching those heights.
Remember, when you bring happiness with you—happiness which comes from within—then, and only then, will it not matter what you are doing. You will be happy no matter what. This is a trait of most positive thinkers and optimists.
There is an old saying that goes, “Do you wake up in the morning, jump out of bed, and say, ‘Good morning, Lord!’ or do you drag yourself from the bed, muttering, ‘Good Lord, it’s morning…’” People who look for the bright spot in every situation and remember to be thankful for what they have tend to say the first. The happiest people I have ever met were eternal optimist and always positive! Most also had a strong belief in God.
So the next time you are headed somewhere just to have a little fun, remember to bring happiness with you. This is the only true way it will last.

Jim Olson ©2017
www.WesternTradingPost.com

Going Above and Beyond

2017-06-07T15:31:00.001-07:00

It had been a long and dusty morning of sorting cattle. There were four of us “temps” hired to help for the busy season. We got done a little early that morning and decided to have an early lunch while we waited for the boss to return. After lunch, we still had a little down time. As we lounged around the barn, one ol’ boy named Mike busied himself cleaning up old feed sacks and just tiding up in general.
A couple of the other guys started giving Mike a hard time. Saying he was just cleaning up to make himself look good in case the boss drove up. Mike replied that it just needed doing, so he was going to do it. One of the guys who accused Mike of looking busy just in case the boss drove up said, “By golly, we’ve worked hard all morning sorting those cattle. I don't need to look busy just so the boss thinks I’m working when he drives up. If he can’t look in those corrals and see what all we’ve done, without being told or shown, then he’s a bone-head anyway.” It was a feeble excuse to explain his actions of sitting there doing nothing while Mike picked up.
I watched this little exchange with interest. Being only eighteen, I was still very impressionable, and a little rebellious, so I was unsure which side to align myself with. After a little while, one of the guys who had been giving Mike a hard time, gave another little jab. He said, “You know, I’m sitting here earning the same money as you. Ha!”
To which Mike replied, “If you never do any more than you’re paid for, you’ll never be paid for any more than you do.” I later learned it was an old saying, but I thought that over for a moment and was convinced that ‘ol Mike was a sure enough wise one. A genuine cowboy philosopher.
After thinking for a minute, I decided to jump up and help out. While the two of us worked hard, cleaning up that dusty barn, those other fellows sat there on their duffs, giving us a hard time. Before long, we heard a pickup arrive. All of a sudden, those two guys jumped up and acted like they had been cleaning right along with us.
When the boss walked in, he looked around and commented that the barn sure looked great. One of the guys who had sat there giving us a bad time piped up and said, “Thanks. It just looked like it needed doing.” What a counterfeit, I thought, but didn't say a thing. Neither did Mike. Then we all went out to the corrals.
While looking over the cattle, I became more upset by the minute. I told myself it wasn't fair that the whole barn cleaning idea belonged to Mike and that he’d done most of the work. Then this other guy stepped right up to claim credit. It just wasn't right!
After a bit, the boss was getting ready to leave. I had a chance to pull him aside for a moment without being too conspicuous. I told him, “You know Sir, cleaning that barn while we waited was all Mike’s idea and he did most of the work.” I figured that was the right thing to do without stepping over the line and becoming a tattle-tale against my fellow cowboys.
The boss grinned and said, “I figure as much.” I was puzzled and asked how so? He explained, “Those two over there are lazy and suck-ups. While they do their jobs just fine, they wouldn't have the initiative to go above and beyond what’s expected of them. You—you’re too young and inexperienced to be a leader, so I figure it wasn't your idea. And I know ‘ol Mike, he’s the kind of guy who knows you’ve got to chop wood before you can have a fire. Watch his work ethic when you’re around him. It’ll do you good.”
At the end of the season, when extra help was no longer needed, Mike was kept on too fill an open position—the rest of us were let go. Later on, I heard Mike was promoted to boss and wound up overseeing a large cattle operation for a big-time operator. Those other two guys, well I heard they are still working for, basically what amounts to minimum wage. They spent their whole lives complaining about management and never doing any more that what was expected of them. And their paychecks still reflect it to this day.
Me. I’ll always remember that day. It was the day it finally sunk in, what several successful old-timers had told me along the way. The day I saw advice meet application. The fact that if you want to succeed, if you want to earn more, you have to go above and beyond what is expected.

Jim Olson ©2017
www.TotallyWestern.com

Get along with your fellow man - it pays!

2016-05-22T13:55:00.002-07:00

Andrew Carnegie started off as a very poor young man whose first job paid him only two cents per hour. Although he only attended school four years, later in life, he became very successful and gave away over 350 million in charitable contributions during his own lifetime (that being 100-year-ago dollars). In an interview he once attributed his success to the fact he, "...learned how to handle people."

Growing up COUNTRY!

