Getting my facts straight requires that I get here early, very early!

Wednesday is here and we are having to deal with it, bright and early, or dark and early like it is here, therefore, I bid you welcome on this March 2, 2011. If you have not noticed, I do occasionally make a mistake. I reported my mom's birth age in a recent blog as her soon being 86. That missed it by a full year. Our 'email mom' using her little computer will be 87 in May. I have it correctly recorded in my calendar book but I did not report the correct number. I suppose we all should be looking forward to that day when we are very proud to have made it to such an elevated number, and we most certainly thank God for her, and His continuing grace in her life. I do not take that for granted. We already know that our mom is a treasure and we are the recipients of being especially blessed by her still being with us. The facts tell us there's only around 1% of our citizens who are still living past the age of 85. That makes these folks special to our entire nation of over 300 million. I'm not ashamed to admit that I talk to my mom at least once a day, sometimes more. Why not? God has allowed us the technology and wherewithal to visit, at least by telephone each day, and I believe that everyone who can should take advantage of it. I am surrounded by folks who would love to talk to their mom just one more time and that's a good thing because moms play such a critical role in us becoming who we are today. So now I can publicly announce that mom will soon be only three years away from the big 90 instead of four. That will no doubt put her in an even more rare category but it will not change one bit our love and admiration for her, and thankfulness for all she has done for us.

Have you ever wondered when I will run out of things to write about? Me too. I already know what some are thinking. You believe I ran out a long time ago but I've just not yet stopped putting words on the page. That's certainly not the view of everyone, however, because I still get notes from some who actually look forward to reading my blog each day. I even hit on a funny story once in a while because I get feedback about how it made some laugh. In particular, the one I recently shared about the lady getting her doctor's permission to join an exercise class seemed to touch the funny bone of several different readers. Good. It is good to laugh out loud every once in a while. Right? Picking subjects is really the challenge because once I have a topic, well, I am off and running. Take for instance the traffic last Sunday when I had to drive across the metro-plex, some 60 miles, to visit my brother. My word! Doesn't anyone stay home on Sunday anymore? It's like one hour and fifteen minutes of playing a game called: Look how close you came to being hit! I suppose it may even be safer during the work week because everyone has to drive 15 miles per hour because of the bumper to bumper gridlock. I did run into several stop and go situations and I can tell you, people are wound up tight. You come to a complete stop. Eventually the traffic starts up but you hesitate for maybe less than a half second. Suddenly, you hear a dozen horns letting you know that you have failed in your duty to move exactly one and one half car lengths forward. Well, E-X-C-U-S-E me! Every time you see the Pope on television arriving somewhere and he bends down and kisses the ground, well, that's exactly what you fee like doing when you survive another episode of road rage roulette.

My Facebook experience thus far has been very positive. Many of the folks I've hooked up with or friended as they call it are from my long ago growing up days. Some are folks I have worked with in the companies where I have previously served. Others are people I have had the privilege of serving with in a variety of ministry endeavors, some from many years ago. It is encouraging to hear from people I haven't seen in a long time and to find out they are still faithfully serving the Lord, some here, and some in far away places abroad. Many of those I have connected with are not based as much on friendship, although that's a part of it, but it's more the kinship and fellowship that comes from our shared relationship in Christ. One common denominator: Everyone has had their fair share of tough times and challenges. I emphasize: EVERYONE! Some have lost their mates or even a child. Some have had to deal with medical issues that have dogged their steps. And, the list could go on and on. I say all of that to say this. Those preachers you hear on TV and radio that promise a happy go lucky life if you are faithful to God, usually demonstrated by sending them money, are not only false teachers, but they literally bring hurt and harm to those buying into their garbage. Our Savior summed it up by saying that in this world, that would be the one He walked in, and the one you and I live in each day, in this world there would be troubles and tribulation. Ouch! Thankfully, He didn't end it there because He completed it by saying not to be fearful because of this. Why? Because He has overcome the world, therefore, when we live out our trust in Him, we can make it, even with all the challenges, by His grace. (Gospel of John, Chapter 16, Verse 33)  Amen.                        .....More later.