You are watching the master’s golf tournament, and you only recognize two names.

Little things aggravate you more than they used to. The little slights register more the older you get.

In the morning, you ask your spouse how they slept.

You don’t move like you use to. I shot some hoops on the basketball court recently and your mind still thinks you can make that layup, but you just look like a goober trying it.

You fall asleep faster than when you were young.

You watch a music award show and turn it off because you don’t recognize any of the singers

You have a separate section from your spouse in the cabinet for your prescriptions.

You get really good with numbers, places or names but not all three.

You are more content with what you have than what you don’t have

You and the dog seem to get closer

The little special moments mean more than they used to

You listen more and more to the music from years ago.

When the pastor goes over time, your mind is on lunch.

You go out to eat and it seems you always get the new waiter who just started.

The decisions between going to the gym or taking a nap become easier to make

You know you are old when you’re told to slow down by your doctor and not the police.

You look in mirror and your dad is looking back at you

I read a heart warming (and very real) account of a daddy giving a young man ‘The’ talk before letting him take his daughter out on a date. It made me smile because that is exactly how I was.

He pulled the young man in close and said, “If you disrespect my daughter or hurt her in anyway, Jesus will forgive you, but her daddy will not. Do you understand what I am saying to you? Bring her back on time and in the same condition you see her in now. Nod if you understand. Have a good date.”

It made me snicker because I was just that same way. I knew the boys I needed to give the talk to and the ones that already understood it without me saying it. You never get between a daddy and his baby girl because it won’t end well for you. Ha. KT

Dogs just don’t live long, or in the case of several of mine, nearly as long as I would like. Depending on breed, on average its 10-13 years and some live into the mid to high teens but that is about it.

Why is this you ask. Well, I believe it is because they pack more living into each year than humans. They are always in the moment. They never tell us that they have a call to make first, an article to read first, a trip they have to take, another meeting ahead of yours, too tired, too sleepy, too upset, too sick. No, a dog is always about what you want to do at any given time.

You could wake a dog up at 2am and they are as happy as if they slept until 8am. They always have time for a tummy rub, ear scratching, loving licks, longing eyes for their master etc. They are simply always in the moment as it comes along.

The reason it takes humans longer to live is because we waste so much time and so many energy with things that just don’t matter. A dog knows what really matters and it is quality and quantity of time. They never say, let me get back to you on that, let me call you back, I need to think about it for a while and, you want to meet like right now?

So tonight, when you get home to your dog just reach down and start rubbing your furry friend and watch them forget about anything else and watch them totally succumb to that single moment because their master needs them right then.

This could be one of the many reasons, (Keith believes) God created all the other animals first and saved the dog for last because humans need dogs and dogs need humans. Dog is also God spelled backwards. KT

Have you ever started a home project and realized halfway into it that it will take much longer, and cost much more than you thought it would? No takers? I guess it’s just me then.

Well multiply that a few dozen times and it will give you some idea of what we are going through with the renovation and addition to our lake house. We decided in late 2023 to move full time to the lake and started an optimistic redo of the lake house. Here we are almost at the goal line and you guessed it, it’s taken twice as long and cost close to twice as much.

You know the easiest way to tell if you are getting stressed about something? When you wake up earlier than expected several times and find yourself talking to yourself in conversation meant for the other party. Yessiree, if you find yourself taking to yourself, it’s a dead giveaway that you may be more stressed than you realized.

What do you do when this happens? Well, here is the Keith Thompson theory – 1^st, forgive as best you can. 2^nd – honestly pause and ask God for his wisdom on how to handle it. 3^rd – fast forward in your imagination a few weeks or maybe months and envision the issue resolved and how at peace you will be. 4^th and lastly – ask God to help you through it and let you find favor in places you need.

Why am I writing this blog you ask? Because I have been arguing with my contractors in the middle of the night (in my mind) for the last several nights. Ha. So, I am taking my own advice and giving it to God. Peace out. KT

We are moving to our remodeled lake house in a few weeks and let me tell you, it requires some real decision making on the things to take and the things to let go of. Sounds easy right?

At our Eagles Landing home, I have my own office, and I have saved and collected all sorts of hotel related items, sales awards, plaques, keepsakes, hot rod models and everything all the way down to a collection of hotel bibles. Well, the vast majority of that stuff isn’t going to make the move to the lake. I have an office chair that I have used for 31 years that has moved with me everywhere I have gone and that too will not be making the move.

Just going through all the storage places, drawers, shelves, cabinets etc., there is all manner of history, notes, pictures, and things that mean something to you but it’s impossible to keep it all.

I had a dumpster brought in yesterday and a charity truck came yesterday, and the first moving truck comes tomorrow. Needless to say, change is hard, but I feel lighter having got rid of a bunch of things that had been collecting dust on my office shelves. Having a life reset is not necessarily something you look forward to, but it can help you see the next phase, cycle of life, and allow you to look forward to what is coming. KT