2016-04-17T11:22:00.001-07:00

You may not know it, but I grew up country. Not “country” like, my family tree does not “fork,” kind of country. LOL! Not a house-per-acre in a subdivision kind of country (although there are a lot of great rural folk from those areas). But a down-home, proud-to-be-an-American, from the heartland, own a pickup truck (because a car won’t make it down your road), don’t need any bureaucrat telling you what to do, raise your own food, cowboy hat wearing (to keep the sun off), raising cows, horses, chickens, goats, hogs, dogs and even a little “Cain” kind of country! You know what I mean – COUNTRY!

The half-horse town nearest to where I grew up was about two-miles distant. It consisted of a Church, under a dozen homes, an old store, a cotton gin and a feed yard. I caught the school bus there. At various times I arrived at said bus stop by means of walking, bicycle, a-horseback, or driving—depending upon what was available and general weather conditions.

The next town of any significance was another ten miles and consisted of a school, three churches, a store/post office combination and about a couple-dozen homes (this is where I went to school). I rode the bus for an hour, traveling from farm to ranch, in order to pick up enough kids to make a load. FFA was required curriculum. There were only about eight to ten kids in my grade each year.

Because of my upbringing, I gained useful knowledge, such as what it’s like to milk a cow by hand twice-a-day (taught me about regularity and responsibility). I know how to butcher my own meat, what it’s like to mend fences, assist an animal with birthing, tromp in muck up to your knees to doctor a sick animal during a storm, get bucked off in a sticker patch, be kicked by a horse or cow protecting their “personal space,” hooked by a bull (whose “personal space” is usually much larger), how to entertain yourself without the aide of “electronic gadgets,” dress in layers so you can bear being outside in a day that starts off in the 30s at daybreak and winds up in the 80’s by afternoon, be both wind-burned and sunburned from working outside all day. I know all that and more—and I love it.

I love it because I also know what it’s like to see mountain views ten, twenty or even fifty miles off on a clear day. I know what it’s like to stare up at the stars with an unobstructed view while hearing crickets chirping on a clear, still night. I know what it’s like to have a special bond with animals—even if you plan to eat them later. The sight of a colt taking its first suckle, what it’s like to actually know your neighbors, the feeling of independence you get surviving in the country, the pride of raising your own food and yes, me being a male, the freedom to “do my business” outdoors, with worrying about neighbors being around.

Things weren’t always easy growing up this way. Being poor and rural, you had to be tough to survive. If you have ever chopped your own wood because it’s your only source of heat, had to gather a meal before eating it, lived in a house where you could see your breath in un-heated bedrooms during winter, chopped weeds in a field for minimum wage (daylight till dark on a hot summer day), spent a full day in the saddle (working – not pleasure riding), had blisters on your hands (and butt), or had to choose between buying gas or groceries with your last twenty-dollars because the “harvest check” is not in yet, then you know what I’m talking about.

Growing up country taught me many things. It’s a way of life like no other and I’m glad for it. I learned to respect God and country, the true value of a dollar (one you earned yourself), how to be responsible (not only for yourself but for animals and others), how to be independent, to really appreciate and respect nature, to work hard, to speak another language (Spanish), to change my own tires, fix a vehicle good enough to get back home with bailing wire and duct tape, basic veterinary skills, to be diplomatic when dealing with animals (and people), horticulture and the difference between beast of burden, meat animals and pets (and know they all have their own special place in the world), the value of a friend you could count on when you really need a hand, and, well, you get the picture.

I have a lot of fond memories of grow up this way. If you have ever “bobbed for apples” at a “Country Jamboree,” rolled your bedroll out and slept under the stars, known the satisfaction of doing a job few others could, watched an animal being born, smelled fresh-cut hay, danced a jig in the high school gymnasium at the yearly social, seen a sunrise or sunset a-horseback with no obstructions around, eaten “rocky mountain oysters” over a branding fire or a ripe tomato fresh off the vine, spent a Saturday night riding around in a four-wheel drive with a twelve pack and a spot light and thought it was the time of your life, listened to the same Chris Ledoux tape over and over on the way to a rodeo in the middle of nowhere, ate the best food ever at a “potluck” gathering, or if you have ever tasted home-made ice cream, made with cream you personally strained from milk, gotten from your own cow, then you know what I’m talking about.

A lot of folks think that growing up country is a handicap, but pardner, I’m here to tell you, it’s not! Great men like Abraham Lincoln grew up very country (and poor). Dale Carnegie, arguably one of the greatest writers and speakers of the 20th century grew up on a farm in Missouri. Canadian songstress, Shania Twain, grew up poor, in the rugged wilderness near Timmins, Ontario. As a boy, Johnny Cash worked along side his family in an Arkansas cotton field. Writer, Max Evans, once trailed a herd of horses from Jal, New Mexico to Guymon, Oklahoma when he was a young boy. They later made movies from books he’d written about his experiences! There are thousands of other examples. I could go on and on about great folk (well-known and unknown) who were raised “country.”

