About Dave Anderson
With a twinkle in his eye, and a smirk on his face, everyone knew a joke was on the way… Dave Anderson’s father, Glen, introduced him to the world of humor at a young age.
Dave Anderson was raised on a farm near Summit, South Dakota. Growing up, Dave’s whole family had an appreciation for humor! The countless hours of laughter created precious family memories.
After high school, Dave joined the U.S. Air Force and was stationed in Tacoma, Washington. After his four-year enlistment, Dave went to college and attained his Bachelor of Arts.
Dave eventually landed in Milwaukee, where he raised his daughter and son. As a parent himself, Dave continued the family tradition and took the typical parent embarrassment to the extreme! Dave was always sharing ‘dad jokes” with family and friends.
For his day job, Dave began delivering pizza and developed his own unique service of offering customers a joke at the door. Dave was able to practice and refine his jokes along the way, while providing a unique personal service above and beyond expectations. Over the years, countless customers said, “You should write a book."
Would You Like a Joke is the first, in a series, in response to the request of pizza customers. Through this book series, Dave is able to share his brand of humor with others. Readers can enjoy the jokes and share with others! Humor and laughter are good medicine.
The Power of Humor
While out of town, Dave stopped at the local Mall to get something to eat. In the line, he was next to a lady who looked sad. He asked her, “Would you like a joke?”
She replied, “I haven’t smiled or laughed in a year and a half .”
Dave shared his joke of the week with her and actually got a smile and a laugh! The joke broke the ice and lead to a conversation between the two about her struggles with her family and finances. Dave empathized with the women and continues to keep her in his thoughts and prayers.
You never know when someone needs to smile or laugh nor the difference it could make in their lives!
Life Observations
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Every person has a special gift or talent, that the world needs. Our life mission is to figure out what our unique gifts and talents are and use them to impact the world for good. That is a big reason why we are here.
One way to determine your special gift or talent, is to ask yourself, what gives you the most satisfaction. For instance, perhaps you are willing to get in some trouble to share your gift with others. You may often go out of your way to share your gift or talent. In doing that you will be able to find out what type of people appreciate and benefit the most from what you have to offer. Your gifts and talents are designed to impact certain people, not everyone. It’s helpful to know the difference so that you won’t be frustrated and rejected, and they won’t be irritated.
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Many years ago, I was making a pizza delivery to an apartment. They invited me in to a room full of people including a couple that was getting married the next day. They asked me if I had any advice for the soon-to-be married couple. Without thinking, I said, “Remember that your spouse is just as human as you are.” A few simple words of good advice for marriage.
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Keep in mind that every person has goals and dreams. You likely have had some of those goals and dreams as long as you can remember. Your privilege in marriage, is to help your spouse to fulfill THEIR goals and dreams. One of the roles of your spouse, should be to help you fulfill YOUR goals and dreams. If they oppose each other, it will be difficult -if not impossible- to help each other to reach your respective goals and dreams. The more closely both of your goals and dreams align the more easily you can help each other to achieve them. In doing so you will both find great satisfaction in your relationship. While there are other considerations, it is important to discuss your vision of the future, with any perspective spouse.
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Peer into a microscope, gaze into a telescope, look into binoculars, or observe the World around you. All of these views will illustrate that there is something much bigger than yourself. In making these observations most people realize that there must be an “Intelligent Power” to have made everything they see.
It was a clear summer night near Summit, South Dakota. The sky was black. The stars were bright. The Northern Lights were putting on their display. What a perfect time lying there on my back on the grass. I gazed up in awe and wonder. I saw the Big Dipper, the Little Dipper and other Constellations. How many stars are there? How far away are they? Is it possible that all of this is an accident? Can a human even begin to understand? Those were just some of the many questions that arose that evening looking at that view of the Universe.
Who is this Intelligent Power? Do They have a name? Do They know me? Can I know them? These are the thoughts of a little farm boy. Perhaps you, too, have had some similar thoughts and questions. It all leads a person to look for answers.
The answers to all of the questions of life are found in the handbook, the Holy Bible. A casual reading will not automatically reveal all of the answers. As with any handbook, the Bible requires a thorough reading and study.
We learn that the universe was created by God. He knows everything about me, and everyone else. He knows me, and He wants me to know Him. God sent His willing Son, Jesus to show how to live a perfect life. Then Jesus died, as the Perfect sacrifice, slain from the foundation of the world (Revelation 13:8). According to 3 John 1:2, God wants us to all “Prosper in all things and be in good health.” In 2 Peter 3:9 we learn that God is “Not willing that any should perish, but that ALL should come to repentance.” To have a relationship with God, follow John 3:15 – 17, “(T)hat everyone who believes may have eternal life in Him. For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through Him.” God’s Love for you is beyond understanding, and He wants to be your friend.
The Bible has two parts, the Old Testament and the New Testament. Think of these two parts as two different covenants. A covenant, is a binding agreement between two different people, or two different groups. The Old Testament is based on the Law, and the blood of bulls and goats. In the Old Testament, the blood of the bulls and goats had to be shed on a continuous basis to cover over the sins committed. The New Testament is based on friendship with God, and the Perfect Blood of Jesus. The Blood of Jesus does not just cover over sin, it washes sin away. The Blood He shed on the cross of Calvary, is good for Eternity. (The covenant God made with Abram - later Abraham – is found in Genesis 15. Jesus explains the New covenant, in His Blood, in John 14:31 – 15:27)
If you would like to make sense of the universe and where you fit in, I invite you to get to know the Creator. Begin to read and study the Bible. Start in part two, the New Testament. The fourth book, the Gospel of John, is a great place to start. If the Bible you are reading has cross references to other passages of the Bible, read and study those passages. As you read and study, ask God to help you understand. He wants you to know Him, and He will guide you. Matthew 7:7-8 says, “Ask and it will be given to you, seek and you will find, knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened.” Jesus is the one who opens the door to a new life for all who are seeking truth. As you read and study the Bible, ask God to guide you. He will.
If this has helped you, I would be thrilled for you to tell me. Thanks.