Couldja? Wouldja? Shouldja?

Hello and welcome. It is Tuesday, June 7, 2011 and I am very blessed to be here to welcome you back. We learn that every heartbeat is a blessing and God provides even those to us. My brother Donald continues to struggle some in maintaining a decent quality of life. He is receiving good care including hospice in to assist five days per week. It was good to spend time with him this past Sunday. Mom and Dad had come over from Louisiana and they are our champions. Look up the words 'hard workers' and don't be surprised if you see their pictures as an illustration. The two of them together have breathed air on the planet for some 168 years and believe me, they tend to mark each day by what they get accomplished. Yard work, house work, repairs here and there, running to and fro, and helping others, and typically, all done on a schedule. Folks their age doing a 400 mile round trip in the same day, now that's what I am talking about. After we visited Donald, I followed them out on the interstate to a place where we could have a late lunch and visit. I have really missed just sitting and talking with mom and dad. We've all been a little discombobulated since Donald's massive heart attack last August. We enjoyed a leisurely meal and laughed and talked for over two hours. Then they hit the road for that long trip home. I hit the road for my hour long journey through the teeming metro-plex where late on a Sunday afternoon everyone is tuning up for the Monday rush hour. I can't remember liking dodge ball that much as a kid but I like it even less when they play it with automobiles!

Remember back in those Gomer Pyle days when he was often heard to say, "Surprise!, Surprise!" These folks who are in positions of authority over our economy must be channeling Gomer these days. I've never heard anything like this in my life. Everything is getting better. We are making progress. Uh-oh! There was some unexpected bad news today on the economy. These latest numbers came as a big surprise to the administration's economic team. No one could have guessed that the forecasted job increases would have been so far off. "Surprise!, Surprise!" I mention this only to remind us all that these people are paid handsomely to do one thing, make accurate predictions about what is going to happen in the economy. And, they were reported to be the most talented, most well educated, and generally, the smartest folks who have ever served. After the surprise, then comes the spin. Last week's surprising job growth numbers of 54,000 new jobs, 35,000 of which came from that McDonald's recruitment, were far short of the 200,000 predicted by the so-called smartest people on the planet. After once again for the one millionth time blaming President George W., the spin spun how this was nothing more than a bump in the road to recovery, but, and I am sure this is a surprise, they now have many economists worrying out loud about a double dip, and they are not talking about ice cream cones. There are times when God's Word just calls out the truth for us all to see. The Apostle Paul was inspired to write these words from his first letter written to the local called out assembly (Church) meeting in Corinth, Greece, Chapter 1, Verse 20: "Where is the wise person? Where is the scholar? Where is the persuasive speaker of our time? Hasn't God turned the wisdom of the world into nonsense?" (Taken from GOD'S WORD Translation of the Bible)

I know. I know. Don't write so much about politics. But, when the fruit is no longer hanging on the lower limbs because it is already on the ground, you do have to pick up a little of it. Don't you agree? That following verse is also an encouragement to you and I today, Verse 21: "The world with its wisdom was unable to recognize God in terms of his own wisdom. So God decided to use the nonsense of the Good News we speak to save those who believe." Yes. That Gospel truth is foolishness to most in the world today but it is God's truth and within it, we find hope for salvation through Jesus Christ, and hope for a life here lived for His honor and glory, and in the service to others, as we await the ultimate fulfillment of our hope that will come when we live in His presence forever and ever, Amen. The good news for you and I today is that we don't have to be surprised by those who live in a perpetual world of being perplexed about the roller coaster ride of life, we have God's guarantee and it is as good as done, even when we weeble and wobble a little based on the wisdom of this world being hurled at us, His Word remains the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth. That's where we need to find our reality for today and every other day! Amen and Amen. May God grant us His peace during these unsettled times. See you next time.    ........More later.