Personally, I wear “growing up country,” like a badge of honor. I would not have had it any other way!

Jim Olson © 2016
www.TotallyWestern.com

Free Feel Good...

2014-10-09T10:29:00.000-07:00

Offer someone a friendly smile or a kind word today. It'll make you both feel better, and it doesn't cost a thing!

The Rat Race..

2014-09-19T06:56:00.001-07:00

One thing I've learned about the rat race―the winner is still a rat!

A better view…

2014-04-19T11:15:00.001-07:00

Once I started viewing life from an objective standpoint instead of an opinionated one, everything started looking better!

Life happens now...

2014-01-12T09:36:00.005-07:00

Every once in a while, we need to look back to see where we've been. It helps educate and also to plan for the future. A look ahead is important as well if you want to get anywhere good.
Just don't spend too much time looking back - or ahead. Always remember - life happens now!

Purpose...

2013-12-01T11:45:00.001-07:00

Some do not know what to do with their life, or feel it has no meaning. I believe we all come into this world with a God-given purpose. If you will pray/meditate about your divine purpose—ideas, opportunities, events and people who are a part of what is “meant to be” will be attracted into your life.
You do not necessarily need to know what your purpose is, just pay close attention to the signs as they come along. Remember, all that comes about in our lives originally arrives through the gateway of our mind.
Many go for things or situations that are not right for them. If you are having to force something into your life, it may not be right. This does not mean you should not work hard for things, just know the difference between working hard for what is right and trying to force something that is wrong. Prayer helps. And remember, what you fight to get, you have to fight to keep. Things that are meant to be tend to work out more smoothly.
Be patient as you strive to achieve your purpose. There are plants in the desert that wait years for just the right amount of rain, at just the right time, before they bear fruit. Even the plants know that everything arrives on divine timing. “...for everything there is a season.”
Listen to what Emerson called “...the small still voice within,” it is your maker helping to guide you.

Jim Olson 2013
www.JimOlsonAuthor.com

Cowboy Definition of Integrity...

2013-10-23T15:33:00.002-07:00

Integrity is doing the right thing even when nobody is around.

Do some good...

2013-09-30T09:50:00.000-07:00

A smile, an encouraging word, a helping hand - all are meant to be shared. Today I pledge to COWBOY UP and practice random acts of kindness.

Worry is a waste...

2013-09-22T14:50:00.002-07:00

Why waste time and energy worrying when you can use the effort towards bettering your situation? Think ahead in a positive manner!

To lift up or hold down…

2013-06-17T10:09:00.003-07:00

In order to lift someone up, you have to be on higher ground. If you are holding someone down, a part of you remains low as well.

It's been a year…

2013-06-01T07:49:00.003-07:00

Most who have known me for long savvy that I have been a hard drinker for a long time—from about 1985 till June 1, 2012 (yes, I was fifteen when it started).
While mostly a happy drunk, at times I would get surly and mean and say bad things to people who did not deserve it at all—and mainly to those who deserved it LEAST of all—my close friends and family. I again profusely apologize to each and every one of you for my past indiscretions.
The good news is, it has now been ONE YEAR since taking a drink of alcohol! I had forgotten how good you feel with a clear mind and and healthy system.
I thank GOD for giving me the strength to make it through—I think I can do it now.
Sincerely,
Jim Olson

Careful who you ask...

2013-05-29T10:53:00.001-07:00

Never ask directions from a person who does not know where they're going; advice from someone whose opinion you really don't want; or help from a egotist. You'll wind up, on the wrong road, confused and alone.

Priorities…

2013-05-02T09:15:00.001-07:00

We must remember to focus our energies on what is truly important—not what seems urgent or feels good at the moment.

Do it now...

2013-05-01T09:38:00.002-07:00

It's never to late to start doing the right thing. You will not change the past, but you have a shot at a better future.

One chance at now...

2013-04-25T07:06:00.002-07:00

We pass through this world one time. As each moment goes by, remember, we will never be here, at this time and place, ever again. Make the most of it!

It would be a shame...

2013-04-20T04:43:00.002-07:00

If you were to die with YOUR song still inside of you !

The future is yours...

2013-04-04T10:28:00.002-07:00

We were all put on this planet for some special reason. With God's help, find out what it is. Listen to the voice within, it's your creator guiding you. Then make the choice and act. YOU create your future by actions performed today. Make it grand!

IN GOD WE TRUST...

2013-03-26T09:57:00.001-07:00

True story:
A few days ago, I stopped at a travel center on I-10 for no explicable reason. That is not like me. I did not need fuel, was not hungry and did not need to use the facilities. But I pulled in and looked around a few minutes, wondering why I was there. Leaving the parking lot, I spotted a fellow holding a sign that said, "Traveling and stranded. Anything will help." He had a half-starved dog with him. I went over, handed him a dollar bill and a bottle of water for him and his dog, then left. (I keep bottles of water and singles handy for just that purpose.)
Pulling back onto the interstate, phrases I always quote people flooded my mind: Do something kind for someone who is in no position to repay you. Practice random acts of kindness daily. The verse from the Bible that says - Give and it shall be given unto you. And all that stuff about "tenfold". I thought this strange as I always give from the heart with no thought of re-compensation.
I went about my busy day afterwards and it did not cross my mind again...till later that evening.
After enjoying some family time at the county fair, I looked down to see money on the ground as we walked back to the truck. I knew it was paper money at first glance, so I bent down to pick it up, smiling at my good luck. A chill went through me however as I bent over and realized the bill was folded so the words, IN GOD WE TRUST were staring up at me. It was a $10 bill.
I knew instantly God had given me a sign.

Get rid of discouragement before it gets rid of you...

2013-03-16T07:30:00.003-07:00

Discouragement causes a person to wallow in pity and do nothing.

This doesn't have to happen, but unfortunately it does. Once we realize discouragement is a form of self pity, we begin to take a long look at ourselves and hopefully decide to act.

Do something that will take you out of a negative situation. The answer to discouragement is positive action.

Blaze your own trail!

2013-03-12T10:25:00.004-07:00

Follow the same trail as the rest of the sheeple and you'll wind up in a rut.

Opportunity Knocks While Temptation Beats Down the Door

2013-02-21T09:44:00.001-07:00

I firmly believe the fields of opportunity are fertile. However, the corral is chocked FULL of temptation.
Temptation to lie, cheat or steal. Temptation to be a slacker, take the easy way out or not give it your all. Temptation to become ignoble, do the wrong thing or, as the buzz word indicates, become one of the "Sheeple."
Every day we are tested. When temptations come along, if you do not pass, opportunities for success will be fleeting.
Stand tall, do the right thing over and over and over again. You'll notice more opportunities come your way.

www.JimOlsonAuthor.com

The Wise Prospector

2013-01-15T19:16:00.000-07:00

An ol’ prospector came across a large nugget one day while panning in a stream high in the mountains. It was as large as your fist!

He left for town with his new treasure and also a smaller nugget he’d found a few days prior. Hard work and perseverance finally paid off.

When he was almost to town, a local swindler spotted the prospector and approached him with deviltry in mind.

“Sir, can you spare some change, I haven’t eaten in days!” asked the slacker.

Without batting an eye, the prospector pulled out the smaller nugget and offered it to the man. In the process of doing so, the swindler got a good look at the larger nugget.

The man excitedly talked about what he could do if he only had a nugget as big as that one. He’d be on easy street the rest of his life. His children would wear the finest clothes. He would hob-nob with the most important folk in town! He laid it on real thick.

“Sir, if you would only let me borrow THAT nugget, I would repay you when I could.” The sly man begged, knowing in his heart it was a lie. On and on he went...

Incredibly, the ol’ prospector reached out and handed him the treasure. “You seem to be very needy of this,” was all he said. Then he turned around and headed back towards the hills, waving good bye.

The slacker could not believe his good fortune! He’d really pulled one over on that prospector. Now, he would have it all!

A couple weeks later, back at the stream, while panning for nuggets, the prospector spotted the swindler coming towards him.

“I am so glad to have finally found you. I have been looking for you for days,” he said.

“What can I help you with?” Asked the prospector.

“I come for a treasure.”

“But I have not found any other nuggets,” said the prospector, “I already gave you all I had.”

“I have come for something far greater than a nugget,” said the man.

“What is it you want?”

“When I talked you into giving me that huge nugget, I thought I would never see a poor day again in my life. I thought it would buy me happiness and prestige. I showed it around town. People wanted to be around me, buy me drinks. Some asked for money, others tried to con me out of it. But I was not happy. I was constantly fearful of losing it.

“Well, maybe I was happy for a little while, but it quickly faded. But you - you gave up your most prized possession and then came back to the mountains to work again while I stayed in town, living the so-called high-life. Why did you give me the nugget?”

The prospector thought about it for a second and said, “Because you seemed like you needed it more than me. I figured with a little hard work, I’d get another one. In the mean time, I have all that I need.”

“That is exactly the treasure I now seek,” said the man. “I want to know how to be the kind of person who can be happy while giving away his things to those who need them more than he does. I want to find the happiness that I could not buy with the large nugget. I will gladly give it back to find this kind of treasure, for I did not find happiness in the nugget alone.”

The wise ol’ prospector smiled and said, “Finding that kind of treasure is easy, why it’s much easier than finding a big golden nugget. To find what you seek, all you must do is first find God, then follow his instructions.”